After marrying and having three children by the age of 21, Annie Wilson decided she wanted to do something for herself in her 30s.
Now aged 41, she has graduated with a first-class honours degree in psychology and won the British Psychological Society Undergraduate Prize for academic achievement.
Mrs Wilson was one of 800 people who attended this year’s graduation ceremony at Eden Court on Thursday.
She said: “I loved the breadth of psychology, there are so many different aspects to it, and it really is the basis of everything it is to be human. ”
Flexibility
The mother-of-three now works as an assistant practitioner in mental health services and is on secondment as a health improvement advisor.
She said: “I quickly discovered while doing the course that aspiring to work in clinical psychology was something I wanted to pursue.”
Her choice to study at UHI Inverness was based on the fact it offered psychology courses online, enabling her to be more flexible with her studies.
“I felt part-time studying was perfect, it allowed me to feel connected to a local learning community whilst still being able to learn remotely,” she said.
Nest steps
Contin-based Mrs Wilson praised the team at the university for their support, which she personally felt the benefit of during her time there.
She said: “The tutors were always very responsive to any emails or questions and very approachable. A couple of years ago I was going through a very difficult time in my personal life, and I really appreciated the support I was given by my personal academic tutor.”
The next step for Mrs Wilson is applying for a doctorate in clinical psychology.
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