Psychology BSc (Hons)

Course Content

• Course Details

  Our Psychology courses has been designed to contribute towards achieving the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goal: SDG3 Good Health and Wellbeing.

  During your second and third year of BSc Psychology Degree, you will have opportunities to choose from a range of specialist optional modules. Your choices will allow you to explore your developing interests in greater depth. The inclusion of an optional placement year also offers you the chance to experience the world of work, allowing you to apply your learning to the real world.  Throughout the programme, you will be taught theory alongside practical elements which will be relevant and applicable to a wide range of careers that psychology graduates can pursue.

  You will join a thriving learning community and be taught by a large, diverse and supportive group of research active professionals who are recognised experts in their field. Our psychology degree tutors are passionate about the role psychology plays in all areas of life. They are motivated to inspire future generations who want to make a difference to society.

  While studying for your bachelor’s in psychology degree, you will learn new ways of understanding how and why people think and act as they do. This course will also equip you with transferable critical and analytical skills that will enhance your employability. Studying Psychology offers you considerable flexibility and choice within a supportive environment, through teaching staff and your personal academic tutor. Roxana Teleanu shares the five life lessons she learnt as a student at the University of Northampton.

  At the University of Northampton, you will benefit from studying applied Psychology modules, providing valuable work-based learning skills and links to Changemaker. You will have access to excellent facilities and resources for research. Research areas include social, cognitive, biological, developmental and personality psychology.

  Our single honours psychology degree course allows you to understand and analyse human behaviour, thought and emotions, from many different psychological perspectives. The course provides you with useful experience, especially if you are intending to work in a range of career areas both in and outside of psychology. This experience can be applied to educational psychology, clinical psychology, teaching and research.

  BSc Psychology at UON can be taken as a full time or part time psychology degree. If you are studying this course full-time you will take 120 credits worth of modules for each stage for three years. Some modules are mandatory whilst others are selected from a range of options. In stage one important core ideas, evidence and methods are introduced. This basic knowledge is built upon in stages two and three to foster an advanced understanding of topics.

  Listed below are some of the key tests you can administer within our psychometrics library:

  • Intelligence scales: Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale, Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children, and the Weschler Abbreviated Intelligence Scale x 2, Personality measures: NEO Five Factor Inventory & PI-R, Eysenck Personality Scales, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and Cattell’s 16PF Form (A&B), Health Psychology Portfolio, Mental Health Portfolio, Measures of Children’s Mental Health & Psychological Well-Being, Child Behaviour Checklist, Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking – Verbal/Figural, Rorschach test, Witkin’s Group Embedded Figures test.

  Please note the modules shown here relate to the academic year 24/25. The modules relating to the academic year 25/26 will be available from June 2025.

  • Stage 1

    In stage one, six compulsory modules permit an excellent grounding in psychology. In one of these modules, you will explore the many ways that psychology is applied to real-world problems. In this module, you will develop your research, thinking and communication skills. You will also be introduced to the major approaches to understanding the mind and human behaviour. This involves studying social, cognitive, biological and developmental psychology. Another module enables you to acquire skills in the design and execution of a range of psychological research methods, the analysis and interpretation of data and report writing. Other modules allow you to develop intra and inter-personal skills, as well as build on your psychological literacy using psychological skills and knowledge to solve real-world problems. Throughout this module, you will be interacting ethically and responsibly with others.

    • Psychology in Practice (20 Credits)
      Module code: PSY1001

      Status: Compulsory
      This module introduces students to applications of psychological knowledge in the real world. It aims to help students acquire knowledge and understanding of theory and research relating to key topics in Applied Psychology and to develop the critical skills necessary to the evaluation of different approaches within Applied Psychology.
    • Introduction to Psychology (20 Credits)
      Module code: PSY1003

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to provide students with a broad understanding of psychology by introducing four core areas (social, developmental, cognitive and biological psychology). Students will develop critical thinking and evaluative skills of psychological material by focusing on theory, empirical research and real-life examples.
    • Investigating Psychology (20 Credits)
      Module code: PSY1004

