1. Learning in a supportive and well-equipped environment

The Psychology department has so many incredible resources that we can use, particularly when we begin research projects. We have lab equipment such as fMRIs, eye tracking equipment, observation rooms, and virtual reality headsets.

We all learn about the equipment through the lab technicians who are super friendly and always happy to answer any questions. As a student, this lab equipment was one of the main reasons I was interested in psychology at CCCU, and it’s further inspired me to research more into future projects that I’d like to explore.

Also open to all students is the PsycSpace room, where we can relax, study, borrow, swap, and donate psychology books, meet fellow psychology students, and look at completed students’ research projects. There’s a real emphasis on student community at CCCU, making it a friendly and supportive place to learn.

2. Working with friendly and knowledgeable staff

The psychology department has so many incredible members of staff. We have highly skilled technicians as well as lecturers who provide us so much knowledge from their careers and specialities.

All the staff are really approachable. They encourage us to ask questions and get involved. Each of them has specialities and research areas that they’re interested in, which is great from a student’s perspective as I can gain knowledge from their expertise.

Often, they also have research projects that we can get involved in. Each student is also assigned a PAT (personal academic tutor) who we can communicate any issues, questions, or concerns to. They are one of our first connections for support.

3. Taking advantage of the opportunities in the department

There are a lot of opportunities for students to engage with. The Psychology department often hosts lectures and talks from guest speakers, allowing us to gain knowledge from another area of psychology provided by professionals.

All students are also encouraged to get involved in research participation, not only to help those in their final year and staff research projects, but so we can gain experience and knowledge as well. It's also a great opportunity to meet new people, network, and connect with professionals.

4. Choosing modules that cater to my interests

Psychology covers a broad range of topics. Whilst we have to complete certain core modules, we also have optional modules that allow us to dive a little bit deeper into our particular interests.

We’re also encouraged to further our knowledge by research before and after each lecture/seminar. We’re provided with a list of pre-reading to do, as well as optional areas for us to further research into if we are interested.

At the beginning of the course, the lecturers taught us how to research and find reliable sources of information. One of the huge positives of psychology is that there are so many topics that we can research, so you’ll be able to delve into whatever you’re interested in.

5. Getting prepared for the world of work

Psychology is a hugely fascinating subject, with so many subdivisions and areas to explore. The application of psychological knowledge can be applied to everyday life and to any situation.

Outside of the clinic, psychology can be applied to marketing for example - using eye-trackers to understand what makes a website eye-catching and engaging for example. This is one of my favourite things about studying psychology as I feel like my subject-specific knowledge is useful in many areas and can be applied to a huge range of careers.

What’s more, there’s a real emphasis on employability at CCCU. There are core modules that focus on graduate employment and how psychology can be applied to practice, which covers the essential skills needed for employment upon graduation.

Through this, I feel more confident to enter the world of work after I graduate because I’ll have the skills needed to enter many professions.