Man Ying Lo studied a BSc Psychology at UCL Division of Psychology and Language Sciences.
1. Why did you choose your degree?
During my A-levels, I remember being intrigued when I learnt about behavioural conditioning in biology. It surprised me that behaviour could be changed based on simple principles, and that behaviour could be changed in almost all species of animals. In humans, we see behaviour being altered through advertisements. Simply pairing a product with feel-good music can encourage our positive feelings towards said product. This introduced me to the field of psychology, which I realised ranged from abnormal psychology to social and cognitive psychology. Because I wanted to explore behaviour change and learn about what else was available, I was convinced that psychology at UCL was right for me.
2. Why did you apply to study at UCL?
I enjoy studying so I wanted to find a university that was passionate about teaching and focused on their students. The Psychology Department at UCL is well-known as one of the best in the world. Recently, it was ranked 2nd in the world by THE (Times Higher Education) based on teaching, research and other measures. I was also interested in the range of third year options that were offered, as I was interested in Neuropsychology and Behaviour Change, I was excited about being able to study these modules during the course.
3. What do you enjoy most about your degree?
Although it was a lot of hard work, I most enjoyed my research project in third year. I worked on a project investigating the visual cortex in mice and was able to see the labs where the mice were kept; I also sat in on some lab meetings where researchers updated the group on their projects. It gave me a look into the life of what research might be like because I had only read about the process of research up until then. The number of research projects on offer was limitless, which gives students a good chance to conduct research in their area of interest.
4. Has there been an element of your degree programme that has impressed you or been particularly valuable?
Researchers who are at the top of their field work at UCL. Because of this there are many opportunities to receive lectures from them, talk to them, and potentially work with them. I was always amazed when I would read a paper and see the researcher who wrote it walking along the corridor. Additionally, because of the excellent reputation of our department, we received many emails offering valuable work opportunities, volunteer experiences, and summer internships from amazing organisations.
5. Do you think studying at UCL Faculty of Brain Sciences is a good investment?
If someone is interested in understanding how the brain works and controls behaviour and would like to find out more, then I think studying at the UCL Faculty of Brain Sciences is a good investment. The study of the brain and psychology is relatively new, so there is still a lot of knowledge about the brain that we do not know. This means there is potentially a lot of interesting findings for us to uncover! There are also many real-life applications of research which makes brain sciences valuable. Studying my course helped me to think critically, which I think is a skill valuable and necessary for any student.
6. What are your plans once you’ve completed your current programme of study?
I’m planning to study my masters at UCL, in Clinical Neuroscience. I’m looking for a road that will lead me to research.