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Psychology BSc(Hons)

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Intro

Psychology is the study of human minds, behaviours, experiences and relationships. At Brighton our focus is on the insight psychology provides to real-world personal and social issues.

Throughout this psychology degree, you will engage with psychological theory, research and its applications, and deepen your understanding of the personal and social relevance of this field of study. You can tailor the degree programme to your own interests and career aspirations and learn from experienced practitioners as part of our visiting lecturer programme.

We offer the opportunity to take a work placement in the local community as part of your course and you will benefit from the technology in our multi-purpose Psychology Resource Laboratories.

This course covers the British Psychological Society’s (BPS) recommended curriculum. Graduates who achieve the required standard are eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the BPS. This is the first step in becoming a Chartered Psychologist.

See our upcoming events

Key facts

Location Brighton: Moulsecoomb

UCAS code C810

Full-time 3 years

Accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS)

Apply now with UCAS for 2023

My favourite module so far is Psychology, Cognition and Social. It’s very interesting because you learn about different scans and medical procedures. There are a lot, and I mean A LOT of facilities to use, both general and specific to your course.

Manar, year 3 student

Course content

Course structure

Modules generally involve weekly lectures followed by seminars or practical sessions. These run alongside structured learning activities and independent study.

You will study all the major branches of psychology: developmental, cognitive, social and biological.

Year 1 introduces you to psychology and its key areas such as developmental, applied, wellbeing and society. You will learn the foundations of research, which you will later apply to your own research project.

Year 2 covers the BPS curriculum in more depth. You will also have the option to take a community placement, putting theory in to practice and making key contacts in the sector.

In your final year, you will conduct research on an area of personal interest for your empirical dissertation and you will be able to choose from a number of options informed by your future career ambitions.

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.

Year 1

In your first year, you will be introduced to various aspects of psychology.

Modules

  • Psychology and Society

    This module will introduce you to the social history of psychology, and seeks to embed psychology within the social and historical contexts of its development, critically exploring how these contexts have shaped the aims, methods and outcomes of psychological theory and research.

    The module will introduce you to key issues, debates and approaches in psychology, as well as help you to develop essential skills for higher education study, including reflexive learning, critical analysis, team working and independent study.

  • Introduction to Applied Psychology

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

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • The Psychology of Wellbeing

    This module will introduce you to the notion of psychological well-being and you'll consider research that highlights the social and psychological factors that can lead to happy and fulfilling lives. This domain is often associated with ‘positive psychology’ but in this module you will be developing a critical stance that goes beyond this perspective accommodating social, cultural, environmental and political determinants of wellbeing, life satisfaction and quality of life.

Psychology books in library

Year 2

You will build upon the skills and knowledge you have acquired in your first year. You can choose to take a community placement which runs throughout the year, giving you a sustained period of work with a community organisation to help increase your employability while you study. There’s also the opportunity for international study through our exchange programme.

Core modules

  • Psychology of Security
  • Psychology, Mental Health and Distress
  • Psychology, Cognition and Social Worlds 
  • Psychology, the Body and Individual Differences
  • Psychological Research Methods

Options*

  • Community Engagement: Theory Into Practice (placement)
  • Critical Analysis
  • Childhood, Psychology and Society

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

Final year

In your final year you will complete a dissertation project that will reflect your particular interest in the subject. To help you produce the best dissertation possible, you will have additional access to the lab facilities and support from our technicians.

You will also choose option modules that will allow you to further specialise in the areas that interest you the most.

Modules

  • Psychology dissertation (the psychology dissertation must be taken and passed to be eligible for graduate basis of chartered membership of the BPS)

Options*

  • Forensic Psychology
  • Mood and Anxiety Disorders in Childhood
  • Cyberpsychology 
  • Ecopsychology
  • Critical Community Psychology
  • Critical Addiction Studies 
  • Developing a Therapeutic Relationship 
  • Mental Disorder and Anthropology 
  • Sexualities
  • Psychology of Poverty
  • Psychology of the Real World

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

Facilities

Our multi-purpose Psychology Resource Laboratories have a range of high-tech facilities including:

  • 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 eye tracking glasses

Click the image above to view a virtual tour of our Psychology Resource Lab.

