Why Psychology at the University of Leicester?

I started being interested in Psychology at a young age after reading books like Catcher in the Rye and Perks of Being a Wallflower – both of which have leading characters whom suffer from some sort of trauma or mental illness. Being a film lover too, movies such as Along Came a Spider, Prisoners and One Flew Over a Cuckoo’s Nest really helped fuel my interest in Psychology even more. Between revising for my A-levels and watching/reading endless scripts and movies about Psychology, I would mentor young kids who were suffering from behavioural problems at school. This, of course, added to my curiosity – making me want to look further into the human mind and behaviour.

So, when in came to choosing what course to do at University, I decided to opt for something that I was invested in. Something that I wouldn’t get tired of learning about. And now I’m here – in my second year of studying Psychology with Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Leicester and loving every minute of it!

There is so much to think about when deciding what course and where to apply to – the best place to start is to think carefully about what YOU see yourself doing for the next few years to come. Whether it’d be Business, Law or Psychology – choose something that you’re passionate about. Do not choose a course just because your friends or family tell you to. Choose a course that you actually see a future in.

After you’ve done that, list your top 10 favourite Universities. From there – look at what each Uni has to offer in your chosen course. By doing so, you should be able to narrow your University choices down to your top 5 by process of elimination – this is how I ended up choosing mine!

So in my case, I was struggling to find which University to go to for Psychology. This is because some Universities offer different takes on Psychology. Some are heavily based on Mental Health, whilst others look at the social aspect of it. Some Universities also offer combination courses such as Leicester which offers Psychology with Sociology or Psychology with Cognitive Neuroscience. Other Uni’s will offer just a straight up Psychology course where you are able to choose your own modules. Because I was interested in the cognition aspect of Psychology, I went for Cognitive Neuroscience.

As for picking Leicester – I chose it due to its campus, low living costs (as I can commute to and from Uni) and its outstanding research department. I also felt at home as soon as I walked through the doors on Open Day, and was able to speak confidently to the friendly members of staff and students. The sense of community was a also big winner for me as I strive in positive environments. The opportunity to spend a year abroad and voluntarily work with local charities, was also presented to us – persuading me even further to opt for the University of Leicester.

But like I said, all Universities are different so I recommend that you REALLY do your research before you start applying for your top 5 choices. I would say that it’s absolutely vital to read prospectuses carefully, go to open days to get a good feel of the place, and ask A LOT of questions before deciding on where to apply. Also make sure to look at course content and the different opportunities available to you at that particular Uni, as this can make a big difference.

It’s a long process but once you’ve found your favourites – it’s (well it should be anyway) streamline from there!

Now all there is left to do is wait for those offers to come pouring in…

See you all on the flipside!

Enna