Psychology and Marketing 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.

Marketing is fundamental for organisational success, from business growth to behavioural change. Studying marketing will allow you to understand the core concepts of marketing theory and develop skills and experience to apply them in a real-world setting.

Psychology and Marketing are 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 in a Marketing context, providing insights into the consumer mind, from branding to buyer behaviour, resulting in more successful marketing plans. Likewise, studying Marketing 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 is studying Psychology and Marketing at Aston really like?

On our BSc Psychology and Marketing programme you will experience a wide range of high quality learning experiences.

You will attend informative large-scale interactive lectures and smaller group sessions such as tutorials, where you will discuss the course material with your tutors and peers. You will also complete lab sessions, where you will learn key practical skills for psychological research; plus there will be opportunities to work with our expert staff on a one-to-one basis.

At Aston University you will learn from leaders in the fields of both Psychology and Marketing, in specialist facilities, and in an environment where developing your employability is hard-wired into everything you do. Our comprehensive curriculum delves into thought-provoking topics such as cognitive neuropsychology, strategic brand management and social psychology.

You will investigate and analyse why people behave the way that they do and study human behaviour in relation to marketing. You will develop a full understanding of marketing principles in both theory and practice and merge your understanding of these two fields to gain a greater insight into consumer behaviour.

What accreditations does the Psychology and Marketing degree course at Aston have?

Our Psychology and Marketing BSc 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.

This means that, not only will you have the right preparation and knowledge, but the right accreditations for a successful career as a psychologist should you choose this path.

The BSc Psychology and Marketing degree is also accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), giving students the opportunity to gain marketing professional qualifications highly sought after by employers alongside their academic studies, thus ensuring that we are equipping students with the best opportunities for a successful marketing career.

*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 Marketing includes an integrated placement year in a real-life working environment, in the UK or overseas, as part of your learning. The placement you take can focus on one or both of the subjects on your course.

The integrated placement year gives you the 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. You’ll gain experience of applying the theory you’ve explored on your course in a real-world situation, boosting your employability skills.

We will provide you with lots of help and advice in finding your placement, and specialist support and supervision while you’re undertaking your role in industry.

International students and post-study work visa

Aston University is a diverse community and welcomes international students. 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.

Modules

Year 1

Core modules:

• Key Skills in Psychology I
• Key Skills in Psychology II
• Biological and Cognitive Psychology
• Developmental and Social Psychology
• Introduction to Marketing Management
• Introductory Accounting for Business
• Marketing Psychology 
• Economic Environment of Business

Year 2

Core modules:

• Research Methods and Data Analysis
• Applied Psychology and Professional Skills
• Individual Differences and Personality
• Cognition and Cognitive Neuropsychology
• Marketing Communications
• Services Marketing
• Market Research
• Digital Marketing

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 it is completed where possible.

Final Year 

Core modules:

• Final Year Project
• Critical Social Psychology
• Child Development
• Marketing Strategy
• Advanced Marketing Communications
• Consumer Research and the Customer Experience

In addition, you will be required to study one of the following modules:

• Strategic Brand Management
• Innovation and New Product and Service Development

GCSEs

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

A Level

• 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.*

The following subjects will not be considered 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:

5 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’ll get a blend of learning and teaching experiences that will equip you for your career.

Learning and teaching

You will complete a range of modules from across the full breadth of Psychology and Marketing, learning from expert academics in both subjects. This will give you an invaluable blend of insight and knowledge about both areas, allowing you to apply theories and practices learned in one subject to the other. This will help you to be successful in your future career and is a key part of what makes our graduates so employable and sought after.

Throughout your studies with us, you will experience a range of teaching methods including:

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

Assessment

You will be assessed throughout the course using a wide range of methods linked to learning outcomes, including:

• 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

Personal development

This course is designed to give you a range of transferable and practical skills to succeed within your chosen career. We make extensive use of group working and presentations to prepare you for the reality of working life; this has been designed to aid in the development of your team working and negotiating skills.

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 University, 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 School of Business and Social Sciences across a range of general business and specialist marketing fields.

Programme Director (Psychology): Dr Sarah Carrington

Programme Director (Marketing): Dr Carrianne Wallace 
 

*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

Understanding human behaviour more effectively is increasingly seen as the future of marketing.

The good news is that, thanks to the huge range of creative, communication, and human engagement skills that they learn, graduates in Psychology and Marketing make brilliant communications strategists, business leaders and creative professionals. These skills are also highly valued within a range of professions, and with a BPS accreditation, you’ll have the qualifications you need to go into clinical, educational, or occupational psychology.

Recent graduates from our suite of psychology courses have gone on to work in organisations including:

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

Why is a placement useful for Psychology and Marketing?

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 choose a joint honours degree at Aston University?

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 and in-depth insight into both 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.

What facilities will I get to use at Aston?

As well as university-wide facilities, as a Psychology student you will 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 international students choose Aston University?

Study at Aston University and you will be part of a multi-cultural community located at 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 in the UK after they have graduated, the UK government has created a new post-study work visa.