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I'm really considering doing a Master's in Neuroscience or Psychology here in England and then going on to do a PhD in the USA. What are the requirements for a PhD there, and is it possible to get married and have a family whilst doing a PhD?
I have other questions but I've been working on a huge assignment to do with strokes and brain plasticity and I am a tiny bit knackered. But I really just want to hear your experiences, why you chose your university, how the process was for you, what is it like, etc. As much info as you can give me really!
I'm going on to get my PhD in English, but I'm not sure how the experience will overlap with what you'll be doing. I chose my schools based on the professors/colleagues I will have, funding/teaching opportunities, and location. (Location is a priority, but not a big one-- funding and advisors are much more important to me!) I'm still in the application process and won't find out where I'm going until February or March.
I plan on taking 2-3 years of courses, then teaching while I write my dissertation. While I'm doing the dissertation we might have children, preferably towards the end of my program or right after graduation (but before I get a full-time job teaching somewhere). We're thinking of getting married next summer, as I'm graduating from my MA program this May-- I want to be married at least a few years before I have children and I also don't want to have children while I'm taking classes.
@bookworm88: So are you going to go into a PhD program straight out of your MA? I'm wanting to do that but I'm not sure I'll be able to because I'll have to move over there, get my green card once I'm married etc... But it is possible to work for a few years before you do your PhD, correct? Or can you only do one STRAIGHT out of your MA/undergrad etc?
I don't have graduate degrees in psych, but I have a husband with a PhD in physics, and I have 2 masters and am working on my doctorate in nursing practice.... so there's lots of school in my life. I would say begin with finding your focus-- you're still not sure if you want psych or neuroscience. So begin there. Then, decide if you're willing to go anywhere in the country, or you want to be in a specific region/state/city. After you've decided on those, just start looking at the universities and see what the requirements are. Some, if not all, will require the GRE exam (a standardized test for graduate school). I'm not sure if there's a psych-specific exam, so do some research there too. Do they require a masters prior to entering a PhD program or is a bachelor's the minimum requirement? What is the terminal degree in your field-- a PhD or a MS-- and then you'll know if you do a masters program now will be the end or just the first step.
So now you've decided on a general route: neuro vs psych, you've decided on a region (or the entire country), you've figured out what exams you'll need to take, and now it's time to start focusing in even more. Do you want to be a clinical psychologist who does counseling or do you want to be psych researcher? Do you want to be a neuroscientist who works in a lab? What sorts of diseases/issues fascinate you? So now you can choose which universities you want to apply to based on a few different approaches: who is there (whose research/work you want to be a part of and/or emulate); the specialization of their program (pediatric clinical psychology, alzheimers research); or simply location/name recognition. Not every "prestigious" university is prestigious for your specialty, so I would not choose simply based on prestige. But choosing an accredited school in your specific city of choice is still going to get you the same degree and allow you to take the licensing exams (if needed). You can check out US World News and Report for rankings for your field. You can look at the different accrediting bodies to make sure the school you're thinking about is accredited (otherwise you're in a bad situation). Talk to people in the field-- almost every profession has a society/association. There's usually a "student/new scholar" link that can help answer general questions and they might be able to put you in touch with folks who are in the field. I would say that the more focused/the clearer your plan is, the easier it'll be to make some of these decisions.
It's a long road, and one that many people curse their decision along the way. So you have to love it and be committed to it. Having kids while working on PhD is often done-- just as it's done by working 5 part time jobs to pay the bills. It's done because it's what you and your husband want. So unless you want to stay home with your kids, it's just the career path that you've chosen; but if your dream is to be a stay at home mom, maybe the PhD isn't worth it. Maybe. That's your call. I don't know you, your life plan, etc, but you sound like you're still toying with a few options. So continuing to do research might help clarify those things. And, if worse comes to worse, you can have a slew of letters at the end of your name to come up with as many different words as you can by jumbling up the letters.
