Undergraduate Course

BSc Psychology with Cognitive Neuroscience

(Including Foundation Year)

Now In Clearing

BSc Psychology with Cognitive Neuroscience

Overview

The details

Course: Psychology with Cognitive Neuroscience (Including Foundation Year)

UCAS code: C813

Start date: October 2021

Study mode: Full-time

Maximum duration: 4 years

Location: Colchester Campus

Based in: Essex Pathways

Our BSc Psychology with Cognitive Neuroscience (including foundation Year) will be suitable for you if your academic qualifications do not yet meet our entrance requirements for the three-year version of this course and you want a programme that increases your subject knowledge as well as improves your academic skills to support your academic performance.

This four-year course includes a foundation year (Year Zero), followed by a further three years of study. During your Year Zero, you study three academic subjects relevant to your chosen course as well as a compulsory academic skills module, with additional English language for non-English speakers.

After successful completion of Year Zero in our Essex Pathways Department, you progress to complete your course with our Department of Psychology. At Essex, our BSc Psychology with Cognitive Neuroscience explores perceptions, decisions, prejudices, motivations, friendships and memory. This contemporary area of psychology investigates areas ranging from vision, hearing and touch to the mechanisms underlying language, action, attention, emotion and social processes. Our Centre for Brain Science allows you to discover the neurophysiological processes that take place in our bodies and brains.

We provide one of the most immersive and exciting experiences of studying the human mind in the UK. You learn from our researchers and can work together in the same space via our Research Experience Scheme (RES), which gives you the opportunity to work one-on-one with a psychologist as their research assistant.

Why we're great.

Our £2.4m Centre for Brain Science is our purpose-built centre for research and houses many of our labs.
You have unparalleled access to research equipment such as EEG, TMS and eye tracking
Our Research Experience Scheme lets you assist with academic research projects, enhancing research skills and giving an insight in to how academic research is carried out.

THE Awards 2018 - Winner University of the Year

Our expert staff

Our psychology lecturers include award-winning teachers and prize-winning researchers who are international experts in their own research areas.

The Cognitive and Sensory Neuroscience Group research brain function and human behaviour. Recently they have been working on projects on the neural processes underlying language production, how motivations are communicated through tone of voice, and how the brain performs 3D vision. They previously developed the BioAid mobile phone app that turns an iPhone into a biologically inspired hearing aid.

The Cognitive and Developmental Psychology Group work are researching attention, language, decision-making, and memory. Recent projects have investigated the psychology of energy reductions, the enhancement of human memory through technology, and improvements in the usability and design of transport maps.

The Social and Health Psychology Group work on motivations, needs, intercultural contact, and sexual attraction. Recent projects include the impacts of living and studying abroad, and how personal relative deprivation is linked to problem gambling.

Specialist facilities

By studying within our Essex Pathways Department for your foundation year, you will have access to of the facilities that the University of Essex has to offer, as well as those provided by our department to support you:

We provide computer labs for internet research; classrooms with access to PowerPoint facilities for student presentations; AV facilities for teaching and access to web-based learning materials.
Our new Student Services Hub will support you and provide information for all your needs as a student.
Our social space is stocked with magazines and newspaper, and provides an informal setting to meet your lecturers, tutors and friends.

The Department of Psychology is committed to giving you access to state-of-the-art facilities in higher education, housed entirely within our purpose-built psychology building on our Colchester Campus:

Dedicated laboratories including a virtual reality suite and an observation suite.
Specialist areas to study visual and auditory perception, developmental psychology and social psychology.
Study the development of perceptual and cognitive abilities in infants in our Babylab.
Our multimillion pound Centre for Brain Science (CBS) allows staff to investigate brain activity, and to measure eye movements and other physiological responses.

Your future

Psychology now influences an increasing range of fields, from working with clinical disorders, to managing education training. Today it is widely used in industry, sport and employment to improve performance, as well as affecting legal and health matters.

Our students go on to follow diverse career paths. Our degree helps many to pursue careers as clinical, forensic, educational, or occupational psychologists. Others work in related fields such as special educational needs, social work, or mental health care. However, many graduates pursue successful careers further afield, working in areas like management, human resources, financial services, the media, information technology, and market research.

