Psychology and Business BSc

Psychology is a fascinating subject that aims to understand why people behave in the way that they do, by considering the complex interplay between biological, psychological, environmental, cultural, and social influences on behaviour. Alongside this, studying Business will provide you with breadth of business knowledge including the functions of management and science of decision-making.

Psychology and Business are, therefore, an ideal combination of complementary disciplines, with Psychology providing you with an understanding of the foundations of human behaviour and insights into methods of changing behaviour. This understanding can then be applied to Business contexts, such as managing and motivating the workforce, making effective business decisions, and communicating effectively with customers. Likewise, studying Business will enable you to understand psychological knowledge and theories in the context of a real-world setting.

This course is part of the School of Psychology which sits within the College of Health and Life Sciences.
 

What accreditations does the Psychology and Business course at Aston have?

Our course is one of only a few undergraduate degrees in the UK to offer both a professional psychology and business accreditation.

The course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and confers eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (CPsychol) of the BPS*, which is vital for students who wish to ultimately train as a professional psychologist (clinical, educational, forensic, occupational etc). It is also the first step towards becoming a Chartered Psychologist.

On successful graduation from the course (this includes the completion of a work placement, appropriate choice of final year modules, and payment of the appropriate membership fee) you will also be eligible to become an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and be permitted to use the letters Assoc. CIPD after your name.

* Note that students must gain at least a lower second-class honours degree classification to be eligible for GBC.
 

Placement year

The BSc in Psychology and Business includes an integrated placement year, in the UK, or even overseas. Taking a placement year gives you valuable life experience in the context of working alongside professionals in a working environment. You will gain genuine practical work experience that is invaluable in developing an appreciation of issues such as office politics, which cannot be replicated in the lecture room. Such an experience is both personally enriching and valued by future employers.

Recent students from our suite of psychology courses at Aston have completed a range of fascinating placements, both in the UK and abroad. For example, students have worked within:

• Aston Villa Football Club
• British Energy
• The Civil Service
• Ford
• The Home Office
• Marks & Spencer
• GlaxoSmithKline
   

You will receive plenty of help and advice in finding your placement, and specialist support and supervision from the University during your placement.

International students and post-study work visas

Aston University is a diverse community and welcomes international students on many of our undergraduate programmes. Students from over 120 different countries choose to study with us every year. With its base in the centre of Birmingham, Aston is not only a great place to study; it’s also a great place to live.

The new post-study work visa enables international students to remain in the UK for two years after they have completed their studies to find work. Click here for more information on post-work visas.

For International Students intending to do a foundation year, visit ONCAMPUS.

Course Outline

Studying Psychology and Business at Aston University lets you investigate the links between the theory and practice of these two exciting and complementary disciplines.

You will complete a wide range of carefully selected modules from both Psychology and Business. Working with experts from both subject areas, you will gain a deeper understanding of each subject area, allowing you to apply theories and practices learned in one subject to the other.
 

Modules

Year 1

• Key Skills in Psychology I
• Key Skills in Psychology II
• Biological and Cognitive Psychology
• Developmental and Social Psychology
• Introduction to Organisational Behaviour
• Introduction to Marketing Management
• Introductory Accounting for Business
• Introduction to Human Resource Management(HRM)

Year 2

• Research Methods and Data Analysis
• Applied Psychology and Professional Skills
• Individual Differences and Personality
• Cognition and Cognitive Neuropsychology
• Employee Resourcing
• Psychology and Work
• Developing Creativity
• Effective Teamwork

Placement Year

The integrated placement year is an exciting opportunity to gain valuable career boosting experience. You will be able to apply what you have learnt so far and set your studies in a real world context of a working environment alongside professionals.

The Aston placement year forms an integral part of your educational journey and is compulsory for all home students. International/EU students can request permission to opt out of the placement year, but we strongly recommend that is completed where possible.

Final Year 

Core modules:

• Final Year Project
• Critical Social Psychology
• Child Development
• Strategic Human Resource Management (HRM)
• Employment Law for Human Resource Management (HRM)

In addition, you will be required to take two from the following five options*:

• Employee Relations
• Learning and Development
• Critical Issues in Human Resource Management (HRM)
• Consumer Research and the Customer Experience
• Theory and Practice of Leadership

*Please note that you will be required to select certain modules should you wish to be eligible for CIPD accreditation. 

Please note the availability of any optional modules will be subject to staff availability and a minimum number of students who express an interest in studying the optional modules.

GCSEs

Five GCSEs all at grade C/4 and must include Mathematics and English Language or English Literature. Please note we do not accept Key skills or Functional skills in place of these.

A Levels

• ABB in any three A Levels.
• BBB in any three A Levels plus grade B in either Core Maths or Extended Project Qualification (EPQ).
• BBC in any three A Levels for contextual offer students.*

Excluded Subjects: We welcome the following subjects as an additional A level, but not as one of the core three A levels - General Studies, Critical Thinking, Citizenship Studies. We welcome applications from students who have tried to improve their examination grades by taking resits and only your latest grades will be accepted. We treat these applications in exactly the same way as other applications.

