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Psychology

Entry requirements


A level

A*,A,A-A,A,A

Entry requirements of AAA apply if one of the following subjects are being taken: Chemistry, Biology/Human Biology, Physics, Psychology, Maths/Further Maths or Statistics. Specified subjects excluded for entry: We do not accept General Studies, Critical Studies, Critical Thinking, Science in Society, World Development, Communication and Culture, Citizenship Studies and Use of Maths.

Accepted in place of A levels with the following grade equivalencies: D2 = A*; D3 = A; M2 = B. Combinations of A levels and Principle subjects are accepted. NB required subjects must be offered (see A level Section)

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

32

7, 6, 6 to 6, 6, 6 in Higher level subjects plus 32 points overall. Higher level subjects need to include the required subjects as defined for the A-level qualification, where applicable.

BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma D*D*D in Applied Psychology, Applied Human Biology or Applied Science, plus a grade A at A Level. BTEC Level 3 National Diploma D*D* in Applied Psychology, Applied Human Biology or Applied Science, plus a grade A at A Level. BTEC National Extended Certificate D* in Applied Psychology, Applied Human Biology or Applied Science, plus a grade AA at A Level.

Accepted in place of a non-required A level with the equivalent grade.

UCAS Tariff

144-152

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course


Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Psychology

Our BPS-accredited Psychology BSc degree covers the full breadth of the field of psychology. We believe that you should examine all of the various approaches and interests before choosing an area in which to specialise.

If you study with us you will join a vibrant community where we will challenge you to think about all aspects of our mental lives. You will learn about the fundamental building blocks of human behaviour, and how Psychology can be applied to address many of the significant societal challenges that we face today.

In the first two years of your degree we will immerse you in a set of core modules, covering fundamental elements of psychology as well as psychological research methods and subject-related skills, including coding, public engagement, digital skills and entrepreneurship. You will discover the psychological and brain mechanisms supporting many of the key elements of what it is to be human, including the ability to learn, understand speech and perceive the world around us. You will also develop your skills as a researcher and collaborator by conducting psychological research projects in groups.

In your final year, you will choose high-level specialist subject modules, allowing you to concentrate on the themes and topics that interest you most. You will also complete an independent Research Project. Under the guidance of a supervisor, you will design a study in your chosen research area, analyse and interpret the data, and prepare a presentation and written report. This is a substantial piece of work that allows you to develop in-depth knowledge of a specific sub-field of psychology.

We offer a Psychology curriculum that covers the breadth of contemporary psychological theory and practice, from child development to psychopharmacology, from social psychology to human neuroscience. We are also committed to ensuring that you learn from expert practitioners. At postgraduate level we offer specialised courses in clinical and forensic psychology as well as in cognitive behavioural therapy. Our colleagues who support those postgraduate programmes also teach on our undergraduate programmes, bringing with them their experience in clinical psychology and in treating psychological disorders.

Modules

Visit https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/C800 and scroll down to the modules section to find out more.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

University of Birmingham

Department:

School of Psychology

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

62%
Psychology

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Psychology (non-specific)

Teaching and learning

74%
Staff make the subject interesting
84%
Staff are good at explaining things
69%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
59%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

81%
Library resources
90%
IT resources
93%
Course specific equipment and facilities
44%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

88%
UK students
12%
International students
15%
Male students
85%
Female students
92%
2:1 or above
6%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

A
A
A

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Psychology (non-specific)

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£19,000
med
Average annual salary
65%
high
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

14%
Welfare and housing associate professionals
11%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers
9%
Teaching and educational professionals

20 years ago, this was a specialist degree for would-be psychologists but now it is the model of a modern, flexible degree subject. One of the UK's fastest-growing subject at degree level, and the second most popular subject overall (it recently overtook business studies), one in 23 of all graduates last year had psychology degrees. As you'd expect with figures like that, jobs in psychology itself are incredibly competitive, so to stand a chance of securing one, you need to get a postgraduate qualification (probably a doctorate in most fields, especially clinical psychology) and some relevant work experience. But even though there are so many psychology graduates — far more than there are jobs in psychology, and over 13,800 in total last year — this degree has a lower unemployment rate than average because its grads are so flexible and well-regarded by business and other industries across the economy. Everywhere there are good jobs in the UK economy, you'll find psychology graduates - and it's hardly surprising as the course helps you gain a mix of good people skills and excellent number and data handling skills. A psychology degree ticks most employers' boxes — but we'd suggest you don't drop your maths modules.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Psychology (non-specific)

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£20k

£20k

£23k

£23k

£29k

£29k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Explore these similar courses...

Higher entry requirements
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Same University
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This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

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This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here