Psychology

BSc Hons

  • UCAS code C800
  • Entry year 2024 or 2025
  • A level requirements AAB
  • Duration Full time 3 years

This course has Clearing vacancies for 2024

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Overview

Psychology is the scientific study of how humans think and behave. Studying this programme will develop your ability to understand and support people, preparing you for a wide range of rewarding careers.

This degree is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) which is essential if you wish to pursue a career in professional psychology in the UK, and follows the main themes of modern psychology:

  • Brain and Behaviour: how neural disorders such as Alzheimer’s Disease affect behaviour
  • Cognitive Psychology: our reactions to colours, smells, speech and music
  • Developmental Psychology: the ways in which infants perceive space, patterns, objects and events
  • Social Psychology: how our thoughts, emotions and behaviours are shaped by the presence of others

You will learn from passionate academics, all of whom are active researchers and world leaders in their field, which allows you to benefit from their insight, expertise and cutting-edge research.

In the first year, you will gain an in depth overview of the main study themes through our Understanding Psychology module. You will explore the theories underpinning these areas, learn to evaluate scientific journals, and develop your ability to construct formal arguments. Running parallel to this, you will also undertake the Investigating Psychology module, which will equip you with important practical skills for conducting research in psychology, such as data analysis and report writing.

As well as these core modules, you will also take a minor subject, which can be another science, or a subject that is selected from a different part of the University, such as a social science or management programme. This gives you the chance to explore another discipline that interests you and experience another part of the University. Sociology, criminology and philosophy are just some of the more popular minor choices among our students.

During the second year of your degree, you revisit the key themes covered in Year 1 in greater detail. You will study a specialist module for each of the key strands; deepening your understanding and testing your knowledge.

In addition to these themes, Research Methods and Statistics modules will be covered this year. These will expand your knowledge of research methods, develop key skills and enable you to gain a detailed understanding of analysis and reporting.

Third year provides you with the freedom to choose from a range of topical modules, as well as carrying out your own research project under the supervision of an experienced researcher. This will allow you to shape your study to suit your own interests and career aspirations.

The optional modules available change to reflect the latest developments in psychology research and those listed are indicative content.

Structured Work Experience

Alongside your academic study, you will have the opportunity to gain voluntary work experience through our Psychology Employability Programme, allowing you to develop invaluable skills for either a career in psychology or a graduate programme. You can choose between working part-time in the community with charities and organisations that support vulnerable people, or working alongside staff in the Psychology Department on their ground breaking research projects. Crucially, every placement will provide you with experience and skills that are valuable to both psychology careers and more general graduate level occupations, strengthening your CV and enhancing your employability for life after graduation.

Voluntary work can be an enlightening and rewarding experience, enabling you to make a difference to the lives of others, while having the opportunity to try something new, which may lead you to change or confirm your career plans and is recommended by the British Psychological Society.

Study Abroad option

Broaden your horizons with our four-year Psychology (Study Abroad) BSc Hons programme. You will spend the third year of your degree undertaking modules at one of our international partnering universities, allowing you to gain experience of a different culture and society before returning to Lancaster for your fourth year to complete your degree.

Careers

Understanding how the human mind works, our motivations, and behaviours is a strong foundation for a range of careers. Psychologists work in many sectors, such as the NHS, advertising, local government, police forces, social services, the commercial sector, and academia. Careers are varied and interesting, and you’ll find opportunities that might not seem obvious to you. The skills you gain in reasoning, problem solving, data handling, report writing and project management will also give you an advantage in non-psychology roles, such as human resources, marketing, journalism, management and careers advice. All of this makes you a very competitive prospect – with an equally competitive median starting salary of £22,750 (HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey 2023) for graduates of our programmes.

Here are just some of the roles that our Psychology students have progressed into upon graduating:

  • Researcher – Directory of Social Change
  • Psychology Content Writer – Love Intelligence Coaching
  • Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner - IESO
  • Assistant General Manager – NHS
  • Programme Coordinator – Alzheimer’s Disease Association
  • Clinical Support Worker – NHS
  • Customer Success and Creative Associate – ProofPoint
  • Support Worker – MacIntryre
  • Senior Research Executive – Mustard Research
  • Detective – Lancashire Constabulary
  • Trainee Educational and Mental Health Practitioner – Barnardo’s Children’s Charity

Lancaster University is dedicated to ensuring you not only gain a highly reputable degree, you also graduate with the relevant life and work based skills. We are unique in that every student is eligible to participate in The Lancaster Award which offers you the opportunity to complete key activities such as work experience, employability/career development, campus community and social development. Visit our Employability section for full details.

Entry requirements

Grade Requirements

A Level AAB

GCSE Mathematics grade B or 6 (Applicants with a GCSE Maths C or 5 considered on a case-by-case basis)

IELTS 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each component. For other English language qualifications we accept, please see our English language requirements webpages.

Other Qualifications

International Baccalaureate 35 points overall with 16 points from the best 3 Higher Level subjects

BTEC Distinction, Distinction, Distinction

We welcome applications from students with a range of alternative UK and international qualifications, including combinations of qualification. Further guidance on admission to the University, including other qualifications that we accept, frequently asked questions and information on applying, can be found on our general admissions webpages.

Contact Admissions Team + 44 (0) 1524 592028 or via ugadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk

Course structure

Lancaster University offers a range of programmes, some of which follow a structured study programme, and some which offer the chance for you to devise a more flexible programme to complement your main specialism.

Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, and the University will make every reasonable effort to offer modules as advertised. In some cases changes may be necessary and may result in some combinations being unavailable, for example as a result of student feedback, timetabling, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes and new research. Not all optional modules are available every year.

Core

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Optional

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Fees and funding

Our annual tuition fee is set for a 12-month session, starting in the October of your year of study.

Our Undergraduate Tuition Fees for 2024/25 are:

Home International
£9,250 £28,675

Fees and funding information

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Scholarships and bursaries

You will be automatically considered for our main scholarships and bursaries when you apply, so there's nothing extra that you need to do.

You may be eligible for the following funding opportunities, depending on your fee status:

Unfortunately no scholarships and bursaries match your selection, but there are more listed on scholarships and bursaries page.

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We also have other, more specialised scholarships and bursaries - such as those for students from specific countries.

Browse Lancaster University's scholarships and bursaries.

Important information

The information on this site relates primarily to 2025/2026 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information.

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We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. View our Charter and other policies.

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