In your first year, you'll study compulsory modules which will introduce a broad range of theoretical and methodological approaches to psychology and counselling.

This module introduces the diversity and breadth of approaches in the discipline of psychology and the many ways psychologists study the human mind, brain and behaviour. Research informed topical introductions will be provided in selected areas of individual differences, cognitive and biological psychology. As well as a theoretical introduction and overview to these characteristic approaches adopted within these areas of psychology, you are encouraged to adopt a reflective and critical perspective on the subject matter covered. These topics will also be considered in the context of future employability and career trajectories for students. Throughout the module you will be encouraged to consider both commonalities and diversities in human thoughts, feelings and behaviours facilitating an inclusive approach to learning.

This module introduces the diversity and breadth of approaches in the discipline of psychology and the many ways psychologists study the human mind, mental health, development and societal influences. Research informed topical introductions will be provided in selected areas of mental health, developmental and social psychology. As well as a theoretical introduction and overview to these areas of psychology, students are encouraged to adopt a reflective and critical perspective on the subject matter covered. This module challenges some westernised approaches to psychology and introduces you to diverse ideas and theories that question traditional psychological approaches. You will be encouraged to consider both commonalities and diversities in human thoughts, feelings and behaviours facilitating an inclusive approach to learning.

You will be introduced to a range of counselling concepts and skills. You will have the opportunity to engage in practice in order to experience counselling as a ‘counsellor’ and ‘client’ and to reflect on processes and skills within the counselling relationship. Personal development is an important part of this module and you will be encouraged to become more self-aware and mindful and to examine how this growing self-awareness is important in applying counselling skills. Much of the learning on this course is experiential and therefore regular attendance at taught sessions is vital in order to pass the module. 

The module introduces you to the principles and practice of qualitative and quantitative psychological research, with a focus on research questions and design, and data collection, preparation and analysis. Additionally, the module emphasises the importance of co-leadership, fostering collaborative skills essential in modern research environments. You will be given hands-on experience with qualitative and quantitative data handling and analysis procedures, developing digital literacy to effectively utilise relevant software tools so that you are equipped with the necessary skills for a technologically driven research and employment environment. You will also be provided with opportunities to develop skills in the dissemination of and critical interpretation of research outputs.

In your second year, you'll study compulsory modules which will introduce a broad range of theoretical and methodological approaches to psychology and counselling.

The module provides an overview of the major theories and findings underpinning the practice of psychological therapies. The module also extends basic counselling and therapeutic skills developed in year one and encourages you to develop a reflective stance on the development of these skills. It also explores the diversity of psychological therapies in action, professional issues and opportunities for further training. 

This British Psychological Society (BPS) core module develops the depth and breadth of your understanding of primary and contemporary theory and research in social psychology and developmental psychology. We introduce the subject matter through topic-focused group presentations, research workshops and laboratory investigations. A focus on developmental psychology will see you study the biological, social, emotional, and cognitive changes that occur from birth, through infancy, childhood, adolescence, and into adulthood. In social psychology, interpersonal and intergroup processes will be studied with the objective of developing your understanding of human sociality in everyday life. You will adopt a reflective and critical perspective on the subject matter.

The module enables you to understand and evaluate psychological research and to understand how research design relates to research questions. It provides you with skills in a variety of statistical analyses and enables them to conduct ethical psychological research utilising quantitative methods. It will further develop your competency with statistical software including data handling skills so that they are equipped to produce data-based reports in research and workplace contexts.

This module introduces the diversity and breadth of approaches to qualitative research in the discipline of psychology. The module will empower you to understand and evaluate psychological research and to understand how research design relates to research questions. It provides you with skills in a variety of qualitative methods and enables you to conduct ethical psychological research utilising qualitative methods. It provides the foundation for interpretation and critical discussion of published psychological research. These topics will also be considered in the context of future employability and career trajectories for you. You will be encouraged to consider both commonalities and diversities in human thoughts, feelings and behaviours, facilitating an inclusive approach to learning.

This module:  

• Provides an in-depth understanding of selected topics in cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and individual differences in the context of therapeutic applications
• Equips you with knowledge about how cognitive and brain sciences can inform and improve the practice of cognitive and behavioural therapies
• Fosters critical thinking about the benefits and limitations of integrating cognitive psychology and neuroscience insights into the dynamically changing interpersonal and intersubjective processes of psychological therapy. 

This module develops your employability skills (for example communication, teamwork, critical thinking, and independent learning) through undertaking a work placement. This practical experience module builds on the knowledge and skills gained from the successful completion of previous psychology modules and tests out theoretical knowledge and practical skills in a real-world situation. It gives an appreciation of the organisation and reality of work and the development of your ability and personal growth in a chosen occupation.

In your third year, you'll choose options from areas as diverse as mental health and wellbeing, neuroscience and coaching psychology.

