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Psychology and Sociology BA(Hons)

  • Intro
  • Course
    content
  • Careers
  • Entry
    criteria
  • Fees
  • Location
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Intro

On our Psychology and Sociology degree you will engage psychological theory and research, exploring how this knowledge is applied to real-world personal and social issues.

This course enables you to explore both the personal and social nature of human experience from different perspectives. 

You’ll benefit from an optional placement, guest speakers and through using our Psychology Resource Laboratories.

The degree follows the recommended curriculum of the British Psychological Society (BPS) and confers eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC), which is the first step toward becoming a professional psychologist. 

Key facts

Location Brighton: Falmer

UCAS code CL83

Full-time 3 years

Accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS)

Join an online event

Apply now with UCAS

Course content

How this course is delivered

Students have a blend of on-campus and digitally enabled remote learning that keeps everyone safe, connected and involved in university life. Lots of opportunities are provided to interact and engage with lecturers and other students. The balance between online and on-campus learning varies by module, and in response to the external environment.

Course structure

This course covers all of the major branches of psychology: developmental, cognitive, social and biological. It also teaches the conceptual and historical issues of psychology as well as the research methods used in its academic practice, while giving you the chance to specialise in subdisciplines like cyberpsychology and ecopsychology.

Sociology modules focus on getting behind the news to help you critically engage with contemporary issues such as poverty and globalisation. You also look at how individuals form groups and communities, and how they coordinate social action and protest. 

You’ll learn through a mixture of lectures, seminars, workshops, group tutorials, individual tutorials, guided independent study and self-directed study. In your second year you can choose to go on placements with a local organisation.

Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up-to-date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. When you have applied to us, you will be told about any new developments through Student View.

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Year 1

Year 1 introduces both psychology and sociology. You will also learn about research methods, which you will later apply in your own research work. 

Modules

  • Introduction to Applied Psychology

    You will be introduced to the basic approaches and theories within psychology and consider issues of application in the field.

  • Developmental Psychology

    The module will introduce you to key theories and topics in child development and lifespan development. You'll examine issues from infancy through middle-childhood to adulthood to explore how people develop through time. The module provides an historical, biological, social and cultural context for studying child development, and life-span development to help you frame the theoretical perspectives presented.

  • Introduction to Psychological Research Methods

    This module will introduce you to the range of research methods used in psychology and will enable you to develop the skills necessary to collect and analyse quantitative data. It also provides an introduction to qualitative data collection and analysis.

  • Contemporary Social Inequalities

    This module will provide you with the theoretical and conceptual tools to confront normative/normalising explanations of difference and inequality. You'll understand the ways that ‘differences’ and inequalities are formed and their consequences for everyday lived realities.

  • Sociological Imaginations

    This module will introduce you to contemporary ‘sociological imaginations’ of the social world and will give you the opportunity to apply sociological theories and concepts to contemporary topics. You'll develop your ability to think sociologically, by first understanding key sociological concepts and then exploring how these are applied in contemporary sociological research examples.

  • Foundations of Sociology

    This module will equip you with an understanding of traditional sociological theory and its applications today. You'll be introduced to the foundations of sociology including key thinkers, key debates, and main theoretical perspectives.

    The module will examine the development of classical ideas and the continued relevance for different sociological perspectives throughout the twentieth century. Recent challenges to traditional sociological theory will also be examined and assessed.

Students in psychology centre

Year 2

Year 2 will elaborate on the scientific basis of psychology and show how we process the outside world.

Modules

  • Psychology, the Body and Individual Differences
  • Psychology, Cognition and Social Worlds
  • Theorising the Social World 
  • Sociology of the Life Course 
  • Psychological Research Methods

Options*

  • Community Engagement: Theory into Practice 
  • Critical Analysis

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Adult student in a seminar

Final year

Your final year at Brighton will give you room to choose  which areas of psychology or sociology you would most like to pursue.