You can definitely wait a few years before getting your PhD-- a lot of people wait for reasons like yours, or to find work and build their resumes. I'm choosing to go straight into a program (as long as I'm accepted, fingers crossed!) because my ultimate goal is to teach university-level courses, and I would rather get all of my schooling out of the way right now. I'm motivated and young and I don't have any roots in any particular place-- aside from SO, but he is coming along for the ride.
In the US you can go straight into your PhD from undergrad-- it's usually called a "direct admission PhD" and it is basically a combined MA and PhD at one school, more streamlined than doing programs at two different places. (It's also highly competitive, at least for English.) When you apply, you tell the school your research interests and you really have to have a clear sense of direction and plan for yourself.
I wasn't totally sure of my research plans-- and didn't have a stellar resume-- when I graduated undergrad so I chose to do a free-standing MA program to boost my GPA, build my resume, and make myself marketable for PhD programs. In my program I've gotten a better idea of what I want to study, what dissertation I want to write, and where I fit in my field. Most doctoral programs will allow me to transfer in some of my MA credits to their program, meaning my PhD won't be the 5-8 years like a direct-admission program. (Instead, I'm doing 2 years for an MA and then 4-5 somewhere else. It evens out to basically the same amount of time, though I think direct-admission is the quicker way to do things.)
Already having an MA, English PhD programs are still very competitive. I've spend the last year and a half working my butt off going to conferences, getting publications, and networking. In my discipline, you basically want to meet and talk to as many professors as you can to try to find a perfect fit somewhere-- a school or professor that has a program that matches your interests and is willing to take you on as a student.
Okay, can we be best friends? I'm planning to go into neuropsychology. I'll be following this thread.
I have no advice, though. I just have similar questions :)
edit// I do have advice, actually. If you're not sure which one you'd prefer, U of Utah has a Cognitive Neuroscience PhD program that I'm looking into myself :)
I want to second everything @longdistanceco_ca said, especially regarding choosing a school. It's really important to know what you love-- you're going to spend a huge portion of your life doing this work, and will most likely continue the same research after you get the degree. You want to find what you love and then find a professor or program who can support your field. For what I do, I'd pick certain state schools over Harvard or Yale (no offense Ivy-leaguers!).
i just applied to neuroscience/cog neuro psychology programs :) I'll be working in neurobio of pain.
As far as requirements, you just have to have your undergraduate degree, take the GRE, and find programs you like. It is definitely possible to get married, and there are a couple people in the program here who had children while students (but it isn't something I'm interested in since it obviously adds time to your studies).
I've found through the process and from my mentors that it's less about the university you want to go to and more about the specific researchers you wish to be mentored by. I also kind of disagree that you have to choose neuro or psych, because so many programs are translational and are just in different departments (and therefore named different things). I read a lot of papers, found people whose research I respected and whose methods I was interested in, and then emailed them asking if they'd be accepting and funding students for my desired term. Some answered yes, some answered maybe, and I applied there. Some answered no and I crossed em off the list cause I am not working for free :). I also briefly asked them about the directions they're taking in the lab and gave them a little info about me to remember when they see my name on an application... kind of a foot in the door move.
And now I just wait for interviews and hopefully an acceptance or two :)
ETA: I took two years between undergrad and grad school to take a postbac position, gain more research experience with a clinical population, and gain a research direction before I jumped into PhD work. I think it was the best move I ever made, but I was also not exactly sure of my passion before I took this job. Ironically, I work in anxiety and not pain right now, but it gave me a fantastic basis for methodology and allowed me the freedom to develop my own interests.
Thank you all very much for your help... I just kind of sat in my neuroscience lecture today and thought 'I can see myself learning about this in more detail, and learning more about these systems in the future. This is the one thing I GENUINELY love and enjoy, I get good marks in the assignments and I love researching it.'
I just never thought it would be feasible because of the funding and just getting to that stage. The reason why I'm not sure if I want to do neuroscience or psychology is because I'm interested in the emotional responses on a neuropsychological level, and how a phobia develops on that scale. And just various questions arising around that.