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to promote reflective critical thinking and evaluation skills using a wide variety of psychological materials, and develop student confidence in evaluating and conducting Psychological research.
    • Becoming a Psychologist (20 Credits)
      Module code: PSY1006

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to provide a fundamental introduction to research design, analysis and interpretation in psychology. Students need to understand common methods of investigation, in order to appreciate the source and context of theories and research findings encountered in specific subject areas studied in other psychology modules.
    • Positive Psychology (20 Credits)
      Module code: PSY1011

      Status: Compulsory
      This module aims to develop student?s intra-and-inter-personal skills through exploring Positive Psychology theory and application and increasing self-awareness. Throughout the module, you will gain understanding for how these are experienced, how we relate to them, and what psychology has begun to understand about them.
    • Psychology for Life (20 Credits)
      Module code: PSY1012

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to be personally relevant to students? psychological studies and enable them to start to build psychological literacy - using psychological skills and knowledge to solve real-world problems and interact ethically and responsibly with others.
  • Stage 2

    During the second stage, you will take modules in Social and Developmental Psychology as well as Cognitive and Biological Psychology. You will also delve into Personality Psychology, and Conceptual and Historical Issues in Psychology, covering the key areas and debates within the discipline. There are also modules to expand your knowledge of quantitative and qualitative psychological research and data analysis through carrying out independent and group projects. You can also choose to study The Human Animal, The Psychology of Well Being or The Psychology of Learning and Teaching in Educational Settings.

    • Independent Practical Work (20 Credits)
      Module code: PSY2003

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to develop students? skills in collaboratively and independently developing research questions, conducting psychological research, performing data analyses, drawing appropriate conclusions and reporting empirical research.
    • Research Methods and Statistics (20 Credits)
      Module code: PSY2005

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to continue development in research skills established in ?Becoming a Psychologist? (PSY1006). Students will increase psychological competency in preparation for the dissertation via engaging in ethical thinking and enhancing core skills at all levels of the research process
    • The Human Animal (20 Credits)
      Module code: PSY2006

      Status: Designate
      The aim of this module is to introduce students to the notion that our understanding of human beings, their thinking and behaviour, can be enhanced if we understand them in terms of their biology, evolution and ecology. Principles of evolution will be applied to a variety of psychological mechanisms.
    • The Psychology of Well-being (20 Credits)
      Module code: PSY2007

      Status: Designate
      The objective of this module is to further develop the knowledge acquired in Positive Psychology (PSY1011) by specifically considering the application of theories to a range of contexts. The module refers to a range of psychological processes, recognizing the importance of biological, cognitive, emotional and social factors in understanding well-being.
    • The Psychology of Learning and Teaching in Educational Settings (20 Credits)
      Module code: PSY2025

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is to enable students to view education from a psychological perspective and to become aware of the ways in which Psychology can be used to understand and to improve learning and teaching. Students will spend time observing and/or participating in an educational environment, which could be a school, college, training environment or other relevant setting.
    • Biological and Cognitive Psychology: Mechanisms of the Mind (20 Credits)
      Module code: PSY2029

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is to build on the introduction to biological and cognitive approaches in psychology provided in Introduction to Psychology (PSY1003). It introduces new and more complex material with a view to developing students' knowledge, understanding and critical appreciation of the theories and research applied in these approaches
    • Development and Society (20 Credits)
      Module code: PSY2030

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to build on the Social and Developmental Psychology material introduced in the Level 4 module PSY1003 - Introduction to Psychology. This module covers contemporary and critical perspectives related to development across the lifespan within complex social worlds and will be of interest to students wishing to deepen their knowledge of theories, research and methods in Social and Developmental Psychology.
    • Personality & the Fundamentals of Psychology (20 Credits)
      Module code: PSY2031

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to build upon material presented at Level 4 by tracing the historical development of Psychology as an academic discipline and exploring key theories and research in personality and individual differences. Special consideration will be given to conceptual issues that continue to generate debate.
  • Stage 3

    In stage three, you have the opportunity to specialise in areas of interest and for your potential career preparation. You will have the chance to select from a range of advanced Psychology modules including Forensic Psychology, Educational Psychology, The Psychology of Mental Health and The Psychology of Health. The options are amongst other applied psychological specialisms such as Applying Positive Psychology and Lifespan Development.

