Gina is a recent graduate from MSc Investigative Forensic Psychology. We spoke to her to find out more about her experiences and how she found her time studying at Bournemouth University, as well as what she’s up to now. 

Tell us a bit about yourself and the course you studied
My name is Georgina (Gina), I’m 23 and I studied MSc Investigative Forensic Psychology, after completing my BSc in Psychology for 3 years.

What lead you to choosing to study at BU?
There wasn’t any particular reasoning behind wanting to study at BU. I’m from Bournemouth so I already knew of the University. But I guess I just liked the University itself and the courses it had to offer. I also didn’t want to move away from living near the beach and my family and friends. So, I was quite content staying put and meeting new people along the way.

Is there anything in particular that you’ve enjoyed most about studying Investigative Forensic Psychology?
I enjoyed learning about the content on the course, for example the Investigative Forensic Psychology unit and writing a research project on a topic you’re most interested in. As part of my research, I got to interview police officers, which was definitely interesting.

What about any challenges that you’ve come across?
When I undertook the course, it was all online, due to the pandemic happening and many uncertainties. This meant we weren’t able to take advantage of some of the facilities, like the psychology testing suite, available at BU. But, despite being based online, it was still quite interactive, and I enjoyed it. Though it was hard not being to have as much social interaction whenever you wanted with peers.

How did you find student life in Bournemouth?
As I’m from Bournemouth and lived at home during my studies, it was probably different to those who move away. I definitely feel like you can still get the best out of your experience at BU, even without moving away. Whether that be meeting new friends, going on social nights out or even when being in lecturers and seminars.

What did you do after graduation?
I got a job offer in January this year, working as a Mental Health Support Worker for Dorset Healthcare on a forensic ward. If you want to go down that kind of route in forensic mental health or psychology, or just want a taster of what it’s like, then it’s an absolutely great experience. It’s a great thing to have on your CV and can also take you into different pathways/avenues if you’re unsure on what you want to go into, whether that’s psychology/mental health related or not. It’s so interesting.

Have you got any advice for anyone thinking of studying Investigative Forensic Psychology or thinking about coming to study at BU?
I would definitely say go for it if you find forensic psychology interesting or want to pursue some sort of career in it. The course definitely helps you and gives you the skills and confidence in order to take that next step into a job. Also, I think for anyone applying to do it, you will most likely get the best experience out of it. Just go for it and don’t hold back, give it a shot for sure.