Psychology, BA (Hons)

Psychology is the scientific study of how humans think and behave. Studying this programme will develop your ability to understand and support people, preparing you for a wide range of rewarding careers.This degree is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) which is essential if you wish to pursue a career in professional psychology in the UK, and follows the main themes of modern psychology:

• Brain and Behaviour: how neural disorders such as Alzheimer’s Disease affect behaviour

• Cognitive Psychology: our reactions to colours, smells, speech and music

• Developmental Psychology: the ways in which infants perceive space, patterns, objects and events

• Social Psychology: how our thoughts, emotions and behaviours are shaped by the presence of others

In the first year, you will gain an in depth overview of the main study themes through our Understanding Psychology module. You will explore the theories underpinning these areas, learn to evaluate scientific journals, and develop your ability to construct formal arguments. Running parallel to this, you will also undertake the Investigating Psychology module, which will equip you with important practical skills for conducting research in psychology, such as data analysis and report writing.As well as these core modules, you will also take a minor subject, which can be another science, or a subject that is selected from a different part of the University, such as a social science or management programme. This gives you the chance to explore another discipline that interests you and experience another part of the University. Sociology, criminology and philosophy are just some of the more popular minor choices among our students.During the second year of your degree, you will study a specialist module for each of the key strands; deepening your understanding and testing your knowledge. You will also explore Personality and Individual Differences, which will introduce you to important theoretical questions and allow you to critically discuss research implications.In addition to these themes, Research Methods and Statistics modules will be covered this year. These will expand your knowledge of research methods, develop key skills and enable you to gain a detailed understanding of analysis and reporting.Third year provides you with the freedom to choose from a range of topical modules, as well as carrying out your own research project under the supervision of an experienced researcher. This will allow you to shape your study to suit your own interests and career aspirations.The optional modules available change to reflect the latest developments in psychology research.During this year, you will also be able to decide if you want to graduate with a BA or a BSc, dependent on the career you wish to pursue. Both degrees are equivalent and accredited by the British Psychological Society, and our academic staff and careers service are on hand to offer guidance and support.Alongside your academic study, you will have the opportunity to gain voluntary work experience through our Psychology Employability Programme, allowing you to develop invaluable skills for either a career in psychology or a graduate programme. You can choose between working part-time in the community with charities and organisations that support vulnerable people, or working alongside staff in the Psychology Department on their ground breaking research projects. Crucially, every placement will provide you with experience and skills that are valuable to both psychology careers and more general graduate level occupations, strengthening your CV and enhancing your employability for life after graduation.Voluntary work can be an enlightening and rewarding experience, enabling you to make a difference to the lives of others, while having the opportunity to try something new, which may lead you to change or confirm your career plans and is recommended by the British Psychological Society.