Psychology and Sociology

Our four-year joint honours BSc (Hons) Psychology and Sociology degree with integrated placement year will enable you to explore some of the biggest topics in the world today, from gender, race, and sexuality, to how we behave as a society. If you want to study a British Psychological Society (BPS) accredited degree and are curious about understanding human behaviour and cognition, as well as how people and society operate, studying Psychology and Sociology at Aston University is for you.

Psychology is a fascinating subject that aims to understand why people behave in the way that they do, by considering the complex interplay between biological, psychological, environmental, cultural, and social influences on behaviour. Whilst psychology focuses on understanding behaviour at an individual level, sociology focuses on how individual life experience relates to social problems, how they are reinforced by class, race, religion, and gender as well as how they perpetuate inequalities. Unequal life chances are produced and reproduced in education, health and the media and reflect on many aspects of our lives, from racism, sexuality, and crime to global issues such as migration and climate change. Psychology and Sociology are, therefore, an ideal combination of complementary disciplines.

Key course benefits:

• 93% of our students felt positive about the academic support provided on their course (Psychology)(National Student Survey, 2024).

• Psychology graduates have gone on to secure work in organisations such as the BBC, HSBC, Jaguar Land Rover, local Government, PwC, private care companies, and the NHS.

We no longer offer a Foundation Programme. If you select Year 0 on your application form, this will be amended to Year 1 at the admissions review stage.

Year 1
Discover core approaches in psychology such as cognitive and social, as well as fundamental aspects of sociology like social theory. Core modules: Key Skills in Psychology I, Key Skills in Psychology II, Biological and Cognitive Psychology, Developmental and Social Psychology, Introduction to Social Theory, and Becoming a Social Scientist.

Year 2
Continue your education into these two complementary areas and gain further skills and knowledge into conducting and analysing research. Core modules: Research Methods and Data Analysis, Applied Psychology and Professional Skills, Individual Differences, Health and Personality, Cognition and Cognitive Neuropsychology, and Advanced Social Theory. In addition, you will choose from a selection of modules. For more information, please visit our website.

Placement year
Gain valuable career boosting experience by setting your studies in a real world context of a working environment alongside professionals. Placements can be taken in the UK, EU or internationally.

Final year
You will complete modules such as Health Policy Bodies, Power and Resistance Work and Organisations and Society.

For more information, please visit our website.

Our close employer links and focus on practical experiences to transfer to the workplace means you’ll get a blend of learning and teaching experiences that will equip you for your career.

You’ll learn from experts in both psychology and sociology; meaning you’ll get a true blend of both subjects, allowing you to apply the theories and practices from one discipline to the other.

You will encounter a variety of learning opportunities, including:

lectures
practical sessions
interactive workshops and tutorials
group work

There is a much stronger emphasis on reading and on your own private, independent study than at school or college. To help you manage your learning, we set out your work for the year in an online student guide. This includes full details of all modules including week-by-week lecture breakdowns, reading lists and all coursework assignments for the year with the relevant deadlines.

You will be assessed throughout the course using a wide range of methods linked to learning outcomes, including:

class tests/end of year examinations (unseen essay, short answer or multiple choice questions)
essays
research reports (group or individual)
presentations
statistics assignments
oral presentations.

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

• British Psychological Society