Careers and professional development

Returning to academia and pursing an ‘alternative’ psychology career

Shannen Kinsella worked in the legal industry before returning to academia two years ago. She reflects on her student experience and her plans to move into behavioural science.

02 October 2023

Overview of my background

Changing careers is no mean feat. For me, the first step in doing so involved completing a degree in psychology, which may sound clear-cut enough, but took years of self-discouragement and procrastination. Every time I would begin applying for a course, my niggling negative inner voice would pipe up and dissuade me from taking the leap. It would unhelpfully remind me that I was 'too old to think about starting again'.

That was two and a half years ago, yet here I am now, 30 years old, working full-time and on track to graduate with first-class honours by the end of this year. And whilst I sometimes wish I had challenged my negative self-talk a little sooner, I now know that I returned to academia at the perfect time.

Hence, the reason for me writing this article on starting out in psychology as a 'mature student' – I still don't feel old enough to be called this! – and all the intellectual creativity, fulfilment, and purpose it brings.

Why I chose psychology

I knew studying psychology was right for me for two reasons. One, I have always been relentlessly curious about why people behave the way they do, and two, the brain completely fascinates me (the epitome of small but mighty). I remember a friend saying to me 'You spend so much time and money consuming psychology books and podcasts, you may as well do a degree!' She was absolutely right!

My learning experience

I am studying for my degree via distance learning at Arden University. Not only do I work full-time but I'm also currently based in Singapore, which makes it difficult for me to study on a full-time, on-campus basis. Distance learning has given me the flexibility to study at my own pace.

Whilst I'll be completing my degree within a three-year timeframe, studying outside of work hours and sometimes on the weekends has meant I've had a lot less free time over the past couple of years. And yes, there have been many moments of stress (mostly scrambling to meet assignment deadlines) but at the risk of sounding like a complete nerd, I have been so engrossed and interested in the subjects that I've studied, it honestly hasn't felt like much of a sacrifice.

It has also given me the opportunity to put my newly developed research skills to use and get involved in rewarding research projects. For example, I have been working as a Volunteer Research Assistant on a project examining the psychosocial outcomes of prison leavers and long-term unemployed individuals who receive self-employment support from a not-for-profit organisation in the UK.

Overall, my degree has given me a much deeper scientific understanding of the human brain and how it interacts with the rest of the body, as well as how our behaviour is shaped by so many factors, both within us and around us. It's also given me practical research skills that I will rely on in the career that I hope to pursue.

Behavioural science and behaviour change

Behavioural science studies how and why humans behave as they do in the real world and behaviour change research focuses on what causes humans to change their behaviours and habits over time. This research can inform behaviour change interventions, which can be used to help people adopt more positive behaviours and habits long-term and are more present in our lives than many of us realise.

Behavioural scientists work across most sectors, including marketing, financial services, tech and not-for-profit, and within consultancy firms. They apply research to areas such as public and workplace policy, consumer behaviour, advertising and marketing campaigns, as well as many more.

I have always been a huge lover of nature and wildlife, which heavily influences my choices in living more sustainably and continually striving to have less impact on our planet. Pairing this with my ongoing interest in behavioural science led me to become curious about how behaviour change interventions can be used to benefit social and environmental issues. This is why I am pursuing an MSc in behaviour change next year and hope to move into a relevant research or advisory role afterwards. I want to understand phenomena such as why some people are more inclined to pro-social and pro-environmental behaviours and why some find forming positive habits and behaviours more difficult than others.

Choosing an 'alternative' career in psychology

You may have been unaware that a psychology degree could take you down a path such as public policy advisory – so was I a couple of years ago! Like many, before I studied psychology I thought pursuing a degree in the subject ultimately led to working as some form of 'psychologist', whether clinically or in other applied settings such as occupational, health, or educational. I have since learnt just how far-reaching a psychology degree can be.

My biggest piece of advice if you are thinking about pursuing an 'alternative' psychology path or undergoing a career change: don't make career choices based on what you think will bring you success. Instead, identify the values and interests that are most important to you and find a career that aligns with them. Think about what you really care about, what brings you joy.

For me, a career in behavioural science aligns with my values of social contribution, sustainability, creativity and integrity, and my interests in behavioural science, research and the natural world. Whilst I may not know exactly where I will end up, I have enjoyed every moment of my learning experience (even wrapping my head around statistical analysis!) and feel impassioned and emboldened about where it will take me.

Shannen is a psychology student due to graduate at the end of this year. Following which, she will pursue an MSc in behavioural science and plans to move into a role in behaviour change within social and environmental policy afterwards. Having spent over 10 years working in the legal sector, she is in the midst of a career shift.