Jess Johnson

Photograph of Jess Johnson Course: BSc (Hons) Psychology (2-year degree)
Home country: UK, local to �鶹ֱ��
Graduation: 2025

I joined The University of �鶹ֱ�� in January 2024, after starting a degree at another, much larger, university. Transferring to �鶹ֱ�� was by far the best decision I could have made! One key thing about �鶹ֱ�� that sets it apart from other universities is its small size. The smaller cohort size and our weekly small-group tutorials meant that I felt so well known by the entire department, from as early as my first couple of weeks. By knowing their students so well, the department were able to support us academically, and personally, in a way that simply wouldn’t be possible somewhere else.

Psychology at �鶹ֱ��

The staff in the Psychology Department at �鶹ֱ�� are truly second-to-none. Their passion for teaching, for research, and for ensuring that all of their students are looked after, is nothing like you would find at other institutions. The open-door policy means you don’t need to fight for limited office hours, and the culture of the department is one that supports true open communication between the staff and the students. This made studying at �鶹ֱ�� a wonderful experience, and absolutely helped me to achieve both academically and personally.

My studies

One of my favourite parts of the BSc course was completing my final research project. I was able to develop a research idea, inspired by topics I had found a passion for during the degree, and then bring this to life with the support of my fabulous supervisor. After studying the various research methods modules earlier in the degree, I went into this with the confidence that I had the necessary skills to carry out a piece of original research.

Again, because of �鶹ֱ��’s size, you are given much more freedom through the dissertation process than you would be given elsewhere – there’s no fighting for pre-set topics; as long as your idea is feasible and ethical, it’s doable! This enabled me to tailor my project to something which I found both highly interesting, but also relevant to the field of psychology that I hope to later work in. However, alongside this freedom, you’re given so much support; weekly meetings with your supervisor help to ensure that you complete a project that highlights your abilities, and that that any questions you have or problems that might arise, are sorted as simply as possible.

What’s next?

Having graduated with a first-class degree, I currently work as a Medical Secretary, where my role predominantly involves writing reports for Autism and ADHD assessments.

Alongside this, I am working to develop my research project into a publishable journal article; a reflexive thematic analysis of TikTok video content, looking at the flows of compassion in the context of chronic illness, co-authored with Dr. Jenna Gillett and Dr. Charmaine Sonnex. I also plan to go on to study an MSc in Health Psychology, a pathway my eyes were opened to during my time on the BSc programme at �鶹ֱ��.