BTEC

We accept the following BTEC subjects and in some cases you may be required to take additional A Levels as listed in the grid below.

Subjects accepted: Applied Science, Animal Care and Veterinary Science, Art, Design and Media, Business, Administration and Law, Child Development and Well Being, Computer Science and ICT, Design and Technology, Drama, Theatre Studies and Performing Arts, Economics, Education and Training, Engineering, English, Finance and Accounting, Geography, Government and Politics, Health and Social Care, History, Languages, Mathematics and Statistics, Medicine and Dentistry, Music, Religious Studies, Science, Social Sciences.

Contextual Offers are not applicable for the below.

BTEC Qualification Name	BTEC grades required	A Level Requirements
Extended Diploma (QCF/National)	Distinction, Distinction, Distinction (DDD)	Not applicable
Diploma (QCF)National Diploma	Distinction, Distinction (DD)	With this BTEC you must also achieve a grade B one A Level subject
Subsidiary Diploma (QCF) National Extended Certificate	Distinction (D)	With this BTEC you must also achieve grades BB in two A Level subjects
90 Credit Diploma (QCF)	Distinction, Distinction (DD)	With this BTEC you must also achieve grades BB in two A Level subjects
National Foundation Diploma	Distinction (D)	With this BTEC you must also achieve grades BB in two A Level subjects

T Level

We accept grade Distinction in any of the below subjects:

•    Design, Surveying and Planning for Construction
•    Digital Production, Design and Development
•    Education and Childcare
•    Building Services Engineering for Construction
•    Onsite Construction
•    Digital Business Services
•    Digital Support Services
•    Health
•    Healthcare Science

International Baccalaureate Diploma

Standard offer: 32 points overall and must include grades 6, 5, 5 in Higher Level subjects. You must also have Standard Level grade 5 in both Mathematics and English Language.

Contextual offer: 29 points overall, three Higher Level subjects at 5 5 4. You must also have Standard Level grade 5 in both Maths and English Language for contextual offer students.*

Access to Higher Education

We accept the QAA-recognised Access Diploma which must consist of 45 credits at Level 3. You must obtain a minimum of 30 distinction and the rest must be at merit or distinction. Please note that we do not accept the English and Maths components within the Access qualification, and you must meet the GCSE entry requirement. 

International students 

International qualifications

Applicants whose first language is not English will be required to provide evidence of an English language qualification. Find out more about our English language requirements. International students can discover more about the qualifications we accept on our international pages.

International foundation programmes

If you don’t meet our entry requirements, we have a range of pathway programmes offered by our partner, ONCAMPUS Aston, which you can complete to progress onto one of our degrees.

Other

Degree

Year 1:

We consider applicants for year 1 entry who are undertaking a degree elsewhere. You must meet the GCSEs and A Level (or equivalent) requirements as listed. Alongside this you must have gained (or be expected to gain) 60% overall and 120 credits with no fails at another recognised university. In order to be considered you will need to submit a UCAS application as we do not accept direct applications, and this must include an academic reference.

Year 2:

We are not taking applications for second year transfers.

Year 3/final year:

We do not accept any transfers into year 3 or final year of this programme.

View our Transfers Policy

For further information regarding the transfers policy and Student Transfer Arrangements please see here.

Age of qualifications

Applicants must normally have achieved their eligible academic qualifications for entry onto this course within the last three years. Applicants presenting qualifications older than three years will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Academic Admissions Lead.

External Foundation Programmes from another University

We consider external foundation programmes for entry into our year 1 programmes on a case-by-case basis. We will always require applicants to have met the following criteria prior to application:

Five GCSE’s at grade C/4 or above including Maths and English

CCC at A Level

Any conditional offers made will be based on meeting a specific grade in your foundation programme. In order to be considered you will need to submit a UCAS application as we do not accept direct applications.

View our Admissions Policy under the 'Respect' tab on our Principles and Policies page.

Whilst the grades listed here are our entry requirements, we understand that predicted grades are only an estimate. We will therefore consider applicants with predicted grades that fall below these entry requirements if the application is of a high standard (however, initial offers will not be lower than stated above). We would also consider applicants with achieved grades of BCC and above which are below the listed requirements on a case by case scenario if the application is of a high standard, strong academic reference and any gaps in study are explained.

*For details on our Aston Ready contextual offer scheme, please see here.

The information contained on this website details the typical entry requirements for this course for the most commonly offered qualifications. Applicants with alternative qualifications may wish to enquire with the relevant admissions teams prior to application whether or not their qualifications are deemed acceptable. For less commonly encountered qualifications this will be judged on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the academic admissions tutor.

Our close employer links and focus on practical experiences to transfer to the workplace means you will get a blend of learning and teaching experiences that will equip you for your future career.

