Launch your psychology career on this fascinating research-led degree. You’ll be inspired by experts at the forefront of the profession and hone your skills in our exceptional hi-tech facilities.
Our Psychology courses are designed to meet the growing need for effective, skilled and forward-thinking psychologists. This course has research at its heart, empowering you to create new knowledge in the field of Psychology.
The course is accredited by the British Psychological Society - this means that standards such as course content and design, and student development have met their criteria to deliver a high standard of psychology education
Use specialist facilities, including our psychological observation suite, eye tracker equipment, and our Babylab for ethical research with babies and young children
Learn from lecturers at the forefront of psychological research – you’ll have opportunities to contribute to their projects and to conduct your own research
Gain applied experience through work placement opportunities so that you develop the vital skills that employers are looking for
Psychological research can help shape healthier societies across the world. Our course content links to global initiatives including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals where 'Good Health and Wellbeing' is prioritised
How Elodie became a whole new version of herself
Elodie Lee didn’t think she was going to make it to university. A kidney transplant a few months before her A-level exams meant she dropped out of education for a while. But it also gave her a chance to take stock and rethink what she wanted to do next. And now she’s loving studying Psychology.
The idea of going to university at 25 seemed daunting for Chloe Cook. But she wanted to take control of her life. Now she's in love with academia after starting a Psychology degree at Derby.
As the scientific study of human thought and behaviour, psychology is a fascinating subject and opens up diverse career avenues. With professional recognition from the British Psychological Society, our course is intellectually challenging, giving you a platform to explore the latest debates about the social, developmental, cognitive and biological dimensions of behaviour.
You’ll join a strong community of staff and students who are passionate about psychology, gaining the theoretical knowledge and applied research skills that employers across many different sectors are seeking.
This is a research-led degree, which means you'll be taught by expert staff who are conducting influential studies into the specific areas of psychology you study - examples of their current research topics include mental health and wellbeing, compassion and mindfulness, autism, maths anxiety, nature connectedness, paranormal beliefs, and the psychological aspects of pain, anxiety and addiction. You'll also benefit from guest lectures by world-class researchers. As part of the course, you’ll conduct your own research and have the opportunity to contribute to the cutting-edge psychological research projects underway at the University. You'll also have access to specialist software to learn how to design, conduct, analyse and report both qualitative and quantitative research in psychology.
As part of your studies, 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. The course offers optional modules, allowing you to tailor your degree to a career path or area of interest, such as:
Health issues
Developmental
Research
Biopsychology
Behaviour
Cognitive
Social interactions
Our courses provide the opportunity to study with a placement year to help you translate theory into practice, and enhance your employability. BSc (Hons) Psychology student, Sara Slamkova talks about her experience on the course below.
As a student at the University of Derby you'll be working with lecturers and tutors who have a wealth of knowledge and experience, and are carrying out research designed to offer fresh perspectives on issues that are significant at every stage of life, from birth to old age. Their wide-ranging work includes research into:
Maternal health and the cognitive, motor and social development of new-borns, to help improve health care during childhood
Different aspects of mental health and wellbeing on themes such as maths-induced anxiety, eating disorders, addiction and irrational thinking
Compassion and mindfulness, delivering findings that can help tackle issues of self-esteem and foster sensitive support for others
The psychological aspects of pain, anxiety and addiction, and the effects each can have on identity and relationships
Emotional processing in relation to well-being, compassion and attentional biases and visual attention
The positive benefits that can be derived from engagement with the natural environment
You’ll benefit from this research as your lecturers bring the latest thinking to your studies, and in some cases you will have opportunities to get involved in research projects yourself.
Romaana's rare research feat
Our undergraduate Psychology student Romaana Kapadi used her passion for her subject and her research skills to achieve the rare feat of seeing her work published in an academic journal.
The British Psychological Society have eight overarching standards which we have met and achieved, so you can be sure that the quality of our teaching, and the content of our course is of the highest standard. The BPS commended our psychology team for their strong commitment to student development, support and inclusion.
As our degree is accredited by the BPS, if you achieve at least a second class honours qualification and obtain at least 40% in your Independent Study in Psychology, you will be eligible for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the Society. You can then progress to accredited postgraduate qualifications and training to gain chartered membership.
The accreditation offers additional benefits to you as a student - BPS student membership is open to everyone studying on a BPS accredited course. Membership includes access to networking opportunities, the BPS student online community, discounts on books, events and e-learning, academic journals, and the chance to transfer to graduate membership free of charge after completing your degree.
BSc (Hons) Psychological Studies
Students who wish to specialise in Psychology but require greater flexibility than is possible within a programme which meets the requirements of the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of the British Psychological Society are able to graduate with the award of BSc (Honours) Psychological Studies. Students can graduate with this award without passing all of the core modules required for accreditation and are able to take the Psychology Literature Review Project module, in place of Independent Study in Psychology.
Specialist facilities
You’ll benefit from our excellent facilities, which are used for both teaching and research.
They include high specification computing labs with specialist software for experimental design. You'll be introduced to this software right from the start of your degree and will also receive training in qualitative research design. This will help you to develop your skills in interviewing and running focus groups, which are crucial for carrying out qualitative research effectively.
