BSc Psychology student Nicole secured a one-year internship working with a clinical psychologist, allowing her to gain valuable experience in her dream role. She also volunteers for mental health support charity Samaritans and works part-time as a support worker alongside her degree. In 2022, Nicole was awarded the Inspirational Student award in recognition of her involvement in extracurricular activities while studying her degree.

‘One of the reasons I chose to study BSc Psychology at Sheffield Hallam was because of the variety of module choices. The course is accredited by The British Psychological Society (BPS) which will benefit my future career as a clinical psychologist as some careers in this field only accept a BPS accreditation. I became Sheffield Hallam's first BPS student ambassador, getting in touch with other students and the wider psychology community.

‘The psychology lecturers are passionate about what they’re teaching. I’ve experienced lots of practical sessions. I’ve role-played as a counsellor with other students, which has allowed me to understand and reflect on this role. The psychology society and psychology group chats are also a great way to make friends and meet students who have a passion for psychology.

‘I found that there’s lots of support available at the University. I’ve hired specialist equipment and I’ve used the University’s Skills Centre to improve my writing and statistical skills, boosting my grades and confidence. I’ve spoken with the careers team, who have provided me with so much information about clinical psychology and support with updating my CV and job interviews. I also attended one-to-one meetings in second year, helping me to really think about the work experience I needed.

‘While studying my course I’ve greatly improved my communication skills by learning about individual behaviours and signs that indicate what the individual might need or want. This is important as I work with clients who are non-verbal and wheelchair users in my current role as a support worker. I love being able to support these people in doing what they desire, which could be going to the cinema, shopping or even going on holiday.

‘To build up my experience I undertook an internship for a clinical psychologist who specialises in African psychology for a year. I enjoyed attending weekly meetings, where African psychologists from around the world would talk about a range of interesting topics. I developed an open-minded approach for my understanding of psychology and I’ve applied this to my uni work.

‘I’ve also been volunteering at Samaritans for a few years, an organisation offering emotional support for people in need. The severity of mental health issues in the UK became clear to me through working in this role and fuelled my desire to go into clinical psychology.

‘I was honoured to have been awarded the Inspirational Student award for my extracurricular activities. I’m a peer advisor, course representative and mental health representative for the swim team, which have all been great opportunities to meet and offer support to other students. I hope to inspire others in getting more involved, not only to improve their CV, but to feel more connected to the University.

‘I am also a student researcher, where I work with a member of the psychology department. I’ve worked on the new Grow+ project; a scheme which aims to help student engagement. This involved holding focus groups which helped with my communication and I’ve also enhanced my academic writing skills. We’ll be writing up the study to publish and present to the University this summer. 

‘When I’m finished I’m going travelling to South East Asia - I can’t wait! On my return, I plan to get a job as a mental health support worker or an assistant psychologist to get as much experience of clinical psychology as I can as it’s a really competitive field. I’ll then apply to the NHS clinical psychology course, leading to a doctorate in this subject and then onto a career as a clinical psychologist.’