Psychology

BSc
3 years full-time
Durham City
C800
Typical offers
A Level | AAA |
---|---|
BTEC | DDD |
International Baccalaureate | 37 |
Course details
Our BSc in Psychology is designed to give you an understanding of the mind and behaviour. You will study people's internal mental processes, the biological mechanisms that underlie their behaviour, the social and developmental context in which they act, as well as clinical aspects of mental processes. As such it shares features with other disciplines, including biology, anthropology, philosophy and education.
This degree follows the British Psychological Society (BPS) guidelines and offers a range of options in the final year, drawing both from fundamental scientific research and applied psychology. These modules include topics in social psychology, developmental psychology, cognition and behavioural neuroscience, as well as neurorehabilitation, education and health. You can also apply to add a placement year or a year abroad to your degree, increasing the course from three years to four.
The emphasis in Year 1 is to provide you with fundamental knowledge and skills. In this year, your lectures will cover cognitive, biological, social and developmental topics. Knowledge you gain in these lectures will provide the basis underpinning second and third-year modules. You will also develop research methods and statistical analysis skills. Finally, you will practice academic & transferrable skills while exploring contemporary ideas in psychology.
In Year 2, your knowledge and skills are further developed and fostered through lectures on cognitive, biological, social and developmental psychology. You will also be introduced to individual differences and clinical psychology in Year 2. You will build on and advance your research methods and statistics and continue to explore contemporary psychological research, theories and concepts in detail.
In Year 3, you will undertake your own dissertation research project and take four modules that cover a broad range of topics in Psychology. Example topics might include mental health, forensic psychology, and evolutionary psychology. Students are also provided with guidance about modules that fit well together thematically and how these map onto potential future careers or interests. These modules are taught by lecturers who are leaders in their field, offering a unique opportunity to engage with and discuss the latest theoretical and empirical developments and to tailor your learning to your specific interests.
All the subject areas essential for accreditation by the BPS and providing eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) are covered throughout your program.
Course structure
Year 1 modules
Core modules:
Introduction to Psychology 1: Cognitive and Biological Psychology
introduces a broad foundation of knowledge of the core areas of cognitive psychology and biological psychology.
Introduction to Psychology 2: Developmental and Social Psychology
allows you to acquire a broad foundation of knowledge in core areas of psychology including developmental psychology, social psychology and individual differences.
Introduction to Psychological Research
introduces key research methods and statistical techniques used in psychology.
Academic Skill Development for Psychology
introduces students to the fundamental skills required for studying Psychology at degree level in a tutorial-based manner. The skills covered will include aspects of written and oral communication in line with psychological literacy skills, e.g. summarizing articles, critical evaluation, presentations.
Optional modules:
Careers in Psychology.
This allows students to acquire a broad foundation of knowledge and understanding of what people with psychology degrees do both within an academic context and more generally in the real world, and to acquire an understanding of the transferability of skills.
Year 2 modules
Core modules:
Cognitive and Biological Psychology
develops an understanding of theoretical, methodological and empirical approaches in cognitive and biological psychology, exploring topics such as memory, decision making, learning, and perception
Social and Developmental Psychology
provides a broad knowledge and understanding of research and theory in some of the key areas of developmental psychology and examines the contribution that social psychology has made to an understanding of the relations between people and social structures involving people.
Differential and Clinical Psychology
develops knowledge and understanding of theory and research in differential psychology, the study of psychological differences and similarities between people and understanding of theory and research in atypical and clinical psychology.
Contemporary and Conceptual Issues in Psychology
develops skills in researching and communicating a range of contemporary and conceptual issues in psychology, and provides an opportunity to discuss psychological research in a tutorial context.
Advanced Research Methods and Statistics
provides experience of the practical application of a wide range of research and statistical methods used in psychological research, and develops presentation skills necessary for communicating research aims and findings.
Year 3 modules
Core modules:
Dissertation.
In your final year, you will design and carry out your own research project and submit this as a 7,000-word dissertation. You will formulate the research question, employing appropriate methods of investigation and analysis, and interpret the results in light of relevant empirical work and psychological theory.
Optional modules:
You will take four modules that cover a broad range of topics in Psychology. Example topics might include mental health, forensic psychology, and evolutionary psychology. Students are also provided with guidance about modules that fit well together thematically and how these map onto potential future careers or interests.
Additional Pathways
Students can apply to be transferred onto either the with Year Abroad or with Placement pathway during the second year. Places on these pathways are in high demand and if you are chosen your studies will extend from three years to four.
Accreditation
Through dedicated teaching sessions, employability events and optional careers modules, we actively prepare you for working life.
Career destinations for graduates include chartered psychology professions, such as forensic, occupational and sports psychology, but also roles in human resources, business analysis, market research, public relations, marketing, teaching and the Civil Service. However, the broad nature of the curriculum enables graduates to qualify for careers in clinical and healthcare settings. In addition, the academic rigour of the courses ensures that graduates are well equipped to pursue postgraduate study (MSc/MA and PhD).
Take a look at some of the roles taken up by recent graduates from the course:
- Assistant Psychologist in the NHS
- Rehabilitation Co-therapist at Elysium Healthcare
- Human Resources Associate at GlaxoSmithKlein
- Project Director at Kissing it Better Charitable Organisation
- Talent Operations Coordinator at Publicis Media
- Case Worker at Trybe Ltd
- Science Teacher at a UK secondary school
Learning
Your teaching will be delivered predominantly by leading academics via lectures, small group tutorials, workshops and practical classes, as well through self-directed learning, such as research, reading and writing. You will get additional individual feedback and support opportunities from staff and student peers.
