BSc (Hons) Psychology with Integrated Foundation Year
Kickstart your career in psychology and explore the brain, human behaviour and experience
Top 10
University for Psychology
1. Guardian University Guide 2022
1st
for research intensity out of 101 UK Psychology departments
2. Complete University Guide League Tables 2021
3rd
in Psychology for overall satisfaction
3. National Student Survey 2021
Overview
Psychology is the scientific study of experience and behaviour. It explores why we act the way we do, how we interact with other people, and the emotional significance we attach to these interactions.
On this BSc (Hons) Psychology degree you will explore all areas of psychology and gain a scientific understanding of the mind, brain, behaviour, and experience, as well as the complex relationship between them. You will ask how certain behaviours can be explained using psychological constructs and methods of investigation. You will to use research and analytic skills to explain everyday experiences and complete practical experiments to support your learning.
Psychological studies are important across a wide range of sectors including human resources, education, sport, social care and the creative industries. This degree will give you a solid psychological understanding and prepare you for a successful career.
On this course you will:
- Explore all areas of psychology.
- Engage with complex, challenging and authentic real world problems.
- Use University laboratories.
- Develop an in-depth understanding of the psychological principles and theories underlying people’s everyday experience.
- Learn from research-active lecturers.
- Have opportunities to complete industry work placements and internships.
- Be able to study abroad and undertake Erasmus placements.
- Have the opportunity to volunteer as a Research Assistant in the psychology department.
- Investigate psychological principles and theories using advanced research methods.
- Complete specialist training in advanced research methods and transferable skills.
Foundation Year
This course has an integrated foundation year. This means you will complete an extra year of study before starting your BSc degree to build your subject knowledge and develop your academic writing, reading and research skills. This option is for you if you are interested in psychology but do not meet the course entry requirements for BSc (Hons) Psychology yet, or if you want more time to prepare for higher education.
Accreditation
BSc (Hons) Psychology is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS). This means you’ll graduate with an industry recognised qualification.
Teaching and Assessment
How you will learn
You will build your subject knowledge and practical experience through lectures, workshops and tutorials in small classes. These sessions will encourage theoretical and critical inquiry, debate, and practical research skills.
You will study core and optional teaching modules, and develop skills central to professional practice and psychological research.
Contact Time
Each module has three hours of contact time per week. You will study four modules per semester, so you will have 12 contact hours per week including lectures, seminars and workshops.
Assessments
You will be assessed through a range of assignments including scientific reports, essays, group and individual presentations, poster design, multiple choice papers, short answer papers, research participation and essay exams. You may also be assessed on in-class debates, quizzes and how you apply analytical techniques to problem solving.
The Course
What you will study
You will study a selection of core and optional modules during your degree. Each module is worth a particular number of credits and is delivered differently depending on the needs of the module.
Your first year focuses on the science of our everyday experiences and you will be introduced to statistics. In Year Two you will expand your knowledge of all areas of psychology and develop your analysis and criticism skills. In your final year you will apply your skills and understanding as you develop your professional skills and complete a final year project.
In addition to the modules below you will be able to select additional optional modules to specialise in the practical application of theory to a range of disciplines including sport and exercise, health, business, marketing, early years, education, and the creative arts.
This list is indicative and subject to change.
Select a year
Foundation Knowledge and Skills
In this module you will develop your basic knowledge and skills to support your academic development and improve your confidence in your academic writing and reading.Foundation in Psychology 1: Being and Feeling
In this module you will explore 'being' and 'feeling' — two components that enable us to experience the inside and outside worlds. Understanding these primary aspects of human psychology will create the foundation of your learning. You will be assessed through coursework, a group presentation and research participation.Foundations in Psychology 2: Thinking and Developing
This module explores key lifespan transitions and cognition across these ages. You will learn to apply theory relating to cognition, perception and human lifespan development, and will be assessed through a portfolio and research participation.Project: Psychology Foundation Year
This module is an applied piece of work related to your degree. You will need to apply the knowledge and skills you developed in foundation year. During this project you will develop an in-depth knowledge of your chosen specialisation and be encouraged to demonstrate creativity in the design, planning and execution of your project. You will be assessed through a portfolio.Everyday Experience and Psychological Methods: Understanding Relationships
This module explores psychology within the context of our everyday lives. You will study the factors that contribute to our impressions of people. You will consider certain psychological theories and empirical findings from investigations into impression formation, attraction, prejudice, and stereotyping, and relationship formation.Everyday Experience and Psychological Methods: Analysing Attitudes
On this module you will define a range of everyday experiences using psychological models of attitudes. You will learn to analyse attitudes and to explore psychological constructs, methodology and theories associated with experiences. You will develop your fundamental data analysis skills through lectures and the use of statistical software with a focus on understanding patterns of data via visualisation. You will be assessed through a coursework assignment and a practical report.Everyday Experience and Psychological Methods: Exploring Positive Psychology
The module explores the experience of positive psychology relating the need to understand one’s own motivation, aspirations, and goals to self-development, personality, need for achievement, self-efficacy, and self-esteem. You will explore psychological theories and empirical findings from investigations into needs, motivation, and self-concept. You will be assessed through coursework and a practical report.Everyday Experience and Psychological Methods: Usability and Cognition
