Psychology

PLEASE NOTE: Our Psychology programme offers all students the opportunity to take a year-long paid professional placement after the second year of study, leading to a four-year BSc Psychology with Professional Placement degree qualification.

Psychology is a core science which studies mind and behaviour. Psychology has a significant impact on all aspects of public life and is at the forefront of helping solve some of the biggest challenges faced in society today in areas of mental health, education, social inequalities, and conflict resolution.

Our degree programmes which are accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) focus on the scientific inquiry of topics from seven key areas in Psychology, to build understanding and critical insight throughout your degree programme. These areas are:

1. Biological Psychology – Biological basis of behaviour: neuroscience, genetics, animal behaviour
2. Cognitive Psychology – Mental processes underlying thinking, memory, language and learning
3. Conceptual & Historical Issues – Considers where the discipline has come from, where it’s going, and the big unanswered questions of Psychology
4. Developmental Psychology – How we grow and develop, from conception to old age
5. Individual Differences – How we differ from one another in terms of traits, abilities and motivations
6. Research Methods – How we collect and analyse data to further understanding of the mind and behaviour
7. Social Psychology – How we perceive ourselves and others, interact as groups and the influences of culture and society

Psychology contributes to a wide range of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), both as a stand- alone discipline and in collaboration with other disciplines. Goals that connect to our existing research in obvious ways include Good Health and Wellbeing, Quality Education, Gender Equality, Reduced Inequalities, Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, but Psychology also has a role to play in any goals that require behaviour change, such as those related to environmental sustainability. Students will learn about the contribution of Psychology to these SDGs through course content embedded throughout the undergraduate curriculum.