Afterwards I'm planning on either going into counselling or into a completely different field altogether (law, or business). But I am positive I want to do something in Psychobiology or neuroscience. I'm just not sure which field that falls under.
I don't think I would be happy as a 'stay at home mum' (no offense to those who are) but I couldn't stand being at home all day, just looking after the house and cleaning. I have the choice and ability to further my studies in a subject I thoroughly enjoy, and that is exactly what I want to do.
See, I want to get my Master's here because it's cheaper (no International Student fees/Student visas etc). If I could, I would absolutely get it over there. I'd preferably like the program to be in TN or MS or AL (that kind of area).
What kind of work would you be able to do in the interim between a Master's and a PhD? Would it matter? Because the one thing I am worried about is trying to run a house and have a family on the salary of an assistantship's salary. I'm not sure what exactly to 'do' in that gap, which is my primary and main concern right now.
@NehaPrasad92: Also, here typically psych and neuroscience PhDs have no terminal masters program, meaning that you're accepted for the PhD and then you just earn your masters along the way. So if you wanted to earn a masters here, that would be feasible if you were accepted to the PhD program. Then they fund you along the whole way.
Funny, psychophysiology of phobias and other anxieties is what I do now :)
@MrsWrangler: Where do they offer those types of programs? And I'm not sure how strict they are about the preliminary degree being scientific/non-scientific. I'm doing a joint honours in Philosophy and Psychology, and I don't know whether the programs there would be ok with that. I know some programs here will accept people with a non-scientific background (like me). And I'm also not sure whether they extend those schemes to international students or not...
Guess I'll have to start doing a LOT of research. I know some PhD programs are very insistent on wanting prior research experience and from my research, I found out that the best way to do this was by an assistantship, which would be difficult for me really. Which is why I am wondering what other options there are
@NehaPrasad92: All of the programs I've looked at are like that, all over the country. My undergraduate degree is in Psychology. It's typically fine, although of course depending on the specific mentor they may want more or less scientific background. For example, my CV states that my degree is in Psych, my minor Health sci, and I list courses of interest to entice them to look further (Neurobio, Neuropharmacology, etc). I did an assistanship in the form of this postbac and it was a great decision.
I did a ridiculous amt of research on the process - I've been looking at grad schools for over a year before I narrowed down where and when to apply. Feel free to PM me with any questions you have! And I know there's a couple other ladies on here who are already finishing up degrees who also have some great advice :)
@NehaPrasad92: I can't speak to the specifics of neuroscience or psych, but the advice given here is solid. Also, enjoy the ride. I'm sure it's significantly added pressure because of visas, etc, but you don't have to have it figured out today, this month, this year, or even this decade. You may find that what you think you want isn't working out the way you hoped, dreamed, imagined. And so you switch directions. You've found something that gets you riled up about and you could talk about for hours on end. Awesome. Now enjoy the ride. See if you can find an internship in your country, or volunteer at a mental health clinic and see if you like counseling/that populationn. Since you're still in university, take a lab-based class that might give you some technical skills to work in lab where you learn how to perform assays or western blots. And start reading everything you can get your hands on. I'm not sure what the research system is like at your university, but the in US PubMed and PsychInfo are two major research data bases that you can put in some key words and get the latest research in your area. Perhaps your university has those or similar databases so you can see what research is out there and what gets you going. And, at the end of the day, know you don't have to have it figured out and most of us don't have it figured out. Good luck!
Hi there! I'm currently in a Neuroscience PhD program (actually a biomedical sciences umbrella program, which i highly recommend). As far as requirements go, most PhD programs in the states do not require a master's, although it may help you get in if that's a concern. A typical bench science or translational science neuro program (ie-not clinical neuroscience or psychology, which are pretty different in the way they're structured I believe) is going to be about 5-6+ years, Master's or no Master's, so many people in my program opted to go straight from a bachelor's degree or after working as a lab tech for a few years instead of paying to get a Master's. The top ranked programs usually do require previous research experience...would it be possible for you to take a summer and do research at a lab in UCL or Imperial?
