BSc (Hons) Psychology

Course Overview

Immerse yourself in the study of people and their actions, emotions and thinking on our psychology degree. This wide-ranging psychology course, which is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), allows you to select the areas which interest you, including education, criminology, mental wellbeing, leadership, sports and exercise and more.

The course addresses the main areas of psychology; developmental, cognitive, biological, social, individual differences and research methods. You'll also have plenty of opportunities to put this theory into practice, understanding how the theories apply to working with people, during placement and working with other students.

More Info

Alongside the core modules, you will be able to design your own unique pathway through the programme, if you wish to, studying subjects such as sports and exercise psychology, education, criminology, mental well-being and leadership and management. In addition to the set modules, there is at least one module per year which invites you to negotiate the topics you want to study.

Why this course at Marjon?

Dedicated psychology lab spaces on campus - quiet spaces, ideal for data collection.
Small groups for teaching and learning.
Flexible - choose the subject areas you want to focus on.
Accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS).

Perfect if you're curious about:

Questions our students have asked and answered on this course:

Is intelligence genetic or influenced by the environment?
Does the media portrayal of teenagers contribute to anti-social behaviour?
Does exercise improve mental health?
Does over protective parenting influence parent-child attachment?
Medication or mindfulness? Which treatments reduce the symptoms of schizophrenia?
What is dyslexia? And what causes it?

Book an Open Day How to apply for this course

Modules

The modules are:

1st Year

Health and wellbeing
You’ll investigate factors which impact on wellbeing; ill-health, stress & loss, alongside how illness & disability are displayed in the media. For assessment , you'll create an information leaflet for someone with a mental health problem.
Engaging with learning
A module which teaches you the skills for learning and research in higher education, from finding journal articles and referencing to producing leaflets and engaging presentations.
Social Psychology I
The module answers questions such as how do people work in groups? What influences our group roles and behaviour? Is the Zimbardo study still relevant today?
Introduction to Psychology
A focus on the key thinkers in psychology, the core perspectives and how you might apply these ideas to working with children or adults.
Psychology in practice
You decide the content. Together we explore topics and questions which are of interest to the class.
Understanding research: theory and method
An introduction to research methods, we focus on the big questions; what is research? what is positivism? how do I research? what about ethics?

2nd Year

Quantitative research methods
The how and why of quantitative research methods, looking at the complete process from research design, through ethics, to designing data collection tools and doing analysis, an experiential module.
Qualitative research methods
The how and why of qualitative research methods, looking at the complete process from research design, through ethics, to designing data collection tools and doing analysis, an experiential module.
Social Psychology II
You will look at personality and close relationships, addressing questions such as is personality fixed? how do we construct our sense of self? do early attachments impact on adult life?
Memory and language
A focus on long-term and working memory, plus language expression and comprehension. How do these typically developed? What are the biological underpinning and how we might assess these topics when working with individuals?
Thinking and learning
A focus on thinking, intelligence, problem solving and learning. How do these typically developed?
Placement
Your time to put theory into practice, a self selected placement to meet your career aspirations.

3rd Year

Contemporary issues in Psychology
You decide the content. Together we explore topics and questions which are of interest to the class.
Understanding and managing specific learning disabilities
This module looks at SEND in childhood and early adulthood applied to the practice of education. You will learn about assessment, management and integration within education in relation to SEND.
Mental health, lifelong conditions and young people
Childhood mental health is a topic of increasing concern in our society, you'll explore how we support children and young people with mental health concerns, how to manage and work with young people with specific diagnostic labels, and how to support resilience and wellbeing.
Psychology of sounds
Explore the relationship between sound/music and psychology, addressing the perception, emotional relationship we have with music to the production of sound to demonstrate the psychoacoustic phenomena.
Community Psychology
The role of the community is now viewed as important in supporting the wellbeing of individuals, through critical enquiry and case studies you will explore the role of the community.
Neuropsychology
Ever wondered about the cognitive underpinnings of problems relating to schizophrenia? brain injury and dementia? We'll focus on the neuropsychology behind acquired disorders in adulthood.
Working with people
Time to put your social psychology knowledge to the test, a module which looks at your own, and other’s management and leadership styles, working in a team and the social psychology of organisations.
Critical Issues in disability and care
A critical view on disability and care, social inclusion, citizenship and identity.
Sports and Exercise Psychology
This module provides students with knowledge and understanding and experience of the applied field of sports and exercise psychology.
Empirical project
Your time to shine, with support from the team, you design, complete and write up your own piece of research, which you will present at a final conference.

How will you be taught?

With lectures each week, most teaching and learning is in smaller seminar groups and practical workshops, supported by online materials and tutorials. Alongside taught sessions, you'll look at case studies and project work. In line with BPS accreditation you will learn how to do research in labs and workshops.

How will you be assessed?

Our assessments are throughout the year and include essays, research lab reports, presentations and producing leaflets, posters and other materials. There is one exam in every year. Assessments are deigned to offer you the ability to demonstrate your knowledge and provide you with skills for your career.

Lecturers

Dr Sean MacBlain

Reader in Child Development and Disability

Sean is a widely respected national researcher and published author in Special Education Needs and supports SEN research studies.

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Dr Alister McCormick

Lecturer in Sport & Exercise Psychology (Registered Sport & Exercise Psychologist)

Alister teaches psychology and its applications to sport, exercise, and health. His main research interest is how psychological interventions can be used to improve the performances of people who participate in endurance events, such as middle- and long-distance running, cycling, swimming, and triathlon events.

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Dr Tomasina Oh

Associate Dean of Research & Clinical Partnerships

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