In this module you will explore functions and experiences relevant to using technology, focusing on the criteria used to assess technology's usability and how human limitations relate to this usability and usage. You will be introduced to certain psychological theories and empirical findings from investigations into information processing by the mind, and discuss a range of methodologies and analyses such as laboratory experimentation and inferential statistics. You will be assessed through a practical report and research participation.Principles of Psychology
This module examines the origins and development of modern psychology. You will focus on the main approaches to studying and describing human behaviour, for example, behaviourism, the psychodynamic approach, the humanistic approach, the cognitive approach, and the biological basis of behaviour.Study & Research Skills for Psychologists
This module is an opportunity to advance your personal, research and study skills and will support other content-led teaching. You will be assessed through a report and research participation.Perspectives on Psychology
This module seeks to enable you to understand the contribution of key thinkers to the development of modern psychology and to appreciate their biographical backgrounds. The lives and work of key thinkers will be introduced and contextualised with reference to contemporary ideas and mores.Interpersonal Skills
The module will begin by considering the nature of interpersonal skills and the elements that constitute effective communication. This will provide an opportunity to explore models of communication and effective verbal and non-verbal communication. You will also consider how interpersonal skills may be evaluated and improved.Cognitive Psychology
This module will introduce you to the ways cognitive processes have been studied in the past. This includes studying experimental and cognitive neuropsychological methodologies. You will investigate the areas of attention, perception, learning, thinking and language and relate your findings to underlying theory and empirical research. You will be assessed through a coursework assignment and a 1750 word report.Individual Differences
On this module you will be introduced to how individual differences processes have been studied in the past, for example through psychometrics and case study methodologies. You will investigate areas of personality, intelligence, cognitive style, motivation, gender and ethnicity in terms of underlying theory and empirical research. You will be assessed through an essay and a lab report.Developmental Psychology
This involves the study of development and maturation in cognitive, personality, and social processes. The module will introduce you to basic theory, research findings, and methods of investigation in childhood, adolescence, and lifespan development. You will consider the ways in which behaviour is influenced by developmental factors, the nature of developmental processes, and the ways in which empirical research can help us to understand how developmental processes influence what we do.Biological Psychology
This module explores the ways biological processes have been studied, for example through brain lesions and cell stimulation methodologies. The areas of behavioural genetics, neuro-imaging, neuropsychology, socio-biology and evolutionary psychology will be investigated in terms of underlying theory and empirical research.Social Psychology
This module acts as an introduction to social psychology and and social cognition. The module will cover topics such as person perception, social influence, stereotyping and prejudice, attitudes, attributions, group processes, and attraction and close relationships.Mental Health and Forensic Psychology
This module is an opportunity to explore a comprehensive range of key constructs, theories, and research in mental health and forensic psychology. You will examine the numerous ways that psychological research, methods, and expertise are applied to the study of criminal behaviour and the issues that psychopathology create within the context of the criminal justice system. You will be assessed through an essay, a presentation and a reflective report.Research Methods I: Experimental Designs and Analysis
This module will develop your understanding of experimental designs and associated methods of analysis, and introduce you to research ethics.Research Methods II: Survey and Qualitative Designs and Analysis
This module will develop your understanding of survey and qualitative designs and associated methods of analysis related to criminology.Independent Project (Psychology)
You are encouraged to adopt a problem-oriented approach. The first stage is to identify a problem in psychology of interest and relevance to your first degree studies. You will determine an appropriate approach to addressing the problem through discussion with tutors who have relevant theoretical and practical expertise. Your investigation may be based within a single discipline or it may involve more than one discipline, but it must be based within your chosen degree programme.Project Management Skills (Criminology/Psychology)
This project in criminology will support you to develop a wide range of skills from project management to the ability to present your research results in an accessible form. You will develop their scientific reasoning and reporting skills and produce a poster to present your research work.Psychology In Context: Work And Organisations
You will consider a range of relationships between working conditions, jobs and organisational processes, psychological outcomes, and their impact on job and organisational performance. Psychological reactions including job satisfaction, job stress, motivation, work engagement, and organisational commitment are investigated, and organisational functions such as job design, health and safety at work, and organisational team-working, are considered.Psychology in Context: Cultural Psychology
This module takes an interdisciplinary approach to the major topics of psychology, including Biological, Cognition, Development, Health, Individual Differences, Social, and the Self, and will relate them to life in a multicultural world. You will be introduced to cultural psychology, culture and human nature, cultural evolution, methods for studying culture and psychology, development and socialisation, and cultural differences in: the self and personality, motivation, cognition and perception, interpersonal attraction, close relationships, group processes, living in multicultural worlds, physical health, mental health, morality, justice, and emotions. You will be assessed through a research proposal and a two hour unseen exam.Psychology in Context: Professional Skills in Psychology
You will consider some of the key methods and assessment techniques commonly used by psychologists in their daily working lives. This module will introduce some of the key principles of effective counselling psychology and the importance of empathy and positive regard to the success of the therapeutic relationship. You will identify effective interviewing skills for psychologists and participate in a recorded interviewing session. You will be assessed through a clinical interview report and test administration report.Facilities
Use industry standard equipment
Use facilities including the Brain Imaging Unit, VR Immersive Suite, Psychological Test Centre, Interview and Observation Suite and individual fully equipped testing cubicles and use industry standard equipment and software throughout your studies.
