Psychology BSc (Hons)

UCAS code: C800

Untangle behaviour. Unravel mysteries of the mind. Study the science of the brain on this course and achieve a BSc (Hons) Psychology degree accredited by the British Psychological Society.

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Overview

Course length:	3 years full-time 6 years part-time
Start dates:	September 2025 September 2026
Location:	Edge Hill University
Example offers:	BBB-ABB (A Level) or DDM (BTEC) View full entry criteria
Subject(s):	Psychology
Faculty:	Arts and Sciences
Department:	Psychology

A lecturer addresses a classroom of students in the Law and Psychology building.

Psychology puts every aspect of the brain and our behaviour under the microscope – how we learn, interact and use body language. Accredited by the British Psychological Society, our BSc (Hons) Psychology degree is designed to help you explore concepts and theories of the mind.

You’ll investigate different areas by asking why. Why do mental illnesses occur? Why do we use substances? And we’ll also ask how. How does memory affect our ability to recall a crime? How do you apply psychological theories to the real world?

Developing research skills is vital too. We’ll help you explore the latest methodologies. At the same time, you’ll develop career skills in creativity, critical thinking and communication.

Outside the lecture theatre, look out for exciting opportunities to work with our experts on their latest research projects. Your psychology degree will be taught by experts who are carrying out world-leading research in their field.

Our student-led psychology society brings together people who share a love for the subject. Attend their social events, benefit from peer mentoring and networking opportunities, and hear from unique speakers from across the UK.

A BPS accredited degree

This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) as conferring eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC), which is the first step towards becoming a chartered psychologist.

British Psychological Society - accredited

Course features

International students can apply
Professional accreditation
Sandwich year option available
Studying abroad option available
Work placement opportunity

This degree has given me valuable knowledge of the subject area of psychology as well as the ability to think critically and think of ways to answer the still unanswered questions.

Ruby Isserlis

BSc (Hons) Psychology

View student profile

In a fiercely competitive graduate employment market, any additional experience and recognition I can obtain will help me stand out from the crowd. The placement opportunity has helped me gain experience of working in a professional manner and will allow me to stand out from other candidates when applying for professional roles in the future.

Maddison Barnes

BSc (Hons) Psychology

View student profile

What you'll study

Understanding how theory and research relates to psychology in the real world will be an important part of your first year on our BSc (Hons) Psychology degree. You’ll look at the biology of the brain and how its characteristics influence our perceptual and cognitive abilities, as well as our behaviour.

We’ll also teach you about different areas including developmental and personality psychology. To support your future, you’ll complete a module designed to boost your academic, personal, and interpersonal skills.

Compulsory modules:

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Introduction to Applied Psychology develops your knowledge of key areas of applied psychology, including both professional psychology training routes, and broader applications of psychology in career areas out of, but allied to, the discipline. It will introduce you to the similarities and differences between applications of psychology, and the various career routes that graduates may take to work in these areas. The module will provide foundational theoretical knowledge underpinning applied psychology, will provide practical examples of work in these areas of subject application, and will introduce the research and evidence base which underpins these applications.

Module code: PSY1101

Credits: 20

Assessment

65% Coursework

35% Exam

You’ll take a closer look at the four different areas of psychology – social, developmental, biological and cognitive. You’ll learn how psychology can be applied to occupational, clinical, educational, health and forensic settings.

Building on what you learnt in Year 1 of your degree, we’ll help you become confident in psychological research methods and data analysis. You’ll also have the chance to work alongside a member of staff on their current research project.

Compulsory modules:

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Biological Psychology studies the human nervous system, including its structure and functioning. There will be a particular focus upon the brain. You will learn in detail the processes by which messages are passed through the system and the way the brain interacts with the hormones of the endocrine system in order to preserve life. The methods by which the brain is commonly researched will also be explored in order to provide a basis for understanding much current research and theorising in psychology.

Module code: PSY2115

Credits: 20

Assessment

60% Coursework

40% Exam

Cognitive Psychology will examine both classic and contemporary research that has led to the development of theories regarding how attention, perception and memory all function. The module will also examine how each of these components interact during everyday tasks. You will consider how thinking, language and emotion enable us to reason about, and interact meaningfully with, the external world, gaining an understanding of the processes used to communicate, comprehend, and use information and knowledge.