Placement

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.

group of young people with an adult

Meet the team

Key members of the teaching team

  • Emma Jay – co-course leader
  • Jess Darby – co-course leader
  • Kerry Fox – Introduction to Applied Psychology module coordinator
  • Orly Klein – Contemporary Social Inequalities module coordinator
  • Dr Apurv Chauhan – Psychology and Society module coordinator
  • Dr Carl Walker – Introduction to Psychological Research Methods module coordinator
  • Dr Mark Wright – Developmental Psychology module coordinator
  • Dr Dave Harley – Psychology of Wellbeing module coordinator

Our latest news

Come to a Social Sciences, Humanities and English online explorer event

Come to a Social Sciences, Humanities and English online explorer event

The School of Humanities and Social Science at the University of Brighton warmly welcomes you to our Subject Explorer Conference.

Meet us at our postgraduate events

Meet us at our postgraduate events

There’s no better way to explore your future study opportunities than by meeting lecturers and researchers at a postgraduate event.

Join us for a Humanities and Social Science Explorer event: Wed 19th April, 10am – 2.30pm

Join us for a Humanities and Social Science Explorer event: Wed 19th April, 10am – 2.30pm

Come and see what it’s like to study Humanities and Social Science subjects at university.

My career journey: Dr Greg Los

My career journey: Dr Greg Los

We know the path to success doesn’t always go smoothly, so we asked our lecturers about the ups and downs on their path to the University of Brighton.

Read more from our blog

Careers

Becoming a psychologist

This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), the UK’s independent regulator of the psychology profession. Our Psychology degree follows the BPS curriculum, this means the content of your course prepares you for entry to the profession and for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of the BPS.

Graduate Basis 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.

To be eligible for Graduate Basis, you must pass the Psychology Dissertation and achieve at least a 2.2 honours degree.

BPS accredited

Preparing for your career 

Innovative modules, volunteering opportunities and an applied focus create an environment in which the curious and critical psychologist can develop and flourish.

  • BPS curriculum – professional body so learning is relevant to sector and current
  • Community Engagement – contacts / real world experience
  • Volunteering opportunities outside your course – broaden experience and links with sector
  • Visiting lecturers sharing experiences.
Counsellor working with a client

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

Graduate destinations  

This course is the first step towards becoming a chartered psychologist. After further training you could  become a forensic or occupational psychologist.

The psychological literacy our degree equips you with is also an excellent foundation for careers in diverse fields beyond the traditional psychological professions.

Further study 

This degree also opens up a range of postgraduate study options. At Brighton, for example, you could progress on to

  • Community Psychology MA

With additional qualifications

  • Humanistic Counselling and Psychotherapy PGDip
  • Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy PGDip
  • Psychotherapy MSc

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

Flexible admissions

When you apply to Brighton we want to hear about who you are. Grades are never the whole picture; we're interested in things like creativity, resourcefulness, persistence and the capacity to think big and find new ways of doing things. And we recognise that not everyone has the same background. That's why we treat everyone who applies as an individual. We recognise many qualifications and we care about all of your achievements and the experiences you've had that set you apart.

Find out more

Graphic with the text 'Potential + possibility'

Entry requirements

A-levels or BTEC
Entry requirements are in the range of A-level BBB–BCC (120–104 UCAS Tariff points), or BTEC Extended Diploma DDM–DMM. Our conditional offers typically fall within this range.

International Baccalaureate
30 points with three subjects at Higher level.

Access to HE Diploma
Pass with 60 credits overall. At least 45 credits at level 3, with 24 credits at distinction and 21 credits at merit.

GCSE (minimum grade C or grade 4)
English and maths.

If you do not have the required GCSEs find out which equivalent qualifications we accept instead.

Other
Mature applicants without the above qualifications should be able to show how they will benefit from the course through, for example, work or professional experience. All mature applicants are considered on an individual basis.

