Studying Psychology

Psychology has been variously defined as the study of human behaviour or the science of the mind.

All behaviours from those based on personality, emotion or trauma to those involved in flying aircraft, playing chess or even just thinking are studied. You will also encounter various types or levels of explanation for these behaviours.

Emotional expression, for example, can be studied from a cultural viewpoint, from the point of view of social interactions, from a cognitive viewpoint (involving perceptions, thoughts and reasoning), from a biological viewpoint involving brain structures and hormones, or from the point of view of its evolutionary function.

As a result you will discover that there are different philosophies behind the various methods used to investigate behaviour.

Accredited courses

The BSc Psychology programmes included are accredited with the British Psychological Society (BPS). On successful completion of the course you will be in a position to apply to the BPS for GBC - the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of the Society.

This is the first step towards becoming a Chartered Psychologist.

The programme therefore includes the core areas of psychology, social, developmental, cognitive, biological, individual differences and research methods.

A broad core curriculum

Each named programme consists of a broad curriculum covering a wide range of theories, approaches and methodologies to help you understand and examine human behaviour from different perspectives.

Specific topics

Alongside this there are specific topics such as criminology, criminal psychology, health psychology, counselling and therapies that complement the core curriculum and demonstrate how psychological theory and methodology can be applied to those specific areas allowing you to study topics in depth.

Careers and employability

Besides being exposed to the philosophical underpinnings of and research methods used in psychology, being a psychology student means developing a set of skills and aptitudes that are not only necessary for success at university but are also highly relevant after graduation.

The knowledge, aptitudes and skills needed to study psychology and to develop a future career are built into the aims and learning outcomes of the various psychology programmes.

The various programmes form the basis for further training in different fields of psychology including:

• Health Psychology
• Sport Psychology
• Forensic Psychology
• Educational Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Counselling Psychology
• Occupational Psychology
• Teaching and Research

You will also find psychology graduates working in a wide range of careers including human resources, ergonomics, human-computer interaction, artificial intelligence, product design, coaching, social work, policing, prisons, and so on.

Not only that but psychology graduates learn a set of skills and competencies that are much appreciated by employers of all kinds.

Research informed teaching

We believe that a distinctive aspect of the Department is our emphasis on drawing upon staff research to inform teaching practice and on including students in research projects.

A large number of undergraduate and Masters students have taken part in national and international conferences.

Furthermore, we strive to provide solid training in both quantitative and qualitative methods as part of a pluralistic approach to research in psychology. This is reflected in the quality of dissertations at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.