Brain Imaging Unit and Neuroimaging: NIRScout
A neuroimaging system with a 3D scalable ultra-high-density near-infrared spectroscopy platform that measures changes in the cerebral cortex using NIRScout and NIRx Medical Technologies.
Virtual Reality Unit and Immersive Suite
Suite including an affective immersive emotional Virtual Reality stimuli package that allows researchers to create different worlds for Neuroscience Research using aLIAS and Vizard.
Advanced Physiological Data Acquisition system
Measure brain, heart and motor neuron activity with Biopac software.
Eye tracking software
Monitor and track shifts in visual attention.
Specialist Advanced Research Software
Software for measuring and manipulating a broad range of psychological constructs; Inquisit, Qualtrics, Noldus Observer XT, E-prime, Superlab and Nvivo.
Learning Resource Centre
The Learning Resource centre (LRC) contains the library, a café, IT/teaching rooms, and the Student Information Zone (SIZ).
Library
Our campus library holds more than 200,000 books and over 500,000 eBooks.
Dedicated Lab Technician
University staff will support you using all equipment during your studies.
Laptops
Use our loanable laptops during in offsite testing such as at schools and clinics.
Work Placements
Gain practical experience
Throughout your degree you can complete a range of work-related placements to build your experience as you study.
Study Abroad
We support students who wish to broaden their academic and cultural experience by choosing to study abroad for one semester as part of their degree studies. This is an exciting chance for students who wish to widen their horizons and immerse themselves in a different culture and encounter how the discipline of Psychology is viewed and taught at universities in Europe or North America. For example, under Erasmus agreements, students might study for a semester at either Maastricht or Radboud universities in the Netherlands, where Psychology classes are delivered through the English language.
Careers
Where you could go after your studies
This BSc (Hons) Psychology degree qualifies for Graduate Basis for Registration (GBR) with the BPS. This gives you a recognised foundation to progress to specialist areas of psychology and eventually become a Chartered Psychologist.
There are currently 10 professional divisions within the BPS including Clinical Psychology, Educational Psychology, Sport and Exercise Psychology. Each of these pathways has a professional training programme which starts with attaining a GBR.
As well as providing a basis for work as a professional psychologist, a psychology degree provides a good insight into human behaviour that will equip you with the skills to work in a wide range of fields.
Your psychology degree could lead to a career in:
- Industry
- Media
- Teaching
- Work with children, adults and families
- IT
- Computing
- Marketing
- Civil Service
Further Study
You may choose to continue your studies at postgraduate level.
At the University of Chichester you could study:
- MSc Health Psychology
University of Chichester alumni receive a discount on postgraduate fees.
Course Costs
Course Fees 2022/23
UK fee
International fee
For further details about fees, please see our Tuition Fee page.
For further details about international scholarships, please see our Scholarships page.
Entry Requirements
Typical offers (individual offers may vary):
UCAS
GCSEs
IELTS
Non-standard Application Entry Routes
The University has an alternative entry route for applicants who have relevant skills and experience but who do not hold the formal minimum entry qualifications required. Applicants who demonstrate the necessary skills and experience to enter a course of higher education will be asked to complete an entry task involving the completion of specially set assignments.
Do you have any questions about the entry requirements? Contact our Admissions Team.
Are you interested in this course and would like to learn more? Please email Professor Esther Burkitt on e.burkitt@chi.ac.uk for admissions queries.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Click the ‘Apply now’ button to go to relevant UCAS page.
Many qualifications have a UCAS Tariff value. The score depends on the qualification, and the grade you achieved.
Head to the UCAS Tariff Points web page where you can find a tariff points calculator that can tell you how much your qualification and grades are worth.
This course starts in September 2022.