    There are also modules reflecting the research expertise of our staff, for example, Psychology of Spirituality, Religion and Wellbeing, Neuroscience of Mind, Parapsychology and Anomalous Experiences and Applying Positive Psychology. You will take an empirical dissertation on a subject of your choice with one-to-one guidance from a psychology lecturer. The dissertation allows you to immerse yourself in a topic of your choice, subject to staff approval. It provides the opportunity to put into practice the research skills that you have acquired throughout the course.

    • Psychology of Mental Health (20 Credits)
      Module code: PSY3004

      Status: Designate
      This module aims to explore contemporary understandings of mental health and experience of individuals with mental health disorders. The module explores social, ethical, and scientific issues around the field of mental health and offers an environment for students to engage in critical analysis and debate.
    • Parapsychology and Anomalous Experiences (20 Credits)
      Module code: PSY3007

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is to explore in depth two areas of psychology concerned with the important, yet often poorly understood areas of experimental parapsychology and the psychology of anomalous experience
    • The Psychology of Health (20 Credits)
      Module code: PSY3013

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module to build on curriculum provided in Psychology in Practice (PSY1001) surrounding the Health Psychology profession and application of theoretical models from Health Psychology and allied professions (e.g. medicine). Health Psychology advances the health care system and aids formulation of policy, alongside focusing service provisions for individuals and communities.
    • Forensic Psychology (20 Credits)
      Module code: PSY3016

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is to expand knowledge and understanding on the perspective of forensic psychology drawing upon theoretical and practical understandings.
    • Educational Psychology (20 Credits)
      Module code: PSY3023

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is to develop an understanding and critical appreciation of relevant theory, research and practice within Educational Psychology, and provide the opportunity for advanced study of the psychology of education with practical experience of applying such knowledge in an educational context.
    • Understanding the Social World (20 Credits)
      Module code: PSY3024

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is to consider some of the key topics within Psychology from the perspective of Critical Psychology and Discursive Psychology (eg research methods, clinical and abnormal Psychology, Social Psychology). This module examines the role of Psychology in the development and maintenance of the established order in society, and the ways in which psychology has been shaped by the historical, economic, personal and social context in which it operates.
    • Psychology of Spirituality, Religion and Wellbeing (20 Credits)
      Module code: PSY3027

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is to explore the unique contribution to Psychology provided by the related fields of Transpersonal Psychology and the Psychology of religion. This is achieved by a combination of rigorous academic inquiry with a structured experiential programme of personal, interpersonal, cultural and social development. Transpersonal Psychology and the Psychology of religion are concerned with important aspects of human experience related to spirituality, religious experience and behaviour, personal happiness and wellbeing, with Transpersonal Psychology emphasising experiential and transformative approaches and the Psychology of religion emphasising an application of mainstream psychological approaches and normative descriptions. The module offers students the opportunity to engage fully in a process of personal, transpersonal and social development (Integral Transpersonal Development / ITD) designed for this module.
    • Lifespan Development (20 Credits)
      Module code: PSY3053

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is to develop a critical appreciation of the strengths and limitations of key psychological theory and research in the area of lifespan development, and develop knowledge and understanding of a range of psychological issues relevant to children?s, adolescent?s and adult?s lives.
    • Neuroscience of Mind (20 Credits)
      Module code: PSY3054

      Status: Designate
      This module builds on the biological approaches to Psychology introduced in the second year Biological Psychology module PSY2011. It introduces newer and more complex material with a view to developing students? knowledge, understanding and critical appreciation of the theories and methods applied in these approaches.
    • Applying Positive Psychology (20 Credits)
      Module code: PSY3055

