BSc (Hons) Psychology

Duration: Three years full time or six years part time

Requirements:

Applicants must have three A-levels at grades BBC or above, BTEC triple grades DMM or above, or Access 30-42 D/M with min 18D and GCSE English Language at grade 4 or grade C or above. Applicants may also be considered based on relevant experience.

UCAS points: 112UCAS code: R1D4

Fees UK students: £9,250 per annum

Fees for International students: £12,000 per annum

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Applicants with other qualifications and/or experience will be considered on an individual basis. Students will have to apply for a DBS check to attend some placements.

Course Overview

In this British Psychological Society (BPS) course you can immerse yourself in the study of people and their actions, emotions and thinking. This wide-ranging psychology course 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.

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.

You'll be required to attend University three days per week. The days are fixed to be the same three days throughout the year which allows you to balance study with your other life commitments. You will be expected to undertake independent study outside of your timetabled sessions.

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?

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Course Snapshot

Ella - Third year, BSc (Hons) Psychology

"In the first year we mostly covered the basics of psychology; learning about key theories and research methods. During the second year we got to specialise more in the areas we were interested in and we went out on placement. We looked at thinking, learning, memory and language but had more freedom in choosing essay titles. In our final year we chose some of our modules and looked more closely at neuroscience and adolescent mental health alongside our dissertation research."

Modules

Modules marked with * are optional:

1st Year

Health and wellbeing
Investigate factors which impact on wellbeing including ill-health and stress and loss. You'll consider how illness & disability are displayed in the media and you'll design an information leaflet to support people with a mental health condition.
Foundations in Psychology
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 (of the roles people play in prisons) still relevant today?
Developmental Psychology
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'll focus on the big questions: What is research? What is positivism? How do I research? What about research ethics?

2nd Year

Quantitative research methods
You'll learn, through experience, the how and why of quantitative research method. You'll look at the complete process from research design, through ethics, to designing data collection tools and doing analysis.
Qualitative research methods
Another experiential module, this time all about the how and why of qualitative research methods. Again you'll go through the complete process from research design, through ethics, to designing data collection tools and doing analysis.
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
You'll learn about long-term and working memory, plus language expression and comprehension. How do these typically develop? What are the biological underpinnings? How do we assess memory and language when working with individuals?
Thinking and learning
You'll focus on thinking, intelligence, problem solving and learning, exploring how they typically develop.
Placement
You'll put theory into practice at a self selected placement with aligns to your own 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 special educational needs and disability (SEND) in childhood and early adulthood. You will learn about assessment, management and integration for SEND within education.
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 their resilience and wellbeing.
Empirical project
Your time to shine! With support from the tutoring team, you'll design and write up your own piece of research and share it with your course mates at a final conference.
Community Psychology*
The role of the community is now viewed as important in supporting the wellbeing of individuals and you'll explore this in depth through critical enquiry and case studies.
Neuropsychology
Ever wondered about the cognitive underpinnings of problems relating to schizophrenia, brain injury or dementia? You'll understand the neuropsychology behind acquired disorders in adulthood.
Working with people
Time to put your social psychology knowledge to the test! You'll look at your own management and leadership styles and those of others. You'll work in a team and explore 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*
You'll gain knowledge and understanding and experience of the field of sports and exercise psychology.

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What might you become?

This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) which is one of the pre-requisites to becoming a Chartered Psychologist. Further postgraduate experience is also required to become a Chartered Psychologist.

Your psychology degree will give you the transferrable skills that employers want, whether you are looking at private or public sector careers. You could continue to postgraduate study and/or a career as a psychologist or working in research or academia.

"University taught me to have confidence in my own ability. It allowed me to become a critical thinker which is extremely beneficial and I feel confident to challenge events that I disagree with. Learning about psychological theories has broadened my understanding of the potential causes of behaviour and enables me to appreciate how we are all different which has made me an understanding support worker. I love it when I have made a positive difference to someone."

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 designed to offer you the ability to demonstrate your knowledge and provide you with skills for your career.

Current Students

“I think this is a fantastic course and the psychology labs are a great place to study. I’ve developed on this course into a more confident person, and continue to grow in this relaxed and supportive environment.”

“The idea of going to university was always scary but with a mix of lovely friends, amazing lecturers and insightful and interesting lecturers the fear was minimised and the excitement grew! I'm surprised at the amount of concepts I now know and understand, I can talk about different theories and I am able to see things from other perspectives.”

"We do a 50 hours placement that we pick ourselves. You can either do it all at once or spread it out over the year. You can find your own placement or get advice from lecturers."

Lecturers

Tracy Edwards

Technician - Psychology Laboratory

Tracy is the Senior Psychology Technician overseeing the specialist Psychology facilities. She supports undergraduate and postgraduate students in areas such as the application of statistical analysis, writing skills and presentation skills.

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Dr Alister McCormick

Senior Lecturer

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 Rosanna Walters-Symons

Lecturer - Psychology

Rosanna specialises in the psychology of sporting performance, examining the critical perceptual cognitive factors that enable elite performance. Her research fields are cognitive psychology, performance psychology and quantitative methods.

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Anna Zolubak

Lecturer

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