Modules

  • Critical Community Psychology
  • Dissertation OR Psychology Dissertation
    (the psychology dissertation must be taken and passed to be eligible for graduate basis of chartered membership of the BPS)
  • Sociology Topic 1 
  • Sociology Topic 2

Options*

  • Cyberpsychology
  • Ecopsychology
  • Mental Disorder and Anthropology
  • Critical Addiction Studies
  • Sexualities
  • Psychology of Poverty

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Smiling student in a seminar

Placements

In your second year the Community Engagement option module offers the opportunity to engage with a local not-for-profit organisation and gain valuable hands-on experience. It is a great opportunity to develop your vocational skills and gain practical work experience while contributing to the wider community.

You will spend around 50 hours volunteering with the organisation. This will be supported and underpinned by organisational training, tutor support and by in-class teaching covering theories of community engagement, organisational structure and culture, and reflective learning. 

We will help you find a placement that is right for you from the range of local organisations who choose to work with our students.

The module features guest lectures delivered by external speakers drawn from the wider community. You will also produce a portfolio where you will reflect on your experiences and learning, with reference to practice examples and reflective theory. 

 

 

Facilities for learning 

We have invested £250,000 in our multi-purpose Psychology Resource Laboratories.

The labs include: 

  • an applied cognition lab 
  • a creative methods lab for interactive experiments and focus groups 
  • experimental booths for one-to-one computer-based experiments 
  • mobile eye tracker, eye-tracking glasses and psychophysiology measuring kit.

You will also benefit from an open-access teaching space and a dedicated psychology technician who will support your experiments.

Psychology lab

Meet the team

Apurv Chauhan, course leader

"I am a social psychologist trained at University of Delhi (India), University of Cambridge, London School of Economics and Political Science.

"My research on poverty and social exclusion, risk perception and trust dynamics in healthcare settings take both psychological and sociological angles on the phenomena and in that sense, I truly enjoy leading this great course!

"I think psychology and sociology joint honours provides an ideal grounding in interdisciplinarity to develop widely transferrable skills in our students. I look forward to welcoming you at the University of Brighton!"

Apurv Chauhan

Careers

 Accreditation

Our Psychology and Sociology BA(Hons) is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), the UK’s independent regulator of the psychology profession. Taking a BPS accredited course is necessary if you wish to pursue a career in psychology or in the wider psychological workforce.   

Our degree follows the BPS curriculum so you will be prepared for entry into the profession. You will also benefit from access to BPS information, advice and student membership. Benefits include membership of the Society’s Student Member Group, The Psychologist magazine every month, and exclusive discounts to books, journals and events.

 When you graduate you will be eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the BPS. This is the first step in becoming a Chartered Psychologist and enables you to begin further training and to become, for example, a forensic, educational or occupational psychologist.

BPS accredited

Prepare for your career 

In your career you’ll need a combination of knowledge, skills, personal qualities and relevant experiences – and you’ll get all of this from your degree.  

  • When you graduate you will be eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the BPS. 
  • The optional placement will give you hands-on experience and help you stand out to potential employers.  
  • Option modules enable you to tailor your degree to suit your personal career goals.  
  • Guest speakers will add to your learning and provide networking opportunities.
Psychology students reviewing notes

Placements 

The optional community engagement module in the second year provides you with an opportunity to hone a range of valuable and transferable employability skills.

The module includes working with vulnerable people, in often challenging situations, but also includes CV design and building, working on applications and interviews, developing reflective learning skills and time management. Making an active contribution to the local community during your course will not only help you to better society but will also improve your knowledge and look great on your CV.

During the placement you could be carrying out a piece of consultancy or gaining practical experience in a specific context relating to an area of possible future work.    

