Student Case Studies
Read what some of our previous undergraduate and postgraduate students have said about the courses on offer, why they chose QMU as a place to study and their career ambitions and prospects.
Colin Parker
BSc (Hons) Psychology
Graduating class 2009
"The lecturers are all very approachable and helpful. The lectures were always very interesting and highly relevant – they always left me wanting more which was really motivating"
After completing an access course at college I gained the qualifications required to enter into higher education to study Psychology at degree level. Initially I had gained access to another Edinburgh based University; this however didn’t suit my needs and expectations. It was then I made an appointment to speak with Mr Duncan Robb, head of Psychology at QMU. Mr Robb took the time to explain the Psychology degree program. I then took steps to begin studying Psychology at QMU the next academic year.
The course content was absolutely great. The lecturers are all very approachable and helpful. The lectures were always very interesting and highly relevant – they always left me wanting more which was really motivating. Interestingly enough, after completing my second year at QMU I spent the summer volunteering for an organisation which specialises in the treatment of children identified as being on the autistic spectrum. I found myself in an environment where I was working alongside highly qualified people from various disciplines including Psychology. On reflection I realise that it was the quality of the course and teaching methods which enabled me to converse effectively with the people I was working with. I became a trusted and respected member of the team and as part of my work experience I was involved in research which was presented at the Royal College of Physicians.
Having just graduated from QMU with a degree in Psychology which provides me with graduate basis for chartered membership with the British Psychological Society, I am teaching Psychology at a local College. My long term goal is to gain relevant experience so I am able to progress onto the Doctorate or Masters Programme in Educational Psychology.
I would definitely recommend studying at QMU.
Michelle O'Shea
BSc (Hons) Psychology
Graduating class 2009
"The course at QMU was fantastic and I can honestly say I enjoyed it all - even the statistics!"
I started uni at 19 after spending a couple of years after school working with pre-school children with Autism. One of my biggest fears about starting uni was that I would become lost in the crowd. That is one of the main reasons I chose QMU as my prefered choice of uni as it has a small community feel.
The course at QMU was fantastic and I can honestly say I enjoyed it all - even the statistics! The staff were very supportive, passionate and enthuastic about their subject and psychology in general and this was definately a great thing. During each summer break, I sought out some volutary work with different organisations and sometimes continued this throughout term time if I felt it would not interfere with my course work. This allowed me to gain practical skills related to psychology rather than simply having academic skills.
Since leaving QMU, I have secured an NHS post in a mental health crisis team in Glasgow. I would say that the knowledge I gained from QMU, the passion that was passed on from the staff and my determination to suceed has helped me gain employement after graduating. My main career objective is to secure a place on the Clinical Psychology doctorate.
LInda Noble
BSc (Hons) Health Psychology
Graduating class 2007
"My time studying at QMU taught me many transferable skills which I have been able to put to good use in my present role"
I returned to full-time education at the age of 36, having spent the previous 18 years since leaving college working for local authorities in a variety of admin roles and also bringing up a family. After considering various subjects, I finally decided to study psychology, since I had no real idea of what direction I wanted my future career to take and psychology seemed like a good ‘general’ degree that would allow me to keep my options open.
I knew that I wanted to study at a smaller university, as I was apprehensive about being a mature student and didn’t want to get lost in the crowd at one of the larger institutions. I also wanted to ensure that I studied on a BPS-approved course. With this criteria in mind, I soon settled on Queen Margaret as my university of choice.
Despite my fears about being a mature student, I found the other students and staff very welcoming and thoroughly enjoyed my 4 years at QMU (apart from the statistics!) By the time I left, I had learnt many new skills and made many new friends who are now scattered across the globe! I graduated with a first class honours degree in 2007 and was also awarded the BPS Award for Psychology for that year.
Shortly after leaving QMU, I began to work as a national Development Officer for a voluntary organisation called ENABLE Scotland, where I support parents and carers of children and young people with learning disabilities. My role is extremely varied and includes writing a newsletter, organising events and training, running focus groups, responding to Scottish Government consultations, coordinating a parents’ committee, campaigning on learning disability issues and much more. My time studying at QMU taught me many transferable skills which I have been able to put to good use in my present role.
As for the future? I am torn between staying in my current position, which I love, or returning to study or research. Watch this space…
Clare Uytman
Current PhD Student – Psychology (previous MSc Health Psychology 2004)
“As a fairly new discipline, Health Psychology is constantly changing and evolving. QMU is well placed to provide an excellent place for new clinicians and researchers alike.”
When I was studying for my Psychology undergraduate degree at Glasgow University, I was not aware that Health Psychology was an area that you could study as a separate course. However as I found out more about the field, I realised the potential for impacting both clinically and in terms of research in a broad range of settings and decided it was an area in which I would like to work.
Initially I attended QMU as the only accredited MSc Health Psychology course in Scotland. I was also attracted by the variety of modules and interesting topics available to study within the course. The dissertation was an excellent way to have an initial experience of independent research but with great support from the staff.
After completing my MSc, I decided to return to QMU two years later to work as a psychology technician and study towards my PhD part time. I am currently researching body image and psychosocial adjustment in individuals living with amputation.
Ideally I will secure my PhD within the next 5 years and move on to becoming a lecturer and academic researcher. My time at QMU has already equipped me with essential skills to achieve this goal.
Sarah Williams
PhD in Health Psychology
Completed May 2009
“I was attracted to Health Psychology at QMU because of the specialisms that were on offer by my supervisory team.”
Initially, I was attracted to QMU because of the flexible PhD that was being offered. It was not too prescriptive and allowed me to build on my own research interests. I was also attracted by the specialisms that were on offer by my supervisory team. However, after visiting the university I was attracted by the friendly and comfortable environment of QMU. The staff in psychology are all very friendly and approachable. I also like the fact that it isn’t a massive institution that you could get lost in.
My PhD research is an online phenomenological study exploring the experiences and understandings of those with anorexia nervosa. My research utilised online methods such as online focus groups and e-mail interviews to interact with those that use internet resources for anorexia (including pro-anorexia and pro-recovery sites). My research interests therefore span the two broad areas of eating disorders/behaviours and cyberpsychology.
Sarah has recently been appointed Research Fellow at The University of Southampton.
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