As far as getting married and starting a family....I'd say getting married is doable but for me, starting a family depends on what type of research you're interested in. While I know some grad students who have gotten pregnant in grad school, I don't think I could do it for a multitude of reasons.
I'll have to think about research, they're so ridiculously strict here about research, so many protocols, but I'll ask my professors. I was figuring if I did a very research-based Master's in neuroscience before I applied for a PhD there, it'd give me a better chance to get onto the program. I just want to be able to pass all the 'minimum requirements' and more for a PhD program there. Honestly, it's things like this that I lose sleep over.
Ive read that some people after doing an MSc in Neuroscience or Psychology can go into business. Would that be an option in the interim between my Master's/PhD or not? I know research is a huge deal for them, which is why I am really worried about getting it.
I wish I didn't have to think about these things, but I have to think about my future - my Master's, where I want to go, as well as thinking about the visa, and how to move over and settle down there and everything. It's horribly confusing.
@NehaPrasad92: They are crazy with research over there! I went to UCL for 2 weeks to learn a new technique from a lab there and there were all these insane requirements and even after that I could only "observe". I'm fully trained here, I promise...Sheesh!
Honestly, if you're really certain you want a PhD I would just apply straight out of your bachelor's and see what happens. Can't hurt. A research-based masters would definitely help you get in if you were rejected the first time around.
Are you looking for the business experience as a way to help you get in to the PhD program or for extra money? (btw, most neuroscience programs offer full tuition coverage plus a ~$25,000 a year stipend and some form of covered health insurance, if you're worried about money). It definitely won't help you get in, and depending on the type of program you're applying to, it might even raise a few eyebrows. If you're looking for a bench science neuro program, people tend to be very focused on research and want applicants who are looking to do only research for the rest of their lives.
@littlegraykitten: That's the thing, I don't know which places would offer those, and in order to study abroad I'd have to apply for a student visa and it's just a huge hassle, too much paperwork. The paperwork for an F-1 is huge enough as it is, and expensive too...
I was hoping to work in business for money purposes, because a lot of the programs are asking FOR payment instead of paying people for the research, which is why I'm really utterly confused..
Thats the thing - all neuroscience and psychology programs worth attending (IMO, and in my mentors opinion as well) offer stipends. The programs you're looking at in America are asking you for payment? Like which programs? I'm just curious now cause I've been doing this research for a year haha. Wouldn't bother with the business plans unless you just want to.
The advice from @longdistanceco_ca: and @bookworm88: is great. My PhD is in Cell and Developmental Biology from Vanderbilt. I chose Vandy because I had a really good interview and the program had a number of faculty that I was interested in research-wise. Nashville is a big enough city that there are things to do (ranging from theater, symphony, line dancing, hiking areas, music, sports teams....).
Finding a mentor that is a good fit personality-wise and a research project you love are key. Most programs here in the US are direct entry into the PhD, there are very few Master's programs in the Biological sciences anymore. Having a Master's will be to your benefit in your applications. A number of my classmates were married or in long term relationships; however, if you want to have kids during graduate school, how easy/hard that is can depend on the relationship between you and your mentor. Most graduate programs will allow 6 weeks for maternity leave, but sometimes students negotiated more with their mentors.
If you want a PhD in a subject, you generally don't want to go off and do something entirely different for a few years before you apply. You should spend those interim years doing research, working in labs, and networking in your field-- if you spend years working in a business then they're going to doubt your drive and whether you've got what it takes to jump back into school and do research for the rest of your life.
Also, am I understanding that you're thinking of getting your PhD then going into law? I wouldn't recommend that route at all-- you shouldn't be putting in the years and time to just go do something else as soon as you get the degree.
I would also recommend just applying straight to the PhD programs-- you're going to get funding if it's a decent program-- and you shouldn't go anywhere that isn't going to fund you. As for how to find them, start reading papers. Start looking up research names and see where they went or where they teach. Go to conferences and see who shows. Just Google "phobia neurobiology phds".
