Discussions about European psychology

Welcome to this European Psychology community! Most Psychology communities out there definitely have more of an American perspective, and for someone researching school or job opportunities in Europe this can be quite frustrating! Of course we don't limit ourselves to European stuff only - any general discussion within the field of Psychology and all its sub-disciplines are welcome! Feel free to join if you have a specific question about universities in Europe, programmes, study abroad opportunities, entry requirements, postgrad stuff, jobs, work experience, European research, your coursework queries, your research...

Post a little bit about yourself, your interests, what brought you to Psychology.

We welcome diversity, so any perspective from any country is welcome.



Some general guidelines that I wish didn't have to be stated but are necessary:

1. Please be respectful, polite and friendly when replying to posts or when posting in general. Criticism and feedback may be appropriate, but please ensure it is done in a constructive fashion. Member bashing is not cool and will not be tolerated. Ensure that your comments don't include any personal attacks. You're allowed to disagree, but just don't take it to a personal level.

2. Accept that people have different backgrounds and that not everyone may be aware of the specificities of what you are posting about (e.g. school systems do vary considerably within Europe, and can be very different from American systems.) Be considerate of that and don't get mad at people for not knowing. Please don't automatically assume that everyone will know what you are talking about and, when commenting, remember that people may not be from the same country/area as you are. This community is about diversity and we can learn from each other. There are many different programmes of Psychology study, all of which have their merits.

3. Don't diagnose and don't ask to be diagnosed. Don't play therapist. You don't know the poster and the poster doesn't know you. Although there may be some members who know what they are talking about, this community is not about professional help. Any diagnostic advice can only be given after assessment by a professional practicioner. If you feel you are in need of help, the correct course of action is to talk to your doctor or get in touch with a mental health helpline. (See "Links" below for some information on this.)

4. This is not a self-help group. It is fine if you want to discuss what brought you to psychology or share some prior experiences, but please limit this to an absolute minimum and don't post for the reason that you want advice or encouragement. There are other communities that may be more appropriate for this.

5. No spamming, no trolling whatsoever! Any user who is suspected of this will be banned automatically without warning.

6. Users who breach these rules (apart from #5) will first receive a warning; if they subsequently fail to comply to the community's guidelines, they will be banned.

7. Please get in touch with the moderators if there are any questions/problems.

And another helpful device when doing research for your coursework is Google! Please don't expect other members to do your homework for you!


Related communities:

(All these other communities are active. However, they often talk about topics from an American perspective. If you have an issue that is specifically related to a European programme of Psychology study, post it here instead!)

psychology - This is a discussion forum for all topics within the fields of Psychology. You can be a Psychology student, a practicing clinical psychologist, or just a fan. If there's a topic you're particularly interested in and you want to know more, or if you want to share an interesting case study, post it here.

psych_students - This is a haven for the student of Psychology. If you have a school-related issue, post it here. Discuss your coursework; discuss the academic stress; discuss career ideas.

anythingpsych - This is a general community for all those who love Psychology. Feel free to discuss anything about Psychology, including anything pertaining to school/college, personal experience, professional practice, etc.


Links:

General links...

This is a 'Virtual Psychology Classroom', containing plenty of useful information and resources for Psychology students, or anyone else who is interested.

UK-specific links...

This website gives a list of mental health foundations which can offer help and support if you are suffering from a psychological disorder

This links to the British Psychological Society's website, which is an extremely useful resource for information regarding careers in the field of Psychology.

This links to a fantastic site for prospective Clinical Psychologists - there is so much useful information on there and a really active forum.


Moderators of euro_psych are:

elvenqueen: I studied psychology in Germany for two years and am now completing a conversion course in Psychology in the UK, in order to get a BSc. I will hopefully graduate in September and then will be looking for a few years' experience within Clinical Psychology. My ultimate aim is to get a place on a Doctorate course in Clinical Psychology. I know most about this domain within Psychology and about Psychology in Germany/the UK so feel free to ask any questions about this.

lifes_a_dream: I'm currently in my second year as an undergraduate at Cambridge university in the UK, studying Natural Sciences (Biological). I originally entered the course wanting to specialise in Biochemistry(!!), but ended up being seduced by Psychology after studying it as one of my 3 core modules this year. I'll be specialising in Psychology in my 3rd year, then I hope to get a couple of years' research experience with the intention of enrolling on a Clinical Psychology Doctorate course afterwards. If anyone is struggling to choose between a Biological Sciences degree (e.g. Cell Biology, Genetics, Physiology, Biochemistry, Medicine) and a Psychology degree, I have effectively had experience of both, so you are welcome to ask me for advice :)

sweetchick200: I'm Alyssa, I'm originally from America and studied Psychology and Sociology in high school. I just moved to England and I will be starting school again soon. I will most likely be majoring in Psychology, maybe something in Child Developement. What lured me to Psychology in the first place was I love getting to know people and I love hearing other peoples thoughts and feelings. I studied basic psych in high school for 2 years, and I'm eagerly learning how things are done in the UK and Europe vs. America. I'm here to learn as well as help anyone with whatver I can!


After all this serious stuff, please don't feel discouraged, but come and join the discussion!