Psychological Studies

Modules and Teaching

• Starting in October 2026

  • Three years full-time, on campus

    Course structure

    You must complete modules worth a total of 360 credits.

    • Year 1: eight compulsory modules and one Level 4 option module
    • Year 2: at least six Level 5 option modules and up to two non-psychology option modules
    • Year 3: six Level 6 option modules and a dissertation

    You may apply to transfer to the BSc Psychology at the end of your first year, subject to:

    • selecting the module Research Methods in Practice, and
    • attaining a minimum of 50% in all modules in Year 1.

    Compulsory modules

    • Psychology Study Skills
    • Theoretical and Conceptual Foundations of Psychology
    • Understanding Applied Cognitive Psychology
    • Understanding Applied Social Psychology
    • Understanding Developmental Psychology
    • Understanding Individual Differences
    • Understanding Neuroscience
    • Understanding Research Methods for Psychology

    Option modules - Level 4

    • Critical Approaches to Positive Psychology
    • Diversity and Communication
    • Research Methods in Practice
    • Understanding Psychological Disorders

    Option modules - Level 5

    • Cognition
    • Developmental Psychology
    • Individual Differences
    • Neuroscience
    • Perception and Attention
    • Psychological and Developmental Issues in Childhood and Adolescence
    • Psychology for Personal and Professional Development
    • Quantitative Research Methods
    • Social Perspectives on Development
    • Social Psychology

    Option modules - Level 5 (non-psychology)

    • Micro-placement
    • Organizational Behaviour
    • Organizational Change
    • Your Career Development

    Option modules - Level 6

    • Attachment Theory: Introduction and Critique
    • Brain and Cognitive Development
    • Careers and Counselling at Work
    • Clinical and Counselling Psychology
    • Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience
    • Family Studies
    • Health Psychology
    • Neurodiversity
    • Neuropsychology
    • Psychology for Education
    • Psychology in Public Policy

    BA Pschological Studies dissertation

    • Theoretical Dissertation

  • Four years part-time, on campus

    Course structure

    You must complete modules worth a total of 360 credits.

    • Year 1: six compulsory modules and one Level 4 option module
    • Year 2: two compulsory modules, four Level 5 option modules and one non-psychology option module
    • Year 3: four Level 5 option modules, one non-psychology option module and two Level 6 option modules
    • Year 4: four Level 6 option modules and a dissertation

    You may apply to transfer to the BSc Psychology at the end of your first year, subject to:

    • selecting the module Research Methods in Practice, and
    • attaining a minimum of 50% in all modules in Year 1.

    Year 1 compulsory modules

    • Psychology Study Skills
    • Theoretical and Conceptual Foundations of Psychology
    • Understanding Applied Social Psychology
    • Understanding Individual Differences
    • Understanding Neuroscience
    • Understanding Research Methods for Psychology

    Year 2 compulsory modules

    • Understanding Applied Cognitive Psychology
    • Understanding Developmental Psychology

    Year 1 option modules - Level 4

    • Critical Approaches to Positive Psychology
    • Diversity and Communication
    • Research Methods in Practice
    • Understanding Psychological Disorders

    Year 2 option modules - Level 5

    • Cognition
    • Developmental Psychology
    • Individual Differences
    • Neuroscience
    • Perception and Attention
    • Quantitative Research Methods
    • Social Perspectives on Development
    • Social Psychology

    Year 3 option modules - Level 5

    • Cognition
    • Developmental Psychology
    • Individual Differences
    • Neuroscience
    • Perception and Attention
    • Psychological and Developmental Issues in Childhood and Adolescence
    • Psychology for Personal and Professional Development
    • Quantitative Research Methods
    • Social Perspectives on Development
    • Social Psychology

    Non-psychology option modules - Level 5

    • Micro-placement
    • Organizational Behaviour
    • Organizational Change
    • Your Career Development

    Year 3 option modules - Level 6

    • Attachment Theory: Introduction and Critique
    • Careers and Counselling at Work
    • Family Studies
    • Health Psychology
    • Neurodiversity
    • Neuropsychology
    • Psychology in Public Policy

    Year 4 option modules - Level 6

    • Attachment Theory: Introduction and Critique
    • Brain and Cognitive Development
    • Careers and Counselling at Work
    • Clinical and Counselling Psychology
    • Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience
    • Family Studies
    • Health Psychology
    • Neurodiversity
    • Neuropsychology
    • Psychology for Education
    • Psychology in Public Policy

    BA Psychological Studies dissertation

    • Theoretical Dissertation

• Starting in October 2027

  • Three years full-time, on campus

    Course structure

    You must complete modules worth a total of 360 credits.

    • Year 1: eight compulsory modules and one Level 4 option module
    • Year 2: at least six Level 5 option modules and up to two non-psychology option modules
    • Year 3: six Level 6 option modules and a dissertation

    You may apply to transfer to the BSc Psychology at the end of your first year, subject to:

    • selecting the module Research Methods in Practice, and
    • attaining a minimum of 50% in all modules in Year 1.

