Why Psychology Is Gaining Ground in Flintshire

Across Flintshire, interest in psychology is rising—and not just in classrooms. More people are turning to the subject to make sense of modern life, from workplace stress and anxiety to child development and emotional resilience. The complexities of the human brain and how it affects our lives are dizzying, and we’re only beginning to understand them. What was once a niche topic is rapidly expanding into all corners of society.  

Psychology is one of the fastest-growing subjects in local sixth forms and colleges. Applications are up, and more students are exploring it as a future career path. Many are looking beyond the usual university rankings and exploring practical, forward-looking psychology courses that offer flexibility and real-world relevance. From cognitive science to behavioural therapy, the options are expanding.

This hasn’t arrived out of the blue. Even before the pandemic, we as a society were thinking more about mental health than ever before, and COVID-19 only accelerated the situation. With services stretched to breaking point, people began searching for innovative and proactive approaches to boost mental health. Learning how the brain works—or why specific patterns of thinking repeat—is becoming a valuable life skill, not just an academic subject.

Schools are noticing, too. Psychology is showing up more on A-level options lists, and teachers report higher engagement than ever. More than twice as many students are being accepted into psychology courses than 10 years ago, and those numbers are climbing year on year. This is a subject that taps into real concerns: anxiety, social pressure, identity, and decision-making. It gives people the tools to understand their own experiences—and often, to help others with theirs.

There’s a professional angle here, too. The number of psychologists in the UK rose by 24% between 2014 and 2020, but the job market is far wider than that, with roles in mental health support, education, and social care becoming more visible. Psychology doesn’t just lead to one career—it opens the door to many. Whether it’s working with children, supporting adults with long-term conditions, or contributing to local health initiatives, it’s a route that feels increasingly relevant.

This widening interest underpins a growing regional and national emergency. Around 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience mental health issues, and those numbers seem to tick up every year, widening regardless of gender or age. In 2023, 1 in 5 children across the UK had a probable mental health disorder, which is an astonishing figure compared to where we were twenty or thirty years ago. To put it bleakly, mental health has effectively collapsed. The reasons behind this are wide-ranging: technology, social pressures, lifestyle changes, and many more. 

It’s now widely believed that in the West, mental health issues will become the defining ailments of our age, and this is where a firm grasp of psychology really helps. Mental health is something that we will probably all grapple with at some point in our lives, whether it’s our own well-being or a loved one’s, and understanding what’s going on inside the human brain can make all of the difference.