Psychology and Marketing

Course overview

Our Psychology and Marketing BSc (Hons) degree is designed to equip you with a comprehensive understanding of psychology and marketing and the practical skills necessary to excel professionally.

We will provide you with the basis for understanding why people act in certain ways and insight into methods of changing their behaviour. Additionally, you will learn core concepts of marketing theory and develop skills and experience to apply them in a real-world setting.

Our degree is dual accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM). In this course, you will have the opportunity to complete a career-enhancing placement in the UK or internationally and be taught by leading experts from a range of specialist psychological and marketing fields.

"The staff are very supportive and are always happy to help. We were taught a range of transferrable skills for roles in the academic field as well as clinical. The lectures were engaging and incorporated real-life examples that we were able to understand how skills and theory are used in practice."

Magda Skubera

Psychology BSc and Health Psychology MSc

Why Psychology and Marketing at Aston University?

Gold standard teaching

Aston University was awarded Triple Gold - the highest possible rating for the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF, 2023)

Dual Psychology Accreditation BPS and CIM

Dual accreditation

This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and Chartered Institute of Marketing

Excellent prospects

Top 5 in the UK for Graduate Prospects in Psychology (Complete University Guide, 2024)

Future career

Our graduates go on to secure work in top organisations such as the BBC, HSBC, and Jaguar Land Rover

Earn more

Our graduates are among the highest paid in the country, earning on average £36,100 five years after graduating (Longitudinal Education Outcomes, 2023)

Excellent student experience

100% of our students felt that staff were good at explaining their course material (National Student Survey, 2023)

Hear from second year student James discusses his experience studying Psychology at Aston University

Second Year student James discusses his experience studying Psychology at Aston University

The Aston University 2030 strategy

Course description

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.

Our Psychology and Marketing programme, therefore, is an ideal combination of complementary disciplines; Psychology will provide 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.

What we will provide
First-class teaching in the UK's second-largest city, delivered by a diverse array of staff who will inspire and excite you, fantastic facilities that will bring your course to life through hands-on, practical experience; years of close industry collaboration that is harnessed to provide you with learning based on real-world needs.

What you will provide
It is important you learn how to adapt a growth mindset to your studies - understand that intelligence and success come from applying yourself, you must be able to demonstrate critical thinking and have ambition and drive to excel.

What skills we teach
Our Psychology and Marketing BSc graduates leave with a wide range of marketable skills, such as excellent communication skills, critical thinking and problem-solving, project management, marketing research and strategy, information acquisition and synthesis - it’s our aim to make sure you’re well-prepared for an enriching career in a variety of occupational settings.

Placement year
Our programme 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 in your course. The integrated placement year gives you 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 in applying the theory you’ve explored in your course in a real-world situation, boosting your employability skills.

Career prospects
Valued by some of the best-known companies in the world, our graduates go on to work with companies such as The BBC, The Civil Service, Deloitte, The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, HSBC, IBM, Jaguar Land Rover, KPMG and Marks & Spencer.

How you will learn

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.

What you will learn

There is a huge range of possibilities for how you could explore psychology and marketing at Aston University, thanks to our leading facilities, expert course leaders, and mutually supportive student community. Furthermore, the range of optional modules each year gives you the opportunity to customise your degree according to your specific interests.

Year 1

In your first year of the Psychology and Marketing BSc course, you will establish a strong foundation in the key principles and concepts that underpin both psychology and Marketing. This year is designed to introduce you to fundamental knowledge and skills essential for your academic journey and future career.

Year 2

You will build on the core grounding you gained in your first year, and be introduced to exciting new subject areas such as lifespan development and Marketing Communications. You’ll gain communication and critical thinking skills, along with developing your ability to use a wide range of statistical and qualitative research methods.

Placement year

This is your opportunity to gain valuable career-boosting experience by setting your studies in the real-world context of a working environment alongside professionals.

Final year

Select one optional module that fits your interests, and conduct a research project in a specialist area with support from our expert psychology and marketing staff.

