BSc Psychology

Our BPS-accredited BSc Psychology degree is a flexible course consisting of compulsory and optional units both within and outside of psychology, preparing you to work in a wide range of professions and sectors.

You will study four diverse themes that represent the modern discipline of psychology: mind and brain, evolution and development, adaptability and wellbeing, and psychology in society.

You can gain valuable experience through our work placement schemes, with opportunities to undertake a 30-hour placement in Year 2 or a year-long placement in Year 3. Read a  blog post from one of our placement year students  to find out more.

We also offer opportunities to study abroad at one of our partner institutions, depending on academic performance.

Our graduates are highly employable and can take their understanding of human behaviour into any workplace.

Work placement options

You will have the opportunity to gain practical work-based experience through either a 30-hour integrated placement during Year 2 or a full-time, year-long placement at the end of Year 2, subject to meeting our progression criteria.

Placements take place at carefully chosen partners including the NHS, local schools, colleges, voluntary organisations and businesses. We have substantial experience in setting up these placements, and you will be able to add relevant work experience to your CV and try out life in your chosen career.

Read a blog post from one of our placement year students to find out more.

Study abroad option

You will have the opportunity to experience life in another country through our study abroad scheme, where you can spend a year overseas at one of our partner institutions, subjec to meeting our progression criteria. These institutions have previously included Queens University (Canada), University of Sydney (Australia), University of California (USA) and Complutense University of Madrid (Spain).

Dedicated careers units

Designed with the aid of the careers service and in collaboration with our current students, employability-focused units in Years 1 and 2 will ensure that you have the skills and knowledge you need to realise your career goals.

Building on basic skills in the first year, Year 2 students can choose between two units (with or without work placement), both designed to enhance student employability by equipping you with skills such as teamwork, communication and leadership, and supporting you in developing a graduate-level CV and interview skills.

See the Careers tab for more information about how we help students to prepare for the workplace.

Lectures, interactive and practical classes

You will hear about the latest developments in psychological theory, research and practice from leading psychological scientists and clinicians in your lectures.

Lectures are supported by smaller group teaching sessions, enabling you to actively engage with the course materials and the concepts introduced in lectures.

You will gain hands-on experience of statistical analyses through practical classes in Years 1 and 2.

Learning through research

In addition to training in quantitative and qualitative research methods and statistics, you will attend empirical work classes, embedded into core units throughout Years 1 and 2.

You will learn how to accumulate knowledge via research while developing critical evaluation skills and designing, conducting and evaluating research studies.

From your first semester, you will learn how to collect, organise, describe and analyse data and present your findings in a variety of formats to different audiences.

In the final year, you will draw on this research training to undertake your own independent research project, supervised by an academic with expertise in that field of psychology.

Personalised learning support

You will be allocated the same Academic Advisor in Years 1 and 2, so that you can build a meaningful relationship with them and they can be best placed to support you and your learning. In Year 3, your Academic Advisor will be an academic who will also be supporting you with your final year empirical project. You will regularly meet your advisor to reflect on your academic and personal development, discuss future goals and agree action plans.

Additional learning support

You will have the opportunity to attend drop-in clinics, led by teaching staff and peer mentors, to support your academic writing and learning.

Assessments range from 48-hour short release examinations to coursework essays, posters, presentations, laboratory reports and the final year project report.

Our broad assessment strategy is to give roughly equal weight to written examinations and to other forms of coursework. In Year 3, this may depend on which optional units you choose to take.

Find out more about what it's like to study at Manchester on the  Biology, Medicine and Health Student Blog . 

Read posts such as:

• Making a difference to young lives: My placement year with City Year
• Getting involved with psychology research from Year 1
• Psychology alumni who work in mental health