Becoming a scientist

Third Year Psychology student Poppy Colbourne shares her journey through a science degree at Bath Spa.

Science is defined as “the intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behaviour of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment”.

But what does it mean to be a scientist?

I started at Bath Spa University in September 2017, and was quickly introduced to a complex world of hypotheses, analysis, theories and paradigms. Each part was dissected and reassembled by my lecturers – some of the smartest minds I have ever had the pleasure of being taught by – who also supplemented my learning to ensure I had a solid understanding of each topic and the analytical method used.

In your first year, your studies build through discrete steps so you can get used to the pace of Higher Education. In the second year, the pace picks up and the content is increased tenfold – but the academics remain a solid support network offering one-to-one tutorials when necessary. 

When the third year rolls around you will have found your feet. You’ll be well-practised at producing increasingly sophisticated scientific assignments on a variety of subjects. Of these, the dissertation is your pièce de résistance – all the techniques you have been taught come together in a 10,000-word research paper on a topic of your choosing.

Research in Psychology at Bath Spa is varied and interesting, and students have the opportunity to be part of – and help run – research studies outside of our dissertation projects.

For example, we have expertise in:

• mental and physical health at work and in vulnerable populations by Jermaine, Elaine, and Agata
• video games research by Pete
• pain and cognition research by Joe, Scott, Aga, and Alex.
  

Study science at Bath Spa University, and you’ll have the chance to work with, and learn from, academics with a huge range of interests and expertise.

During the course of your time at university, you will become a scientist without even consciously thinking about it. But you will notice that you are looking at the world in a new light; not only do you start asking “why?”, but you also start constructing your own hypotheses and critically evaluating the outcomes.

Being a scientist opens your mind to how the world works, and you'll no longer accept “I don’t know” as an answer!