Psychology (1 Viewer)

[Lainee]

I'm considering Science/Law particularly because Psychology sounds as if it could compliment my law degree quite well. At the moment I'm not considering it as a stand-alone degree, but as something that would facilitate my legal career. What I'm worried about is that I've never liked sciences (I did Prelim Chemistry and found it tedious and boring, so dropped it going into HSC) and statistics has been the boring side of maths for me. I've got a few questions for those who are doing Psychology atm, or have heard stuff about it.

1. How much 'science' is involved in Psychology? If the link is lab experiments, forming hypothesis and close examination - I think I may be able to manage this. But scientific memorisations is really not my thing. I'm more interested in social psychology - something that would compliment my law degree more.

2. Most universities recommend at least 2U of science, so how much will I have to catch up on? (People talking about blah and blah chemical affecting brain in such way...?)

3. Is there a clear cut 'better' school of psychology between USyd and UNSW? Criteria being: quality of research, facilities, culture/environment of study and general public opinion as to which is better. This would probably swing my preference between USyd and UNSW.

4. How is the workload? How many hours a week and how 'dense' is the material?


Thanks everyone!

 

[absolution*]

My sister did pyschology at USYD in a combined degree and hated it. She said there was too much theory involved and stats killed her. That said, im sure youre a lot more competant than my sister. Science/Law in my opinion sounds like a blast.

 

[Survivor39]

Hello Lainee.

I was doing psychology for my first year subjects.

1. Not much "science" involved, unilke chemistry, biology and physics, there is no real lab work. You will love it. A lot of social stuff like Piaget, cognitive stuffs and how to carry out research methodology.

2. You don't need to know a lot of science to do psychology. you will manage fine.

3. UNSW has the largest and best School of Psychology in the country.

4. Workload for psychology at UNSW: 5 hours per week - 4 hrs worth of lectures and 1 hour worth of tutorial (extremely fun tut!!). hmm. multiple choice exam, you won't be working too hard. Assessments include a psyc report, regular 2% class tests, experimental methodology.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[Lainee]

absolution* - Stats is what I fear most. Theory isn't too bad, I really do like reading and processing huge amounts of material - but as long as I don't have to memorise huge chunks of theory. Maybe psychology would help explain why my memory is so terrible.

Survivor39 - I'm just worried that in later years my scientific knowledge would be insufficient. A bridging course isn't totally out of question, but if I could make it through the entire course without having done any HSC science it would be much better. Maybe someone who is doing 2nd/3rd year Psych subjects could clarify?

Something else... I heard that UNSW's psychology intake is around 50 students a year... is there a chance I won't get a place? (Sounds so unlikely though, shouldn't it be more like 500?!)

I think my mindset has done a 180 turn since I last updated my sig. Science/Law sounds so much more appealing now... and why did I even consider USyd..

 

[Lainee]

Was looking through http://www.boredofstudies.org/community/showthread.php?t=42250&highlight=psych

Psyc is very boring. If you are interested in science, do something exciting. Psyc is just like Social science..... I did a psyc subject in the first session and hated it.
Lectures are interesting sometimes and most of the time it is as boring as hell...
And do you want to do 130 multiple choice question exam?? lol

if you are not sure, do B Science and try it out first. if you are not sure about science at all, do Arts/science.

Boring?

 

[Survivor39]

Survivor39 - I'm just worried that in later years my scientific knowledge would be insufficient. A bridging course isn't totally out of question, but if I could make it through the entire course without having done any HSC science it would be much better. Maybe someone who is doing 2nd/3rd year Psych subjects could clarify?

Something else... I heard that UNSW's psychology intake is around 50 students a year... is there a chance I won't get a place? (Sounds so unlikely though, shouldn't it be more like 500?!)

Yes the intake is around 50 for B Psyc (not Law), but I'm sure with your UAI you won't miss out (for B Psyc singlke degree)
The first year psyc subjects will give you the fundamental building block towards second/third year psyc subjects, you won't need to worry about that at UNSW.

Let me clarify what I meant by boring. Psyc is boring to me because I like lab stuff, like biology and chemistry where you actually do experiments and make deductions. I like "real" science. But from what you've said, you like what psyc has to offer with not too much detail in "scientific" hard facts like how photosynthesis work base on mechanistic principles, or how ATP is form in the mitochondria. psyc will be a blast for you, seriously.

 

[Lainee]

Yes the intake is around 50 for B Psyc (not Law), but I'm sure with your UAI you won't miss out (for B Psyc singlke degree)

I can't combine B Psychology with law so I'll have to go Science/Law and major in Psychology. So I don't know how that'll work... if there's an intake of 50 for B Psych, and there's alot of common courses - I suppose it'll be mostly the same, except entry into Honours will be more difficult for me and I miss out on some courses that are only offered under B Psych. I guess if I'm not looking specifically for a career in Psychology that wouldn't matter too much?

btw..if u are interested in social psych..why not do sociology, which does exacly that- behaviour of people in society. Im sure that would be under a Social Science degree

I'll research into that. But basically I think I may be interested into Psychopathology (mental disorders) as well and that isn't likely to be available in Sociology. It's just that I don't know how I feel about certain parts of psych yet as I've never really done any study into it. I'm just worried that sociology would be too 'artsy' for me (I think I would enjoy discovering the neural processes behind certain behaviours, for example). I need a good dose of analytical yet socially relevant study. That's why law should be the best fit for me, which makes choosing a degree to combine with very difficult!

 

[Generator]

It would be safe to assume that the psychology units at UNSW are open to anyone and that performance more so than the degree would determine who progresses in the later years of a psychology major (that's what I can gather from the USyd system, anyway).

UNSW isn't USyd, though (stating the obvious and all).

 

[Survivor39]

I can't combine B Psychology with law so I'll have to go Science/Law and major in Psychology. So I don't know how that'll work...

it works like this: you take the compulsory PSYCXXXX subjects to form your major, for example, you take 2 PSYC1001 and PSYC1002. And then year two etc.. And plus your Law units.

if there's an intake of 50 for B Psych, and there's alot of common courses - I suppose it'll be mostly the same, except entry into Honours will be more difficult for me and I miss out on some courses that are only offered under B Psych. I guess if I'm not looking specifically for a career in Psychology that wouldn't matter too much?

About 600 students do first year Psyc subjects, most of them for fun, or to try it out. So you'll be mixed together with the 50 Psyc students, attending the same lectures, doing the exact same course.
The only advantage of doing B Psychology is that in the first year, ONE PSYC subject is specifically restricted to B PSyc Student (some methodology subject), so it I don't think you should worry about 1 subjects... In the second year and later, you can pick any PSYCXXX subjects as any other Psyc students.
And I don't think you need to worry about honours for Psyc, you don't need to become a registered psychologist, so you won't need the Honours year. Just do your law things

 

[Left-ism]

if youre going to do psychology, do it at usyd. It is by far the most reputable of all the nsw universities.

 

[Lainee]

Oh dear... I take it there's no clear cut 'best' uni then is there? Hmm.. I guess that won't help me choose between UNSW and USyd.

 

[Minai]

if youre going to do psychology, do it at usyd. It is by far the most reputable of all the nsw universities.

based on ?