I've enjoyed being able to tailor my studies towards my research interests

Why did you choose to study the Psychological Research Methods MSc?

After having achieved a Psychology BSc here at Sheffield, I knew I felt very passionate towards the course and wanted to explore a career within the field of Clinical Psychology. Whilst at the time I felt quite confident that this would be as a counsellor, therapist or wellbeing practitioner, I wanted to further develop my research skills and have a solid academic understanding of the field. I found that the Psychological Research Methods course in particular was well suited for this as students have a lot of agency in which topics they complete their coursework and assessments on, and the course focuses on building skills that can be applied across a range of methodologies and topics.

What made you decide to study at the University of Sheffield?

Having studied and lived in Sheffield for three years before beginning this course, I knew that I loved both the city itself and the Psychology department. The city has great transport, plenty to do and really beautiful nature and green spaces. Furthermore, Sheffield residents are really friendly and the city has a really strong spirit and community.

The Psychology department is also very supportive and accommodating towards students and really strives to provide empowerment and opportunities to explore life as academics. They are also involved in lots of fascinating and cutting edge research on topics like University Mental Health, NHS treatments and even AI. I was also very fortunate to receive scholarship support to be able to continue my studies at the University of Sheffield, which allowed me to prioritise my learning.

What have you enjoyed most about your course so far?

This year, I have really enjoyed being able to tailor my studies towards my research interests, explore extracurricular research experience and employability opportunities, and access one-to-one supervision and academic support by a range of researchers who are leading in their fields. I feel a lot more confident in my knowledge and ability to work in psychology and mental health fields going forward. In particular, I really enjoyed the process of conducting and writing my research project dissertation which investigated predictors of dropout from University Mental Health Services across the country by looking at the real service data from thousands of service users. I received brilliant support and advice from my supervisor and have found the project itself incredibly rewarding; it has helped me realise that I am capable of being an academic.

What skills have you developed during your course?

This course has helped me develop my knowledge and ability to understand cutting edge mental health and intervention research, especially within universities and student populations. Furthermore, this course has massively increased my research skills and confidence in conducting statistical analysis, choosing from a range of methodologies, and even collaborating to write a systematic review. This especially has been incredibly rewarding as I am now considering doing a PhD and exploring Clinical Psychology research and policy as career paths, which I never would have felt able to do before.

This year, I have really enjoyed being able to tailor my studies towards my research interests, explore extracurricular research experience and employability opportunities, and access one-to-one supervision and academic support by a range of researchers who are leading in their fields”

Jodie O'Brien

Psychological Research Methods MSc

Congratulations on receiving a scholarship! How did this help during your studies?

I received the Alumni Fund Scholarship which was worth £10,000, within the Sheffield Postgraduate Scholarship Scheme. I am incredibly grateful to all the Sheffield Alumni who donated to the fund and made my studies possible this year. My scholarship helped as it relieved the financial pressure for me to work to be able to support myself through my studies. This allowed me to prioritise my academic work which really helped my performance throughout the year and made me feel a lot more invested and fulfilled in my studies. It also allowed me to seek extracurricular and volunteering opportunities both within the University and externally, which I found to be very rewarding.

What are you planning to do next?

I plan to gain experience either through working as a research assistant within clinical psychology and mental health research, or within the NHS (or a mental health charity) providing care and support to individuals experiencing psychological and wellbeing difficulties. I also hope in the future to further my academic development through completing a PhD or a DClinPsy - or maybe even both!

What would you say to a student thinking about studying this course at Sheffield?

I think this course is great for anyone who wants to build skills and confidence towards the idea of being an academic or professional within Psychology, but also wants flexibility and control over which fields and topics they specialise in.