Facilities

Psychology and Marketing BSc students have access to a range of specialist facilities that reflect the hands-on learning within the field. In these settings, you gain practical experience alongside like-minded students, with workshops and lectures guided by industry professionals.

Psychology specialist facilities

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.

Course objectives

Provides you with the opportunities to realise your academic potential through a range of learning experiences.
Encourages you, through a practical approach, to have a passion for Psychology and Marketing and an enthusiasm for learning.
To provide students with an intellectually rigorous and contemporary education in and understanding of the theory, practice, and methods of psychology and marketing, which will help them to identify and achieve their personal, academic, and professional goals and aspirations in both fields.
To produce highly employable graduates who can bring qualities of critical analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and personal interpretation to their chosen occupation, and who are capable of applying and disseminating knowledge.
To deliver you a programme of a standard which satisfies the accreditation requirements of the British Psychological Society and confers the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of the BPS.
To produce graduates with skills and abilities in research and enquiry, information literacy, personal and intellectual autonomy, and ethical, social and professional understanding in order to tackle effectively the contemporary issues facing people, organisations, and society.
To provide you with a learning environment that responds to the needs of a wide range of entrants from a variety of routes, that allows you to pursue individual interests, and one in which staff’s research activity and involvement inspires and informs students’ learning.

Modules

Modules and learning outcomes

Year 1 modules

In your first year, you will study the following core modules:

Module Title	Credits
Key Skills in Psychology I	15
Key Skills in Psychology II	15
Biological and Cognitive Psychology	15
Developmental and Social Psychology	15
Introduction to Marketing Management	15
Introductory Accounting for Business	15
Marketing Psychology	15
Economic Environment of Business	15
Total	12-

Year 1 outcomes

On successful completion of the first year, you will be able to:

Communicate appropriate understanding of the scope, nature, and applications of psychology and marketing as academic disciplines, including conceptual, ethical, and historical issues, and the contributions of different perspectives.
Communicate appropriate understanding of the scientific method, a range of research designs and qualitative and quantitative methodologies, and a selection of basic descriptive and inferential statistics.
Articulate knowledge of a range of theories and concepts in core areas of psychology (as defined in the British Psychological Society’s GBC curriculum) and marketing.
Competently use information technology for word processing, data handling, communication, and information gathering.
Communicate accurately, effectively, and appropriately, presenting structured and coherent arguments in a range of formats and demonstrating awareness of professional norms.
Evidence a range of transferrable academic skills, including an ability to reflect on own learning and development, to engage effectively with feedback, and to work effectively and collaboratively with peers.
Describe a range of possible career pathways that graduates of the programme might pursue, and able to articulate the employability skills and attributes required in these careers.

Year 2 modules

In your second year, you will study the following core modules:

Module Title	Credits
Applied Psychology and Professional Skills	15
Research Methods and Data Analysis	15
Individual Differences and Personality	15
Cognition and Cognitive Neuropsychology	15
Marketing Communications	15
Services Marketing	15
Market Research	15
Digital Marketing	15
Total	120

Year 2 outcomes

Critically evaluate a variety of research designs and methodologies.
Use a wide range of basic and advanced descriptive and inferential statistics for analysing data appropriately.
Communicate appropriate critical thinking and to question received wisdom.
Articulate advanced knowledge and understanding of historical and contemporary theories and concepts in core areas of psychology (as defined in the British Psychological Society’s GBC curriculum) and marketing, and of how these link to practice in both fields.
Identify and discuss the most appropriate research evidence and methods for addressing research questions.
Convey a strong understanding and application of formal academic communication styles in their own work.
Synthesise, explain and critically evaluate different paradigms, concepts, theories, and evidence to form compelling arguments.
Articulate, explain, and reflect critically upon their own employability skills and attributes, and be able to map these against possible graduate career pathways.