This module will develop your skills by
•    Exploring the intersection of therapeutic psychology and social, cultural, and community mental health
•    Advancing your understanding of key psychological therapeutic theories and practices within diverse contexts
•    Developing critical and reflective thinking regarding psychotherapeutic work with mental health issues, considering the role of culture, diversity, and external circumstances
•    Enhancing your ability to apply psychological theory to case formulation, intervention, and clinical practice in community settings
•    Fostering critical evaluation of evidence bases and practices in mental health care within varied social and environmental contexts.

This module engages you in a substantial research project on a topic of your choice within the field of psychology, supported by group activities that facilitate the development of research skills, collaboration, and practical application of psychological theories and methods. Through this blend of individual and group work, you will enhance your understanding of psychological research methods, data analysis, and the ethical considerations inherent in psychological research.

This module introduces you to health psychology and the work of health psychologists in practice, including how this applies to your own health and the health of society. It helps you apply knowledge and skills to real-world health problems. You will be encouraged to adopt a reflective and critical perspective on research, theory and their experiences, including commonalities and diversities in experiences, facilitating empathy and an inclusive approach to learning. Research informed topical introductions will be provided in areas of psychological, behavioural and social determinants of health and illness. The module will focus on health behaviour change interventions and chronic illness and its management, emphasising the application of the work of health psychologists. This practice focus will help you to consider your future employability and career trajectories.

This module offers advanced level study of topics in coaching psychology. It offers you a blend of academic study, practical experience, and personal development. It facilitates your development of critical thinking, independent learning, reflective learning and specialised listening and communication skills. It introduces basic skills of coaching-based empirical psychological research. The module encourages you to explore further training in coaching and coaching psychology as part of your professional and career development.

Cognitive neuroscience is the study of brain states and how such brain states are related to behaviour and cognition. Many of the recent advances in the field are due to the rapid development and use of technology that allows us to infer what the brain is doing during different psychological states. This module introduces you to the theory that underpins cognitive neuroscience techniques such as EEG, TMS, fMRI, TES. It provides a hands-on approach to learning how to use them and how these techniques are adopted to better understand brain in times of disease and damage. You will have the chance to learn how to use advanced equipment by practising with it. Learning these practical skills to engage critical thinking skill will equip you with skills and knowledge needed in a variety of contemporary workplaces and further study.

This module explores the application of psychology to social problems in the areas of crime, conflict and violence, considering individual, group and social factors. It covers how individuals and groups become involved in these problematic behaviours, and also considers the consequences for victims, government and justice responses, and approaches to prevention. The module introduces you to a range of applied approaches and develops your capacity to respond proactively to real world problems. Forensic psychology will also be considered in the context of your future employability and career trajectories. You will learn to consider commonalities and diversities in human thoughts, feelings and behaviours facilitating an inclusive approach to learning.

This module introduces you to core aspects of evolutionary theory and demonstrates the application of evolutionary theory to behaviour. It covers how behaviour can be regarded as the product of biological evolution. It also discusses how evolutionary approaches complement other frameworks and add another level of explanation to scientific understanding. You will cover various different evolutionary approaches including ethology, behavioural ecology and evolutionary psychology, discussing key findings and methodological differences.

This module introduces you to the ways in which psychological theories and methods contribute to our understanding of elite sport performance.  It will help you understand the psychological, behavioural and social determinants of elite sport performance. You will gain insight into how the applications of sport psychology, from a practitioners’ perspective, may lead to working with skilled performers, and the development of time-management, communication and problem-solving skills. The module covers the importance of collaboration, teamwork, adaptation and flexibility will be emphasised.

This module introduces you to the diversity and breadth of approaches in the discipline of neuropsychology and the many ways that neuropsychologists study the healthy brain and the disordered brain. We base our sessions around research-informed teaching with a particular focus on published neuropsychological case studies. You will explore the causes and symptoms of major neuropsychological disorders of cognition and behaviour – for example, language, vision, memory, emotion, personality, olfaction and development. You will be encouraged to develop critical thinking and discussion skills to enable them to contribute meaningfully in class. You will learn to source and reference published articles from reputable sources online, enhancing their digital literacy, and you will gain key practice-led learning skills in the interpretation and writing of neuropsychological reports.

This module introduces the diversity and breadth of approaches in the discipline of occupational/workplace psychology. The module will introduce theories with a focus on the role of stress in the workplace. You will also gain an understanding of work-life balance and the real-world applications of promoting good work-life balance and engage with some of the critical debates around the area. The topics in these sessions will highlight the diversity of individuals in the workplace and how this can impact your experiences of work-life balance, stress and motivation. Since this module focuses on employment-based topics, the content will be relevant to you beyond your degree and can be carried into your chosen areas of employment particularly those who are planning to go into Human Resources, Occupational Psychology or wish to pursue a postgraduate course in this area.