Module code: PSY2114

Credits: 20

Assessment

50% Coursework

50% Exam

Design, carry out and present your own research project on a topic that reflects your interests and ambitions for your dissertation. As well as exploring personality and individual differences in human behaviour, you’ll also shape your study with optional modules in specialist areas of psychology.

To prepare you for leaving university and taking the first steps in your career, we’ll provide you with opportunities to reflect on your academic, personal and professional development.

Compulsory modules:

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Personality and Individual Differences influence all aspects of human behaviour. Knowledge and understanding of the nature of individual differences and the processes by which they influence our behaviours and motivations in everyday life is at the very essence of human psychology. Such knowledge is relevant in key disciplines such as clinical and forensic psychology, as well as to individuals generally in their efforts to understand what makes people ‘tick’. This module will explore and evaluate theories and research that have advanced our knowledge and understanding of this key area of psychology. It will develop your capacity for critical thinking, for active and independent learning, and for effective communication and teamwork.

Module code: PSY3129

Credits: 20

Assessment

50% Coursework

50% Practical

One of:

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Psychology Work Placement will allow you to enhance your employability and enable you to you critically reflect on how psychology plays a role in the workplace. You will be introduced to the application of psychology in a range of professional practices while reflecting on these in the areas of applying theory, evidence informed practice and the use of interventions. You will be encouraged to keep a reflective record of your experiences to support your future assessments. This will be followed by an academic element in year 3 where you will have the opportunity to explore the theory underpinning a practice that you may have observed or participated in, including how theory has been applied in the workplace.

Module code: PSY3148

Credits: 20

Assessment

75% Coursework

25% Practical

Two of:

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Cognitive Neuroscience explores an area that aims to understand the mechanisms of human thought by asking how mental processes such as perception, memory, language and emotion are implemented within the brain. An explosion of new methods dependent on computers and brain imaging has led to enormous progress in this field and allows an array of new problems to be tackled directly. This module provides you with an understanding of how research in cognitive neuroscience has informed our understanding of cognitive processes in the brain. You will discover how to describe and critically evaluate the experimental methods most frequently used by psychologists working in cognitive neuroscience and explore their relative suitability in a variety of domains.

Module code: PSY3143

Credits: 20

Assessment

60% Coursework

40% Practical

Evolutionary Psychology explores adaptive influences on behaviour and equips you with an understanding of evolutionary science and the contributions of evolutionary psychology to our current understanding of the brain and behaviour. Most psychologists and psychology researchers believe that the neural mechanisms that underpin our psychological abilities and propensities are the product of evolution – of natural, kin, and sexual selection. Furthermore, the general principles of evolution can be applied not only at species level but also at an individual level in terms of how a person’s neural and functional processing evolves as a function of their environment. By studying evolutionary psychology, you will gain knowledge of the origins of behaviour that challenges traditional assumptions about humans, their minds, and their collective interaction. The module will empower your critical evaluation of personal, social and cultural issues in your future employment and everyday life.

Module code: PSY3146

Credits: 20

Assessment

100% Coursework

Forensic Psychology: Eyewitnesses and Suspects examines the expanding field of forensic psychology. The aim is to help you understand human behaviour and its underlying thoughts, feelings and motivations, with particular reference to criminal behaviour. You will develop the expertise to assess evidence about human behaviour and garner a wide range of skills in relation to forensic investigation. You will be introduced to some of the skills that forensic psychologists use when investigating eyewitness reports and offenders and consider related theories and associated research evidence.

Module code: PSY3139

Credits: 20

Assessment

60% Coursework

40% Exam

Learning to Thrive pulls together all the key aspects of multiple psychological approaches in pursuit of life opportunities. The module takes a 360 degree approach, including both blockers and enablers for personal development, from foundations in neuroplasticity to applications in positive psychology, with the aim of helping you to acquire the necessary self knowledge, psychological knowledge, and experiential learning required to thrive in the 21st century. Key topics include positive psychology, goal setting, understanding stress, 21st century skills, and self-actualisation. A further distinctive component of the module is the opportunity to undertake the first stage of the Zing Performance neurodevelopmental programme which will be provided free of charge. Students who complete further Zing Performance activities may be eligible for accreditation for personal neurodevelopment with Zing.

