Course and Career Chat Kim Whitty

What we’re talking about: 1:16 What do you need to do to become a psychologist?
If you’re interested in becoming a psychologist, you need to do quite a bit of study including an undergraduate degree that is accredited by APAC (the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council). So as you’re looking at courses, if there’s any chance you’d like to become a psychologist later, check that the ones you’re looking at are accredited so that you’re on the right path.
3:05 What is it that you like about psychology?
Are you interested in the anatomy of the brain and the biology related to psychology, or do you look forward more to the topics related to human behaviour and mental illness? While all accredited courses will cover both, make sure the course you end up choosing gives you an opportunity to really focus on the areas of psychology you really like.
4:55 Other options to consider
If you like psychology but you know you don’t want to become a psychologist, there are other options you can consider. Behavioural science, counselling or marketing are good examples of these. I also mention two courses at Deakin that focus on marketing and human resources respectively from a psychology perspective, and they’re also accredited so you can pursue further study in psychology later if you choose (see links below).
Links mentioned: My website: https://www.roadmapeducation.com
Bachelor of Marketing (Psychology) at Deakin University - https://www.deakin.edu.au/course/bachelor-marketing-psychology
Bachelor of Human Resource Management (Psychology) at Deakin University - https://www.deakin.edu.au/course/bachelor-human-resource-management-psychology
Previous episodes related to Psychology:
Arts and Psychology - https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/34
Psychology and Behaviour Therapy - https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/19
Criminology - https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/10
Psychological Studies - https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/7

What we’re talking about: 2:50 Don’t assume you know what you can study in Bachelor Science
I did all maths and science subjects in VCE, and never even considered a Bachelor of Science. Why? Because I felt like I wasn’t that good at Chemistry or Physics, and I didn’t realise that I could do a Bachelor of Science and major in Maths or something similar (which was clearly my strength and something I loved to explore). Don’t make assumptions - check the majors so you know what a course is actually about so you can make an informed decision.
5:23 What types of majors can you study in a Bachelor of Science
If you’re considering a Bachelor of Science, you really want to check what majors are offered at the university you’re looking at to see if they focus on the types of areas you’re interested in. Start by asking yourself questions about what you already know you like. What science subject at school do you like best? What topics do you like within that subject? If you’re not sure, hop onto the websites for the different unis and read through the majors offered to see which one has a couple of majors that you could see yourself studying, and then explore them in your first year before you choose which one to focus on.
Links mentioned: My website: https://www.roadmapeducation.com
Previous episodes related to Science:
Laboratory Medicine - https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/61
Laboratory Assistant - https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/55
Food Science - https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/50
Science and Baking - https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/48
Science Advanced - Global Challenges and Palaeontology - https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/47
Science and Global Studies - https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/31
Forensic Science - https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/28
Pharmaceutical Science - https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/23
Science, Arts, Sustainability and Meteorology - https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/22
Pharmacy and Audiology - https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/20
Geology and Scientific Research - https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/18
Science and Veterinary Medicine - https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/13

What we’re talking about: 1:33 What is a Bachelor of Arts?
Don’t confuse “Art” with “Arts”! While the subject Art at school involves things like painting and drawing, a Bachelor of Arts is more about humanities and exploring ideas through a particular perspective. Some people are reluctant to pursue a Bachelor of Arts because they think it won’t lead anywhere, however if you look at the majors within the course, there are heaps of things you can study within a Bachelor of Arts that very clearly leads to a particular job or career.
6:42 What if you don’t know what you want to do in your career?
If you don’t know yet what you want to do in your career, that’s totally normal and completely fine. I firmly believe that if you’re passionate about something and keep learning and networking in that area, opportunities will become available to you. I give a couple of examples of people who studied Arts and didn’t know where it was going to take them, including Ash Barty’s mindset coach, Ben Crowe.
8:56 A Bachelor of Arts works really well as part of a double degree
A fantastic way to explore a greater range of areas, round out your education and have more to talk about in job interviews is to combine Arts with another degree.
10:51 The majors that are offered are important
A Bachelor of Arts at 2 different universities can look completely different, so make sure you take a look at what’s offered so you can choose the right one for you. I go through some of the majors offered at The University of Melbourne, Monash University, RMIT, Swinburne and Deakin to give you an idea of what your Bachelor of Arts could look like depending on where you choose to study.
Links mentioned: My website: https://www.roadmapeducation.com
 
