Psychology

Course overview

Our Psychology BSc (Hons) degree is designed to equip you with a comprehensive understanding of psychology 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.

By choosing to study at Aston you will gain a degree accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and 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 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 at Aston University?

Professional accreditation

This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS)

Excellent student experience

90% of our students felt that staff were good at explaining their course material (National Student Survey, 2023)

Future career

Our graduates go on to secure work in top organisations such as the BBC, HSBC, Jaguar Land Rover, local Government, PwC, private care companies, and the NHS.

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 prospects

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

Gold standard teaching

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

James and his experience studying Psychology

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

The Aston University 2030 strategy

What makes us Aston?

Course description

Psychology BSc

Our BSc Psychology (Hons) degree at Aston will equip you with the skills, insights, and confidence required 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.

The course covers a wide range of topics including how changes in the brain influence behaviour, why false memories occur, why people behave differently when they are in a group, how language influences thinking, how we learn to understand other’s intentions, how psychological distress can be alleviated, why we identify with some people and not others, how subconscious processes influence our behaviour, and how our thinking develops as we grow from children to adults.

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 BSc graduates leave with a wide range of marketable skills, such as excellent communication skills, problem-solving, data processing and analysis, 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
Taking a placement year gives you valuable life experience in the context of working alongside professionals in a working environment and helps you to develop new skills and abilities. Placements are both personally enriching and highly valued by future employers. Recent students at Aston have completed a range of fascinating placements, both in the UK and internationally such as a study exchange in South Australia, a research assistant in neuropsychology in Brazil, a special constable in the police force, mental health support and counselling for a social support charity, a resettlement team volunteer for a Refugee and Migrant Centre, Shadowing clinical psychologists in an NHS trust, and a project support officer for an environmental consultant company

Career prospects
There is a huge demand across a range of industries for graduates with a specialism in psychology, as it provides a wide range of transferable skills such as the ability to problem solve, answer complex but important questions, communicate effectively, critical analysis, writing, and research. Graduates from across our suite of psychology courses go onto a variety of different careers. Some choose to use their British Psychological Society (BPS) accreditation to continue their studies post-graduation, working towards a career in occupational, educational or clinical psychology. Many graduates also go into careers such as human resources, organisational development, marketing, business, or the creative industries.

How you will learn

On the BSc Psychology at Aston, you will experience a wide range of high-quality learning experiences, from informative large-scale interactive lectures to smaller group sessions such as tutorials, where you will discuss the course material with your tutors and peers.

You’ll 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 and be involved in real-world research.

In addition to subject-specific knowledge and skills, our Psychology course at Aston actively embeds employability into every aspect of your study, so that you are job-ready upon graduation.

What you will learn

There is a huge range of possibilities for how you could explore psychology 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

Studying the key topics that will form the basis of your psychology education, you’ll learn how to articulate your gained knowledge of core theories and concepts and discover more about the possible graduate career pathways open to you.

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 cognitive neuropsychology. 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 a real-world context of a working environment alongside professionals. This course is available as a 3-year option without placement or a 4-year option with placement. Both options are available to UK, EU, and international students.

Final year

Select from a range of specialist topic modules that fit your interests, and conduct a research project in a specialist area with support from our expert psychology staff.

Facilities

Psychology 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 and expert technicians.

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 an enthusiasm for learning.
To deliver 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 provide you with an intellectually rigorous and contemporary education in and understanding of the theory, practice, and methods of psychology, which will help you to identify and achieve your personal, academic, and professional goals and aspirations in this field
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 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 your 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
Introduction to Clinical Psychology	15
Developmental and Social Psychology	15
Biological and Cognitive Psychology	15
Foundations of Contemporary Psychology	15
Total	90

In addition, you will study two of the following 15-credit optional modules:

Module Title	Credits
Psychological Interventions	15
Myth-busting in Psychology	15
Social Responsibility in Psychology	15
Total	30

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 as an academic discipline, including conceptual, ethical, and historical issues, and the contributions of different perspectives.
Be able to 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)
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
Research Methods and Data Analysis	15
Applied Psychology and Professional Skills	15
Social Psychology	15
Brain & Behaviour	15
Lifespan Development	15
Individual Differences and Personality	15
Cognition and Cognitive Neuropsychology	15
Total	105

In addition, you will study one of the 15 credit optional modules:

Module Title	Credits
Psychology and Wellbeing	15
Neuroscience in the Real World	15
Total	15

Year 2 outcomes

On successful completion of the 2nd year, you will be able to:

Critically evaluate a variety of research designs and methodologies.
Use a wide range of basic and advanced descriptive and inferential statistics, and qualitative methods, 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 of how these link to practice in psychology
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 module:

Module Title	Credits
Final Year Project	30
Total	30

and study six of the following 15 credit optional modules:

Module Title	Credits
The Developing Brain	15
Addiction and Impulsivity	15
Families and Wellbeing	15
Living with long-term health conditions	15
Tricks of the mind	15
Clinical psychology of intellectual disability	15
Psychotic and affective disorders	15
Psychotic and affective disorders	15
Neurodevelopmental disorders	15
Eating behaviour	15
Language learning and loss: Educational and clinical contexts	15
Perceiving people	15
Total	90

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
Synthesize and critically evaluate concepts, theories, and research evidence.

Entry requirements

A Levels
- BBB in any three A Levels.
- BBC in any three A Levels plus grade B in either Core Maths or Extended Project Qualification (EPQ).
- BCC 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 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
individual research reports
presentations (group or individual)
statistics assignments

Career prospects

Our Psychology programme 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.

Graduates from across our suite of psychology courses go on to a variety of different careers. Some choose to use their British Psychological Society (BPS) accreditation to continue their studies post-graduation, working towards a career in occupational, educational or clinical psychology.

It’s not just careers directly related to psychology that would be open to you either. Many graduates also go into careers such as human resources, organisational development, marketing, business, or the creative industries.

Recent graduates from Aston have gone on to the following broad range of careers:

Assistant Psychologist for an NHS trust
Educational Psychology Intern for a city council
HR Graduate Trainee at a leading luxury UK automotive business
Marketing Intern at a humanitarian organisation
Police Constable for a UK police force
Project Worker for a leading drug, alcohol and mental health charity.

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 study psychology at Aston

Our British Psychological Society (BPS) accredited Psychology course provides you with highly transferable skills set to help you stand out from the graduate crowd. You’ll benefit from a broad curriculum that emphasises human behaviour and real-life applications of psychology and get the exciting opportunity to put your skills into practice through a placement year in the UK or abroad.

Will studying this course help me to become a psychologist?

Yes! With a BPS accreditation, you’ll have the qualifications you need to go into clinical, educational, or occupational psychology. With the additional experience and exposure to the workplace you’ll get at Aston, you’ll be an outstanding work-ready candidate. Beyond these careers, being a psychology graduate can also open up lots of opportunities in human resources, business, marketing, the creative industries, and many other career paths.

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.