Jonny

Life at Surrey

Why did you choose the University of Surrey?

I chose to study undergraduate Psychology at Surrey because the course and the department are so highly-rated. The campus felt homely and I loved that there was lots of green space. I remember seeing being excited and impressed by the lab spaces I saw.

What are your best memories of your time at Surrey?

I met my wife on the same Psychology course at Surrey so I would say that was my best memory of my time at Surrey!

What were the best things about your course?

Without a doubt, my favourite thing about my course was my final year elective module History and Social Psychology with Professor Peter Hegarty. Following some fairly challenging experiences with statistics, neurobiology, cognitive psychology and even clinical psychology, I was questioning whether I was cut out to study Psychology. But this all changed in my final year. Everything clicked for me when I was introduced to basic ideas from Critical Psychology, Michel Foucault and interdisciplinary approaches. I really excelled in that module and started to carve out a niche career for myself from there onwards.

"My exposure to radical and critical ideas during my final year at Surrey helped me endlessly in my studies and in research."

Life after Surrey

What do you do now and what do you enjoy most about it?

I am currently in my final year of training on the DClinPsy at University of Hertfordshire. I have loved all my placements and found a real affinity with Community Psychology approaches. My thesis is exploring social construction of children and young people’s mental health difficulties through Foucauldian discourse analysis.

How has your time at Surrey and your course helped you get to where you are now?

My exposure to radical and critical ideas during my final year at Surrey helped me endlessly in my studies and in research. I recently wrote a chapter in a book all about the social construction of sibling sexual abuse, I wouldn’t have had the skills to do that without teaching from my MSc and I wouldn’t have been able to do my MSc without the academic skills I learned at Surrey. It’s cumulative. We also had some great teaching on a general psychology module which was all about building a critical toolkit and appraising theory and research in psychology. That was a great foundation for research skills that I have developed since.

What is your advice for students aspiring to work in your profession?

Someone told me early on that if I didn’t achieve a first on my degree that I shouldn’t try to be a clinical psychologist. Well, I didn’t get a first and here I am! That is complete rubbish don’t listen to anyone who says that.

Don’t be drawn into prestige. Don’t put people on pedestals. Challenge taken-for-granted truths. Don’t try to separate politics from your work. Ask for help. Build supportive networks. 

Find out more about our Psychology BSc.