Psychology Degree/Higher Diploma in Psychology/ Masters in Art psychotherapy.

Maggiemul

I apologize for the lenght of the thread just wanted to give as much info as possible so it's easier for people to respond.

I'm currently a 3rd year student in Art college, specializing in Sculpture in Ireland. I'm quiet unhappy in the college at the moment and have been considering some serious changes as I feel like I'm not working my abilities to their full potential. I was recently diagnosed with a rare cancer and have been treated and cured within a few months with great relief. Since this has happened I have acknowledged what is important, I have been thinking about possible career prospects for the future and I want to be engaged in a something challenging that I enjoy.
I have the option of doing another year, known as the add on year. At the moment I'm in a level 7 course (Ordinary Degree). By completing another year it will qualify me with a level 8 Honours Degree in Fine Art.
My other option is to start a career in psychology. I have always been fascinated with the human mind and engaging in this would open many avenues to explore for possible career prospects.
If i finish out the 4th year with my art degree I will not be eligible to get the grant if I choose to start the psychology course after I finish my art degree, as you have to move up a level each time to receive a grant.
Anyone studying or have studied psychology please can you give me your opinion of the course and what it entails. Is it a very tough course? My other thought was to try move college to Scotland to finish my art degree as there are no fees there and better facilities than the college I'm studying in at the moment. And to apply for a masters in Art Psychotherapy over there also, but again I don't want to be left with a masters and no job prospects at the end of it all. If I choose not to continue with my art degree I will have to take a year out to apply for a mature student as I am only 22 at the moment and it is too late to apply. I've just stumbled across a Higher Diploma in psychology in a few colleges in Ireland also.You need to have an honours degree to apply for it and it takes two years to complete. If I finish my degree would I ever be considered for a place on this course? If anyone has finished this or is studying it at the moment could you give me your advice is it very tough course with no previous experience in psychology? Sorry again for the length of the thread any information at all would be gratefully appreciated. Thanks.:)

Dizzyblonde

Moved from Dublin County North

Lunafizzle

Hi Maggiemul

This forum should help somewhat http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=604

Best of luck

Maggiemul

Thank you for your help Lunafizzle! greatly appreciated!:)

cathy01

I did a level 7 in psychology I found it hard to get the time as I have three children.i have more head time to it then physical time.

Could you take some time out and consider more what you want. .sounds like you have been through the mill and not be seeing the woods for threes .
Best of luck .cathy

del85

Hi Maggiemul,

Best of luck with your career move!

I did something similar, in that I went from studying computer science (not my thing at all) to completing a BA in psychology. I've since moved on to graduate medicine, but that's another story.

In terms of funding: did you obtain a grant to cover your fees for the Art course up to this point? If so, I'm not sure that you would be entitled to a grant for a full Psychology degree

I'm open to correction, but I believe the various councils are only willing to fund a limited number of years of study per person (four years at undergrad level, I think). So if they have funded you up to now, it may be difficult to elicit further funding from them in the future. Worth checking out.

In terms of psychology itself, it's incredibly interesting and incredibly varied. Definitely hard work at times, but like anything if you put the effort in, you'll do fine. In order to progress your career though you'll need to finish at least a 2.1. So do put that effort in! I would definitely recommend the Higher Diploma course, as it's designed specifically for people who have already studied another discipline. It's shorter, it has the same status as a Bachelors degree and it entitles you to apply for all the same postgraduate training courses (in Ireland at least, I'm not sure about across the water). I know a few people who did the higher diploma and were very happy with it, so I reckon it's definitely the way to go for someone like yourself. Check out the Trinity/UCD website to get an idea of the entry requirements though. You may need an honours degree.

In terms of employment prospects, I think you need a word of warning: it's slim pickings out there! There are far more psychology grads in Ireland than there are training courses, so you need to be prepared to travel abroad at some point to complete your training. And those foreign training courses aren't cheap either. Some places in the UK will fund your educational/clinical psychology training, but they expect you to work for them exclusively for 5 years after you qualify. That means being out of the country for upwards of 8/9 years before you're in a position to come home.

You may be lucky enough to obtain a paid training post in Ireland, but they're very, very, very competitive. You need lots of work experience and a CV as long as your arm to demonstrate both aptitude and interest. Even the self-funded Irish training places are difficult to get, and can themselves be very costly- for example, it's 12 grand a year to do a doctorate in counselling psychology in Trinity. You can always do a research PhD, and those are relatively easier to get into, but there is very little job security at the end. As a rule of thumb, the ones that are hard to get onto are the ones with job security.