In English, you don't typically get funded for a terminal MA degree. I'm taking out loans upon loans for mine, but my PhD will be fully funded with a ~$20k stipend, so I considered it to be worth my time and money. If you can go straight into the PhD, don't waste your time with a Masters degree and loans.
Hm. I'd like to go into law afterwards, especially if I do end up in a completely different research field and work on a psychology program to do with offenders (I was googling forensic psychologists and a guy from Alabama's name popped up, I'm considering emailing him).
So lots of papers and research is what is necessary. And the interim will consist of research too. I see. The reason I want a Master's is because I doubt they will want applicants with a joint honours to apply for a PhD, especially one in Philosophy. I have studied statistics and will be auditing a second stats module in the next term (basically taking on an extra module). Though Harvard said they had a preference for students who have done a joint degree alongside Psychology, with Philosophy being one of the options. Harvard is really competitive though, and not going to lie, I don't have a lot of faith in me securing a position at one of the Ivy League unis.
Bloody long road, and so very stressful... I was looking at Vanderbilt, but competition is going to be really fierce for programs there. Hopefully I should be able to find one within Nashville or Knoxville, but we shall have to see...
So how much would a job in research pay (for the interim bit between moving to the States and applying for a program)? And what are the chances of getting into a program if I had a neuroscience Master's AND a job in research in psychology/neuroscience?
I just kinda skimmed the previous responses, but you might want to consider your career goals if you want to be a mom and want to get a PhD. Depending on the field, many different academic programs (both in school and afterwards) and still geared towards the "male model" (for example - yes, you could take maternaty leave pre-tenure, but your tenure clock does not stop -meaning you should still be doing as much research and writing with a newborn as your male counterparts. It sucks, and it is slowly starting to change, but just be aware of the uphill battles.
Having kids while getting an early academic (after your PhD) depends on lot of where you work....having kids while getting a PhD depends a lot of your advisor - I knew a girl that was forced out of the program b/c she got pregnant in school (her advisor was a jerk). Even if your advisor is OK with you taking time off to have kids, you may find that you are taking too long to finish....again - most school only give you 4 - 5 years of funding - and they you are paying out of your own pocket. I don't know the stats, but I suspect that once you start a family, you are more likely to not finish you PhD.
Keep in mind, getting a PhD is really, really hard - it is one of the reasons why the degree is so valued. I would not advise going into a program with "built in distractions" (i.e. wedding planning, having a kid). Granted, sometimes things happen and you deal...but, having recently gotten my PhD, I am glad I did not have to worry about anyone other than myself during that time.
I'm in a totally different field, but I agree with what others said that it depends a lot on where you are at as well as who you are working with. I know for a friend of mine (physics PhD) where she went for her PhD was drastically different than where she was for her Master's and she is considering leaving. The PhD school she doesn't feel a real connection to any faculty and doesn't feel she can have a family there (but could at the previous school). I know my program isn't very family friendly until you're ABD. There's no way I could deal with teaching, taking classes, and having a kid - plus I know I'm going to spend (at the very least) my last trimester on bed rest. One of my friends (in my program) thought as soon as she was ABD she could haev a kid. Her last semeseter of coursework she was pregnant, and said it was so hard to be pregnant and give her all. She has gotten nothing done on her dissertation.
I see. Of course, it will be a long and difficult path. Honestly, I'm not even sure how I would go about applying for it after my master's (student visa etc).
It's a path I really do want to go down, and I've kind of gathered a group of potential names (for future reference and to ask questions now). I think the best bet now is to focus on short term goals and see how things go from here. Alongside this also doing research into the professors I want to work with..
Thanks for the help everyone. And if other people have more to add, please do, because I'll need as much help as I can get.
I have at least 2 friends in my program from other countries. I don't know about student visa's at all. I know my one guy friend got a degree from another state (not sure if it was another bachelor's - he had one in his home country) and is now here. One of my guy friends is working at the company he is at not so much b/c he loves it (he HATES Ohio!) but b/c they do his work visa stuff. My university is pretty huge on international students so they have tons of info for students and tehre's billboards all over campus talking about how many students we have from other countries.