Most of the course is delivered through face-to-face teaching. Some teaching is also taught using a hybrid approach consisting of both face-to-face and online asynchronous (taking place at different times) components.
Generally, lectures highlight the main areas within a topic and tutorials guide your learning through discussions and critical evaluation. Workshops and practical sessions enable you to gain first-hand experience of key research skills in Psychology, and to learn and apply associated statistical and IT packages.
Assessment
Throughout the course, various assessment methods are used, including essays, reports, presentations, and examinations.
In your final year, you will submit a dissertation that details your own original work. This is a great way to explore a topic that you are passionate about, and to showcase the many skills that you have gained throughout the course.
Entry requirements
A level offer – AAA
Contextual offer – BBB
BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma/OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma – DDD
IB Diploma score – 37 with 666 in higher level subjects
Grade B/5 from Mathematics GCSE
Contextual offer: Grade 4/C from Mathematics GCSE
No specific subjects are required, and a combination of arts and science subjects is encouraged.
In addition to satisfying the University’s general entry requirements, please note:
- We also consider other level 3 qualifications, including T-levels.
- Science A levels: Applicants taking Science A levels that include a practical component will be required to take and pass this as a condition of entry. This applies only to applicants sitting A levels with an English examination board.
- We welcome applications from individuals with other qualifications equivalent to our standard entry requirements and from mature students with non-standard qualifications or who may have had a break in their study.
- If you do not satisfy our general entry requirements, the Foundation Programmes offers multidisciplinary degrees to prepare you for a range of specified degree courses.
- If you are an international student who does not meet the requirements for direct entry to this degree, you may be eligible to take an International Foundation Year pathway programme at the Durham University International Study Centre.
- We accept applications for deferred entry.
Alternative qualifications
International students who do not meet direct entry requirements for this degree might have the option to complete an International Foundation Year.
Fees and funding
The fees for this academic year have not been confirmed yet.
Full-Time Study
The tuition fees shown for home students are for one complete academic year of full-time study and are set according to the academic year of entry. Fees for subsequent years of your course may rise in line with an inflationary uplift as determined by the government.
The tuition fees shown for overseas and EU students are for one complete academic year of full-time study, are set according to the academic year of entry, and will be subject to an annual inflationary increase expected to rise throughout the programme of study. The fee listed above is for the first year of the course only; fees for subsequent years will be confirmed not less than 3 months before the start of the academic year to which the increase is intended to apply and will be published on the Finance webpages.
In deciding the annual level of increase, the University will take into account inflationary pressures on the costs of delivery. Tuition fees will rise annually by up to the higher of:
- 6%, or
- the latest annual percentage increase in the Consumer Prices Index.
Part-Time Study
The tuition fees shown for home students are for one complete academic year of part-time study and are charged proportionately to the Full-Time fee. Fees for subsequent years of your course may rise in line with an inflationary uplift as determined by the government.
Please also check costs for colleges and accommodation.
Scholarships and Bursaries
We are committed to supporting the best students irrespective of financial circumstances and are delighted to offer a range of funding opportunities.
Find out more about Scholarships and BursariesCareer opportunities
Psychology
Your degree will equip you with the academic knowledge and skills that are in demand across a wide range of professions.
Our department will support you through your journey to find the right career for you. From Year 1 you will have an academic advisor who can offer careers support, and you will be invited to attend graduate careers fairs.
You can opt in to do a placement year in between your second and third years of academic study.
We offer optional modules focused on careers and placements in fields relevant to a psychology graduate.
Our graduates also progress to postgraduate courses and have qualified in areas such as teaching, law, and speech and language therapy.
Of those students who graduated in 2020-21:
- 90% are in paid employment or further study.
Of those in employment:
- 94% of those are in high and medium skilled employment.
- £28,400 is the average salary.
(Source: HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey. The survey asks leavers from higher education what they are doing 15 months after graduation. Further information about the Graduate Outcomes survey can be found here www.graduateoutcomes.ac.uk)
Department information
Psychology
What is the link between the brain and behaviour? How do we develop empathy? How does culture affect our behaviour? Where does prejudice come from? Learn from leading researchers in their fields as you explore some of the most challenging questions in psychology today.
Psychology is concerned with understanding the brain, the mind and behaviour. Learning from academics with real enthusiasm for their subject, you will explore topics such as social behaviour, childhood development and cognitive neuroscience.
Our psychology degrees offer research-led education, offering you the opportunity to work alongside academics who are leaders in their field. You will have access to the department’s cutting-edge facilities which include motion capture, neuroimaging, eye tracking and biophysical recording laboratories.
Our innovative approach to learning includes a combination of lectures, practical teaching sessions, and small-group tutorials, in addition to optional modules focused on careers and placements in psychology. In the final year of our program/degree, you complete a research project under the supervision of an academic.
Furthermore, you can gain additional research experience with our popular Research Assistant Scheme. You can also apply for a placement year or year abroad.
Students who graduate with a 2.1 or higher are accredited by the BPS as conferring eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership – the first step towards a career as a psychologist.
Please see the following video that looks closer at studying psychology at Durham: Look Closer at our Department of Psychology
For more information see our department pages.
Rankings
Top 5 for Graduate Prospects in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025
11th The Complete University Guide 2025
Top 100 The QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025
Staff
For a current list of staff, please see our department web pages.
Facilities
You will be ideally located in a dedicated psychology learning space, adjacent to many university departments and services on the main University campus, and within walking distance of Durham’s historic centre.
Apply
Find out more:
Use the UCAS code below when applying:
Apply
C800
The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) handles applications for all undergraduate courses.
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