    Compulsory modules

    • Psychology Study Skills
    • Theoretical and Conceptual Foundations of Psychology
    • Understanding Applied Cognitive Psychology
    • Understanding Applied Social Psychology
    • Understanding Developmental Psychology
    • Understanding Individual Differences
    • Understanding Neuroscience
    • Understanding Research Methods for Psychology

    Option modules - Level 4

    • Critical Approaches to Positive Psychology
    • Diversity and Communication
    • Research Methods in Practice
    • Understanding Psychological Disorders

    Option modules - Level 5

    • Cognition
    • Developmental Psychology
    • Individual Differences
    • Neuroscience
    • Perception and Attention
    • Psychological and Developmental Issues in Childhood and Adolescence
    • Psychology for Personal and Professional Development
    • Quantitative Research Methods
    • Social Perspectives on Development
    • Social Psychology

    Option modules - Level 5 (non-psychology)

    • Micro-placement
    • Organizational Behaviour
    • Organizational Change
    • Your Career Development

    Option modules - Level 6

    • Attachment Theory: Introduction and Critique
    • Brain and Cognitive Development
    • Careers and Counselling at Work
    • Clinical and Counselling Psychology
    • Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience
    • Family Studies
    • Health Psychology
    • Neurodiversity
    • Neuropsychology
    • Psychology for Education
    • Psychology in Public Policy

    BA Pschological Studies dissertation

    • Theoretical Dissertation

  • Four years part-time, on campus

    Course structure

    You must complete modules worth a total of 360 credits.

    • Year 1: six compulsory modules and one Level 4 option module
    • Year 2: two compulsory modules, four Level 5 option modules and one non-psychology option module
    • Year 3: four Level 5 option modules, one non-psychology option module and two Level 6 option modules
    • Year 4: four Level 6 option modules and a dissertation

    You may apply to transfer to the BSc Psychology at the end of your first year, subject to:

    • selecting the module Research Methods in Practice, and
    • attaining a minimum of 50% in all modules in Year 1.

    Year 1 compulsory modules

    • Psychology Study Skills
    • Theoretical and Conceptual Foundations of Psychology
    • Understanding Applied Social Psychology
    • Understanding Individual Differences
    • Understanding Neuroscience
    • Understanding Research Methods for Psychology

    Year 2 compulsory modules

    • Understanding Applied Cognitive Psychology
    • Understanding Developmental Psychology

    Year 1 option modules - Level 4

    • Critical Approaches to Positive Psychology
    • Diversity and Communication
    • Research Methods in Practice
    • Understanding Psychological Disorders

    Year 2 option modules - Level 5

    • Cognition
    • Developmental Psychology
    • Individual Differences
    • Neuroscience
    • Perception and Attention
    • Quantitative Research Methods
    • Social Perspectives on Development
    • Social Psychology

    Year 3 option modules - Level 5

    • Cognition
    • Developmental Psychology
    • Individual Differences
    • Neuroscience
    • Perception and Attention
    • Psychological and Developmental Issues in Childhood and Adolescence
    • Psychology for Personal and Professional Development
    • Quantitative Research Methods
    • Social Perspectives on Development
    • Social Psychology

    Non-psychology option modules - Level 5

    • Micro-placement
    • Organizational Behaviour
    • Organizational Change
    • Your Career Development

    Year 3 option modules - Level 6

    • Attachment Theory: Introduction and Critique
    • Careers and Counselling at Work
    • Family Studies
    • Health Psychology
    • Neurodiversity
    • Neuropsychology
    • Psychology in Public Policy

    Year 4 option modules - Level 6

    • Attachment Theory: Introduction and Critique
    • Brain and Cognitive Development
    • Careers and Counselling at Work
    • Clinical and Counselling Psychology
    • Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience
    • Family Studies
    • Health Psychology
    • Neurodiversity
    • Neuropsychology
    • Psychology for Education
    • Psychology in Public Policy

    BA Psychological Studies dissertation

    • Theoretical Dissertation

• Teaching

  We encourage innovative and engaging ways of teaching to help ensure you have the best learning experience and provide a range of different modes of learning to help you juggle study with work and other commitments.

  Find out more about our teaching and teaching hours.

  What are the methods of teaching?

  Teaching on this course is through a combination of lectures and seminars, which includes group work, case studies, discussions and student presentations.

• How will I be assessed?

  Assessment varies depending on the module, but includes short written exercises, essays which will develop in length and expected complexity as you progress through your studies, quizzes and multiple-choice questionnaires, practical assessments, case studies, presentations, in-class timed tasks, reflective reviews and a theoretical dissertation. 

  Please see individual modules for more details.

  Find out more about assessment at Birkbeck, including guidance on assessment, feedback and our assessment offences policy.

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Entry Requirements

• Full-time study - how many UCAS points do I need?