For example, some of our recent graduates have gone on to work for a wide range of high-profile companies, including:

East of England Strategic Health Authority
The Crown Prosecution Service
M&G Investments
NHS Suffolk
Accenture
The BBC

We also work with our University's Student Development Team to help you find out about further work experience, internships, placements, and voluntary opportunities.

“After graduating from Essex I secured a job as a fleet reporting analyst at Bridgestone UK, which involves using different sources to extract and manipulate data to suit stakeholders’ requirements. I really enjoy establishing trends and seeing decisions being implemented based on data. I also enjoy working with the different stakeholders to find solutions. I am highly numerate in my current job and also have extensive computer skills; these are skills I acquired from studying at Essex. In the future I plan to move into data insights and analytics, which stems from my psychology degree, where I hope to use data-driven solutions to inform policy and forecasting.”

Samuel Webb, BSc Psychology with Cognitive Neuroscience, 2018

Entry requirements

Clearing entry requirements

Specific entry requirements for this course in Clearing are not published here but for most of our degree courses you will need to hold a Level 3 qualification. If you are interested in applying and have already received your results, use our Clearing application form to apply for 2021 entry and find out if you are eligible. You will be asked to provide details of your qualifications and grades.

English language requirements

English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English: IELTS 5.5 overall. Specified component grades are also required for applicants who require a Student visa to study in the UK.

Other English language qualifications may be acceptable so please contact us for further details. If we accept the English component of an international qualification then it will be included in the information given about the academic levels required. Please note that date restrictions may apply to some English language qualifications

If you are an international student requiring a Student visa to study in the UK please see our immigration webpages for the latest Home Office guidance on English language qualifications.

If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.

Additional Notes

Our Year 0 courses are only open to UK and EU applicants. If you’re an international student, but do not meet the English language or academic requirements for direct admission to your chosen degree, you could prepare and gain entry through a pathway course. Find out more about opportunities available to you at the University of Essex International College.

Structure

Course structure

We offer a flexible course structure with a mixture of core/compulsory modules, and optional modules chosen from lists.

Our research-led teaching is continually evolving to address the latest challenges and breakthroughs in the field, therefore all modules listed as subject to change. To view the compulsory modules and full list of optional modules currently on offer, please view the programme specification via the link below.

Teaching and learning disclaimer

Following the impact of the pandemic, we made changes to our teaching and assessment to ensure our current students could continue with their studies uninterrupted and safely. These changes included courses being taught through blended delivery, normally including some face-to-face teaching, online provision, or a combination of both across the year.

The teaching and assessment methods listed show what is currently planned for 2021 entry; changes may be necessary if, by the beginning of this course, we need to adapt the way we’re delivering them due to the external environment, and to allow you to continue to receive the best education possible safely and seamlessly.

Components and modules explained

Components

Components are the blocks of study that make up your course. A component may have a set module which you must study, or a number of modules from which you can choose.

Each component has a status and carries a certain number of credits towards your qualification.

Status	What this means
Core	You must take the set module for this component and you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Core with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component but you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Compulsory	You must take the set module for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Compulsory with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Optional	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.

The modules that are available for you to choose for each component will depend on several factors, including which modules you have chosen for other components, which modules you have completed in previous years of your course, and which term the module is taught in.

Modules

Modules are the individual units of study for your course. Each module has its own set of learning outcomes and assessment criteria and also carries a certain number of credits.

In most cases you will study one module per component, but in some cases you may need to study more than one module. For example, a 30-credit component may comprise of either one 30-credit module, or two 15-credit modules, depending on the options available.

Modules may be taught at different times of the year and by a different department or school to the one your course is primarily based in. You can find this information from the module code. For example, the module code HR100-4-FY means:

100

The department or school the module will be taught by.

In this example, the module would be taught by the Department of History.

The module number.

The UK academic level of the module.

A standard undergraduate course will comprise of level 4, 5 and 6 modules - increasing as you progress through the course.

A standard postgraduate taught course will comprise of level 7 modules.

A postgraduate research degree is a level 8 qualification.

The term the module will be taught in.

