Do strikes disrupt psychology students’ learning, research and wellbeing?
Yes. In the National Student Survey (NSS), student comments about strike action are 92.3% negative with a sentiment index of −57.1, and psychology sits close to that at −55.0. By contrast, psychology feedback overall trends positive (53.1% Positive), so industrial action is a pronounced outlier that depresses mood, destabilises modules and increases wellbeing risks. The strike action lens captures how industrial action lands across cohorts, while the Common Aggregation Hierarchy grouping for psychology (non-specific) helps benchmark a subject where students usually rate staff and resources well; together they point to targeted mitigations that protect learning, assessment and support.
How do strikes reshape psychology education?
Psychology is about understanding mind and behaviour, but programmes also navigate sector labour relations that interrupt normal operations. Strike action typically arises from pay and conditions disputes and interrupts teaching schedules, supervision and access to facilities. Psychology departments feel this in coursework sequencing and time‑sensitive research. Student comments show empathy with the reasons for action alongside concern about lost learning. Teams should set a single source of truth for what is affected, what is unchanged and how recovery will work; map lost teaching hours to planned catch‑up per module; and publish short, regular updates to maintain trust and predictability.
What keeps curriculum and coursework on track?
Strikes disrupt coverage of core topics and the blend of theory with applied activities. Prioritise continuity: pre‑plan catch‑up windows, package alternative readings and activities aligned with learning outcomes, and keep assessment briefs and marking criteria stable even if delivery modes change. Where practical components cannot run, provide structured asynchronous alternatives, such as guided data tasks, protocols to analyse existing datasets and reflective logs that evidence learning. Use concise weekly module bulletins so students know what has changed, why, and what to do next.
How do strikes affect psychology research and supervision?
Research timelines tighten when students lose lab, participant or library access. Protect the supervisory relationship with scheduled online meetings and explicit next‑step plans. Re‑order projects to front‑load literature synthesis, preregistration and analysis of available datasets; move data collection when access resumes. Share a live register of project risks and mitigations at programme level so cohorts can see consistent decisions and realistic milestones.
What happens to mental health and wellbeing during strikes?
Disrupted routines and uncertainty heighten anxiety, especially near assessment points. Keep counselling and academic advising available online, signpost response times, and avoid last‑minute changes to timetabling. Transparency about duration, recovery plans and assessment timelines reduces stress and preserves engagement. Facilitate peer‑support groups and quick‑access check‑ins with personal tutors so students feel seen and supported.
How can students maintain practical exposure and placements?
Although placements are less prominent in many psychology degrees, experiential learning still matters. Where external opportunities stall, substitute with scenario‑based simulations, structured observation tasks, or remote volunteering and mentoring that develop relevant skills. Clarify how these map to learning outcomes and assessment, and record equivalence decisions at programme level to ensure parity across the cohort.
How should assessments be stabilised?
Students in psychology are generally positive about staff and resources, but assessment clarity is a pressure point: sentiment around marking criteria sits at −45.0. During strikes, stabilise assessments by publishing plain‑English criteria and exemplars, agreeing deadline policies in advance, and confirming marking timelines. Use alternative formats only where necessary and explain equivalence. Offer brief “feed‑forward” guidance with each return so students understand next steps and how work is judged against criteria.
What does industrial action mean for career readiness and progression?
Interruptions to graduation timing, project completion and access to career services can narrow options. Move careers support online, run virtual fairs and keep reference timelines explicit. Frame strike‑time adjustments so students can articulate adaptability and problem‑solving to employers, and make sure evidence from revised assessments or projects is easy to reference in applications.
What should psychology departments do next?
- Communicate with precision: one live source of truth, short regular updates, explicit next steps.
- Protect learning and assessment continuity: pre‑planned recovery, stable briefs and criteria, visible marking timelines.
- Make mitigation visible: log lost hours and recovery per module, track and close student‑reported issues.
- Target support by volume and risk: younger full‑time cohorts and larger modules need rapid, consistent interventions, while ensuring parity for all students.
How Student Voice Analytics helps you
Student Voice Analytics quantifies strike‑related topics and sentiment across cohorts and programmes, with drill‑downs for psychology. It surfaces segment‑level patterns by subject and demographics so you can target mitigation where volume and risk are highest, and it produces concise, anonymised briefings for programme teams, unions and governance. Export‑ready tables and summaries make it straightforward to evidence lost learning, planned recovery and progress against commitments.
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See all-comment coverage, sector benchmarks, and governance packs designed for OfS quality and standards and NSS requirements.
More posts on strike action:
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- How do strikes affect history students in UK universities?
- How are university strikes affecting law students?
- How do human geography students experience strike action in UK higher education?