BA\BSc in Psychology
Psychology impacts on every aspect of human behaviour. What drives people to act, respond, remember and recognise things in the way they do? How do we understand relationships and interpret the behaviour of others? Psychology attempts to answer these questions in a systematic way.
Psychologists conduct experiments to study our perceptions, decisions, prejudices, motivations, friendships and memory. Developmental researchers investigate how people develop over childhood and change into old age. Psychology also addresses how the brain and body affects all of these processes. Where in the brain do they occur? How are they represented?
Other psychologists examine disordered behaviour. This may occur as a result of brain injury, disease or life experience. Studying these disorders will improve our understanding of them, and often can teach us about healthy mental processes too. Psychology now influences an increasing range of fields, from working with clinical disorders, to managing education and training. Today, it is widely used in industry, sport and employment to improve performance, as well as affecting legal and health matters.
Our degree covers core areas in psychology including: developmental psychology, intelligence, language, memory, perception, social psychology, health psychology, and research methods and statistics.
By the time you graduate from Essex you will have a deep understanding of how Psychology is used in the world. You will also have developed the essential skills for understanding and evaluating the work of other psychologists, and for conducting psychological research. Psychology graduates are equipped with high levels of skill in writing, critical thinking, experimental design and statistical analysis. As such they are an attractive prospect to a wide range of employers.
Why choose Essex ?
The Psychology Department at Essex is young, dynamic, enthusiastic and research-orientated. In the latest Research Assessment Exercise, 95% of our research was rated to be of international quality. This rating testifies to the research excellence of the department and places it within the top ranking departments nationwide. Our teaching was rated as “Excellent” by the government’s most recent Quality Assurance Agency exercise.
The Department of Psychology is well equipped for both teaching and research. We are housed in a purpose-built department, containing the latest facilities for lectures, and laboratory-based learning and research. We combine both small and large group teaching throughout our degree.
Our degree scheme is fully accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS). The accreditation is a clear indication of our excellent teaching quality. The BPS accreditation is necessary to enrol in certain post-graduate training courses and/or to register as a chartered psychologist.
Entry requirements for BA\BSc Psychology
- ABB at A-level, or equivalent
- GCSE mathematics C, or equivalent
- evidence of English language proficiency (for non-native speakers of English): IELTS 6, TOEFL-IBT 76, or equivalent
Applications for BA\BSc Psychology
If you have a query, you can contact the admissions advisor, prior to your application. Formal applications need to be made via UCAS .
Entry requirement for Direct Second-Year Entry
Occasionally we allow students direct entry into the Second Year of the BSc Psychology or BA Psychology. However, we only accept direct second year entry in exceptional situations. Students who wish to apply for direct entry into the second year need to satisfy the following requirements:
- you must be eligible for our year 1 entry requirements (ABB at A-level, or equivalent)
- you must have followed first year modules of psychology similar to our own in terms of subjects studied
- you must have achieved grades satisfactory to us in your first year exams and term-time essays
- you must provide us satisfactory references from those who have taught you at your current University
- you must provide a good reason for seeking a transfer to the University of Essex
- we cannot accept students who have to re-sit modules.
Applications for Direct Second-Year Entry
If you have a query, you can informally contact the admissions advisor, prior to your application. Formal applications need to be made via UCAS, make sure that you have indicated that you wish to be considered for the second year of entry on the application. The reference required on your UCAS applications must be from a lecturer or tutor at your current university. Please also provide us with a full syllabus for each module studied