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is to build on, and extend, the knowledge acquired by students at levels four and five. It will examine, critically, the impact of positive psychological processes in families, organizations and communities and evaluate how these may help or hinder the development of individual and collective strengths.
    • The Psychology of Work and Organisations (20 Credits)
      Module code: PSY3063

      Status: Designate
      This module introduces the principal theories and applications of occupational psychology. It is designed to help students develop a critical understanding of theories and a systematic approach to appliations of psychology, and promotes the development of employability skills that will give students a competitive edge in the labour market.
    • Psychology Dissertation (40 Credits)
      Module code: PSY4001

      Status: Designate
      The dissertation builds on and expands students' prior knowledge of research methodology acquired at levels 4 and 5. It aims to foster the development of expertise in methodology and skills in the planning, conduct and write-up of research reports. This form of independent, experiential learning will require students to ask logical questions to diagnose and define problems, generate and implement solutions and evaluate the effectiveness of their action-outcomes. It therefore develops in the students the ability to work independently, and to reflect on the research process.
    • Psychology Library-Based Dissertation (40 Credits)
      Module code: PSY4004

      Status: Designate
      This module builds on and expands students' prior knowledge of psychological theory and research methodology acquired at levels 4 and 5. It aims to foster the development of expertise in a specific area of psychology and the skills necessary to plan, conduct and write a review of a substantial body of scientific literature. Students will produce a report which should enable a reader to understand the main direction of research under review, the nature of the body of work undertaken in the area, the critical issues addressed and the extent to which they have been resolved. It should also inform the reader of the issues or problems outstanding, point to gaps in the coverage of the subject and advise on areas for further study and research. The module will, therefore, develop students' ability to synthesise and critically evaluate current knowledge on a psychological issue, and to work independently to high standards of scholarship.

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• British Psychological Society (BPS) accreditation

  Upon completion of your BSc psychology degree (with an overall classification of a 2:2 or above), you are eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) to the BPS. Acquiring your GBC has a host of benefits for a future career in Psychology. The accredited Psychology degrees at UON mean that you could move into Postgraduate Study in a number of areas in Psychology and beyond, without needing to do a further Psychology Conversion course to obtain GBC status.

  Graduate Basis for Chartered (GBC) Membership is considered as the starting point to your career in psychology. Obtaining GBC encompasses many benefits, including access to journals, conferences, and events. You will have the opportunity to enhance your employability through volunteering opportunities and research placements, as well as through the courses focus on analysing human behaviour from many psychological perspectives.

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• Student Perks

  At the University of Northampton, everything we do, from funded trips to paid internships, is to give you everything you need to make a difference when you leave.

  If you join our full-time BSc Psychology degree at Northampton, you will receive a laptop when your course begins*. The laptops are built to a bespoke custom specification ideal for use in the seminar room, collaborative group work or studying at home.

  Whatever your ambitions, we’re here to help you to achieve them. We’ll support you to identify the skills you’re learning during your course, find your strengths and secure practical experience so that when it comes to applying for jobs or further study you’ll feel confident in standing out from the crowd. We’ve created the Northampton Employment Promise because we are so confident that if you focus on your studies and complete one of our awards you’ll be highly employable by the time you graduate. Putting you in a great position to secure employment or continue your studies.

  To check out the full list of perks, visit our Student Perks page or dedicated International Perks page.

  * UK fee payers only (see Terms and Conditions for further details)

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• Integrated Foundation Year (IFY)

  The Integrated Foundation Year (IFY) offers a new and exciting route into studying for a degree in BSc psychology, attracting ambitious and driven students who are willing to learn and advance.

  If you have non-standard qualifications or do not quite meet the admissions requirements we can offer you a fantastic opportunity to study a four-year programme that includes an Integrated Foundation Year. The Integrated Foundation Year will help you develop the theoretical/practical and academic skills you need to successfully progress to the full award.