Previous students have had placements with organisations including:

  • CCHF All About Kids
  • Centre for Ecotherapy
  • Connect
  • Samaritans
  • MS Society
  • Fresh Start
  • Alzheimer's Society
  • Sussex Prisoners’ Families
  • Age UK
  • YMCA
  • MindOut
  • Trust for Developing Communities
  • Healthwatch Brighton & Hove.
Student with children

Work-related experience 

Many of our modules include visiting guest speakers who present on a range of topics and give insight into their organisations. Speakers have come from organisations including:

  • Eastbourne Foodbank
  • St Mungo’s
  • Troubled Families Programme
  • Boing Boing
  • Trust for Developing Communities

We also run a Sociology of Brighton lecture series which brings in a range of speakers who deliver lectures in different locations around Brighton such as the Palace Pier. Content has included:

  • sociology of the seaside
  • LGBTQ spaces
  • crime
  • gentrification.

We also work with MindOut, a local LGBT mental health project, to bring a Living Library to the campus. The library is designed to challenge prejudice and stigma. Trained volunteers act as ‘books’ to help you explore social issues.

Graduate destinations 

Our graduates have gone on to employment in a wide range of areas: 

  • social research 
  • social work 
  • the police 
  • local government 
  • the civil service 
  • journalism 
  • management 
  • teaching 
  • the voluntary sector 
  • housing 
  • the welfare services.

Those who wish to pursue a career as a professional psychologist may consider pathways into forensic, occupational and clinical psychology.

Further study 

We offer a range of postgraduate opportunities linked to psychology and sociology: 

  • Community Psychology MA 
  • Humanistic Counselling and Psychotherapy PGDip 
  • Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy PGDip 
  • Psychotherapy MSc 

There are also opportunities to join our team of world-leading researchers and complete your PhD.

Psychology graduate

Supporting your employability 

Outside of your course, our Careers Service is here to support you as you discover (and re-discover) your strengths and what matters to you. We are here for you throughout your university journey as you work towards a fulfilling and rewarding career.

Connect with our careers team

  • Find part-time work that you can combine with your studies.
  • Find, or be, a mentor or get involved with our peer-to-peer support scheme.
  • Develop your business ideas through our entrepreneurial support network.
  • Get professional advice and support with career planning, CV writing and interview top tips.
  • Meet potential employers at our careers fairs.
  • Find rewarding volunteering opportunities to help you discover more about what makes you tick, and build your CV.

Whatever your career needs, we are here to help. And that's not just while you are a student, our support carries on after you've graduated.

Find out more...

Coloured background with the words Be More, Connected, Skilled, Emlployable

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

A-levels or BTEC
Entry requirements are in the range of A-level BBC–CCC (112–96 UCAS Tariff points), or BTEC Extended Diploma DMM–MMM. Our conditional offers typically fall within this range. 

We will generally make you an offer if your predicted grades are at the top of this range. If your predicted grades are towards the lower end of this range we may still make you an offer if you have a good GCSE (or equivalent) profile or relevant non-academic achievements.

International Baccalaureate
26 points with three subjects at Higher level.

Access to HE Diploma
Pass with 60 credits overall. Level 3 units in psychology or sociology preferred. At least 45 credits at level 3, with 18 credits at merit or above.

GCSE (minimum grade C or grade 4)
Maths and English language preferred. Applicants without these qualifications may find aspects of the course more challenging. If you do not have maths and English language GCSE, we will make an individual decision based on a holistic assessment of your whole application.

Foundation degree/HND /HNC
May enable you to start the course in year 2.

Studied before or got relevant experience?
A qualification, HE credits or relevant experience may count towards your course at Brighton, and could mean that you do not have to take some elements of the course or can start in year 2 or 3. 

English language requirements
IELTS 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. Find out more about the other English qualifications that we accept.

International requirements and visas

International requirements by country
Country name
Albania
Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium
Bermuda
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burma (Myanmar)
Cameroon
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
Egypt
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Guyana
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kosovo
Kuwait
Latvia
Lebanon
Liechtenstein
Libya
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malaysia
Malawi
Malta
Mexico
Moldova
Montenegro
Morocco
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palestinian National Authority
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russian Federation
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Syria
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visit our language centre

For English language preparation courses.

Visit our International College

For degree preparation courses.

Visas and immigration advice

Applying for a student visa

Check out our step-by-step guidance.

