Aberystwyth Psychology Advantage
Departmental Peer Mentoring scheme
What is it:
Incoming first year students are assigned a mentor from the year group above. The mentor is be able to pass on their experience of university life and how to handle transitional issues that sometimes occur during the move from college to university education.
How this could benefit you:
There are some questions that you may not feel comfortable contacting academic members of staff about. The mentoring scheme provides you with a dedicated and trained point of contact that can listen to your concerns. In second year, you will be provided the opportunity to become a peer mentor. Participation in the scheme enables students to gain valuable transferrable skills and experience that can boost your employability following graduation from university.
Have a Word
What is it:
Training for delivering ABIs [alcohol brief interventions]
How this could benefit you:
Particularly relevant to those in a peer mentoring role and/or residential tutors, this training is designed to ‘motivate and support professionals in the delivery of brief interventions’. Alcohol brief interventions [or ABIs] are intended to ‘encourage a person misusing alcohol to review their drinking, to set themselves drinking limits and to make and act on decisions to reduce their hazardous drinking’ (www.haveaword.org.uk)
Work experience/Volunteering Event
What is it:
Two hour event in the evening, organised by Dr Debra Croft and Dr Alison Mackiewicz, for 1st and 2nd year Psychology Students.
How this could benefit you:
Organisations such as MIND, Bronglais Hospital, the Youth Justice Service, and DASH and RAY, two charities who offer respite care and activities for disabled young people, will attend this event and talk about how you could get involved in a voluntary capacity. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and speak to these organisations in an informal setting over tea and cake!
British Science Week
What is it:
Free hands-on science exhibition to mark British Science Week, aimed at providing an enjoyable and interesting experience of science based activities accessible to school pupils in Ceredigion.
How this could benefit you:
This exhibition has activities which reflect different scientific disciplines, and the Psychology department always participates in the event. Our contribution is organised and run by current students; it as an ideal opportunity to get experience of working with young children, both primary and secondary age, and learning the skills necessary for good teamwork.
PS20600 Placement module
What is it:
This module focuses on psychology in application; aimed at raising students’ awareness of various career paths and opportunities in psychology. Students complete a minimum of 20 hours in a diverse range of settings [including clinical, educational, industrial, organisational and community] as an employee or volunteer.
How this could benefit you:
The work placement provides an opportunity for each student to develop and reflect on their experience in either professional, work-related or voluntary areas. A work placement on their CV can also have a positive impact on their employability after graduation.
Guest Lecturers
What is it:
The Head of Department is very keen on inviting guest lecturers to contribute to your modules while you are here.
How this could benefit you:
These lecturers come from some of the greatest, most established universities in the UK and indeed the world, and they are leaders in their disciplines. You may well have lectures from staff from Harvard, Amsterdam or from the University of Bath for instance. They are chosen as experts to complement your studies here.
Mental Health First Aid Course
What is it:
The two-day course provides 3rd Year students with the ability to identify and deal with problems of mental health in others until they can find additional support.
How this could benefit you:
The course is extremely valuable and we in psychology feel it is important that students graduating from Aberystwyth have these abilities, and we believe also that it makes you more employable, with this very useful addition to your CV.
Personal Tutoring
What is it:
You are allocated a personal tutor when you enter the university and will be with that person for your time here. Their role is one of academic guidance and pastoral care.
How this could benefit you:
This means that if you are stuck, and have a tricky decision to make on your course you can always ask them for help and guidance – that’s not to say you cannot ask any staff for help at all, but your personal tutor is often the person who knows you best.
Learning through the medium of Welsh
What is it:
We are pleased to be able to offer students the opportunity to study elements of their Psychology degree through the medium of Welsh at each year of the degree. Students are also free to submit any piece of course work through the medium of Welsh and have a Welsh speaking personal tutor.
How this could benefit you:
Being bilingual is a skill that is valued by employers. Demonstrating your ability to work through the medium of Welsh can be a significant benefit to students wishing to work in Wales.
PS11710 Personal Development Planning (PDP)
What is it:
This module is designed to help you increase your career focus and to understand what the world of work is like from a psychological perspective.
How this could benefit you:
Focusing and preparing early will give you an advantage in your career. This particular module adopts the University’s PDP as actual assessment, which means students engage with it in far more detail, and it forms the foundations for the work placement module PS20600 at level 2.
3rd Year employability Event
What is it:
Half day event for 3rd year psychology students “thinking about life after graduation!”
How this could benefit you:
We asked some of our psychology graduates to share their experiences at this event; the highs and lows in their lives since graduating 3 years ago, which will give you an insight into what to expect. Tony Orme and our university careers service staff will talk about career options, and there is also an opportunity to ‘network’ and discuss your ideas with staff.