Psychology PhD

Canterbury Christ Church University

Canterbury Christ Church is one of the best place to pursue a higher-education course in Psychology. The course's lecturers are highly experienced, very articulate, and always provide a lot of interactive sessions - even movie recommendations related to the study topics. The Psychology lab is something you would not want to miss out, with virtual reality, eye tracking, functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy that looks exactly like a Sci-fi movie. If you want to perform an in-depth research project that looks great on your CV, studying in CCCU under the amazing supervisors will help you greatly. Don't forget about the Solomon's library, Augustine house library, and many more. The Student Zone will help you out with anything you need for an easier university life, no matter if it's buying a bicycle, free gym 4-month membership for new students and after that you only need to pay a very affordable price for a high-quality and brand new gym. I also joined an equestrian society, which is the best decision I have ever made: meeting friendly horse-lover fellows, got discounted riding lessons in a very lovely yard, relaxing venture on a horse to the woods. Of course, I cannot forget to mention Canterbury itself, which might as well be one of the most beautiful city you will ever visit in the UK. As a local university student, I can visit one of the biggest Gothic church of England - the Canterbury Cathedral - for free. The streets are already beautiful, you can go anywhere and a good photoshoot is guaranteed. But I would definitely recommend going to the parks on a sunny morning, reading a book, having a picnic with your friends, experiencing a real-life scene of "The Secret Garden". Only 45 minutes away from London, 30 minutes away to the beach, you will never feel bored in this lovely city.

The Best: For my degree, the staff are so lovely. There’s always an element of support despite the focus and push for independence, which I feel is an amazing balance. The facilities are student-tailored, affordable, and so much fun. Augustine Library — one of three library locations — is absolutely blissful and has a great way of sectioning quiet vs. collaborative study. There are always events that are guaranteed to bring new acquaintances and growth opportunities into your life. All the main essentials for supreme mental health are quite close-knit and within walking distance — the train station, the library, grocery/cosmetic stores, clubs, uni — everything you need you can walk to if you’re able, which makes living even more affordable. The “Worst”: I’ve personally not had to use Student Zone (the support hub for practically every enquiry) yet, but I’ve heard a few complaints from my peers. I do think it’s to do with the fact that they have so many enquiries and not enough time in some circumstances, but that said, I still think improvement would be great. One other thing is the detail of information you are given in some circumstances can be very vague. One example is after being told I’m eligible for a bursary, I wasn’t told the dates at which I would receive it and had to follow up through two different teams to receive this information. And in terms of extra-curriculars, when paying your memberships, the information on what the membership actually includes could be presented better, as after buying my memberships there were additional costs which I was under the impression were already included in the memberships.

I study at Salomons which is feels like quite a separate place from Canterbury Christchurch main campus, however, being right in the centre of Tunbridge Wells is extremely handy for transport and lunch breaks. The building is always clean and there is always great staff support.

Best aspects: Canterbury Christ Church University is a welcoming place with supportive teachers and a friendly community. The classes are interesting, and there are good opportunities to get involved in activities. The location in Canterbury is also very beautiful and peaceful for studying. Worst aspects / improvements: Sometimes communication and organisation could be improved, especially with timetables and student support. More study spaces and practical workshops would also make the experience better

Staff are very supportive and friendly. The facilities have everything you need for uni. The only complaint I have is the library is roughly a 15 minute walk from the main campus, but I guess it’s a great way of getting your steps in!

I’ve had such a good time at this uni and I’m glad I didn’t choose kent because I’ve heard nothing but bad things. Christ church are very supportive, staff are amazing, the psychological facilities are amazing and we get a good range of topics for our research project