Psychology

Psychology encompasses human and animal behaviour, its biological basis in evolution, the nervous system and cognition, and the study of social factors which affect the behaviour of individuals and of groups. It is grounded in systematic empirical research as well as in theory; it therefore includes training in methods of research, which in turn demands some understanding of, and some skill in, statistics and computing. Finally, it requires the ability to write clearly and present theoretical arguments and research results in a cogent manner. A good psychology graduate is both numerate and literate; he/she has a grasp of the scientific as well as of the human. These are intellectual and practical skills which are potentially relevant to a wide range of occupations in our complex technological society. 

We believe that all students should be exposed to as wide a coverage of the field of psychology as possible but that they should also have the opportunity for some relative specialisation within it. Consequently, the first two years span the field. The third (final) year offers each student considerable choice of topics for study, according to his or her main interests and ultimate aims. We believe that the initially broad coverage is essential for informed and rational decisions about specialisation in the third year and for the future

The first two years of your degree comprise common modules taken by all psychology students, providing you with a broad-based knowledge of psychology. These cover some fundamental topics in psychology, ranging from memory and decision, language, clinical and social psychology through to essential skills in statistics, research and experimental methods.

In the first year, six half-course units are taken in psychology, allowing you to choose an additional course unit from another subject(s) - arts or sciences - taught within UCL. In the second year, seven half-course units will be psychology-based with the remaining 0.5 units being drawn from elsewhere. In your final year, all modules are taken in psychology. Your final module comprises a compulsory research project on a subject of your choice. Your project will be supervised by a staff member and will be an empirical, usually experimental, piece of research utilising the skills you have learned previously.

A levels

Grades: A*AA-AAA

Subjects: To include at least one, preferably two subjects from: Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Psychology.

GCSEs: English Language, Mathematics and two Sciences (double award acceptable) at grade B. For UK-based students, a grade C or equivalent in a foreign language (other than Ancient Greek, Biblical Hebrew or Latin) is required. UCL provides opportunities to meet the foreign language requirement following enrolment, further details at: www.ucl.ac.uk/ug-reqs

IB Diploma

Points: 38-39

Subjects: A score of 18-19 points in three higher level subjects to include grade 6 in at least one, preferably two subjects from Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Psychology, with no score lower than 5.

Various funding options are available, including student loans, scholarships and bursaries.

Number of scholarships: 2

• IOE Erasmus Bursary
• IOE Vietnam International Education Development Scholarships - UG

Degree benefits

• The first two years of the programme span the field of psychology, while the final year offers considerable choice of topics for study, according to your main interests and aims.
• The UCL Division of Psychology & Language Sciences is one of the largest centres of psychology teaching and research in the UK, whose cutting-edge research is internationally recognised.
• The programme is accredited and audited by the British Psychological Society (BPS). Graduates are eligible to become members of the BPS, the starting point for a career in psychology.
• Excellent resources include our up-to-date web-based system, which makes all teaching materials (including course outlines, lecture presentation slides, handouts) available to registered students.