BSc (Hons) Psychology with Foundation Year

This module builds on the module “Bad Science” and develops your knowledge and skills as a psychological researcher by integrating quantitative, qualitative, and critical approaches to scientific enquiry. You will explore how psychologists ask and answer questions about human behaviour, learn to design ethical studies, collect and analyse data, and report findings in line with professional standards. Through lectures and practical workshops, you will gain experience using statistical software such as SPSS and qualitative techniques including interviews, focus groups, observation, and thematic analysis. You will examine the nature of science itself, exploring how research can be misinterpreted, misused, or even falsified, and what this means for public trust in psychology. Case studies and discussions of issues such as replication, open science, and research integrity will help you become an ethical, reflective, and critical thinker. By the end of the module, you will be able to design, conduct, analyse, and communicate psychological research effectively, developing transferable skills in critical thinking, problem solving, and scientific literacy that are highly valued by employers and essential for your future studies. This module leads directly into Advanced Research Methodology and Analysis in Psychology.

This extended induction module supports your transition into university life and introduces you to key perspectives, cultural, philosophical, and historical development in the core areas of Psychology: Biological, Cognitive, Developmental, and Social Psychology and applies them to understand current issues and behaviours people face. This module helps you build confidence, develop a strong academic identity, and understand the expectations of university and the study of psychology. You’ll explore key academic practices including independent learning, digital literacy, ethical academic conduct and working in teams. The module has structured teaching of key psychological theories and concepts and lays the foundation for future development, including the Level 5 Professional Development module/embedded placement experiences. It will cover several key topics within the BPS core curriculum for Psychology.  Current societal issues will be considered from competing perspectives within psychology, covering biological psychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, and social psychology.  Rather than treat these as separate disciplines, the module will consider an integrative approach, in which different areas can contribute to the understanding of real-world issues in different ways.  Individual cultural differences will also be considered as a means by which to explore issues in psychology in ways that are relevant to modern society.  In lectures, students will be taught knowledge of key perspective, cultural, philosophical, and historical development of psychology. In seminars, students apply these key theories and concepts to understand human behaviour. Application of theory will be done using movies. You will be shown films and key psychological theories and concepts will be applied to the films to interpret the storylines and characters arc. 

This module introduces you to the foundations of psychological science and provides the essential grounding you will build on throughout your degree. This module explores the key debates, historical developments, and conceptual issues that have shaped psychology as both an academic discipline and a profession. You will examine how psychology emerged, how it has evolved over time, and how different perspectives have contributed to our understanding of human behaviour, emotion, and cognition. Across the module, you will engage with the major psychological theories and models that underpin contemporary research and practice. You will consider how approaches such as behaviourism, cognitive psychology, biological psychology, humanism, and psychodynamic theory offer different explanations for why people think, feel, and act as they do. You will also explore the strengths and limitations of these perspectives, learning how scientific evidence, cultural context, and ethical considerations influence psychological knowledge. Through lectures, discussions, and guided activities, you will begin to develop the critical thinking skills needed to evaluate psychological ideas and understand how theory connects to real-world issues. By the end of the module, you will have a solid understanding of the core foundations of psychology and the ability to think critically about the concepts that shape the discipline.

This module supports you in developing the professional skills, confidence, and insight needed to apply psychology within real‑world settings. Building on the foundations established in earlier study, you will deepen your understanding of how psychological knowledge, theory, and research can be used to address challenges in workplaces, organisations, and communities. A key feature of the module is the opportunity to undertake a short placement or draw on experience from a professional setting. This practical element allows you to observe and apply psychological principles in context, reflect on your strengths, and identify areas for further development. Alongside your placement experience, you will engage in sessions focused on personal effectiveness, communication, leadership, ethical practice, and reflective learning. You will explore how psychologists contribute to different sectors and consider potential career pathways. Through structured reflection, self‑assessment, and goal setting, you will begin to shape your professional identity and build a portfolio of skills relevant to your future ambitions. By the end of the module, you will be equipped with enhanced employability skills, greater self‑awareness, and a clearer sense of how psychology can be applied in diverse professional environments.

Building upon material covered in Semester 1 in Psychology in Context, Psychology in Action takes real world issues and applies the different perspectives from the core domains. This includes biological, cognitive, developmental and social psychology, as well as individual differences. On this module, the focus switches to the societal level. Students will consider how the different perspectives can be used to provide a coherent explanation of significant societal issues, showing how psychology can make a real difference

Building upon material covered at Level 4 in Succeeding at University and Understanding Psychology, Psychology in Context takes real world issues at the individual level and applies the different perspectives from the core domains. This includes biological, cognitive, developmental and social psychology, as well as individual differences. Students will consider how the different perspectives can be used to provide a coherent explanation of significant individual issues, showing how psychology can make a real difference.