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) 15,300 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 Humanities and Social Science in the 2022–23 academic year 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 £200 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.
  • For a number of courses you will have the opportunity to attend field trips and off-site visits. These are optional and are not required to pass your course but under normal circumstances we would expect a budget of approximately £150 per year will cover the costs of particular trips. The amount spent would be based on location and number of trips taken.
  • You will have access to computers and necessary software, however many students choose to buy their own hardware, software and accessories. The amount spent will depend on your individual choices but this expenditure is not essential to pass any of our courses.

You can chat with our enquiries team if you have a question or need more 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 2023–24.

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 and student life

Campus where this course is taught

Moulsecoomb campus

Two miles north of Brighton seafront, Moulsecoomb is our largest campus and student village. Over the last four years Moulsecoomb has undergone a major transformation, planned with accessibility, inclusivity and sustainability in mind.

Over 900 students live here in our halls, Moulsecoomb Place and the new Mithras halls – Brunswick, Goldstone, Hanover, Preston and Regency.

On campus you’ll find professional-standard facilities and learning resources for all of our subjects and a brand new academic building Elm House, alongside the library, student centre, fitness facilities and the Students’ Union.

Moulsecoomb has easy access to buses and trains and to all the exciting things happening in our home city.

Two people walking past Mithras halls

Accommodation

Brighton: Moulsecoomb

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.
  • Moulsecoomb campus is linked to Moulsecoomb Place, Mithras halls and Varley Park. All halls are self-catered.
    • 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, and there’s a shuttle bus between our Brighton campuses during term time.
    • Moulsecoomb Place halls are all self-catered and are located right on campus.

Want to live independently? We can help – find out more about private renting.

Modern accommodation at nearby Varley Halls

Modern accommodation at nearby Varley Park

Relaxing in halls near the campus

Relaxing in halls near the campus

Students eating at the Hub

Students eating at the Hub

Local area

About Brighton

The city of Brighton & Hove is a forward-thinking place which leads the way in the arts, technology, sustainability and creativity. You'll find living here plays a key role in your learning experience.

Brighton is a leading centre for creative media technology, recently named the startup capital of the UK.

The city is home to a national 5G testbed and over 1,000 tech businesses. The digital sector is worth over £1bn a year to the local economy - as much as tourism.

All of our full-time undergraduate courses involve work-based learning - this could be through placements, live briefs and guest lectures. Many of these opportunities are provided by local businesses and organisations.

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

Maps

Moulsecoomb campus map

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Support and wellbeing

Your course team

Your personal academic tutor, course leader and other tutors are all there to help you with your personal and academic progress. You'll also have a student support and guidance tutor (SSGT) who can help with everything from homesickness, managing stress or accommodation issues.

Your academic skills

Our Brighton Student Skills Hub gives you extra support and resources to develop the skills you'll need for university study, whatever your level of experience so far.

Your mental health and wellbeing

As well as being supported to succeed, we want you to feel good too. You'll be part of a community that builds you up, with lots of ways to connect with one another, as well having access to dedicated experts if you need them. Find out more.

Students talking in a social area

Sport at Brighton

Sport Brighton

Sport Brighton brings together our sport and recreation services. As a Brighton student you'll have use of sport and fitness facilities across all our campuses and there are opportunities to play for fun, fitness or take part in serious competition. 

Find out more about Sport Brighton.

Sports scholarships

Our sports scholarship scheme is designed to help students develop their full sporting potential to train and compete at the highest level. We offer scholarships for elite athletes, elite disabled athletes and talented sports performers.

Find out more about sport scholarships.

Students playing frisbee

Stay in touch

See our upcoming events

Ask a question about this course

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

01273 644644

Find out about Brighton student life on our social sciences blog.

Statistics

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 below). You can find out also about the support we offer to help you adjust to university life.

Course and module descriptions on this page were accurate when first published and are the basis of the course. Detailed information on any changes we make to modules and learning and assessment activities will be sent to all students by email before enrolment, so that you have all the information before you come to Brighton.

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.

Programme specification

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

Programme specification

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