Fees

Course fees

UK (full-time) 9,250 GBP

International (full-time) 14,748 GBP

What's included

You may have to pay additional costs during your studies. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. A summary of the costs that you may be expected to pay, and what is included in your fees, while studying a course in the School of Applied Social Science are listed here.

  • For some assessments you may be required to print large format posters for presentations at a cost of £5–£10 per poster.
  • Most coursework submissions are electronic but you may wish to print notes and should budget up to £100 for printing.
  • Course books are available from the university but you may wish to budget up to £100 to buy your own copies.
  • Some courses include an optional placement module for which students will need to cover the costs of travel to and from the placement and DBS checks as required.
  • For the Humanistic Psychotherapeutic Counselling PGDip and Psychotherapeutic Psychodynamic Counselling PGDip, the following course-related costs are not included in the tuition fee:
    • Supervision fees: £1,170 for each full year. Estimated based on £45 per hour with fortnightly meetings. In some agencies, supervision will be provided at no cost. Where students have to pay, the cost will only begin when supervision begins.
    • Personal counselling/therapy: £2,000–£2,800 over the course. Estimated based on £40 per hour.

You can chat with our enquiries team through the Stay in touch panel at the end of this page if you require further information. Or check our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships, as well as more information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Info

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2021–22.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full-time or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

Location

Local area

About Brighton

The University of Brighton is at the heart of our city's reputation as a welcoming, forward-thinking place which leads the way when it comes to the arts, music, sustainability and creative technology. Brighton is home to a thriving creative community and a digital sector worth £1bn a year to the local economy, as much as tourism.

Many of the work-based learning opportunities offered on our courses such as placements and guest lectures are provided by businesses and organisations based in the city.

You can also get involved with city festivals and events such as the Brighton Festival, the Fringe, Brighton Digital Festival, Brighton Science Festival, the London to Brighton bike ride, and the Great Escape festival of new music to name but a few. Other annual highlights include Pride, the Brighton Marathon, and Burning the Clocks which marks the winter solstice.

You'll find living in Brighton enriches your learning experience and by the end of your course you will still be finding new things to explore and inspire you.

It's only 50 minutes by train from Brighton to central London and less than 40 minutes to Eastbourne. There are also daily direct trains to Bristol, Bedford, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Map showing distance to London from Brighton
Brighton Beach sunset

Campus where this course is taught

Falmer campus

Set in the South Downs, our Falmer campus is around four miles from Brighton city centre. 7,000 students are based here taking subjects including criminology, English, education, nursing and medicine, paramedic science, psychology and sociology. Brighton and Hove Albion's Amex stadium and beautiful Stanmer Park are right next door.

Specialist learning facilities at Falmer include the curriculum centre used by teaching and education students, which houses over 30,000 teaching resources and clinical skills and simulation suites used by health students. Psychology students learn in our applied cognition and flexible creative method labs.

Falmer campus has two halls of residence on site, as well as a library, restaurant, cafes, and a students' union shop and bar.

The campus sports centre has a fitness suite, activity studios and a sports hall. There is also a floodlit astroturf football pitch, netball and tennis courts.

Cycle lanes link Falmer with our other campuses and the city centre and there is a BTN BikeShare hub on site. There are regular bus services to the city centre and other campuses. Falmer train station is right next to campus and a nine minute journey to central Brighton.

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Newly refurbished atrium in the Checkland Building

Accommodation

Brighton: Falmer

We guarantee an offer of a place in halls of residence to all eligible students.

Halls of residence
We have halls of residence across Brighton in the city centre, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer.

  • You'll be prioritised for accommodation in the halls that are linked to your teaching base, subject to availability.
  • Falmer campus is linked to the halls on Falmer campus and at Varley Park. All halls are self-catered.
    • Paddock Field and Great Wilkins halls are on Falmer campus and offer a range of rooms
    • Varley Park offers a mix of rooms. It is around two miles from Moulsecoomb campus and four miles from the city centre. Public transport in the city is excellent.