AU: Autumn term
SP: Spring term
SU: Summer term
FY: Full year
AP: Autumn and Spring terms
PS: Spring and Summer terms
AS: Autumn and Summer terms

COMPONENT 01: CORE

Introduction to Psychology

(30 CREDITS)

Psychology is a broad subject, containing many disciplines. This module is designed to give an overview of these different core disciplines, encouraging you to explore how these different areas are informed by theory and research. The module will cover a range of classic and contemporary pieces of psychological research, exploring the methods adopted by psychologists to investigate the human mind and behaviour Through this module, you will be encouraged to think critically about the theories and research studies that are covered and begin to consider how psychological findings apply to everyday life. This module will look at theory and research in areas such as cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, individual differences, biopsychology and social psychology. Along with psychological theories we also introduce basic research skills, creating transferable analytical skills and/or preparation for entry to a psychology (or related) degree.

View Introduction to Psychology on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 02: CORE

Statistics for Psychology

(30 CREDITS)

The module covers the statistical skills needed to proceed to any degree course within our Department of Psychology. The syllabus covers statistical methods including data collect and analysis, distributions and hypothesis testing. The associated work in classes and lab sessions develops the skills used to solve relevant problems, with classwork and assignments being set and full solutions provided where appropriate as part of the feedback process.

View Statistics for Psychology on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 03: CORE

Introduction to Applied Psychology

(30 CREDITS)

This module is designed to equip students with the skills to put psychological theory into action within professional practice. The module will cover key psychological theories and consider how these can be used within fields such as forensic psychology, health psychology, sports and exercise psychology, educational psychology, clinical psychology and occupational psychology. These areas of psychology aim to improve and offer solutions to problems associated with human behaviour. Throughout the module students are encouraged to utilise psychological research in order to assess the effectiveness of applied interventions, this will create transferable analytical skills. Learning on the module will be facilitated with practical applications to enable students to take what they learn and apply it beyond the module content.

View Introduction to Applied Psychology on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 04: CORE

Research and Academic Development Skills

(30 CREDITS)

View Research and Academic Development Skills on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 01: CORE

Discovering Psychology: The Science Behind Human Behaviour

(30 CREDITS)

From this module you will gain an introduction to some of the various sub-fields that comprise psychology. It will include lectures on topics such as sensation, perception, learning, memory, abnormal psychology, child development, language, personality and social psychology.

View Discovering Psychology: The Science Behind Human Behaviour on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 02: CORE

Research Methods in Psychology

(30 CREDITS)

This module introduces you to the basic principles of research design, and to a variety of experimental and correlational techniques for studying behaviour. Learn to apply techniques of statistical analysis to data collected from experiments, and write laboratory reports for all the research you carry out, which will form part of your assessment.

View Research Methods in Psychology on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 03: CORE

Statistics for Psychologists

(30 CREDITS)

The main purpose of this module is to make you a better psychologist by giving you the skills to analyse and present psychological data, and to improve your ability to understand and assess the psychological research that others have carried out. Use the techniques and skills you develop in this module in the Year 1 research methods module (PS114) and throughout all three years of your degree course

View Statistics for Psychologists on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 04: OPTIONAL

(30 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 05: COMPULSORY

Preparing for University Psychology

(0 CREDITS)

This module will help you develop the skills and techniques you will need to get the most from your psychology degree. The module will take place during your first two weeks which means you can start applying your new knowledge and skills almost immediately. You’ll also benefit from an extra revision session at the end of the spring term

View Preparing for University Psychology on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 06: COMPULSORY

Introduction to Personal Development and Employability

(0 CREDITS)

It’s important to plan your career. This is the one of three modules that will make sure you are career ready when you leave university. You will decide on your career aspirations and goals, plan how you will achieve them and identify the resources available to help you.

View Introduction to Personal Development and Employability on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 01: CORE

Statistics for Psychologists, 2nd Year

(30 CREDITS)

Building upon the statistics knowledge gained in your first year this module combines statistics lectures with computer workshops. You will be taught the data analysis skills and underlying principles needed to carry out a range of statistical tests. There are a number of studying formats from group and peer collaboration, observing graduate demonstrations and computer work, which will give you the opportunity to question and analyse the work you have done so far.

View Statistics for Psychologists, 2nd Year on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 02: CORE

Brain and Behaviour

(15 CREDITS)

The brain is an extremely complex organ, and there is much that we still have to learn about its processes and functions. This module will detail the psychological mechanisms that underlie human behaviour and highlight the possibility that even our deepest thoughts and feelings arise from electrical and chemical activity in our brains.