This module will provide a comprehensive survey of the living primates with a focus of research in the wild (ethology) and in the psychology lab (comparative psychology). In recent years, experimental and observational research in primate behaviour and cognition has exploded, and this primatology module will provide you with up-to-date knowledge of the major areas of study. The primatology module provides a rich learning opportunity for you and help you understand the foundations of human nature that we share with our primate cousins. You will be encouraged to consider both commonalities and diversities between humans and other primates.

This module provides you with an advanced level of understanding of how psychological theories and research inform and impact learning and teaching in educational settings with children and young people, and the interplay with surrounding contexts such as the family and wider society. The aim is to direct you to develop an appreciation of research, knowledge and applications in the domain. You will study cognitive, social, developmental, and biological theoretical perspectives, providing an integrated understanding of how psychological theory and research intersects with education in a wide range of settings, and its real-world applications. Psychology in Education provides a rich learning opportunity for students wanting to pursue educational psychology training at postgraduate level, and for those planning a career in teaching including special educational needs (SEN) roles.

This module provides an opportunity to plan career and/or study goals for life after graduation and reflect on, and improve, employment skills. You will get a deeper understanding of the relationship between psychological concepts and work-based practice. This module prepares you to apply for postgraduate study and/or graduate employment after graduation.

This module introduces the diversity and breadth of approaches to visual research in the discipline of psychology. It covers a range of contemporary visual research methods and develops your capacity in the application of different methods of collecting, analysing, and disseminating visual data in psychological research, with a focus on developing visual responses to the sustainable development goals. Visual psychology will also be considered in the context of your future employability. You will be encouraged to consider both commonalities and diversities in human thoughts, feelings and behaviours facilitating an inclusive approach to learning.

Our inclusive, interactive, engaging sessions will engage you in topical content via participation during in-class surveys, discussions, live debates and collaborative idea generation. You will have a chance to submit questions and comments, in person, online in a live chat (monitored by a member of staff) during the sessions and via offline forums – making you co-leaders in your learning. Whole cohort sessions are an opportunity to foster a sense of curiosity in learning by providing multiple opportunities to engage with the whole cohort in reflection and debate through multiple mediums.  
 
Key concept videos will introduce core material, via the virtual learning environment, before in-person on campus sessions where appropriate.  
 
Small group teaching in the form of workshops, seminars and one-to-one tutorials will provide opportunities to review key concepts and evidence, get feedback on and help with academic writing skills and an introduction to using the library effectively and database searches. 
 
Our academic advisors are available for regular support, tutorials and to provide guidance to you as and when needed.  
 
Various types of engagement opportunities provide an inclusive platform for your learning in an environment designed to cultivate empathy, wellbeing and inclusivity.
 
Lab-based workshops and skill sessions are aimed at providing the opportunity for you to engage with your learning in a hands-on approach. You will learn how to use software for data analysis and/or collect psychophysical data from a partner and then learn how to analyse this data. This diverse range of learning provides you with a variety of methods to tap into the approach that suits your way of learning. 

You will be studying at our north London campus in Hendon.

During your first year, your weekly timetable will typically consist of:

• 5 hours of engaging sessions
• 1-2 hours of tutorials
• 5 hours of lab classes/workshops.

Independent learning

Outside of teaching hours, you’ll learn independently through self-study which will involve reading articles and books, working on projects, undertaking research, and preparing for assessments including coursework, presentations and exams.

Teaching vs independent learning

Here is an indication of how you will split your time:

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Whether you are studying full or part-time – your course timetable will balance your study commitments on campus with time for work, life commitments and independent study.

We aim to make timetables available to students at least 2 weeks before the start of term. Some weeks are different due to how we schedule classes and arrange on-campus sessions.

Our excellent teaching and support teams will help you develop the skills relevant to your degree from research and practical skills to critical thinking. Our Sheppard Library is open 24 hours a day during term time. And we offer free 24-hour laptop loans with full desktop software, free printing and Wi-Fi to use on or off campus, even over the weekend.

Your learning will be assessed regularly. The exact balance will depend on the modules you are taking. The table below is a good guide.

We'll test your understanding and progress using a diverse range of assessment methods, incorporating options for you to showcase your knowledge acquisition. This inclusive approach encompasses continual formative feedback, offering varied forms of feedback throughout the learning process. The assessment methods include authentic assessments such as case-study reports, written reports, essays, short answer texts, article reviews, portfolios, presentations, and research dissertations.  
 
This diverse and inclusive approach aims to provide you with opportunities to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding in alignment with your individual strengths, preferences, and learning styles, and fosters a more equitable and enriching educational experience for all. 

Assessments are reviewed annually and may be updated based on student feedback or feedback from an external examiner.

To help you achieve the best results, we will provide regular feedback.