  Our four-year courses will enable you to successfully follow the degree pathway of your choice while gaining essential study skills. The foundation year of your chosen degree will be studied on a full-time basis and is aimed at supporting the transition to higher education. Years two, three and four are then studied as a standard degree programme.

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• FAQs

  What can I do with a BSc psychology degree?

  With a psychology degree, you can specialise within different pathways and develop within an area of your choice in the field of psychology.

  Students who study this course may also choose to follow various career paths outside of the psychological profession. With a Psychology degree, you will have gained such an invaluable set of skills and a knowledge base that you can succeed in areas outside of psychology. For example, our graduates are employed in education, the health service, the police force, human resources management, marketing, the civil service, broadcasting, social work and many other professions.

  The work-based elements of this degree in BSc psychology provide valuable career based skills. As well as our annual Psychology Careers Event, at the University of Northampton, we also offer other volunteering opportunities through our Changemaker Hub, Employability Plus recognition, STEAM Opportunities and support from our careers team.

  Upon completion of this Psychology BSc course, and depending on degree classification, you can progress to postgraduate training to obtain British Psychological Society (BPS) ‘chartered’ status (GBC). This status can be obtained through counselling, clinical, educational, occupational, health or forensic psychology. You could pursue a career as an academic psychologist, conducting research and teaching in higher education. More information about psychology careers can be found on the BPS website.

  Is BSc psychology a good degree?

  One of the main draws for a degree in psychology is that it does not limit you to just working within psychology. Of course, those options are available (and more information about Psychology careers can be found through the BPS website), but the skills that are acquired throughout a Psychology degree are applicable to careers much more broadly. Transferable skills that you can expect to develop across the course include critical thinking, writing and computer literacy. You will also become an effective communicator in a variety of different channels with thorough and ethical research practices. Many of the skills from a Psychology degree are transferable across many different careers and therefore gives you the opportunity to develop yourself towards any route you would like to pursue.

  How long is a psychology degree?

  The BSc Psychology route here at the University is between 3-6 years, depending on your availability to study, as you can choose to study this course as a full time or part time psychology degree. This gives you the time to not only develop a foundational knowledge of psychology and appropriate research skills. You will also be able to develop towards the areas that are of interest to you, and have time to explore career opportunities and areas of expertise, alongside our staff team.

  Are there work placements?

  There are multiple points throughout this Psychology BSc course where there are opportunities for work placements. During stage one, there is a short work placement to complete as part of a module assessment. Following from here, there are work placement opportunities within our Education focused modules at stages two and three. We also run an optional placement year, between stages two and three, giving you the opportunity to strengthen career skills alongside your degree, should you so wish.

  How will I learn?

  The teaching methods of this BSc Psychology degree include an innovative, active blended approach to learning. These methods make the acquisition of knowledge more dynamic and flexible for students than ever before. This involves face-to-face seminars, tutorials, practical or laboratory workshops and computer assisted learning. Independent and group work will be supplemented with online seminars, self-directed learning and virtual tasks.

  You are encouraged to actively engage and participate with your BSc psychology course material both online and in class discussions to further enhance your learning. This includes a willingness to complete independent study alongside attending your classes. Practical work represents an important component of the Psychology course in each of your three years of study. Throughout the course, you are exposed to different research approaches and will develop an ability to apply both quantitative and qualitative techniques to research questions. We have extensive online resources that support face-to-face contact in class.

  You are taught by experienced, well-qualified staff that are experts within their disciplines. Staff in the Subject Group are active researchers, producing research that is nationally and internationally recognised.

  How am I assessed on the BSc Psychology degree?

  A variety of assessment strategies are used at each level to ascertain your level of competence in a range of academic and transferable skills. These strategies include essays, practical reports, multiple-choice tests, oral presentations, time-constrained essays, seen and unseen examinations, critical reviews, group project work, patchwork blogs, audio-visual presentations, and reflective reports, for example.

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