Laura Herbert

Why did you choose to do a degree with a placement year?

I chose a degree with the placement year because I wanted to develop skills and experience before I graduated, so that when I went to future employers I was able to showcase them.

What did you do during your placement year?

In my placement year, I worked at GlaxoSmithKline, a pharmaceutical company, within organisational development in human resources. While on placement I was working to better the team effectiveness and the culture of the organisation. By doing this I was able to improve my project management skills and learn more about the business.

Would you recommend doing a placement to others?

I wasn't sure myself, but I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone. I went and spoke to the School placement advisor and they were able to offer me reassurance and guidance on whether it was a good idea or not. 

I gained valuable experience from my placement which I can take forward when looking for prospective jobs.

Why did you choose the University of Kent?

I chose the School of Psychology at the University of Kent because I attended an open day, which included a lecture, and this was with one of the lecturers that I then had in my first year.

I found them really engaging and they explained the course and showed real interest in their area of psychology. I also liked that we had a variety of different lectures, workshops and practical sessions as well as seminars. So you are able to develop different skills through different settings in your degree course.

Tell us about a recent piece of work that you’ve done?

It was to do with business psychology, focusing on workplace stress. We had to develop a poster and then take it to a poster conference and present our posters.

They brought in external judges and it brought to life the work we were doing and enabled us to develop different skills, rather than just writing essays.

What advice would you give to a potential psychology student?

My advice to any student coming to the University of Kent to study psychology is to take every opportunity you're given. Be involved in the Psychology Society but also really speak up in seminars.

It sometimes can be daunting to be in a big lecture theatre and you can
use those seminars to really understand the topics and ask any questions or queries you have about the topics you're covering.