Psychology - BSc (Hons) Degree

• You will have the opportunity to specialise in a pathway (Educational, Clinical or Forensic)
• You will be taught by a group of friendly and approachable academics who care about your progress and development
• You will have a personal tutor who will be there to support you through your degree
• You will be able to complete work placement opportunities that look great on a CV
• You will gain excellent skills in research methods, crucial to successful career development
• You will be able to choose from a range of final year modules to follow your own interests
• You will have opportunities opportunities for global exchange including volunteering and work placements

​We will support you throughout your time with us and provide you with the space to develop your interests in psychology, helping you bridge the gap between education and employment. In our vibrant and dynamic department, we will ensure that you have the opportunity to flourish.

This degree can be studied as a three-year full-time degree or a four-year full-time degree that includes a year of foundational study. Our foundation year is intended to prepare you for your subsequent years of studying, offering you the chance to strengthen your skills, knowledge and confidence.

The foundation year will be relevant to:

1. Students who aspire to enrol onto the ​first year of a social science-based honours degree programme within the Cardiff School of Health Sciences, who have not achieved the standard entry requirements to enter at year one of the chosen degree.
2. Students who have not studied subjects that provide the necessary background within the scientific disciplines required to enter at year one of the chosen degree.

Find out more about the foundation year​.

Please note: You will need to apply using a specific UCAS code if you wish to undertake the 4 years including foundation. Please refer to Key Course Information at the bottom of this page.

Degree:
The course has the recognition of the British Psychological Society and confers Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC), an essential requirement for admission to postgraduate psychology training, providing a minimum of a lower second class (2:2) honours is achieved.

The first year (level 4) introduces all the key skills and knowledge to be developed over the three years of the full-time programme.

The second year (level 5) develops core knowledge and skills required for the British Psychological Society accreditation. Furthermore, we offer volunteering placement opportunities here.

In the final year (level 6) you will undertake your own research in an area of psychology that interests you, and complete a range of optional modules. You will be supported throughout your studies by an assigned personal tutor, as well as lecturers in all the modules.

The programme is structured in a modular format. At level 4 students complete 6 x 20 credit core modules. At level 5, students complete a 40 credit research methods module, 3 x 20 credit core modules and 1 x 20 credit optional module. At level 6 all students complete a 40 credit project module, 2 x 20 credit core modules and select 2 x 20 credit optional modules. 

The overall degree classification is determined from the average marks in each of the modules from levels 5 and 6 of the programme. Level 5 contributes 30% to the overall degree outcome, and level 6 contributes 70%.

Year One Modules:

• Professional and Interprofessional Development 1*
• Research Methods 1*
• Conducting and Communicating Research in Psychology*
• Conceptual and Historical Issues in Psychology
• Fundamentals of Cognition
• Social and Developmental Psychology
• Biological Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience

Year Two Modules:

• Professional and Interprofessional Development 2*
• Research Methods 2*
• Professional Development in Psychology
• Critical Social and Developmental Psychology
• Applied Cognitive and Biological Psychology

Optional Modules:

• Health Psychology and Well-being
• Introduction to Forensic Psychology
• Psychosocial Aspects of Education

Year Three Modules:
Core modules:

• Project

• Clinical Psychology 

• Psychological Therapeutic Techniques 

Optional Modules:

• Professional Practice
• Health Behaviour Change
• Applied Forensic Psychology
• Applied Psychology in Education
• Contemporary Issues

​​​*modules available through the medium of Welsh

A range of teaching, learning, and assessment strategies and methods have been carefully selected to provide a challenging and enriching learning experience. These strategies have been designed to facilitate a progressive and coherent development of the students’ knowledge skills and confidence. The psychology degree uses a range of teaching and learning strategies (including flipped classrooms, debates, workshops, practical lab classes) to enable students to develop Ethical, Digital, Global and Entrepreneurial skills, experience, knowledge, confidence and resilience. The teaching and learning strategies are mapped below.

Level 4 modules will provide a sound foundation for students to progress to the level 5 and level 6 modules, where they will gain a more detailed and advanced and applied knowledge and understanding of the core BPS curriculum. This will culminate in students having the confidence, skills and resilience to complete an independent piece of research for their project in level 6.

Lectures will provide the conceptual framework of ideas and theory, supplemented by workshops, seminars and directed study (including online tasks and activities) to enable students to gain an in-depth knowledge of the subject areas and to encourage independent learning.

Students will engage with practical classes throughout their degree, setting up and programming experiments, conducting interviews and analyzing data. Completing these empirical pieces of work will necessitate a sound understanding and appreciation of ethical and professional conduct. This is underpinned by the British Psychological Society Code for Ethics.

Workshops and individual supervision, as part of Professional Development in level 5, will enhance students’ employability skills, specifically their ability to reflect and understand the skills they have gained and the skills that are required in their chosen career path.

Contact Hours

Generally students will receive 4 hours contact time for each module each week – which equates to a minimum of 12 hours contact time a week. This may be delivered in a variety of ways through lectures, seminars, tutorials or online interactive activities. Module leaders also offer office hours each week, where students can drop in for queries. In addition students will have the opportunity to meet with their personal tutor for an individual meeting at least once a term.

Support

We will support you throughout your time with us and provide you with the space to develop your interests in psychology, helping you bridge the gap between education and employment. In our vibrant and dynamic department, we will ensure that you have the opportunity to flourish.

You will be taught by a group of friendly and approachable academics who care about your progress and development. Each member of staff either has a PhD in Psychology or a professional Chartership in their particular area.

You will have a personal tutor who will be there to support you through your degree. You will be provided with a number of individual meetings throughout your degree programme, and your personal tutor will remain the same for the length of your degree as well as office hours’ availability for the entire teaching team. With ‘Initial Professional Development’ we work to encourage students to set and achieve their academic and career goals through all three years of the programme.

