Psychology

The BA Psychology at the University of Essex offers students an in-depth exploration of human behavior, mental processes, and the scientific foundations of psychology. Designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of diverse psychological theories, research methods, and practical applications, this programme equips students with critical thinking, analytical skills, and a solid foundation for careers in psychology and related fields. Throughout the course, students engage with core areas such as developmental psychology, social psychology, cognitive psychology, biological psychology, and clinical psychology, gaining insights into how individuals think, feel, and behave across different contexts and stages of life. The programme also emphasizes research skills, enabling students to design, conduct, and analyze psychological studies using quantitative and qualitative methods. Students benefit from access to state-of-the-art facilities and laboratories, allowing practical experience in psychological testing, data collection, and analysis. The curriculum combines lectures, seminars, workshops, and independent study, fostering an engaging learning environment. Additionally, the programme offers opportunities for placements and internships, providing real-world experience and enhancing employability. Graduates of this programme are well-prepared for various career paths, including clinical psychology, counselling, education, human resources, marketing, research, and further postgraduate studies in psychology or related disciplines. The University of Essex has a dedicated faculty of experienced psychologists and researchers who are committed to supporting students through personalized guidance and mentorship. With its strong emphasis on research-led teaching, the programme ensures students are up-to-date with the latest developments and scientific advancements in the field. By choosing the BA Psychology at Essex, students embark on a journey to understand the complexities of the human mind and behavior, gaining the skills needed to make a meaningful impact in society or continue their academic pursuits.

Detailed Course Facts

• GBP 9000 Year (EEA)
• GBP 11950 Year (Non-EEA)

• English

Course Content

The special characteristics of our courses are flexibility and choice. In your first year, you usually take four or five modules that include pre-requisite(s) for your course but, in many cases, mean you can try subjects you have not come across before. If you are taking a humanities or social science, then you have the greatest choice, as most of our first-year modules do not assume any specialist knowledge.
With a small number of exceptions, if you successfully complete the first year of your BA, then you are qualified to enter the second year of that course and a range of other courses: for example, if you take economics, politics, philosophy and sociology, then you have a choice of at least nine possible single or joint honours courses at the end of your first year. This means you can change your course, providing you have taken the appropriate pre-requisites and places are available. We offer a range of optional modules in your second- and final-years and most courses allow you to undertake a final-year project, an individual piece of research on a topic that interests you.
We operate a credit framework for our awards, which is based on principles widely used across the UK university sector. Each module has a credit rating attached and our standard three-year course consists of 360 credits (120 credits in your first year, and 240 credits across your second and final years).
Please note that module information on our course finder provides a guide to course content and may be subject to review on an annual basis.

Year 1

Discovering Psychology;
Research Methods in Psychology;
Statistics for Psychologists; and
one outside option (which includes options in politics, sociology, philosophy and linguistics)

Year 2

Psychology Research;
Brain and Behaviour;
Cognitive Psychology I;
Cognitive Psychology II;
Developmental Psychology;
Social Psychology; and
Personality and Individual Differences

Year 3

Research project; and
six psychology options (with the possibility of taking up to two outside options from another department)

English Language Requirements

IELTS band : 6

To study at this university, you have to speak English. We advice you to

Requirements

A-levels: AAB-ABB
GCSE Mathematics: C
GCSE English: C
IB: 33-32 points, including Standard Mathematics grade 4, if not taken at Higher Level (We consider IB certificates at the Higher Level on a case-by-case basis).
Achievement of the Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 6 level three credits at distinction and the remainder at merit (or above).
English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English: IELTS 6.0 overall with minimum 5.5 in each component (or equivalent). Different requirements apply for second year entry.

Work Experience

No work experience is required.

Related Scholarships*

• Academic Excellence Scholarship

  "The Academic Excellence Scholarship can provide up to a 50 % reduction in tuition per semester. These scholarships will be renewed if the student maintains superior academic performance during each semester of their 3-year Bachelor programme. The scholarship will be directly applied to the student’s tuition fees."

• Access Bursary

  Bursary for UK students all subjects where the variable tuition fee rate is payable.

• Alumni Bursary

  Alumni Bursary for UK Undergraduate students

* The scholarships shown on this page are suggestions first and foremost. They could be offered by other organisations than University of Essex.

Funding

For up-to-date information on funding opportunities at Essex, please visit: www.essex.ac.uk/studentfinance.

Accreditation

Our BA Psychology is fully accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS). This is required for graduate psychology courses and allows you to obtain graduate membership of the BPS. We cover core areas in psychology, including: developmental psychology; intelligence; language; memory; perception; social psychology; health psychology; and research methods and statistics.