To introduce you to advanced issues in health psychology. You will learn the theoretical basis of health psychology, and the way health psychologists apply their knowledge in the field. You will also explore some fascinating areas of research, some of which court considerable controversy. You will be expected to develop a critical approach to current issues in health psychology, an ability which is so important for level 6 study. Additionally, the module will help you to further develop some key transferable skills. In particular, the module incorporates introductory skills training in designing behaviour change interventions, as applied by health psychologists. Behaviour changer interventions can be subtle or complex, taking a range of forms. Learning this process is a skill which can be taken into any work setting where humans interact with one another. Any work setting where there is a need to change staff/client/public behaviour in some way, can benefit from a well-designed behaviour change intervention. This module equips you with this skillset, which, once learned, you can apply to any work context. Every week, the module focuses on teaching this very process culminating in students’ own behaviour change intervention design.

This module introduces you to the theory and practice of psychology in clinical settings. You will examine how psychological science is applied to understanding, assessing and treating mental health difficulties across the lifespan. Through lectures and seminars, you will explore key clinical models and consider how different domains of psychology—biological, cognitive, developmental and social—interact to explain mental distress and resilience. You will learn the essential skills of assessment, formulation and treatment planning, developing the ability to link theory and evidence to real-world practice. Emphasis is placed on ethical awareness, reflective thinking and critical evaluation of psychological approaches. Learning takes place through lectures, seminars, discussion of case material and guided reading. Independent study and peer collaboration will help you deepen understanding and prepare for your assessment. The summative assignment is an individual case conceptualisation (100%), where you apply theoretical knowledge and clinical reasoning to a chosen case example. By completing this module, you will gain foundational competence in clinical thinking and develop professional skills relevant to further training or graduate roles in mental-health and applied psychology settings.

Cognitive psychology aims to understand the innermost workings of the human mind. This is a highly challenging task, but since the 1950s cognitive psychologists have made great progress in understanding a variety of mental processes. This module addresses some of the latest advances within cognitive psychology, with a particular emphasis on individual differences. By referring to cutting edge research and the latest theories, this module explores how cognitive processes differ from person to person, and how they influence real world behaviour. 

This module explores contemporary issues and debates within the interdisciplinary field of cyberpsychology, which examines how people think, feel, and behave in relation to digital technologies and technology-mediated environments. Students will engage critically with current research and theory addressing a variety of contemporary topics, such as technological and behavioural addictions, social media engagement, videogaming, online misinformation, cybercrime, and the social and emotional dynamics of digital communities. Weekly sessions encourage discussion and analysis of empirical evidence and theoretical perspectives, assessing the quality of research and the credibility of claims made about technology use and wellbeing. Emphasis is placed on developing critical evaluation, independent research, and evidence-based reasoning skills, enabling students to apply psychological concepts to understand technology-related experiences and behaviours. The module also addresses relevant ethical and methodological challenges in researching digital and technological contexts. By the end of the module, students will have a balanced, evidence-based understanding of key issues in cyberpsychology and be able to independently interpret and critically evaluate research on human behaviour across diverse technological settings.

This module is designed to provide students with the opportunity to explore psychological theories and research related to Developmental and Educational Psychology and to apply them during problem-based learning. The module content covers a range of topics including prenatal, infant, child, adolescent, neurodevelopmental conditions, learning and development in adults and cognitive ageing older adults and an exploration of the empirical evidence surrounding what may promote and inhibit learning and development throughout the lifespan. During weekly sessions, students will be encouraged to explore prominent Developmental and Educational Psychology theories, previous research examples of interventions and possible solutions to address applied issues. Through problem-based learning in practical workshops activities, students will be given the opportunity to develop their own intervention design skills. For the assessment for this module, students will design a research/theory-informed intervention to address an applied issue in their choice of one out of a selection of case studies. All of the above prepares students for the summative assignment, where students are required to develop their own research theory informed intervention in response to a particular scenario such as the effects of maternal mental health on infant development, ways to facilitate reading and language development in early childhood, to optimise adolescent development and early interventions for children with a particular neurodevelopmental condition.

This module offers an in-depth exploration of how evolutionary theory helps us understand human behaviour. You will examine how evolved psychological mechanisms influence areas such as attraction, cooperation, altruism, aggression, and mental health. Through lectures, discussions, and applied activities, you will critically engage with contemporary debates and evaluate both the strengths and limitations of evolutionary explanations of behaviour. Focus will be placed on identifying and challenging common myths and misconceptions within Evolutionary Psychology. You will also consider how this perspective integrates with other areas of psychology and how it can inform research and real-world applications. By taking this module, you will strengthen your ability to evaluate complex theories, construct evidence-based arguments, and apply psychological principles to social and behavioural issues. You will also enhance key transferable skills, including critical thinking, independent research, written communication, and the ability to interpret and synthesise evidence. Regular updates, readings, and assessment guidance will be available on Canvas to support your learning throughout the semester.