Module code: PSY3147

Credits: 20

Assessment

75% Coursework

25% Practical

Psychology in the Courtroom specialises in the area of ‘applied’ forensic psychology and examines psychological underpinnings and experiences associated with a range of factors that influence decision-making in the courtroom. These include jury decision-making, expert witness testimony, witness credibility, defendant appearance and cross-examination techniques. Across the module, there will be particular focus on how psychological theory and research has aided our understanding of real-world issues in an applied context.

Module code: PSY3140

Credits: 20

Assessment

60% Coursework

40% Exam

Student Motivation and Engagement examines how psycho-educational factors can influence, and are in turn influenced by, learning and achievement. During the module you will explore how these are relevant to contemporary educational psychology in areas including competence belief, academic motivation, academic emotions and the fear of failure. You will discover how these factors have their roots in social psychology and are underpinned by a common socio-cognitive framework. You’ll also learn how these can by utilised by educational practitioners, teachers, school counsellors, educational psychologists and education managers. The module may be of particular interest if you are particularly interested in educational psychology or aim to work in the field of education.

Module code: EDP3106

Credits: 20

Assessment

50% Practical

50% Time Limited Assessment

How you'll study

Our teaching methods vary from traditional style lectures to tutorials, seminars and workshops. There are well-equipped laboratory facilities consisting of IT rooms and research cubicles for conducting experiments. We have a wide range of IT facilities, including experiment generation and statistical packages.

Typical time commitment for scheduled sessions is approximately 2.5 days per week, with the remainder of the time dedicated for self-directed study.

How you'll be assessed

Understanding how theory and research relates to psychology in the real world will be an important part of your first year on our BSc (Hons) Psychology degree, most modules are assessed by a mixture of examination and coursework though some are assessed solely by coursework. Coursework assignments might be essays, research project reports, portfolios, group presentations, posters, or the critical analysis of research papers. In addition, in Year 3 you complete a dissertation.

Who will be teaching you

Understanding how theory and research relates to psychology in the real world will be an important part of your first year on our BSc (Hons) Psychology degree. Particularly in the areas of thinking and reasoning, educational psychology, work psychology, psychological aspects of substance abuse, health psychology, close relationships and the functioning of working memory.

Team members have been published in major national and international peer reviewed journals such as the British Journal of Psychology, Counselling Psychology Quarterly, The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology and The Journal of Experimental Child Psychology.

The Department of Psychology operates a research internship scheme where you may have the opportunity to volunteer to assist with staff research across a range of exciting projects. Previous projects have focused on subjects including eye movements and memory, alcohol and inhibition, autistic traits, attentional bias to pictures and words, personality and offending behaviour, behaviour change and food awareness, multiple perspective taking, the neural underpinnings of action simulation, and the question of whether emojis reveal true emotions.

Timetables for your first week are normally available at the end of August prior to enrolment in September. You can expect to receive your timetable for the rest of the academic year during your first week. Please note that while we make every effort to ensure that timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week. Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities.

Where your course includes optional modules, these are to provide an element of choice within the course curriculum. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by timetabling requirements. Some restrictions on optional module choice or combinations of optional modules may apply.

Entry criteria

Entry requirements (2025 / 2026)

Typical offer 120-128 UCAS Tariff points, for which no specific subjects are required, plus GCSE English and GCSE Mathematics at Grade C or Grade 4 or above (or equivalent).

Please note, for the purposes of studying psychology, level 2 literacy and numeracy qualifications are not considered as equivalent to GCSE Grade C or Grade 4 in English Language and Mathematics.

Example offers

Qualification	Requirement
A Level	BBB-ABB.
BTEC Extended Diploma (or combination of BTEC QCF qualifications)	Distinction, Distinction, Merit (DDM).
T Level	Overall grade of Merit.
International Baccalaureate (IB)	We are happy to accept IB qualifications which achieve the required number of UCAS Tariff points.
Access to Higher Education Diploma	45 credits at Level 3, for example 24 credits at Distinction and 21 credits at Merit or 30 credits at Distinction and 15 credits at Merit. The required total can be attained from various credit combinations.