Previous episodes related to Arts:
Anthropology and Human Rights: https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/45
Speech Pathology - https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/39
Arts and Psychology - https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/34
Politics, Philosophy, Economics, Arts and Law - https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/26
Science, Arts, Sustainability and Meteorology - https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/22
Teacher, Tutor, Entrepreneur - https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/21
Arts and Law - https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/16
Communications (Journalism, Public Relations, Advertising and Media) - https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/3

What we’re talking about: 1:37 The difference between a Bachelor of Business and a Bachelor of Commerce
While the words Business and Commerce are often used interchangeably, the two courses can be quite distinct. Find out what the focus of each degree usually is to help you decide whether Business or Commerce is right for you. Most importantly, make sure you look at what you can major in for each of the courses you’re looking at so that you know whether it has your area of interest.
4:40 What prerequisites do you need for Business or Commerce?
In the past, you often needed a Maths subject as a prerequisite for Business and Commerce, but that’s no longer always the case, so if you haven’t studied Maths in VCE there are definitely options out there for you. It’s also worth noting that subjects like Accounting, Economics and Business Management are not prerequisites for these courses, however you may get a subject adjustment if you do well in them which could boost your selection rank.
6:50 What should you look for in a Bachelor of Business or Commerce?
You should definitely look for courses that have a placement or internship as part of your course. These types of experiences give you the opportunity to see what it’s actually like to work in your chosen area, as well as giving you great networking opportunities, referees for your CV and potentially even a graduate position at the end of your course.
8:23 Other courses to consider
Ever wondered why some places offer a Bachelor of Business or Commerce and a Bachelor of Accounting, for example? Find out why you might like to choose the more general Business or Commerce courses, or what circumstances might lead you to choose the more specific degrees. Business and Commerce degrees also complement other areas of study really well, so definitely take a look at the double degrees that are available.
Links mentioned: My website: https://www.roadmapeducation.com
Previous episodes related to Business and Commerce:
Fashion Marketing - https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/43
Business (Professional) - https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/30
Property and Real Estate - https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/8
Commerce and Teaching - https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/5
Communications (Journalism, Public Relations, Advertising and Media) - https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/3

What we’re talking about: 1:45 What is a VCE subject ranking?
Find out what a VCE subject ranking actually is, and how it is used to help calculate your study score for the subject, which in turn is used to calculate your ATAR.
6:49 Why is your subject ranking not as important as you think?
Now that you know what it is, I want you to forget about it. Because no matter how much you worry about your subject ranking, where you’re ranked for a particular VCE subject is not something you can control.
9:26 What can you control in VCE?
Instead of stressing about your ranking, let’s look at what you can control - how well you use each SAC to prepare for the next one. In VCE you need to know the content, but you also need to know how to present your answers in the way that the VCE examiners expect you to. Focus on this instead and your ranking will take care of itself.
Links mentioned: My website: https://www.roadmapeducation.com
VCE Study Designs: https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/curriculum/vce/vce-study-designs/Pages/vce-study-designs.aspx

What we’re talking about: A lot of students are being encouraged to accelerate in VCE - that is, do Units 3&4 of a VCE subject early in Year 11 rather than waiting until Year 12. It can be great for some students and make life difficult for others, so let’s look at how it works and what the benefits and drawbacks are.
1:47 What is accelerating in VCE?
2:39 Is it a disadvantage to not do Units 1&2 of a VCE subject?
Usually, no. Most subjects that are offered for acceleration are ones where the Unit 1&2 topics are very different to those covered in Units 3&4.
4:37 Advantages of accelerating in VCE
1) You get a chance to see what it’s like to do a Unit 3&4 subject, including doing external exams, before you do the rest of your subjects.
2) You get a subject done and out of the way early, and that may mean that you’re allowed to do less subjects as a Year 12 student and have a study period instead.
8:48 Disadvantages of accelerating in VCE
1) You might focus too much on the Unit 3&4 subject to the detriment of your Unit 1&2 subjects, which will make it harder for you the following year.
2) It can extend the anxiety of VCE beyond the one year of Year 12.
3) In accelerating, you may at some point have missed content (either by missing Units 1&2 or before then if the acceleration started earlier), and therefore not do as well as if you had just worked through the subject sequentially without skipping a year.
13:20 For Year 11s already accelerating
Use the Term 1 break to make sure you’re putting equal time and energy across all of your subjects and not putting everything into the Unit 3&4 subject.
Links mentioned: My website: https://www.roadmapeducation.com
VCAA study designs: https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/curriculum/vce/vce-study-designs/Pages/vce-study-designs.aspx