Placement year modules

In your placement year, you will study the following core module:

Module Title	Credits
Placement year	120
Total	120

Placement year outcomes

On successful completion of the placement year, you will be able to:

Demonstrate increasing personal and professional development through a placement
Articulate key personal, cultural, professional and disciplinary knowledge and skills relevant to the placement experience, and reflect on performance
Clearly communicate the ways in which placement-related skills can be transferred to support ongoing personal, professional and academic development

Final year modules

In your final year, you will study the following core modules:

Module Title	Credits
Final Year Project	15
Critical Social Psychology	15
Child Development	15
Marketing Strategy	15
Advanced Marketing Communications	15
Consumer Research and the Customer Experience	15
Total	90

and one of the following optional modules for

Module Title	Credits
Strategic Brand Management	30
Innovation and New Product and Service Development	30
Total	30

Final year outcomes

On successful completion of the final year, you will be able to:

Identify a research question and hypothesis, and thereupon design, execute, and report a sustained and independent empirical research project, with clear consideration of ethical practice.
Create and present sustained arguments backed up with evidence that reflects a contemporary understanding of the field.
Communicate a detailed, integrated, and critical understanding of issues in – and theories of – psychology and marketing.
Synthesise and critically evaluate concepts, theories, and research evidence.
Use different qualitative approaches for analysing data appropriately.

Entry requirements

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.*

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.

Contextual offers
Aston Ready is our contextual offer scheme that could reduce your undergraduate offer by one or two grades. Assessed at the point of application, there are no additional forms to fill in.

Contextual offer criteria

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.

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

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.*

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.

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
• Science

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.

International students

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

Qualifications in your country

Applicants whose first language is not English will be required to provide evidence of an English language qualification.

English language requirements

Aston University provides a range of opportunities for international students to join our community and study on our campus. A key part of our strategy is our relationships with teaching partners, providing multiple pathways to Aston.

Aston’s professional work placements can improve your chance of securing a graduate job. Placements give you experience, confidence and opportunities and, as an Aston student, you’ll be better prepared for your future career. One of the great things about Aston is our focus on employability. Our close links with businesses, industries and professions make this possible.

Find out more about applying

Post-study work visa

Aston University welcomed the creation of a new Graduate Immigration Route which enables international students to remain in the UK for two years after you complete your studies to find work. This new post-study work visa applies to international students completing full-time undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Graduate Immigration Route

Pathway 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

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

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.

Fees and scholarships

Course fees

UK students
(2024/25)

Annual tuition fees:	£9,250
During placement year:	£1,250

International students (2024/25)

Annual tuition fees:	£20,700
During placement year:	£2,500

More information on fees

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 UK students.

Tuition fees for students 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

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.

Explore our scholarships

Assessment

Our Psychology and Marketing BSc curriculum utilises a range of different assessment types and the assessment strategy reflects the national educational requirements in the FHEQ.

You will be assessed throughout the course. A wide range of assessments linked to learning outcomes are used, 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

Career prospects

Our Psychology and Marketing degree will prepare you for a range of careers across the public, private and third sectors. Our graduates are among the highest paid in the country, according to the 2023 Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO). This data shows that five years after graduation, employed Aston University graduates have the 15th highest median salary among all UK Higher Education Institutions, with a median salary of £36,100.

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

Be part of our community

Once you have joined us at Aston University, you’ll always be part of our community, even beyond graduation.

Alumni services

Frequently asked questions

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.

Is Birmingham a good place to study?

Our campus is based in the centre of Birmingham, the youngest major city in Europe and a great place to live, work and study.

Great music and entertainment with a vibrant nightlife. Bars, clubs, pubs, live music, festivals, concerts. Whatever your tastes, there's something here for everyone.
Fantastic food. Birmingham's diverse community means you can try anything from the famous Balti triangle, the Chinese Quarter, high street chains, halal and vegan food, and Michelin-star dining.
World-class shopping. The Bullring and Grand Central is a shopper's paradise. From the world's biggest Primark to luxury brands at the Mailbox.
Arts and culture. Museums, galleries, theatres, concerts and Birmingham's art collection is as wide as it is impressive - not to be missed.
Green, open spaces. One of the greenest cities in Europe, Birmingham has hundreds of publicly accessible parks and green spaces across the city.
Sporting action. Birmingham has some of the most exciting venues for watching or participating in sport in the UK.

Discover Birmingham

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 career 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.