In addition, we have year tutors for each year group who work closely with the programme director and student services to ensure that no one gets lost.

We work closely with both the Psychology society at Cardiff Metropolitan University, and the Welsh branch of the British Psychological Society to provide students with a range of student led activities beyond the undergraduate degree programme.

Technology and Facilities

The Psychology department benefits from a dedicated research space from which students and staff can conduct research whilst using the latest technology.

There are six experimental research rooms in the Psychology Applied Research Centre (PARC), where we have eye trackers, EEG skull caps and biopac systems. We also have a dedicated computer laboratory with the latest experimental software, an observation room and a clinic consultation room. The PARC space includes a social learning space for students as part of the suite of facilities.

We have a dedicated team of technicians who provide support during demonstrations, labs and project data collection. Students can take advantage of our virtual learning environment (Moodle) to access all teaching and learning materials, guidance and handbooks and for online submission and marking.

Staff Expertise

At Cardiff Metropolitan University, staff are engaged in research in a wide range of applied psychology topics including: health psychology, forensic psychology, the higher education experience, risk-taking behaviour, and eating disorders. The psychology team are equally committed to high quality teaching and to providing a supportive learning environment. We listen to our students and this is reflected in the excellent feedback we get from them and our external examiners

The undergraduate degree programme provides a range of assessment, with the aim of inclusivity at its heart. Students might be assessed through essays, exams and reports but also through presenting, designing posters, problem based learning, and reflective portfolios.

Here are some examples of the authentic assesments we provide our students, which emulate real world tasks geared towards developing practical graduate skills.

Research methods:

• Data collection with fellow students
• Participation in studies
• Lab shops / statistical analysis
• Data collection for dissertation

Professional Development in the Workplace:

• Reflective writing and development of CV
• Placements in year 2 and 3
• Portfolio of evidence / Placement report
• Practical experience in Psychology specific fields

Applied Skills:

• Counselling
• Educational Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Forensic Psychology
• Health Psychology
• Occupational Psychology

Career opportunities exist for graduates where knowledge of people and how they communicate is valued. The course is an ideal foundation for further study in postgraduate psychology courses leading to a qualification as an occupational, educational, clinical, and forensic or health psychologist, and also leads to other postgraduate courses such as PGCE. Graduates will also be able to enter careers in personnel management, advertising, health promotion and many areas of industry.

For further information on careers in psychology please see: www.bps.org.uk
The programme takes employment and skills development very seriously, and prepares students for a competitive professional world. Many careers for psychology graduates require experience in the field before starting postgraduate training. We support students in gaining as much experience as they can during their studies with us. Embedding placements within the curriculum allows students space and time to engage in not just gaining work experience but reflecting on how this experience has enhanced their skills with the support of an academic and work-based supervisor.

From the start of the degree students are encouraged to think about career, work and skills. The second year offers further opportunities to gain experience with a volunteering and work-based learning module. This encourages the application of psychological knowledge to real-world situations. In the final year, optional modules integrate skills development and applied psychology to help prepare graduates for their next steps.​

• You will be able to complete work placement opportunities that look great on a CV
• You will gain excellent skills in research methods, crucial to successful career development
• You will be able to choose from a range of final year modules to follow your own interests
• You will have opportunities for global exchange including volunteering and work placements

Psychology graduates will develop a range of transferable skills from their degree, including computing skills, numeracy and statistical competence; critical thinking; library research; empirical research (in both qualitative and quantitative methods); team working and independent skills; communicational skills (writing, oral, and poster presentations).
We offer final year options in Forensic, Clinical, Health, and Educational psychology and students can progress onto postgraduate training courses in Forensic, Health or Sport psychology, delivered by Chartered Psychologists at the school.

Graduates of the Psychology Undergraduate degree can also go on to have successful careers in the public sector, with positions in teaching, social services, department for health, ministry of defence, health and safety and the office of national statistics.

Typical Offers

​The following requirements are based on typical offers relevant to entering year 1 of the degree.

If you do not meet these entry requirements, we also offer a Foundation Year which allows progression to Year 1 upon successful completion.

• Tariff points: 96-112
• Contextual offer: See our contextual offers page.
• GCSE: Five GCSEs at Grade C / 4 or above to include English Language / Welsh First Language, Mathematics / Mathematics – Numeracy and Science.
• English Language Requirement: Academic IELTS 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in all elements, or equivalent.
• A level subjects: Minimum three A levels to include Grades BC. Welsh Advanced Skills Baccalaureate considered as a third subject.
• BTEC National / Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma: MMM-DMM.
• T Level: Pass (C+) – Merit.
• Access to Higher Education Diploma: No specific subjects required.
• International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma: Minimum two Grade 5 in Higher Level subjects.
• Irish Leaving Certificate: 3 x H2. No specific subjects required. Higher level subjects only considered with a minimum grade H4.
• Scottish Advanced Highers: Grades CD. No specific subjects required. Scottish Highers are also considered, either on their own or in combination with Advanced Highers.

Combinations of the above qualifications are accepted if they meet our minimum requirements. If your qualifications aren’t listed, please contact Admissions or refer to the UCAS Course Search.

Further information on Overseas qualifications can be found here.

If you are a mature applicant, have relevant experience or RPL that you would like us to consider, please contact Admissions.

How to Apply

Further information on how to apply can be found here.

For general enquiries please contact the Admissions Team on 029 2041 6044 or email askadmissions@cardiffmet.ac.uk.

For course specific enquiries, please contact the programme leader, Dr Amie-Louise Prior:

Email: aprior@cardiffmet.ac.uk
Tel: 029 2020 5975