Please note, the above examples may differ from actual offers made. A combination of A Level and BTEC awards may also be accepted.

If you have a minimum of two A Levels (or equivalent), there is no maximum number of qualifications that we will accept UCAS points from. This includes additional qualifications such as Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), AS Levels that haven't been continued to A Level, and General Studies AS or A Level awards.

English language requirements

International students require IELTS 6.0, with a score no lower than 5.5 in each individual component, or an equivalent English language qualification.

If your current level of English is half a band, one band, or one-and-a-half bands lower, either overall or in one or two elements, you may want to consider our Pre-Sessional English course.

Fair Entry Criteria

Our new Fair Entry Criteria is a Contextual Admissions Policy that takes an applicant’s personal and educational background into account. This policy will allow eligible applicants to receive up to a two-grade reduction in their entry requirements for this course. Find out more and see if you qualify.

How to apply

Apply online through UCAS

Read our guide to applying through UCAS to find out more about the application process.

Apply as an international student

Please see our international student pages for further information about how to apply as a prospective international student.

Apply for September 2025 Part-Time

Should you accept an offer of a place to study with us and formally enrol as a student, you will be subject to the provisions of the regulations, rules, codes, conditions and policies which apply to our students. These are available at www.edgehill.ac.uk/studentterms.

Facilities

The £6m Law and Psychology building provides contemporary teaching and learning facilities for students in the Department of Psychology.

The three-storey building includes a 250-seat lecture theatre, seminar and tutorial rooms, and social learning areas which encourage a more informal and interactive style of learning. There are also specially designed experimental facilities for psychological research.

Psychology resources include state-of-the-art eye trackers, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) methods, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) for examining cognitive functioning and brain activity. Other specialist laboratories include a group testing laboratory, a ‘bar simulation laboratory’ (for alcohol research), health psychology suite, coaching clinic, audio-visual suites and dedicated IT facilities equipped with subject specific software installed to support experimental work.

Where you'll study

Finance

Tuition fees

£9,535

a year

£79 per credit

for 360 credits

£17,000

a year

The University may administer a small inflationary rise in tuition fees, in line with Government policy, in subsequent academic years as you progress through the course.

EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, as well as Irish nationals, may be eligible for the UK tuition fee rate.

Financial support

Subject to eligibility, UK students joining this course can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan from the Government to cover the full cost of tuition fees. UK students enrolling on the course may also be eligible to apply for additional funding to help with living costs.

Scholarships

We offer a range of scholarships, which celebrate the determination, commitment and achievement of our students. Many of our scholarships are awarded automatically. There are some however, where you will need to be involved in an application or nomination process. To find out more about our scholarships and check your eligibility, please visit our dedicated scholarships pages.

Money Matters

Please view the relevant Money Matters guide for comprehensive information about the financial support available to eligible UK students.

Money Matters

EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme may be eligible to apply for financial support. Irish nationals can ordinarily apply to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). If you are an EU student who does not have settled or pre-settled status, or are an international student from a non-EU country, please see our international student finance pages.

Your future career

Psychology opens up a range of career paths, so there is no typical next step for graduates. Many work in healthcare, but our graduates work across a range of sectors, including education and sport. Their job titles include everything from psychiatric support worker to wellbeing worker.

Because your BSc (Hons) Psychology degree is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), you’ll be eligible for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC), provided the minimum standard of a lower second class honours is achieved. This is the first step towards becoming a chartered psychologist.

However, you might decide to kickstart your career as soon you graduate. Many psychology graduates apply their skills to rewarding roles in:

the NHS
private healthcare providers
public health providers
local authorities
HM Prison and Probation Services
civil service
schools, universities and colleges
social care providers

It’s important to note that if you want to train as a psychologist, you’ll need to undertake postgraduate education. This undergraduate degree is the perfect first step to becoming a chartered psychologist.

Course changes

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information, however our courses are subject to ongoing review and development. Changing circumstances may necessitate alteration to, or the cancellation of, courses.

Changes may be necessary to comply with the requirements of professional bodies, revisions to subject benchmarks statements, to keep courses updated and contemporary, or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make variations if we consider such action to be necessary or in the best interests of students.

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Psychology

Psychology BSc (Hons)