What qualifications would you need to complete a degree in psychology or psychiatry?

Question: What qualifications would you need to complete a degree in psychology or psychiatry?
- Keywords:
  degree,
  psychiatry,
  qualification
Asked by anon-374649 on 15 Nov 2023. This question was also asked by anon-374653.
- Ed Morrison answered on 15 Nov 2023:
  
  Psychology generally does not require any specific prior subjects to be studied, or sometimes one science subject at college level. All professional psychology careers require further degrees or training to complete.
  
  Psychiatry is a career that is part of medicine. You have to complete a medical degree and then do specialist training in psychiatry once a qualified doctor.
- removed scientist answered on 15 Nov 2023:
  
  You will need A levels- the grade will depend on the university you are applying to. Psychology you can go into via an undergraduate degree. For Psychiatry you will need a medical degree first and then you specialise in psychiatry.
- Berengere Digard answered on 15 Nov 2023:
  
  To do an undergraduate degree in Psychology, you only need your A-levels (do check the entry requirements for your Uni of choice). To do a Masters or a PhD in Psychology, often you only need a bachelors degree (and often a Masters degree for PhDs) in Psychology or in a related field (sociology, cognitive sciences… it depends!)
  
  To study Psychiatry, you usually have to study Medicine, and then (after you get you medical degree and after the foundation years), you can specialise in Psychiatry… EXCEPT if you want to do a PhD in Psychiatry. Getting into a PhD in Psychiatry is like getting into a PhD in Psychology, you only need an undergraduate and/or a masters degree in a relevant field (in my case, before my PhD in Psychiatry I did an undergrad in Biology and a masters in Neurosciences). Careful though, if you have not studied Medicine and you “just” did the PhD in Psychiatry, you won’t be a psychiatrist! You will be a researcher in psychiatry.
- Emma Sullivan answered on 11 Dec 2023:
  
  Usually, universities don’t require a specific subject and want 3 A levels.
  
  At York where I am working, they require AAA including at least one science. A second science subject may be desirable but is not essential. The science subjects include Biology, Chemistry, Further Maths, Maths, Physics, and Psychology.