HDip PSYCHOLOGY ADVICE

Amusicum

Hello,
I am a recent graduate of music, with a first class honours. As art of my course I undertook modules in music therapy (which contained a placement with adults and children with developmental disabilities) I have also helped out at a special needs summer camp and have experience as a music teacher. I know though that I could see myself more in the role of a psychologist rather than a music therapist - for me music is something very personal and I do not necessarily want to use it as the primary resource for working with people.
I have known for a while now that I want a career in psychology. I would love to do research into the cognitive processes of eating disorders and eventually to train as a clinical psychologist. I know that my first step is to take a HDip conversion course. I am going to apply for the psychology HDip in UCD, Trinity and UCC. The UCD course seems to me to be the most attractive and clearly laid out but I was wondering would anybody be able to advise me more about the individual features of the various HDip Psych courses (UCD, Trinity and UCC) I am also thinking of the UCD course because they have the clinical psychology doctorate there and also have connections with the Institute of Psychiatry in King's College London, where there is a specific research cluster relating to eating disorders. I have been looking at the Trinity course too, which looks possibly even more detailed than the UCD course (especially because they give more information about the specific modules) and I feel that there is quite a solid research cluster in neuroscience, which would be an interest of mine. However, the course is almost double the cost of the other HDip psychology courses, which would cause some financial concerns, although I do wish to do the best course (providing I have a choice!) I want to choose the best course, so that means I don't mind if the best course requires more work or if there are additional modules - i am willing to put as much work in as possible, especially as I intend going straight into a research PhD in psychology afterwards, and then training as a clinical psychologist.
Any advice or information from someone studying on one of the HDip psychology courses or an undergraduate psychology student in any of the colleges would be greatly appreciated,
Thanks!

KatieDot

hyea,

im doing the conversion with the open university. i got into trinity but couldnt afford the fees!
My background - i graduated with a first from NUIG in 2009 with a BA in Psychology(70% of the degree), sociology and politics (30%). Ive also just finnished a MA in child, family and comunity studies in DIT. CLinical psychology is my aim, with a special interest in mental healthcare involving children and adolescents (effects of eating disprders, cancer, disabilities...that sort of thing!).

I love the course that i am doing but its hard to motivate myself. however, it is quite well regarded (very practical).and unfortunatly for me, money dominated my choice :-)

trinity is amaxing, its facilities are incredible and its recognition is worldwide. Ucd is good,but in many ways it doesnt compare (e.g. ive found that being a postgraduate trinities 24 hour study room is incredible). But, money makes a huge difference.

the one thing that i would say is that experience is essential. and if the cheaper course in ucd would give you so leyway to vounteer. definatly do that. also ring both universities and see if there is any chance that either course would give you a placement (again prob voluntary).

i can meet and chat about my experience if ya want but im not sure how much use i am. its always nice to know that others have the same aim tho.

P.s. im 22 years old and recently moved to dublin, hoping to get volunteering in childrens social care/psychology myself! and keepingmy fingers crossed that a lecturer will like me and may take me on as a researcher. my attention is building my cv at the mo. clinical is so competitative to get into!

Good luck.

Amusicum

Hey there,
Thanks for the reply. I was considering the Open University course for a while but found out when i looked it up on the website that it is not going to be running any more from December 31st 2010. Are you aware of this? (I think you have to have all the modules completed by this date, but must check that again)
The choice for me is very much between UCD and Trinity. I am constantly weighing up the pros and cons of each course. I know the pros of the UCD course are the cheaper price, clearly structured modules on the clinical professions (clinical psychology, counselling psychology, health psychology), statistics being taught by hand first before using computer software programmes (which means that you understand them more in depth) and the course has been recommended to me by another forum user,who says that the conversion course more or less just fulfills a requirement, so the quality of the course isn't necessarily paramount. The cons of the UCD course are: less focus on neuropsychology, less opportunities (for example: Trinity has the Neuroscience Institute, amongst others), less opportunities for psychology assistant work. The pros of the Trinity course are: obviously a really well-recognised university, plenty of relevant institutions being part of the college which create opportunities for assistant psychologist work, a psychology society and psychology journal that are published on campus. The cons are: obviously the financial aspect. All this is really doing my head in at the moment!
It is great to know that someone has similar aims as me. i plan on doing a research PhD on eating disorders wither in the Institute of Psychiatry in King's College, london, University of Oxford or University of Cambridge, then to train as a clinical psychologist either in the IoP or Oxford.
Thanks for the reply