BSc (Hons) Psychology BPS

Course Code

AU003

Study this fascinating subject and achieve your BSc (Hons) Psychology degree from home at your own pace.

Study online and achieve your BSc (Hons) Psychology degree from anywhere in the world.
Accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), allowing you access to the UK’s leading national resource in psychology, the British Psychological Society Library.
Flexible entry requirements – previous work experience, degrees, qualifications, and studies will be considered when you apply for the degree.
Various funding options available, including student finance from the Student Loans Company (SLC).

Speak to an adviser

Find out more about this degree, our payment options and how to apply by clicking on the ‘enquire’ button below and completing the form. One of our friendly course advisers will be in touch shortly.

Understand why people behave the way they do and how their minds work with this BSc (Hons) Psychology degree which is accredited by the BPS.

With this online psychology degree, you’ll study a multitude of topic areas including developmental, social, biological, and cognitive psychology, as well as personality and intelligence; cross-cultural psychology; occupational psychology; and mental health and illness.

During your studies you’ll gain a broad knowledge of subject areas from the world of psychology while developing valuable skills that will benefit a variety of relevant careers such as comprehending and using data; problem solving and reasoning; communicating effectively; and project management and report writing skills.

Once you have successfully completed your psychology degree, you could go into a career as a counsellor, life coach, detective, psychotherapist, or support worker to name a few potential career options.

Course Duration

You will have three to nine years to complete this online psychology degree.

Course Outcome

Once you have successfully completed all three levels of your BSc (Hons) Psychology degree, you will be awarded your degree certificate.

An introduction to both the study of psychology and university learning.
Overview of some major topics in psychology.
How to get the most out of your online learning materials and interactive exercises.

Developmental psychology: changes in humans over their lifespan.
Theories in developmental psychology including language acquisition, personality, ideas about self and forming an identity.
Social psychology: people’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviours and how they are influenced.

Biological processes and cognitive principles you need to understand psychology, including the basic structure and functions of the nervous system.
Importance of cognitive systems in the way humans see, listen, and learn new skills.
Explore perception, attention, learning, memory, and decision making.
Introduction to the way cognitive psychologists explore human mental processes.

Building blocks of good research design.
Introduction to the basic tools of experimental methodology.
Designing simple studies using both qualitative and quantitative methods and reporting on them using a standard professional format.

How to present psychological data in a professional report.
Looking critically at published results of psychological research.
Reporting on your own research and evaluating that of others.
Key concepts such as descriptive and inferential statistics.
Using statistics packages such as SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences).

Important studies in the history of psychology: the different ways the mind can be investigated and the way the discipline has evolved.
The context in which the studies were developed and their impacts on different branches of psychology.

Psychoanalytic, behavioural, cultural, social, humanistic, trait-based, and biological approaches to personality.
Psychological testing.
Historical and contemporary approaches to intelligence and the implications for education and society.
The roles of genes and environment.
Widely used psychometric tests covering personality and intelligence.

Explore different schools of thought on how we might study individuals within groups.
How certain social groups, with their identities and beliefs, influence the way people think and behave in different situations.
Examine communication, cohesion, decision making, leadership, and conflict within groups, comparing and contrasting the work of leading writers.

Understanding the influence of biology on behaviour and experience.
General sensory processing through language and consciousness.
The extent to which biology is needed to explain human behaviour.
Investigate neuroplasticity: how the brain adapts to changes by creating new neural pathways.

Develop your understanding of processes including remembering, communicating, and thinking.
Explore short and long-term memory.
Language theories involving speech and reading, including bilingualism.
Consider how individuals think and make decisions.

Explore a number of statistical analyses and the underlying principles, including hypothesis generation, step-by-step calculations, analysis and interpretation and reporting.
How to design and run your own experiment, including thinking about ethics, analysing data, interpreting your results, and writing a report in a professional format.

Develop techniques such as observation, interviews, and focus groups.
Drawing out the findings through analysis.
Designing and conducting an interview, complete with ethical considerations, transcribing the interview, and analysing and interpreting it.

Look at the important theories and debates around the development of self, gender identity and early social interaction.
Cognitive development and how early childhood experiences can affect later development.
A holistic look at the theories, linking the latest thinking about how all the different aspects of development relate to each other, including biological, cognitive, language, social and contextual elements.

Similarities and differences between cultures, and how these kinds of studies are done.
Exercise your critical and analytical skills to develop practical solutions to problems by taking a case study approach.

Discover the latest thinking about personality and motivation, leadership and teamwork, and organisational development and change.
Consider how technology, the economy, and social and political changes impact organisations, and the groups and individuals who work in them.

The complex nature, causes and treatment of mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, personality disorders, and eating disorders.
Different proposed explanations of mental illness and how these would impact on diagnosis and treatment.
Understand the different factors that affect mental health, evaluate mental health policy and practice, and techniques such as mindfulness training.

