Psychology (with integrated foundation year)

Following the foundation year, the syllabus of this course is identical to its sister course [Psychology, C800].

Why study Psychology at Aberystwyth University?

• Student Satisfaction
  At Aberystwyth, we work with you to help you become informed and curious thinkers. We use our teaching and research experience to inspire you and to give you the skills and confidence to do whatever you wish to do in the future. This is why, in 2017, the department was rated as “1st in Wales and 3rd in the UK for student satisfaction” (NSS 2017). 
• Equipping you for life
  All our degree schemes are designed with employability in mind and are accredited by the British Psychological Society – perfect for graduate-level careers or access to postgraduate training.  “96% of our graduates are in work or further study within 6 months of graduation, 4% more than Psychology graduates nationally” (HESA 2018)
• Friendly and Inclusive
  It is important for you to study in a supportive, student-focused environment. Our staff work hard to provide the guidance and encouragement you will need, which is why we ranked 1^st for “Academic Support” across the UK (NSS, 2017). 
• Exceptional Resources
  The department’s modern research facilities and outstanding student learning spaces are in addition to excellent central university facilities. These resources allow us to provide you with an innovative approach to learning and teaching and helped us rank “2^nd in the UK for Learning Resources” (NSS 2017) 
• Welsh Language
  If you are a Welsh-speaker you have the opportunity to continue part of your studies in Welsh. You’ll find bilingual staff in Psychology who will support you in your work, and who can guide your university experience in Welsh. 

Our Staff

Department of Psychology’s teaching staff are all research active and all permanent staff are qualified to PhD level with most having either a PGCTHE or are fellows/senior fellow of the higher education academy. Over half of the staff also have the qualification CPsychol; an indicator of the BPS’ highest standard of psychological knowledge and expertise.

What career options are available to me?

A degree in Psychology will prepare you for a range of careers, and access to a wide range of further training opportunities including:

• Clinical, Educational, Occupational, Sports and Exercise psychology;

• Psychotherapy and Counselling;

• Social Work;

• Health Care;

• Human Resources;

• Careers Advisory Service;

•  Marketing, Publishing, Advertising.

The skills you learn whilst studying here are highly sought after by employers and include:

• Research and Data analysis skills;

• Effective problem-solving skills;

• The ability to work independently and present material clearly and effectively;

• The ability to express ideas and communicate information in a clear and structured manner;
• Self-motivation and independence;

• Teamwork and project management skills;

• Information technology skills.

What opportunities are there as a student at Aberystwyth University?

The Psychology department offers three variants of its joint and single honours degrees. Each can be a single three-year degree, or each can be taken with a year in industry (WF7F) or a year studying abroad (N1FW) with one of our partner universities in Europe or further afield. 

Find out about the opportunities that our Career Service offers.

Enhance your employability prospects with GO Wales and Year in Employment Scheme managed by the Careers Service.

What will I learn?

Psychology is a multifaceted discipline and the structure of our degree and how you are taught reflects this. Our ethos is to teach in a way which enables you to develop conceptual and theoretical knowledge that you are able to apply to solve problems in real-world scenarios. To support you in this, your British Psychological Society accredited degree is built around essential core topics in psychology, which serve as the basis for the varied and specialized option modules we offer in the third and fourth year.

In the first foundation year, you will be introduced to core components of Psychology.

During your second year, you will:

• Begin to transform yourself into a Psychologist, by developing core knowledge in areas such as social and individual behaviour, Brain and cognition and historical issues in psychology;

• Start to develop a wide range of skills by using methods and techniques that will enable you to investigate psychological phenomena.

In your third and fourth years, you will:

• Shape your degree by choosing from our distinctive range of optional modules. This will give you the opportunity to create your own personalised path through your degree;

• Apply skills learnt throughout your degree by constructing your own research dissertation, built around your personal ideas and interests within a psychological context.

How will I be taught?

Your academic and intellectual development are at the heart of the Aberystwyth Psychology experience. Our staff are committed to a student-focused approach to teaching, making your learning needs a priority in both what we teach and how we teach you. When you join us, you will be assigned a personal tutor who will support you throughout your degree and is there to advise and guide you on a range of academic and personal matters.

 From traditional lectures to small group work, we deliver inspirational teaching through a wide variety of different formats. You will also get to apply your knowledge in lab-based workshops and practicals, where you will be able to benefit from our wide range of specialists research equipment and facilities. Your development will be assessed in a broad variety of ways including; traditional exams, essays, wikis, blogs, observations and presentations.

At Aberystwyth, you can be confident that you will receive the best learning experience at the very forefront of the discipline.