A Week in the Life of a BA Childhood Studies With Applied Psychology Student

I'm studying for a BA Childhood Studies with Applied Psychology degree at University Centre Shrewsbury, and this is what a typical week looks like for me. 

Monday…

Today, I have a lecture in readiness for my dissertation on methodology, sampling and ethics. I have prepared for this by reading over the PowerPoint slides and watching the videos prior to the session. To support me with my dissertation, I have a supervisor who I meet with regularly. I am excited about this piece of work because I am passionate about the topic area, and I am keen to discover the findings around children’s perceptions of sport.

I have an Academic Skills appointment today to help me develop my literature review. These one-to-one appointments really help to boost my confidence and ability to use appropriate academic skills to enhance my writing.

Tuesday…

I have two lectures today. The first is on leading and working together, focusing on multi-agency working. I make notes in the lecture that I think will be helpful for my assignment. I nip to Costa for a coffee and then head to a two-hour psychology lecture on autism spectrum disorder. The session pays close attention to the background, history and definitions within this topic. For the assessment of this module, we are required to take on the role of a clinical psychologist and write a case file on whether an individual has autism, based on the evidence provided.

After the session, I head to the library where I have booked a study pod. I reread the lecture slides to ensure I have fully understood the content. If I am unclear about anything, I am always able to contact the lecturer for clarification.

Wednesday…

Today is placement day which I really enjoy; it helps me to put theory into practice. I am currently volunteering in a small, rural primary school. I am hoping to conduct my research here with children and parents of the school. Prior to this, I have had experiences volunteering with the charity, Action for Children, and at a local fostering agency.

Thursday…

This morning, I have my module on Organisational Psychology and Career Planning. The lecture is based on the job application process and the psychology of selection. This afternoon, I have a follow-up seminar to my Leading and Working Together lecture. Today, we are spending time in the session planning our assessment, which requires us to interview two professionals in the children’s and young people’s workforce. The seminar is a chance for us to really ensure we understand the assessment guidance and ask questions of the module tutor if we are unclear about anything. I am currently doing a lot of reading around key ideas and theories on leadership and working together. It provides me with the opportunity to think about the challenges of teamwork and the responsibility of the leader within children’s services.

Friday…

I have a self-study day today. I am going to use the morning to prepare for next week as I have some shifts at work over the weekend. I’m reading the materials on the Moodle page in readiness for the upcoming lectures, to ensure I am aware of the topics we will be covering next week. I then complete a couple of directed tasks. I try to ensure I manage my self-study time by remaining organised and planning my time well. I make time for some exercise to ensure I have a change of scene. In the afternoon, I return feeling refreshed and focussed, ready to do some work on my dissertation.