Whatever branch you go into, it's all interesting work, well-paid, with a wonderful work-life balance, but it is incredibly difficult to get a foot-hold. It was easier for me to get into medicine than it was to get onto a postgrad training course in psychology! I'm not trying to put you off by any means, merely just want you to go into psychology with your eyes open.

A basic psychology degree, though endlessly interesting, will not get you a career in psychology. All it does is entitle you to apply for other courses in the future. Think long and hard about whether you're willing to expend time and money on the degree itself, the subsequent degree(s), and the inevitable 'extra-curricular' actvities that you'll need to volunteer for in order to beef up your CV and make you competitive. It's a long, hard slog.

Maggiemul

Thanks for all the information and help, I really appreciate it and sorry for the delayed response. I am more confused now than ever before. I am finishing off my exams during the summer as I got an extension due to being ill. I'm really debating whether or not to go back and finish the 4th year. It really puts me down even thinking that I have to go through another year of it as I feel it could be a complete waste of a whole year as I'm not sure how useful a degree in fine art will be towards anything. del85 you mentioned that it was easier for you to get into medicine? Did you already have previous experiences within the science/medicine backround or was it the fact that you had your psychology degree? Could you tell me how difficult medicine is for you? I had always ruled it out as I thought that I was not intelligent enough to get into the course but from what you have mentioned psychology is no walk in the park either. What route did you take? I always thought that art was for me, regardless of job prospects it was what I loved to do, but when I went to college that all changed and it really isn't about art anymore. I just feel like I'm moving backwards at the moment and can't seem to make a decision on anything. All I do know is that I'm not happy at what I'm doing. If anybody has any advice whether or not it would be more beneficial to finish the 4th year or on any of the above I would really appreciate your advice. Thanks

Amze

Hi Maggiemul,

I can understand you're frustration.
I am also an Art student going into third year and really unhappy with the course. I also want to do Psychology and ive easily spent 100 hours online googling every variation of 'Can i covert into a psychology hdip from an unrelated course with a level 7 degree.

I too feel so unsure as to weather or not to do 4th year because the grant wont support me for another level 8 course.
You must feel so much more stressed as you need to make this decision this year.
Most Hdips Ive seen (in both Ireland and Scotland) require a level 8 unless your a mature student.
Ive been looking at Scotland because Ive heard numerous times of a loop hole in the system where Irish students are exempt from paying fees. This could be wrong but if not may be the only way to do the hdip as the grant dont have to pay the fees. But like everyone else said you need further study to have any chance of working in Psychology and i highly douth the grant would fund a masters.

But on the bright side there is a way ive found to combine Art and Psychology.
Art therapy.
I too feel like I need to be doing something fullfilling and that will help people and same as you I feel I wasnt smart enough for medicine but if you watch this video it may excite you to think about Art therapy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHu6909NTTc

If you think it may be something you'd be interested in then there are two courses I know of in Ireland

http://www.cit.ie/course/CR_ATHPY_9

and

http://www.ucd.ie/t4cms/child%20art%20psyc%20pdf.pdf

Both require work experience but I think that great because you can really get a feel for what your getting into.Any work experience would help. ive previously done Art classes with Alzheimer patients in a day care center and places like that are more then willing to take people in. I'm also volunteering with Children in Hospital Ireland and that consists of playing with the sick kids. Its considered Play therapy and more then likely what ill mainly do is art with the kids so that too may be considered Art therapy experience. It may also be brilliant to get in touch with an art therapist and ask to 'shadow' them while they work.

It would be ideal to take a year out to work up all this experience and that may benefit you too by having the time to really think of the future.
As far as job prospects, I know that Art therapists have regular slots working in mental institutions and Ive also heard of free lance art therapists working with autistic children.
The UCD course I linked works out of the Mater Hospital so that would be great experience and there is a possibility of funding from the grant seeing as you'd be going up two levels straight away and if your like me that is so important.
I really want to get into something soon and not have to spend all of my 20's in college so going straight into a masters is perfect.

Anyway sorry for the essay. I hope thats helped you and seeing as our conflict is so similar feel free to private message me.