BSc (Hons) Psychology

When can you start this course? | UCAS code | Fees | Course length | Entry requirements

We also offer a BSc (Hons) Psychology degree online.

Why choose this course?

• In the 2011 National Student Survey, 85% of our students said they were satisfied with the teaching on this course.
• You'll be introduced to the fascinating subject of psychology, and get the qualification you need to enter postgraduate training as a professional psychologist.
• You'll be studying in a department which puts teaching first, but is also active in research and has a strong record of publication.
• You'll learn in our state of the art clinical skills suite which includes a psychological observation suite and eye tracker equipment.
• We've been recognised in external reports for the high level of support our students receive.
• You'll learn through a mixture of lectures, seminars and hands on workshops.

About the course

Psychology is the scientific study of human thought and behaviour. You'll learn about contemporary research into the social, developmental, cognitive and biological dimensions of behaviour. And you'll look at the applications of psychology in a wide range of areas, from understanding the nature and causes of mental illness, to investigating decision making in real-life situations. We teach a 'research-led' degree which means you'll be taught by staff who are doing research in that area of psychology and you'll be studying in a lively department with a flexible portfolio of courses.

As well as our enthusiasm for psychology, we're also motivated to make the degree as interesting and enjoyable as possible. We use interactive teaching sessions and online lecture support and our teaching includes lectures, small group seminars and practical workshops. We also dedicate time to give you the full support you need and place great emphasis on being available and responsive to your needs.

We have excellent facilities including high specification computing labs with software for experiment design. You'll be introduced to this software right from the start of your degree, and you'll also receive training in qualitative research design, which will help you to develop your interviewing skills - crucial for carrying out research effectively. You'll also have the chance to use a range of psychological recording equipment, our observation suite with video recording facilities and project rooms to carry out your research. We also have state of the art eye tracker equipment, which allows you to analyse eye movement.

We were recently reviewed by quality inspectors. They commended us on the quality of our teaching 'which is informed by research and scholarly activity' and praised our psychology team 'for being at the forefront of technology enhanced learning'.

We're not involved in animal research.

Find out more about what subjects and modules you'll be studying...

Your career

This course is accredited as conferring eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Chartered membership with the British Psychological Society, as long as you achieve a minimum second class honours award. This is your first step to becoming a chartered psychologist.

You'll leave the course with good communication and IT skills and a sound understanding of behavioural research. This is a useful combination for a variety of careers.

Previous graduates have qualified in areas such as clinical and educational psychology or enrolled for PhD's. Some have worked in other professions where psychological knowledge is relevant (such as lecturing in psychology, or working in mental health settings). While others have entered careers where transferable skills are more relevant such as management training.

Tanya Webb, one of our psychology graduates.
"After working for a year for social services, with children with behavioural, emotional and learning difficulties, I've gained a PhD studentship ... I'll be investigating the psychological impact and compensatory behaviours of children with facial port wine stains."

What our students say

Shaista Laher, current student
"When I first started university I was very scared to be in new surroundings and starting fresh, but I met so many people from my course who were all really friendly. I have thoroughly enjoyed my first year of studying psychology; I have learnt a lot of interesting workings of many psychologists and their theories. I have enjoyed it a lot as the lecturers have been really supportive and approachable and have always been happy to help and it gave me a lot of confidence."

Darren Clayson, current student
"Ignore the guide books ... what you really want to know is how passionate the lecturers are about their subject and how willing they are to pass that passion and knowledge on to you. This is one thing the Psychology students at Derby certainly receive in abundance."

One of our current students
"There were many aspects of the course at Derby that I found particularly beneficial to my development. The first was the lecturing staff. I found them to be student focused as opposed to being pretentious and completely wrapped up in their own research."

One of our current students
"This course allows you to participate in modules that will not only increase your breadth of knowledge but will provide a greater understanding of specific areas of interest."

One of our current students
"The psychology department consists of a number of hard working and dedicated lecturers who are knowledgeable and always happy to help you get the most out of your university experience."

How you'll learn

We use various teaching methods to make sure that this course is interesting and that you'll learn in an effective way. We don't just teach you in lectures and seminars, you'll also take part in group activities and practical work, and use online resources such as our virtual learning environment and web forum.

In your first and second year, you'll generally follow a traditional lecture and seminar format. Each week you'll need to attend one lecture and one seminar per module. In your third year some of the modules will require a two hour interactive lecture a week.

However, lectures and seminars are intended to give you the basic information you'll need to pass each module. It's expected that most of your time will be spent working independently; for example, reading journal articles and books, conducting experiments and evaluating theories and research.

How you're assessed

In your first year you'll mainly be assessed through assignments although you may have to take some exams. In your second and third year, you'll be assessed either by assignments or exams. For the assignments you'll need to complete essays on specific topics but you'll also carry out and write up practical reports in qualitative and quantitative methods and give oral and poster presentations. In exams, you would usually be asked to complete essay questions. However, sometimes exams will include multiple choice and/or short answer questions.

Work placements

The course doesn't include a work placement. However the University provides help for students wishing to obtain relevant experience through work or voluntary activities.

Anything else?

We dedicate time to give you the full support you'll need for your studies. We place a great emphasis on being available and being responsive to your needs through a variety of support systems both at a departmental level as well as a University level.

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