I think grad school is difficult no matter what, but if you really want it, you'll find a way. I'm currently possibly going to be taking a leave from my program due to some health issues. Havign a good support system I think is really important. One of my friends had a kid half way through her master's program (my program) and her parents and boyfreind are so helpful and supportive - so many people have stepped up to help her out adn she only took a week or two off (she is some sort of crazy rock star!.
I have at least 2 friends in my program from other countries. I don't know about student visa's at all. I know my one guy friend got a degree from another state (not sure if it was another bachelor's - he had one in his home country) and is now here. One of my guy friends is working at the company he is at not so much b/c he loves it (he HATES Ohio!) but b/c they do his work visa stuff. My university is pretty huge on international students so they have tons of info for students and tehre's billboards all over campus talking about how many students we have from other countries.
I think grad school is difficult no matter what, but if you really want it, you'll find a way. I'm currently possibly going to be taking a leave from my program due to some health issues. Havign a good support system I think is really important. One of my friends had a kid half way through her master's program (my program) and her parents and boyfreind are so helpful and supportive - so many people have stepped up to help her out adn she only took a week or two off (she is some sort of crazy rock star!.
Oh wow, some people can just bounce right back! My mum just completed a Master's in Medical Education, and she's a full time OBGYN so she's somewhat my inspiration for wanting to go down an academic path!
Yeah, my friend Angie completed her medical degree (in pediatric rheumatology!) while working on a Master's in Public Health AND pregnant! She is some sort of insane inspiration to me. Now she's working part time (her choice) and pregnant again with a toddler at home.
@NehaPrasad92: Don't do a master's first to get a PhD in the US. Also... Don't do a PhD in the US. For all that programs say they average 4 or 5 years, many programs have an average of 6 years with some students who take 8-9 years. It is very difficult to stay motivated when so many people say you need to keep working on your thesis--your thesis which would be done in another country.
My PhD candidacy is in plant biology. I dropped out of the program after 3 years. I have a MS.
@NehaPrasad92: Don't do a master's first to get a PhD in the US. Also... Don't do a PhD in the US. For all that programs say they average 4 or 5 years, many programs have an average of 6 years with some students who take 8-9 years. It is very difficult to stay motivated when so many people say you need to keep working on your thesis--your thesis which would be done in another country.
My PhD candidacy is in plant biology. I dropped out of the program after 3 years. I have a MS.
@Rock Hugger: Also, as true as this is, there is a LOT MORE support in the the women's PhD community than in some other professional paths. I actually *liked* this aspect of the PhD track the most.
AND only 17% of PhDs try to seek a professor position.
@ellabee: I'm not quite fully understanding what you're saying - If I did a PhD in the US, how would the thesis be done in another country? Sorry for the misunderstanding...
I wanted to do a Master's first because I don't know how else I would get research experience, plus I'm also wanting to continue and specialise somewhat more in my topic as of now, and gain a more 'scientific' background.
@ellabee - you are aboslutely correct - some disciplines are better than others as far as giving women the appropriate time off for kids, etc. But it also depends on the university and the community. You had a good experience with the bio dept where you were....the bio dept where I got my PhD was much worse than my dept........
Also - a PhD from a non-US institution is a much shorter process - usually 3 years (ish). But usually these programs don't require prelims and don't stress publishing as much. Is it better to get a PhD with only 1 publication before being thrust into the "real world" or is it better to stay twice as long in grad school but crank out several pubs before graduating?
