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Leyla George - BSc Psychology and Language Sciences
PhD Student in Human Computer Interaction
Why did you decide to study Psychology and Language Sciences?
This degree combined a lot of interests I initially had like child language development and mental health, and the early years placement was especially attractive. The diversity offered a lot of options for potential career paths too, which was good considering I changed my mind constantly! I went from wanting to do clinical psychology, to educational psychology, to working in a behavioural insights agency, to working in the gaming industry… all of which could have been viable options.
What are you doing now?
I have just started a PhD in Human-Computer Interaction at UCL, so it looks like I will remain here for the foreseeable future! My research focuses on adolescent digital wellbeing, and particularly how technologies such as social media and gaming can support identity development and promote mental health.
How has your degree helped in your further career?
I was able to experience research in many different contexts, which helped refine what I was actually interested in academically (and helped me realise I was actually interested in academia). I enjoyed my 3rd and 4th year dissertations and had opportunities for other placements including at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience. Combined with taking a variety of different modules (the ones I took were incredibly tailored towards different applied settings, including clinical, educational and political) I was able to explore different topics that interested me, to inform my general research interests. Having a broad understanding of different areas is incredibly useful for my PhD as it involves a LOT of reading from different areas.