View Brain and Behaviour on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 03: CORE

Seeing and Hearing

(15 CREDITS)

This module will introduce you to cognitive psychology and covers major areas such as visual and auditory perception, and visual cognition. Through a series of laboratory sessions you will study the methods, theory and data underpinning our understanding of the processes involved in visual and auditory perception, and visual cognition.

View Seeing and Hearing on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 04: CORE

Developmental Psychology

(15 CREDITS)

Explore classical and contemporary themes of child development such as prenatal and perceptual development, early language acquisition, and cognitive and social development, whilst examining the research methods and designs employed in Developmental Psychology.

View Developmental Psychology on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 05: CORE

Social Psychology

(15 CREDITS)

Through exploring and addressing a range of theories and research on how people think and behave, you will gain a clear understanding of the topics social psychologists are interested in and their approaches to studying them.

View Social Psychology on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 06: CORE

Personality and Individual Differences

(15 CREDITS)

An in-depth look into cognitive, trait and biological theories and approaches to personality, individual differences and intelligence. This module will also give you the opportunity to cover and debate contemporary topics in individual intelligence (such as how individual differences explain behaviours, feelings and thinking).

View Personality and Individual Differences on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 07: CORE

Memory Attention and Language

(15 CREDITS)

Building on your knowledge from Cognitive Psychology 1, this module covers the major areas of cognitive psychology such as language, memory, and attention. You will develop your understanding of the psychological theories and data related to major areas of cognitive psychology.

View Memory Attention and Language on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 08: COMPULSORY

Enhancing employability and career planning

(0 CREDITS)

View Enhancing employability and career planning on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 01: CORE

Psychology Project

(30 CREDITS)

This module gives you the chance to utilise the statistical and research methodology which you gained during your first two years and apply it to your own original research project. You’ll submit a written report and a supporting poster which will be assessed.

View Psychology Project on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 02: CORE

The Neuroscience of Human Nature

(15 CREDITS)

Discover the neuroscience behind key elements of human nature. These include, understanding the faces and bodies of others, how we copy body language to show empathy and the processes that drive motivation and emotion. You will also investigate autism and schizophrenia which occur when these processes aren’t working effectively.

View The Neuroscience of Human Nature on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 03: COMPULSORY

Advanced employability skills and career progression

(0 CREDITS)

View Advanced employability skills and career progression on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 04: OPTIONAL

(15 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 05: OPTIONAL

(30 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 06: OPTIONAL

(30 CREDITS)

Fees and funding

Home/UK fee

£9,250

International fee

£16,850

EU students commencing their course in the 2021-22 academic year will be liable for the International fee.

Fees will increase for each academic year of study.

Home/UK fees and funding information

International fees and funding information

What's next

Our events are a great way to find out more about studying at Essex. We run a number of Open Days throughout the year which enable you to discover what our campus has to offer. You have the chance to:

tour our campus and accommodation
find out answers to your questions about our courses, student finance, graduate employability, student support and more
meet our students and staff

Check out our Visit Us pages to find out more information about booking onto one of our events. And if the dates aren’t suitable for you, feel free to book a campus tour here.

2021 Open Days (Colchester Campus)

Saturday, August 14, 2021

Saturday, September 18, 2021

Saturday, October 23, 2021

Find out more

How to apply during Clearing

Once you’ve checked that we have the right course for you, applying couldn’t be simpler. Fill in our quick and easy Clearing application form with as much detail as you can. We’ll then take a look and get back to you with a decision. There’s no need to call us to apply; just do it all online.

Find out more about Clearing

Interviews

We don’t interview all applicants during Clearing, however, we will only make offers for the following course after a successful interview:

BA Multimedia Journalism
BSc Nursing (Adult)
BSc Nursing (Mental Health)
BA Social Work

The interview allows our academics to find out more about you, and in turn you’ll be able to ask us any questions you might have. Further details will be emailed to you if you are shortlisted for interview.

Apply now

Home to 15,000 students from more than 130 countries, our Colchester Campus is the largest of our three sites, making us one of the most internationally diverse campuses on the planet - we like to think of ourselves as the world in one place.

The Campus is set within 200 acres of beautiful parkland, located two miles from the historic town centre of Colchester – England's oldest recorded town. Our Colchester Campus is also easily reached from London and Stansted Airport in under one hour.

How to get to Colchester Campus

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