Private renting
There's plenty of support if you opt for private renting. This is an option which offers choice and flexibility – enabling you to choose where you live and who with. We manage our own studenthomes database of properties. This lists accommodation offered by landlords who have signed up to our code of standards. Every summer we provide online events and resources, as well as other advice services, for students looking for a place to live and people to share with.

Outside views at Falmer accommodation

Outside views at Falmer accommodation

Extensive facilities at Falmer sports centre

Extensive facilities at Falmer sports centre

Students dining at Westlain

Students dining at Westlain

Maps

Falmer campus

Student views  

Barbara Nicol Hornby 

"The fact that the course offered a placement won me over. Not only did I have an opportunity to study two things I really like in one go, but I could also do a placement and gain work experience. It was meant to be! 

I applied for a court volunteer role with Sussex Prisoners’ Families and I got in. I have to sit through sentences in Crown courts and at the end speak to families of defendants and offer them support on how to deal with their loved one going into prison

It can be a challenging at times for instance, when families are a bit emotional and shout at you when you try to approach them or when you sit through a difficult or unpleasant case. It has been a great learning experience for me.

I’ve learnt to be more empathetic and patient than I was before. I’ve been there for almost six months, I go in once a week and I can say every day comes with a new challenge, so I learn something new every week.

It’s given me a taste of what it’s like to work with people who are going through a lot emotionally." 

Barbara Hornby

Jenny Terry 

"I would say that Brighton is a truly wonderful place to be, both in terms of the city and the university. The course will give you more than most other psychology degrees, not only will you learn about traditional psychology and research methods, but you’ll learn more critical, bleeding edge approaches that other universities are yet to embrace.

You’ll also have the benefit of studying alongside sociology, politics, and criminology students, so you’ll also have the opportunity to learn about other disciplines. I found this deeply enriched my learning, and will make me a more rounded psychologist – and individual.

I’m so proud to be showing my daughter that her future can be as bright as she wants it to be. I graduated with a first-class honours degree at Brighton last summer (July 2017). My ultimate goal is to lecture and work in research. Now I am working as a Research Officer at the University of Brighton on the Changing Mindsets project. I am also writing a paper for the research I undertook for my BPS scholarship, and am hoping I can publish my dissertation too.

Going back to university is the best thing I’ve ever done. My late dad told me he’d be proud of me whatever I did as long as I was happy – and I’m happier than I’ve ever been."

Jenny Terry

Stay in touch

Join an online event

Ask a question about this course

If you have a question about this course, our enquiries team will be happy to help.

01273 644644

Visit the School of Applied Social Science blog.

Statistics

These charts give an indication of how much time you will spend on different activities at each level of the course, and an indication of the balance of assessment by coursework, and written and practical exams. For courses with option modules, actual proportions will depend on the modules you choose.

Find out more about how the academic year and degree courses are organised, and about learning and assessment activities you might get to grips with at Brighton. More specific information about this course is detailed in the programme specification (linked above). You can find out also about the range of support we offer to help you adjust to university life.

Overall workload

Assessments

Discover Uni

Discover Uni enables you to compare information when choosing a UK university course. All UK universities publish Discover Uni data on their website. Discover Uni will be launching a widget this month that will show top line stats for this course. Once live, the widget will appear below. 

Programme specification

The programme specification is the approved description of each course. They are updated following course changes, and give a detailed breakdown of the content and structure of the course.

Programme specification

Related 7 courses

  • Psychology BSc(Hons)

    Psychology BSc(Hons)

  • Psychology and Criminology BA(Hons)

    Psychology and Criminology BA(Hons)

  • Sociology BA(Hons)

    Sociology BA(Hons)

  • Criminology and Sociology BA(Hons)

    Criminology and Sociology BA(Hons)

  • Sport Studies BA(Hons)

    Sport Studies BA(Hons)

  • Psychology with Counselling Studies BSc(Hons)

    Psychology with Counselling Studies BSc(Hons)

  • Social Science BA(Hons)

    Social Science BA(Hons)

‹ ›

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