To undertake your investigations, you'll also have access to dedicated project rooms and a range of psychological recording equipment such as the latest eye tracker equipment for analysing eye movement.
Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.
Undergraduate Open Days
The best way to find out if studying at Derby is right for you is to experience an Open Day. Get a feel for the city and campus, tour our first-class facilities and see where you could be living.
Building on our enthusiasm for psychology, we are committed to making your degree as interesting and enjoyable as possible. We offer interactive teaching sessions including lectures, small group seminars, practical workshops and innovative use of the web to ensure you learn in the most effective way. Quality inspectors have commended us for being “at the forefront of technology-enhanced learning” and you will make full use of online resources such as our virtual learning environment.
We dedicate time and effort to ensure you have the right level of support to succeed at every stage of the course, especially through our programme of academic facilitation sessions. We pride ourselves on being responsive, approachable and available to meet your learning needs through a variety of support systems at departmental and University levels.
Assessment
We use a variety of assessment methods, including essays, exams, posters, presentations, and reports. Our assessments enable you to develop a wide range of transferable skills. You’ll mainly be assessed through assignments, although you may have to take some class tests. For your 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.
Personal academic tutoring
Your personal academic tutor will work with you to help you get the most out of your time at university. Having someone to talk to about your academic progress, your university experience and your professional aspirations is hugely valuable. We want you to feel challenged in your studies, stretched but confident to achieve your academic and professional goals.
Dr Baker is the Assistant Head of Discipline for Psychological and Behavioural Sciences in the School of Psychology, and the Programme Leader for our B.Sc. (Hons) in Psychology degree (including its variants). He is also the Module Leader for Anomalistic Psychology and Parapsychology. He teaches across various modules at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Applications for September 2023 are now open. On-campus courses staring in January 2023 are now closed to new applications from international students due to unprecedented demand. Please take a look at our useful information for international applicants. If you have any questions, please email askadmissions@derby.ac.uk.
“The pleasure in teaching psychology students is that they tend to be highly motivated and open to exploring ideas. A vital part of our role is to help them chart their future career direction as studying psychology opens so many doors to so many different sectors and professions – anywhere that an understanding of people is valued.” Dr Ian Baker - Programme Leader, BSc (Hons) Psychology
Psychological knowledge is invaluable in many walks of life, so your career options will be broad. Our graduates have gone on to successful roles in sectors such as:
Psychological research
Scientific or clinical research
Charity leadership
Mental health support and management
Health services and therapeutic care
Probation service and police
Human resources
Health psychology
Educational psychology
Occupational psychology
Forensic psychology
Clinical psychology
Teaching
Through our Professional Development Package, you'll gain valuable transferable skills, including:
Written and verbal communication
Research and analytical
Personal motivation, organisation and self-reflection
Numeracy
IT literacy
Critical awareness
This course also prepares you for further training in psychology and provides an essential platform if you would like to become a professional psychologist. You could go on to masters level study with the University of Derby, including our MSc Behaviour Change or MRes Psychology. As an accredited course, the MSc Health Psychology or MSc Forensic Psychology will take you further down the route towards becoming a chartered member of the BPS.
Some of our graduates have advanced to qualify in areas such as clinical and educational psychology or have embarked on PhD study.
Careers and Employment Service
To boost your employment skills, you can access the University's Careers and Employment Service. The team can connect you with employers to help find opportunities for work placements, part-time jobs, and volunteering. Our careers consultants are also on hand to guide you through the career options for your degree, CV writing, or starting your own business - and we commit to helping you for three years after you graduate to find a job.
Placement hours are subject to change.
Contact us
If you need any more information from us, eg on courses, accommodation, applying, car parking, fees or funding, please contact us and we will do everything we can to help you.
Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will usually be available on the website 24 hours after enrolment on to your course.
Additional costs and optional extras
We’re committed to providing you with an outstanding learning experience. Our expert teaching, excellent facilities and great employability prepare you for your future career. As part of our commitment to you we aim to keep any additional study costs to a minimum. However, there are occasions where students may incur some additional costs.
The information provided on this page is correct at the time of publication but course content, costs and other individual course details do change from time to time and are updated as often as possible, so please do check these pages again when making your final decision to apply for a course. Any updated course details will also be confirmed to you at application, enrolment and in your offer letter.
Included in your fees
Access to essential software (SPSS and NVivo)
Access to any materials included in taught areas such as biopsychology, research methods and related optional modules
DBS check if you are undertaking a placement facilitated by the course
Visit to the British Psychological Society's Psychology4Graduates national event
Optional costs not included in your fees
You may wish to purchase optional textbooks or e-books to support your studies - costs for these are dependent on your choice
Printing costs of course materials if hard copy desired - approximate cost is 5p per sheet
Student membership of the British Psychological Society - approximate cost is £30
Please note: Our courses are refreshed and updated on a regular basis. If you are thinking about transferring onto this course (into the second year for example), you should contact the programme leader for the relevant course information as modules may vary from those shown on this page.
Minimum numbers
Please note that this course is subject to minimum numbers in order to run.
