BSc (Hons) Psychology*

Your degree

In the first two stages of the programme, you will be exposed to all core areas of psychology in order to shape your knowledge and understanding. This will enable you to make an informed decision about a specialist route in the final year and for your future studies, as well as giving you the opportunity to explore different possibilities within particular fields.

The final stage of the programme offers you a choice of specialist routes in some of the most popular areas in psychology including clinical, health and neuroscience, organisational and forensic. Our BSc (Hons) programme will also prepare you for a wide range of career possibilities by enabling you to develop professional skills transferable to many different vocational settings.

How the BSc (Hons) Psychology is taught

The BPP BSc Psychology programme is taught by research-active staff through a mix of tutor-led presentations, student-led sessions and discussions, work in small groups and student presentations, as well as independent learning and project work.

The programme is supported by a wide range of online facilities based on an interactive e-learning environment that uses computer assisted technology to enhance the learning process. This is accomplished through an on-campus and online learning environment, allowing you to express new ideas, practise new skills, and engage in cooperative and supportive interactions with lecturers, tutors and other students.  

Our teaching will benefit you both personally and professionally by being relevant and applicable in real world settings.

Lectures and seminar

Your weekly lectures will be delivered by way of pre-recorded lectures, presentations, or podcasts that can be accessed 24 hours a day seven days a week via the virtual learning environment in preparation for weekly classroom-based seminars. Lectures are accessible in a variety of formats making them available via computer, Smartphone (e.g. iPhone), mp3 player and so on. 

Lectures last for one hour and cover the core information relevant to each week of study.

Small group seminars

Each lecture will be accompanied by a two-hour weekly classroom-based seminar in small groups, where you will discuss the content of the lecture and will take part in various tasks which will enable you to reflect on advanced topics covered in the lecture and apply knowledge to real-world settings. 

Teaching hours

Throughout your programme there are 12 contact hours a week, including online lectures, and you are expected to do additional work to prepare for and consolidate each session by way of independent study. 

Participation and student interaction

At BPP there is an emphasis on participation and student interaction. Your lecturer is a learning facilitator and students are expected to contribute questions and ideas, and even lead parts of seminar sessions. In this way, ideas can best be examined, defended, justified and reflected upon.

Career-oriented skills 

The BSc (Hons) Psychology programme will enable you to develop career-oriented skills such as:

• collecting, analysing and presenting information
• working with other people
• quantitative application
• research methodology
• critical thinking
• problem solving. 

In addition to acquiring in-depth knowledge and understanding of all the main fields in psychology, you will also be encouraged to apply this knowledge to real-world settings and scenarios through seminar tasks, written work and groups projects.

The BSc (Hons) Psychology will also give you the foundation for further postgraduate training in specialist branches of applied psychology including clinical, occupational, forensic and educational psychology, as well as applied research. 

An emphasis is placed on personal and professional development enabling you to develop academic, personal and professional skills that will prepare you for employment through a number of career paths. The programme will prepare you for employment through a number of potential career paths including:

• human resources
• communication and the media
• research
• public relations
• industry and management
• marketing
• teaching
• health and social services
• the Probation Service
• the Civil Service.

Real-world activities

As the BSc (Hons) Psychology programme is designed to be your first step towards a career as a psychologist, classroom scenarios are based on real-world activities that make your learning directly relevant to practice.

You will participate and work in groups to design psychological research projects as part of your research methods modules. In the last stage of your studies you will work individually to complete an extended psychology research project in a topic of your choice that has the potential to result in original findings that will add to your knowledge and understanding of the topic and which may lead to publication.

During this time you will attend a series of seminars which cover topics that will assist you in completing your final year academic work successfully and to the highest academic standard, which will also provide you with a number of transferable key skills essential to a successful career. 

Postgraduate training

Your knowledge of the subject will make you eligible for entry into any field which is normally open to psychology graduates, or for any further postgraduate training you may want to pursue. A number of psychology graduates undertake further post-graduate training in areas of psychology such as educational or occupational psychology, health and clinical psychology and forensic psychology.

How you'll be assessed

Exams take place in the academic environment and you will need to be successful in order to achieve your BSc (Hons) Psychology. A range of assessment methods are used, including:

• written exams
• group presentations
• project reports.

• work in groups and be assessed informally
• develop group skills and interpersonal skills
• carry out wider reading and research and the development of academic skills
• build a body of knowledge and understanding that can be applied with relevance, confidence and sound judgement to aid analysis and decision-making
• focus on current areas of psychological study and research.

Admissions

The BSc (Hons) Psychology programme is available at BPP from September 2012.

Entry requirements

We use the UCAS Tariff to set our minimum entry requirements. The tariff provides a point-based equivalent for a range of qualifications, such as 'A' Levels, NVQs and so on. For more details on the UCAS points system and eligible qualifications, see the UCAS website.

To apply for a place, you will need one of the following:

• 260 UCAS Tariff Points, or the international equivalent
• Three 'A' Levels graded BCC
• BPP Pathway to Higher Education Certificate in Health

• Grade C or above in English Language and Maths

If you do not meet the UCAS requirements we would encourage you to send in your application so we can assess your suitability.

Flexible study options

As part of our aim to be the most flexible provider, we offer three start dates a year - January, May and September (from 2013).

International students

If you're an international student, and English is not your first language, you will need to have an IELTS level 6.5 score (or equivalent) to prove that your English is good enough to take the study programme.

For details of which international qualifications are accepted for this programme, please see our country-specific entry requirements.

Pathway and foundation programmes

If you want to apply for a place on one of our BSc (Hons) programmes but think you don't meet the entry requirements, we still encourage you to apply as all applications are considered on merit.

You may also be eligible for our Pathway to Higher Education Certificate in Business Studies programme or the International Foundation Certificate in Business Studies.

Your experience

At BPP University College, your studies are just part of your student experience.

While we're unlike many traditional universities – being highly career-focused and concentrating on practical application as well as academic theories – we want your time at BPP to be a great all-round experience.

There are many student-led activities and societies for you to choose from and lots going on off-campus. So as well as giving you the practical and academic knowledge you need to get ahead, we'll help you build the social skills you'll need to thrive in work – and life.

At BPP we give you all the skills and advice you need to get ahead. As part of helping you get the best possible start to your working life, we provide a specialist Careers service.

BPP Students' Association

Founded in 2011 after extensive consultation with and design by students, our new Students' Association is home to 5,500 students across all ten BPP University College sites.

Every student of the University College automatically becomes a member of the Students' Association on joining the institution.

The Association aims to put you, the student, at the heart of everything BPP does, giving you:

• an independent voice on student matters
• information, support and guidance about your academic and personal life
• academic, cultural, social and professional enrichment through the development of clubs, societies, events and initiatives
• awareness and enhancement of your employability

Study locations

 You can study the BSc (Hons) Psychology at our state-of-the-art BPP London Holborn study centre.

Accommodation 

Whether you're looking for long-term, short-term or temporary accommodation, we'll help you find the perfect place to stay while you study. We can offer information on halls of residence, student houses, flat-shares and hotels – as well as advice on any accommodation issues.

If you'd like to know more about mixing events, finding a housemate or discussion boards, or if you just need some general advice, please contact our Accommodation Officer:

• Tel: 0845 075 3506
• Fax: 020 7404 1389
• Email: accommodation@bpp.com