Individual challenges

Learned societies. The British Psychological Society says that degrees must provide general skills as well as specialised ones if they are to prepare graduates for their careers and the creation of national wealth.

"These are the sort of skills that most specialist degrees claim to provide for their graduates," said David Legge. "But relatively few go out of their way to provide them".

Degrees should also be opportunities for individual development, for example problem-solving, numeracy and the resources to face new challenges.

The society also wants recognition of the contribution that postgraduate training of psychologists makes to the country, for example in producing clinical and occupational psychologists.