Psychology was the obvious choice for Hanna
Hanna has studied for both a bachelor's and a master's degree in psychology at Stockholm University. She now works as a copywriter and content strategist at a digital marketing agency where she benefits greatly from her education in psychology.
Hanna has always been very interested in psychology and when it was time to start her studies, the choice of major subject was obvious. The big question was whether she should study to become a professional psychologist or choose to study a bachelor's and master's degree and later go on to doctoral studies.
At the Department of Psychology, ready-made course packages are offered to build a bachelor's degree. Courses are applied for on a semester basis (provided you have the right qualifications), which means that students are not tied down for more than one semester at a time. This gives good opportunities for study breaks for those who, for example, want to work for six months or perhaps take a semester abroad. This arrangement suited Hanna well, and she decided to start studying for a bachelor's degree with psychology as her main subject.
– It was important for me to be able to choose how to organise my education. When I started studying, I was just a bit over 20 years old and had no idea what I wanted to do for a living or even where I would live. But I knew I wanted to study psychology! Being able to start an education that I really wanted, but one semester at a time, was invaluable. It gave me freedom in a completely different way than if I had followed a fixed program.
Psychology combined with literature
For her bachelor's degree, Hanna added courses in literature science and project management. The reason why she chose literary studies to complement psychology was that she had always enjoyed reading and writing.
– Even though I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do after graduation, I knew I wanted to work with text in some way, and now I do!
Going from Bachelor to Master
By the time Hanna started her bachelor's degree, she had already decided to pursue a master's degree and specialise in psychology. After completing her bachelor's degree, Hanna joined the relatively new International two-year master's program in psychology.
– I like to finish what I start! Besides, there is always more to learn and psychology is an extremely interesting subject. It can be applied to so many aspects of one's personal life, professional life and society at large.
The fact that the master's program was international was something Hanna found positive, opening up more opportunities around the world.
– After all, psychology is universal and can be worked with pretty much anywhere in the world. It was also exciting to get to know fellow students from other countries and, of course, to practise my English!
How was it to study in English?
– Great actually! A lot of research is in English and most of the terms used in the field are also in English, so it's no big deal. A lot of course literature during the bachelor's programme was in English anyway, so there was no big difference really. It also felt good to become more comfortable with both speaking and writing in English, it will always be an asset.
Hanna thinks that it was obvious that the level of studies was higher on the master's program and that more was required of her as a student. At the same time, she felt that she brought a lot of knowledge with her from the bachelor's studies. In a way it was almost more difficult for her to read the first basic courses back when she was a brand-new student.
– The biggest difference when you get to a more advanced level is that all your fellow students are interested in the subject in a completely different way. It creates discussions and knowledge sharing that is very fun to be a part of.
There is something special about studying psychology, it is a softer subject in some way and I think that makes you get closer to each other.
What was the best thing about being a student?
– That I have got to know the absolute best people on this programme. There is something special about studying psychology, it is a softer subject in some way and I think that makes you get closer to each other. In addition, I think it is a specific type of person who chooses to study psychology and you become good friends with the others students, because they are like you.
– My favourite memory from my time as a student is the very first lecture on the bachelor level. It was a course in social psychology and we were sitting in a large hall that held over 100 students. By chance, I sit down next to a girl who, halfway through the lecture, I realise looks very familiar, but I can't put my finger on where I've seen her before. When the lecture is over, she turns to me and asks ‘Sorry, your name is Hanna, right?’. It turns out that this was a girl I went to primary school with but who moved to away when we were young. I hadn't seen her for over 10 years and now we were suddenly sitting next to each other in a room with over 100 others. She is still one of my best friends!
Skills to bring into the work life
How do you use your knowledge of psychology in your job as a copywriter and content strategist at a digital marketing agency?
– There's a lot of psychology in marketing! It's about capturing people's attention and building long-term relationships and partnerships. It helps to have studied the human psyche for 5 years.
Even though Hanna hasn't gone on to a postgraduate program – at least not yet – she says she uses a lot of research in her daily work. Throughout the master’s program, she has learned how to find and read a research article and what information is most important.
– There is a lot of research on marketing and I know how to use it. Both to gain insights into how I should help my clients to achieve their desired results, but also as a way to build trust in the marketing efforts I contribute.
What Hanna feels has benefited her most from her education is that she has developed a habit of writing.
– I must have written thousands of pages of text for submissions, exams and essays during my studies. You are simply forced to learn to write and it should not be underestimated how much benefit you get from being able to express yourself in text.
Essay key to a degree
To graduate, you need to complete an independent piece of work – an academic paper. Hanna wrote her bachelor's thesis in perception and psychophysics on the topic of how people perceive sound, and her master's thesis in biological psychology where she investigated the link between eating habits and brain health. The master's thesis is a bigger project and gives you more choice, which you should take advantage of, says Hanna.
HANNA'S TOP TIPS FOR CHOOSING A THESIS TOPIC:
- You must find it interesting! Everyone says it, but it bears repeating. You will sit with your essay until you barely know your name anymore. If you are not the least bit interested in what you are writing about, the process will be much more difficult than it has to be. It's hard enough as it is.
- Find some connection to the field you want to work in. Of course, you can't control it completely, but try to choose a subject that has at least some connection to the industry you want to enter. It will feel more valuable to you and also give you something interesting to talk about at your job interview!
- Don't make it too advanced. When you come up with your research question, you are often very excited and have lots of ideas. You should of course make use of these ideas, but don't forget that the master's thesis, and especially the bachelor's thesis, should actually only be written for a short period of time. There is often the opportunity to develop the question if you choose to pursue a doctorate degree later on.
Hanna graduated with a Master's degree from the Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, in spring of 2023.
Last updated: June 13, 2024
Source: Department of Psychology