I graduated from Napier in July 2019 with a First Class BSc in Psychology.
I actually nearly dropped out in first year – I’m obviously now glad that I didn’t! There were a few modules I particularly enjoyed; Cognitive Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, and Forensic Psychology would probably be the top ones. I also enjoyed doing my dissertation – it was stressful, but I liked having the freedom to explore what I wanted, and it was really satisfying seeing it all come together!
After graduation, things were quiet for a while. After the General Election in December 2019, I was lucky enough to get hired as a caseworker for a Member of Parliament! Essentially, when somebody in our area gets in touch with the MP, I’m part of the team that tries to help them.
It may not be directly related to Psychology, but a lot of the skills I developed during my time at Edinburgh Napier I use in my day-to-day work – for example prioritisation and time management of my caseload, and using a formal style of writing when contacting constituents and external bodies.
To any current students, I know it’s hard going, especially with everything else that’s going on but keep at it! The first few months after graduation for me were tough – I applied for a number of jobs and graduate schemes, but very rarely heard back. However, I’m now in a role where I’m able to help people every day, and that’s all I’ve ever wanted to do 🙂
