Subject Specific Info Pack - What do we study in Psychology
- Oscar Chong
- Nov 13
- 3 min read
Psychology is a scientific discipline that studies human thought patterns and behavior. Through the curriculum, students will learn data analysis and statistics, and gain in-depth knowledge of different branches of psychology, including developmental, social, clinical, cognitive, and forensic psychology, among others. . Psychology uses knowledge from various fields, combined with data analysis and statistics, to understand the mechanisms behind human thought and behavior. From a research perspective, it attempts to draw objective conclusions to improve our quality of life, efficiency, and mental health.
Workload
The workload for psychology depends on each university's course design. For example, at Durham University, the psychology workload is not very heavy. There is only one exam per academic year, and students typically submit two to three essays of around 2000 words per semester, leaving plenty of free time for activities like joining societies or visiting nearby cities. At University College London (UCL), the workload is also not excessively heavy, but in addition to regular essays each semester, students also need to do a lot of science research-related assignments, such as writing lab reports, learning data analysis through coding, or giving poster presentations. Cambridge's psychology program offers relatively greater flexibility compared to other universities. Students can choose courses from other disciplines, including philosophy, politics, and natural sciences. Oxbridge courses generally emphasize small-group teaching, with plenty of tutorial/supervision time where a professor or PhD student discusses topics of interest with two to three students. In terms of workload, there are more essays, typically one to two per week, plus one to two coding assignments per year, but relatively fewer lab reports, depending on the student's chosen specialization.
Oxford does not offer a pure psychology program. Students typically choose Experimental Psychology (focusing on neuroscience to understand psychology), Psychology and Philosophy, or Psychology and Linguistics.
Career Prospects
There are many career prospects for psychology graduates. Graduates can choose to pursue master's or even doctoral degrees to become professional psychologists, such as Clinical Psychologists (CP) or Educational Psychologists. If students are interested in becoming a Clinical Psychologist in the UK, they will need to pursue a relevant PhD program. It should be noted that some UK universities only recruit local UK students, and overall competition is high, so having a master's degree and relevant work experience (e.g., working as an assistant psychologist in the NHS) will be an advantage. In Hong Kong, CP programs are at the master's level. Even if students intend to return to Hong Kong to study at CUHK/HKU, they should note that these two universities are also highly competitive, with each university admitting only about 20 students per year. Therefore, students need to be mentally prepared to equip themselves well to truly become a clinical psychologist.
Of course, many psychology graduates do not choose to become clinical psychologists. Popular career paths also include research assistant, psychological counselor, business consultant, or roles in human resources and marketing-related fields! Admission Requirements
Most universities offering psychology programs do not require students to take specific major subjects. However, Oxford University and some colleges at Cambridge University require students to take one or two science/mathematics subjects. Other universities, such as UCL, also require students to take one science/mathematics subject, and taking two of these subjects will provide an advantage. Oxford University requires applicants to take the Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA) admission test. Some colleges at Cambridge University also require applicants to take an admission test and submit essays/assignments written in secondary school as reference documents, so it's important to check the requirements listed on their websites!
Oxford: Minimum 5 in English and Math, 5*55 to 5*5*5 in electives
Cambridge: All 5 in Core subjects，5* in two related subject (e.g. Mathematics and Science), and a minimum requirement of 5*55 in electives
UCL: Minimum 5*55 in electives, minimum 5 in English and Mathematics
Durham: The best three subjects achieving a minimum of 555 in English, Mathematics and Electives
Bath: Minimum 5*5 in electives, 5 in Mathematics
*Please refer to the official websites for latest information
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