From the other side, I am an American getting a PhD in Europe (in Business so it's not the same exactly). To apply, I already had an MBA which I think it is still the norm in Europe to have a Masters first. I got married during my PhD program but I will not willing start a family while working on my dissertaion (hopefully done in the next 5 months). As far as visa, I am married to an EU citizen so that was a non-issue. My stipend is paid out more as a salary but it's comparable to about $25k after taxes and my program is scheduled to be done in 3.5 years. The reason EU programs are quicker is because they assume prior research experience in the form of Masters courses and a Masters thesis. Coming from a US system and a professional degree, I lacked this research experience and found it to be a true shortcoming. Therefore, I would agree that any research experience you can get now will help you in the future. Apply for student assistant positions in labs or generally at the depatrments that interest you most. Even if you are not allowed to work in a lab, working for the department will gie you an idea of the tape of research going on. If it is anything like my department, we have student assistants help with a lot of literature research and often they write their Master thesis on related topics. I never planned to do a PhD , it just sort of worked out that I lived near a good school and found a Prof. who is a good match to work for but I think you have gotten some great advice above on how to plan for a Ph.D. Do your resaerch early and have an idea of what yaou want and build up as much research (and statistical analysis if necessary in your field) experience before applying. When we interview candidates, it is almost mandatory now that they have done some hands on research for their thesis or an internship so I can imagine this experience would never hurt you.
@NehaPrasad92: If what you are ultimately interested in is law, I don't suggest going the PhD route-at all. It's a very long, bumpy road and while most programs tell you it's a 4-5 year program, here in the US that isn't usually the case unless the student is very lucky with their research project and extremely hardworking (70-80 hours a week). My PhD took 7 years (and I spent on average 60 hours a week in lab-with most of that 7 years going into lab 7 days a week). A PhD in neuroscience isn't going to be an advantage in law, the Master's degree in Psych may have some benefit.
I think what @ellabee: is trying to say, is that 1) you really have to consider whether or not the PhD is what you want because 2) there are very few faculty positions (at least here in the US) available with limited options for the PhD job-wise and 3) the PhD process in other countries tends to be much more structured and therefore the timelines are much more accurate. Resulting in you finishing the PhD sooner.
Your best bet is to research what kind of job you want after university, talk to people in that field and find out how they ended up there. Don't waste time on a degree you won't use~the process involves way too much stress if you aren't planning on using the degree. Just my opinion.
Thanks for the information everyone. I'm pretty set on doing the PhD in neuroscience/psychobiology, I know it's something I will enjoy and I know it's the path I want to go down on. The reason I'd rather go to the US to do neuroscience is because the psychology there is more advanced than it is in the UK, which is why I'm wanting to go there for a PhD due to the research. But I didn't know the programs here were shorter than there..
I've been emailing people and I've tried seeing if any psychologists working with phobias would let me shadow them for a time period, but they said no. So I'm going to move on now to see what research experience I can gain, but I'm not very sure on where to start.
My mum has also offered to write some publications with me and some others, but I'm not really sure how feasible this is. She's said getting publications under my belt will help with me getting onto a program but I'm not sure how accurate that is...
@NehaPrasad92: I think everyone is missing the fact that you want to work in law? I don't see the point getting your PhD to then go and get your JD. Look for dual-degree programs for an MA in Psych and a JD at the same time.
Do you really want to do research for 6 years, build a huge career as a researcher, then just jump over to law school? It doesn't sound practical if you want to work in law-- you're going to get more out of a Psych program if you're trying to work with people, and you could always take Neurobiology courses if you're interested in them.
You should find someone who does exactly what you want to do, then ask them what degrees they have.
@mousegirl: Just saw we said way similar things! Should have just replied that I agree with you! 
@mousegirl: and @bookworm88: I couldn't agree with this more. A PhD in neuroscience is really not worth the paper its printed on (let alone the 6 years of blood, sweat and tears) if you're just going to completely leave science afterwards. For what it sounds like you want to do, I would think a Master's would be perfect!
@bookworm88: Yeah initially i said I didn't think she needed to know exactly what she wanted to do when I thought she meant psychology/neuroscience of the same topic. Now I think if she's considering law school/a career in law she should hold off until she figures out how to get where she wants - I've watched these PhD students slave and I surely wouldn't be getting ready to do it myself if it wasn't the only thing I want to do fr the rest of my life!
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