The sciences are among the oldest academic subjects, but by their very nature they are also the most cutting edge and are constantly evolving. As new breakthroughs are made each year, science changes and develops and makes for many fascinating areas of study. We take a look at one of the most popular areas, psychology.

Psychology
Psychology – the study of human behaviour and the mental processes  that cause people to act the way they do – has become one of the most popular subjects for degree-level study. In 2008/09, for example, almost 45,000 students were studying the subject  at undergraduate level in the UK  (source: HESA). A degree in psychology can involve anything from testing the effects of caffeine to studying non-verbal communication in humans.

Psychology graduates are in a perfect position to move into research or numeracy-based careers such as market research, sales, advertising, academia  and accounting. There is a certain amount of crossover for psychology students between the science and humanities disciplines, and psychology students develop many of the skills of humanities graduates, such as critical thinking and essay writing.

Career Paths
Clinical Psychologist
Clinical psychologists aim to reduce psychological distress and enhance and promote psychological wellbeing. They often work in health and social care settings as part of a multidisciplinary team, applying methods and findings of psychology and psychological theories to clients to enable them to make positive changes in their lives.

To qualify as a Chartered Clinical Psychologist you need to complete a degree in psychology accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), leading to Graduate Basis for Registration (GBR) and a three-year full-time Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. Competition for places on the postgraduate training programme (leading to a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology) is strong – to be accepted you will generally need a 2:1 degree or higher as well as evidence of your research skills and/or relevant paid or voluntary work experience. This could be as a psychology assistant, research assistant, or in another relevant caring role.

Salary guide
A typical starting salary within the NHS may be in the range of £25,500–£27,500, while senior experienced psychologists can earn £80,000 or more. See NHS Careers, www.nhscareers.nhs.uk.