• Question: How long did it take to gain your qualifications for the job you are currently working in?

    Asked by anon-328516 on 6 Jun 2022.
    • Photo: Maria Uther

      Maria Uther answered on 6 Jun 2022:

      11 years

    • Photo: Jake Sallaway-Costello

      Jake Sallaway-Costello answered on 6 Jun 2022:

      7 years (3 years of degree, 4 years of doctorate).

    • Photo: Melanie Smart

      Melanie Smart answered on 6 Jun 2022:

      Hi Oceanne, it took me 8 years after A Levels – 3 years undergraduate, 2 years work experience and then 3 years clinical doctorate. That is pretty quick – it’s rare to get onto a clinical doctorate first time (you apply in the Nov for next Sept and you need at least 12 months work experience so 7-8 years is a quick as it gets!). It’s a long slog but very rewarding…

    • Photo: Celine Brookes-Smith

      Celine Brookes-Smith answered on 6 Jun 2022:

      4 years (1 years for my Bachelors in Psychology, and 1 year for my Masters in Psychology)

    • Photo: Agata Dymarska

      Agata Dymarska answered on 6 Jun 2022:

      it took me 7.5 years to become a doctor (the science kind, not the medical kind!) and do research – 3 years of bachelor, 1 year of masters, and about 3.5 years of doctorate

    • Photo: Maxine Sharps

      Maxine Sharps answered on 7 Jun 2022: last edited 7 Jun 2022 6:29 am

      Hi, in terms of studying it took me 7 years (3 year undergraduate, 1 year masters, and 3 year PhD). But I took a gap year after my masters to work and travel and I worked for about 2 years after my masters degree. I applied and interviewed for a few funded PhDs before getting offered the perfect one for me. Some people get offered them straight after their degree but that wasn’t the case for me so if it’s something you really want to do then keep persevering as it’s worth it.

    • Photo: Jasna Martinovic

      Jasna Martinovic answered on 7 Jun 2022:

      I guess the elementary school + high school is a given, since most jobs need that. I then did an old-school continental Diploma degree, which is equivalent to a BSc/MA Honours + incorporates several practical placements. The postgraduate work needed to work in academia took a 1 year taught MSc, which I guess wasn’t strictly mandatory but helped a lot in getting the skills required for a PhD and directing my own interests. The PhD itself normally takes 3 years but I submitted after 2 years and 3 months which was really fast – all my experiments worked out exactly as predicted, which was somewhat unusual but also made it all much easier than it should have been. Of course, the experience since then, first of all with post-doctoral work, is not formally counted as a part of education but is also essential preparation for working in academia. In fact one could argue that all jobs are also education and that’s why professional development (e.g. courses to go on and learn new skills) is now integrated into many workplaces.

    • Photo: Kareena McAloney-Kocaman

      Kareena McAloney-Kocaman answered on 7 Jun 2022:

      Eight years, and then once I was in this job I had to do another course as part of the terms of employment.
      Three years for my BSc (Hons) in Social Psychology. I then worked for a year and a half as an Assistant Clinical Psychologist in an Addiction Service and at the same time did a postgraduate diploma in health care ethics and law.
      Then three years of a PhD in Social Psychology – and from there started working as a researcher and lecturer in universities.
      Once I moved to Glasgow with a permanent contract as a lecturer, I had to do another year long course – postgraduate certificate in higher education teaching and learning, which is required of most lecturers in the UK and is a university teacher qualification.

    • Photo: Debbie Stevens-Gill

      Debbie Stevens-Gill answered on 7 Jun 2022:

      Hi, it took me 7 years to follow the professional training route in Psychology – 3 years undergraduate degree, 1 year Masters degree and 3 years to complete professional training and become a registered psychologist (the professional training is while you work and not at a university).

    • Photo: Garrett Kennedy

      Garrett Kennedy answered on 7 Jun 2022:

      7 in total before I was on the HCPC register.

      3 years BSc
      1 year in between doing counselling training
      3 years postgrad professional training (*this is the part that gets you officially qualified)

    • Photo: Federica Degno

      Federica Degno answered on 7 Jun 2022:

      Hi Océanne, it took me about 11 years (BSc, MSc, PhD, and some research experience in between). But I never felt it was too much time as I really enjoyed what I was doing.

    • Photo: Caroline Wesson

      Caroline Wesson answered on 7 Jun 2022:

      After I did my undergraduate degree (3 years) I started my PhD (where I became Dr Caroline) which took another 4 years but I started lecturing before I finished that. So about 6.5 years in all. That said, I’m still gaining qualification along the way as interests widen.

    • Photo: Cody Porter

      Cody Porter answered on 8 Jun 2022:

      11 years – I started by BSc (hons) Psychology in 2011 and went through a masters programme then a PhD (which I finished this year). During this time I worked in the NHS before becoming a full time academic.

    • Photo: Mary Jane Spiller

      Mary Jane Spiller answered on 9 Jun 2022:

      After A levels (2 years), I did a degree, which was 4 years because I did a course with a 1 year placement. I then worked for 2 years, and then spent 4 years doing my PhD…. so 10 years? Wow…. that’s a lot when I count it, but definitely worth it

    • Photo: Mona-Lisa Kwentoh

      Mona-Lisa Kwentoh answered on 20 Jun 2022:

      Ideally from undergraduate medical school to becoming a consultant psychiatrist in the NHS = is a minimum of 13 years . Mine took a bit longer due other life pursuits and priorities for e.g. gap year , maternity leaves etc.

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