  • 3 years full-time: 96 points (e.g. A-levels CCC)

  For full-time study on this course, you apply via UCAS. The UCAS tariff score applies if you have recently studied a qualification that has a UCAS tariff equivalence. UCAS provides a tariff calculator for you to work out what your qualification is worth.

• Part-time study

  For the part-time route of this course we would normally expect applicants to hold a minimum of GCSE grade 4 (previously grade C) or Functional Skills Level 2 in mathematics and English. If you do not meet these requirements you will have the chance to take our in-house admissions test. We may waive formal entry requirements based on judgement of academic potential.

• What GCSEs do I need?

  Normally applicants are expected to hold a minimum of GCSE Grade 4 (previously Grade C) or Functional Skills Level 2 in mathematics and English. Applicants who do not meet these qualifications will be able to take our in-house admissions test. 

• Alternative entry routes

  Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma: MMM

• What are the English language requirements?

  If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests. We also accept other English language tests.

  If you don't meet the minimum English language requirements, please contact us or see our international study skills page for more details about how we can help.

  Visit the International section of our website to find out more about our English language entry requirements and relevant requirements by country.

• What are the visa and funding requirements?

  If you are not from the UK and you do not already have residency here, you may need to apply for a visa.

  The visa you apply for varies according to the length of your course:

  • Courses of more than six months' duration: Student visa
  • Courses of less than six months' duration: Standard Visitor visa

  International students who require a Student visa should apply to study on our courses full-time as these qualify for Student visa sponsorship. If you are living in the UK on a Student visa, you will not be eligible to enrol to study part-time courses at Birkbeck (with the exception of some modules).

  As a Student visa student, you should also apply to study on campus only, as online and flexible options of study (if they are available for your course) may affect the conditions of your visa.

  For full information, read our visa information for international students page.

  Please also visit the international section of our website to find out more about relevant visa and funding requirements by country.

  Please note students receiving US Federal Aid are only able to apply for in-person, on-campus programmes which will have no elements of online study.

• Credits and accredited prior learning (APL)

  If you have studied at university (or have an HND or Foundation Degree), you may have accumulated credits. It may be possible to transfer these from your previous study to Birkbeck or another institution.

Fees

• Birkbeck's Lifelong Learning Guarantee

  If you've studied at Birkbeck before and successfully completed an award with us, take advantage of our Lifelong Learning Guarantee to gain a reduction on the tuition fee of this course.

• Tuition fees and maintenance loans

  Eligible full-time and part-time students from the UK don't have to pay any tuition fees upfront, as government loans are available to cover them.

  Maintenance loans are also available for eligible full-time and part-time UK students, to help cover living costs, such as accommodation, food, travel, books and study materials. The amount you receive is means-tested and depends on where you live and study and your household income.

  Find out more about tuition fee and maintenance loans, and the financial support available to help with your studies at Birkbeck. 

• Can I apply for an international scholarship?

  We provide a range of scholarships for eligible international students, including our Global Future Scholarship. View Birkbeck's available scholarships.

Careers and employability

On successfully completing this BA Psychological Studies, you will have gained a set of valuable, transferable attributes that will support your employability and help progress your studies at postgraduate level. These include skills in:

• computer literacy
• the ability to critically analyse and evaluate materials
• effective oral and written communication
• independent and critical thinking
• problem analysis and problem-solving
• research.

Psychology graduates are highly employable and can be found across a wide range of sectors and roles, including in:

• human health and social work
• education
• public administration
• administration and support service activities
• the leisure and communications industries
• the arts, entertainment.

This degree also prepares you for further progress in your studies at postgraduate-level, including our MSc Psychology conversion course if you later decide to follow a career path training as a professional psychologist.

Student Support

How to Apply

• How do I apply to study full-time (UCAS entry)?

  If you are applying for a full-time undergraduate course at Birkbeck you apply through UCAS. Use the Apply now button on this course page which will direct you to UCAS. There you will be prompted to sign in and create an account. You will have to give UCAS a few personal details, including your name, address and date of birth, and then you can start working on your application.

  The first UCAS deadline is in January, and the majority of university applications through UCAS are made by then. Find the exact deadline date on the UCAS website. We welcome applications outside of the UCAS deadlines, so you can still apply through UCAS after the January deadline, depending on the availability of places. We also take late applications via the UCAS Clearing system in August.

• How do I apply to study part-time?

  If you are applying for a part-time undergraduate course (usually four or six years), you apply directly to Birkbeck online by using the Apply now button. You will need to prove your identity when you apply.

  Please note that online application opens in September.

• When should I apply?

  You are strongly advised to apply now, to ensure there are still places left, and to give you enough time to complete the admissions process, to arrange funding and to enrol.

  You don't need to complete your current programme of study before you apply - Birkbeck can offer you a place that is conditional on your results.

• How can I get help with my application?

  Get all the information you need about the application, admission and enrolment process at Birkbeck.

  Our online personal statement tool will guide you through every step of writing the personal statement part of your application.

• International agents

  If you are an international agent applying to Birkbeck on behalf of an international student, please use Birkbeck's agent portal.