Demonstrate what you have learnt by completing your own research project.
Choose your own topic to study in-depth and put into practice the skills this course has developed.

Applications for this degree will be considered on a case-by-case basis. We will take into account your work experience and previously gained qualifications or degrees when we discuss your application.

Eligibility

The standard entry requirements for this BSc (Hons) Psychology degree are two subjects at A Level or equivalent, as well as passes at grade 4/C or above in three subjects at GCSE level, including maths or equivalent.

Non-native English speaker applications

We will consider alternative qualifications to evidence the maths component as this qualification includes research methods involving statistics. If English is not your first language, we ask that you hold an IELTS 6.0 (no less than 5.5 in any element), or TOEFL iBT 80, or equivalent. We also offer an internal English test for applicants.

We will also ask for a personal statement that demonstrates your ability to study this degree, and we may also request references and evidence of relevant experiences.

Your course fees will be £6935 per level.

Ways to pay for your online degree

Student Loans (UK students)

Many students enrolling on an online degree choose to pay for their course with a student loan from the Student Loans Company (SLC). Loans are typically paid in two instalments during each academic year directly to your university to cover your tuition fees.

You may be eligible for student finance if your course is based in the UK, and it is your first degree.

For more information on the amount you can borrow and to check your eligibility for a student loan click here.

Once you have completed your course, you will start paying back your student loan when your income rises about the threshold which is currently £27,295 a year before tax.

Additional support is also available in the form of the Special Support Grant, which is for students receiving certain benefits, are a lone parent, or have certain disabilities. Students with children or adult dependents can also apply for:

Childcare grant to cover the cost of childcare while you study.
Parent’s learning allowance.
Adult dependant’s grant.

Complete the form at the top of this page to speak to an adviser and get more information about this payment option.

Pay in full

If you have the funds available, you can choose to pay for your course in one go. Alternatively, you can pay for a level in full through a fixed payment plan.

If you choose this method you can pay via credit or debit card (Visa, Mastercard, or Maestro) or by bank transfer.

Pay by instalments

You can choose to pay for your degree through a one-year payment plan for each level of study. This can be confirmed when you speak to a member of the team and a payment plan can be agreed separately with you. Please note, a holding fee will be deducted from the fees payable, and your remaining fees will form the basis of your payment plan.

After each level, you will need to confirm prior to the start of the next level whether you will be paying in full or continuing to pay via instalments for the following year.

This psychology degree is available to study fully online, giving you total flexibility over your learning. You can enrol and study from anywhere in the world at your own pace, without needing to attend any classes. This method of learning allows you to achieve your degree from home, fitting your studies around your work and family commitments while allowing you to achieve your goals.

You’ll need access to a laptop, computer, or mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet and have access to the internet in order to access your learning materials and study this course.

You will have access to our online learning platform which includes virtual classrooms and lectures, as well as an online library which is free to access throughout your studies, giving you access to half a million books and journals.

Our online learning platform is also integrated with Zoom, allowing you to speak to your tutor during seminar sessions and access their valuable support and guidance. Your tutor will provide you with regular feedback, and you will also have the chance to connect with other like-minded students via our message and community boards to discuss the topics you’re currently studying.

You will be assessed using a variety of assessment methods to allow you to demonstrate your strengths. You will be assessed using the following methods to allow us to track your progress:

Written assignments and essays
Presentations
Case studies
Portfolios of work
Exams

This degree is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS). The BPS are a representative body for psychology and psychologists in the UK and are responsible for the development, promotion, and application of psychology for the public good.

The accreditation means that students who obtain at least a lower second-class honours degree (2:2) will be eligible for the society’s Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership, which is a pre-requisite requirement for progressing to further training as a professional psychologist following your graduation.

While studying this BPS accredited course, the cost of your student membership with the BPS will be covered by us, giving you access to a large range of resources, including the British Psychological Society Library which is the UK’s leading national resource for psychology.

Studying the topics covered in this online psychology degree will allow you to master a range of different skills, including:

Learning how to communicate effectively.
How to comprehend and use data effectively.
Retrieving and organising information effectively.
Handling primary course material in a critical manner.
Problem solving and reasoning scientifically.
Making critical judgments and evaluations.
Being sensitive to interpersonal factors.
Using effective personal planning and project management skills.
How to write coherent and logical reports.
Understanding statistical forms of evidence.

Once you have successfully completed your BSc (Hons) Psychology degree, you will have a range of knowledge and skills that are critical in several industries, including an advanced understanding of human behaviour. Relevant career options for graduates of this degree include:

Counsellor
Life coach
Psychotherapist
Support worker
Detective
Lecturer
Researcher

Alternatively, if you wish to continue working towards becoming a registered Practitioner Psychologist you can apply for MSc accredited courses in Psychology-specific disciplines.