Learning and teaching

You will encounter a variety of learning opportunities, including:

• lectures
• practical sessions
• interactive workshops and tutorials
• group work.
   

At university, there is a much stronger emphasis on private reading and independent study than at school or college. However, we are here to support you in making this transition and to help you manage your learning. For example, we set out your work each term in our online virtual learning environment, giving full details of all modules including week-by-week lecture breakdowns, reading lists, and guidance on all coursework assignments with the relevant deadlines.

Assessment

You will be assessed throughout the course via wide range of assessments linked to learning outcomes. These include:

• class tests/end of year examinations (unseen essay, short answer or multiple choice questions)
• essays
• research reports (group or individual)
• presentations (group or individual)
• statistics assignments

Staff

The School of Psychology is home to nearly 50 teaching and research members of staff. Their broad range of research interests informs our teaching, providing a wide range of modules for undergraduate students. Staff are based in a number of research groups and centres across the school, with interests in neuroscience and neurodevelopment, ageing, cognitive and affective neuroscience, neuroimaging – including neuroimaging of clinical populations, health and lifespan development and sensory and perceptual systems.

In addition, you will also work with staff from the Work and Organisation Group based in the School of Business and Social Sciences. Staff specialise across a range of fields including accounting, marketing, organisation behaviour and management.

Programme Director (Psychology): Dr Sarah Carrington

Programme Director (Business): Dr Kanimozhi Narayanan

*The United Kingdom government has confirmed that European Union (EU), other European Economic Area (EEA) and Swiss nationals commencing academic courses in England from August 2021 will no longer be charged the same tuition rates as Home students.

Further information

*Tuition fees are reviewed annually and may increase in subsequent years in line with inflation linked to the Retail Price Index (RPI) to take account of the University’s increased costs of delivering the Programme. Any such increase shall always be in accordance with the law. When undertaking a placement year a placement year fee applies.

More information on fees https://www2.aston.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/student-finance

Scholarships

At Aston University we are committed to supporting the most talented and hardworking students to achieve their potential by providing a range of scholarships to help lower tuition and living costs. Find out more about our scholarships here. https://www2.aston.ac.uk/scholarships

As much of the UK economy is based around delivering services, graduates who understand the link between business success and human behaviour are increasingly sought-after.

Psychology and business graduates have important skills that employers value very highly, such as:

• insight into motivation and behaviour
• understanding of relationships and group dynamics
• excellent communication and teamwork skills
• the ability to critically analyse information
• problem solving
• leadership.
   

These attributes make our graduates excellent candidates for careers in occupational, educational and clinical psychology, as well as for careers in areas such as human resources, social services, management consultancy, and creative industries (for example, advertising and marketing).

Recent graduates from our psychology courses have gone on to work in organisations such as:

• The BBC
• The Civil Service
• Co-operative Bank
• Deloitte
• The Foreign and Commonwealth Office
• HSBC
• IBM
• Jaguar Land Rover
• KPMG
• Local government
• Marks & Spencer
• NHS Trusts
• Private care companies
• PwC
• Tesco

How will studying psychology and business benefit my personal development?

You will gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of human behaviour, and how this affects how businesses and organisations act and make decisions. By understanding what makes effective teams perform to a high level and how to persuade and negotiate with people, you’ll have a range of great qualities that future employers are looking for.

Why is a placement useful for psychology and business?

Being able to not only demonstrate that you have industry-ready understanding of a subject through accreditation but also significant work experience, gives prospective employers confidence in your capacity to transfer your skills within the work place. It also brings what you’ve learnt in lectures to life, and gives you a great opportunity to better understand the kind of career you want to develop once you graduate.

Why should international students choose Aston University?

Study at Aston University and you will be part of a multi-cultural community located in the heart of the dynamic city of Birmingham. Our courses are practical, inspired by industry and many have internationally recognised accreditations. Renowned for our employability prospects and connections to business and industry, we provide outstanding careers support, advice and placement opportunities.

For those interested in working the UK after they have graduated, the UK Government has created a new post-study work visa. Click here for more information on post-work visas.

What Psychology facilities will I have access to?

In addition to university-wide facilities, all of our Psychology students will also have access to a wide range of specialist facilities designed to enrich your studies and aid in your development. These include:

• An observation suite with covert audio-visual recording.
• Equipment and tools for psychophysiological measurement, eye tracking and motion-capture.
• Experiment rooms for cognitive experiments.
• Larger labs for focus groups and audience-based experiments.

 

Why should I choose a joint honours course?

Joint honours degrees are a true mix of two subjects, working with experts and academics from both sides to gain a deeper understanding of each. It also provides you with the opportunity to apply the theory of each in practice, meaning that you get a very broad, but also in-depth insight into the subjects. Being able to apply this theory to real-world issues is something that you’ll need to do in your future career, so this course gives you a unique insight into how this works in practice.