Are you thinking about studying Psychology at USYD, but you aren’t 100% sure if this is the degree for you?
We had a chat with Vicky and Conor, third year Psychology students at the University of Sydney, to hear all about the pros and cons of this degree!
But first, have a read of what it’s like studying a Bachelor of Psychology at USYD if you’d like to know more about the degree requirements, the different subjects you might take, assessments, and the course culture.
Other than that, let’s jump into the pros and cons!
Why should you study a Psychology degree at USYD?
Top 3 Pros of a Psychology Degree
Top 3 Cons of a Psychology Degree
Mistakes You Shouldn’t Make
Things to Know Before Starting USYD Psychology
What Makes this Degree Different
Motivations for Studying USYD Psychology
Potential Career Paths
Why should you study a Psychology degree at USYD?
The first port of call is to think about your main interests, and what sort of topics or subjects you gravitate towards when studying.
To become a qualified Psychologist, you need to have completed a Master’s in the field, so you’ll be studying for around 5 to 6 years. This is a big dedication to make, however, if you want to invest in your passion for Psychology, this won’t be a problem for you!
Top 3 Pros of a Psychology degree
#1: Tight knit cohort
Although the initial cohort of Psychology is quite large, after the first year, the cohort size decreases significantly, making the cohort very tight knit.
By third year, you can expect to know most of your cohort, and get along easily with most students!
“It’s really easy to form a community… and people are happy to collaborate in discussions,” Vicky said.
There is also the Psychology Society, which Vicky and Conor are both involved with. The society runs a number of online and in person events, from games nights, to industry talks, drinks nights, trivia and networking!
#2: Experienced and knowledgeable academics
A unique approach that USYD takes to Psychology is having multiple lectures for some subjects, as opposed to one! Essentially, for each specific topic or module within a subject, you’ll have a lecturer that has done research and has a profound understanding of what they’re teaching.
Vicky said, “We are so lucky to have such strong academics who are researching a certain sub-topic of Psychology.”
#3: You get a taste in all the different fields
“You learn about such a broad range of things in Psychology, it’s not very one-directional, you’ll learn about everything!” Conor said.
Psychology at USYD covers an incredibly wide range of subject areas throughout the degree — giving you the chance to taste a little bit of every field.
This is a great opportunity for you to consider areas that you may be interested in researching in, or choosing as a specialised subject in third year.
Top 3 Cons of a Psychology degree
#1: You might find yourself studying subjects you don’t have interest in
“There are a lot of things you’re left with that you have to learn to pass through the degree, a lot of neuroscience, statistics, and perception which is basically biology,” Conor said.
A common misconception is that a degree in Psychology is focussed largely on social Psychology. While this is present in the degree, it is only one aspect of study, and you’ll find yourself taking a lot of science-based and maths-oriented subjects.
“USYD takes a hard empirical approach to Psychology… They do take a really scientific approach,” Vicky said.
#2: Stressful
To maintain your position in a Bachelor of Psychology at USYD, you must maintain a Weighted Average Mark (WAM) of 70 across all your subjects.
Often students starting Psychology in first year are not aware that they need to maintain a 70 WAM. It’s also important to note that the required mark to maintain has changed over the years, so be sure to check the latest student handbook!
Vicky said, “This degree has a unique stress for specifying that you need to meet a specific WAM… It is a very unique academic pressure.”
If this mark of 70 is not achieved, you are automatically placed either into a Bachelor of Arts, or a Bachelor of Science. This means that you are constantly working to keep your spot in the degree.
“There’s so much at stake — if you don’t maintain a 70 there’s no Honours, you can’t do a Master’s, and you can’t become a Psychologist, so there’s a lot that hinges on your marks.” Conor said.
#3: Topics get grouped together
At USYD, many topics in Psychology are grouped into one subject. This can make subjects very content heavy, and you’ll find yourself working through a number of topics in a short period of time.
“USYD tends to combine a lot of Psychology subjects together… and it can make units become really dense,” Conor said.
So it’s important that you work to stay on top of lectures and are prepared for some content heavy subjects.
Any regrets?
“Telling myself to definitely enjoy it, even though it is academically more rigorous than other degrees!” Vicky said.
Conor said, “Always do electives from as many disciplines as you can, because you might find something that you really like.”
Electives are a great opportunity for you to see what is on offer at your university from different faculties. You might end up finding a degree that interests you more! So don’t be afraid to change your degree if what you’re currently studying is not for you.
What do you wish you had known before starting USYD Psychology?
“Make sure you know you have to maintain a 70 WAM,” Conor said.
This is very important to remember if you’re looking to practise Psychology in the future. As we’ve mentioned before, this requirement to get into Honours may change over the years, so make sure you check the handbook for the correct WAM!
Also know that Psychology might not be what you expect. Vicky said, “People don’t realise it is very academically rigorous.”
What makes this degree different from the ones offered at other universities?
Psychology degrees at other universities will often require you to maintain a WAM of 75, which is 5 higher than the requirement at USYD.
Conor said, “If we had to maintain a 75 WAM I can’t imagine how stressed I would be, so maintaining 70 is definitely an advantage to being at USYD.”
If you are looking to do Honours and/or a Master of Clinical Psychology, look at what areas of study are available at different universities, and the faculty members.
“Because I want to do postgraduate studies, I looked at what was offered at each uni, and USYD had a clinical unit,” Vicky said.
What inspired you to choose USYD Psychology?
For Conor, he changed degrees from International Studies and Media. “Two of my friends were doing Psychology… It was really interesting and I thought that being a Psychologist was a really interesting prospect!” Conor said.
For Vicky, Psychology was something that she was always attracted to and came across in her readings often.
“I grew up in an environment where mental health was stigmatised… and I knew I wanted to be in a job that was fulfilling,” she shared and this led her to studying Psychology.
What are the possible career paths?
In completing your undergraduate degree, which is 3 years studying a Bachelor of Psychology full-time, you won’t qualify as a Psychologist, however there are other job prospects. For instance:
- Marketing
- Advertising
- Teacher aide
- Science journalism
- Public policy
- Research assistant
If you complete a fourth year in Honours, you can achieve provisional registration as a psychologist. This means you can work in occupations such as:
- Developmental disabilities
- Prisons
- Human resources
- Hospitals
- Schools
- Social policy
If you complete a final fifth year of a Master of Clinical Psychology, you will be able to qualify as a clinical psychologist and achieve a complete registration.
Nandini Dhir is a Content Writer at Art of Smart and is currently studying a Bachelor of Arts (majoring in Marketing) and a Bachelor of Advanced Studies (Media and Communications), as a Dalyell Scholar, at Sydney University. She enjoys covering local issues in her area and writing about current events in the media. Nandini has had one of her pieces published in an article with the Sydney Morning Herald. In her free time, Nandini loves doing calligraphy, ballet, and sewing, or is otherwise found coddling her cats.
