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BSc (Hons) Psychology

BSc (Hons) Psychology

Award

BSc (Hons)

Start Date

To be confirmed

Duration

3 years

Mode

Full-time

Location

University of Bolton

UCAS Points

112

UCAS Code

C801

Want to understand the human mind, behaviour and motivation? The University of Bolton's Psychology degree offers you the chance to learn in a supportive environment with excellent teaching and laboratory facilities. Our experienced and highly qualified staff will guide and support you, providing a focus on employability throughout your studies.

Apply Now Download Prospectus Programme Specification

Course Overview

Bolton was one of the first institutions in the UK to offer a degree in this exciting subject, and studying in our well-respected, vibrant learning and research culture provides an excellent start to your career. While working towards the BSc (Hons) in Psychology here at the University of Bolton, you'll have the opportunity to develop an in-depth understanding of the subject in terms of the science and theories of psychology and their application in everyday life.

You'll explore a range of core modules that provide a strong grounding in study and research methods and a deep understanding of the science of psychology. You'll also be able to choose specialised option modules according to your areas of interest or that relate to a particular career path you wish to follow after graduation.

As a psychology graduate, you may use your qualification as the basis for a career as a professional psychologist or enter a wide range of other professions, including teaching, human resource management, the police, the armed forces and social work.

Highlights

Key Features

Entry Requirements

Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.

Career Opportunities

The University of Bolton's BSc (Hons) Psychology degree develops knowledge of human behaviour and research, statistics, and writing skills. It can provide a foundation for many careers. Psychology graduates excel in roles that involve working with a range of complex issues and have the skills to develop a strong understanding of new areas relatively quickly.

As a psychology graduate, you'll possess key employability skills such as high-order analysis, problem-solving, communication, interpersonal awareness, IT and data handling, teamwork, and research skills. You'll also have the ability to develop arguments supported by relevant evidence.

What can I do with this qualification?

Numerous career paths are available to psychology graduates with British Psychological Society (BPS) accreditation. The more traditional routes include clinical, forensic, occupational, educational, health, sport and exercise psychology, counselling, and teaching and research.

In addition, there are broader career options such as personnel management, research, sport and exercise, advice work, social work, law enforcement and healthcare. Many of our graduates have been successful in these fields of work.

Psychology graduates can also progress to graduate schemes which are long-term employment contracts, usually with a large corporate company offering advanced training packages.

Postgraduate training and study is a requirement to become a Chartered Psychologist. Due to course entry requirements, many psychology graduates spend a year or more getting work experience before embarking on postgraduate study. Postgraduate study is available in areas such as clinical, counselling, educational, occupational, sport and exercise, or forensic psychology.

Alternative career options

Although some psychology graduates become professional psychologists, many others use the qualification as a stepping-stone into a range of other careers. These alternative roles may be advisory, research-led, treatment-led or therapeutic. Some of these roles may require relevant experience and/or postgraduate study. Possible careers include the following:

  • Probation work
  • Prison work
  • Careers advice
  • Social work
  • Counselling
  • Family mediation and support
  • Teaching and education
  • Nursing
  • Human resources
  • Police service
  • Market research
  • Play therapy
  • Advice work
  • Media and advertising
  • Communications
  • Sport and recreation
  • Brand consultancy
Professional Recognition

Successful completion of the University of Bolton's BSc (Hons) Psychology degree course is approved as conferring eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society (BPS), provided the minimum standard of qualification of second class honours is achieved.

The BPS acts as the representative body for psychology and psychologists in the UK. The GBC provides a basis for progression to society-accredited postgraduate professional training in psychology for training to become a Chartered Psychologist (CPsychol).

Fees & Funding

Home/EU Fees

Year of study Total
Entry Year 2024/25 2025/26 2026/27 2027/28
2024-25 £9,250 £9,250 £9,250 - £27,750
2025-26 -

International Fees

Year of study Total
Entry Year 2024/25 2025/26 2026/27 2027/28
2024-25 £15,950 £15,950 £15,950 - £47,850
2025-26 -

Bursaries

Click here for more information about the scholarships and bursaries available to University of Bolton students.

Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2024-25 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.

The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.

How to apply

Home Applicants

If you wish to apply for multiple institutions or multiple courses at Bolton for September entry, then apply through UCAS

You can apply for up to 5 courses through UCAS (at the same or different institutions) for a fee of £27. Alternatively, if you only wish to apply for a single course at a single institution then a reduced applicant's fee of £22.50 is applicable.

The online application form and guidance notes are available on the UCAS website.

You will need the following information to complete your UCAS application form:

  • Institution Code Name: BOLTN

  • Institution Code Number: B44

UCAS - Universities and Colleges Admissions Service

Tel: 0870 1122211
Web: www.ucas.com

If you wish to apply for a single course offered by the University of Bolton for any intake, you can apply directly

If you have carefully considered your course and institution choices and decided that this course is the best option for you, you may apply directly to the University using our online application form shown below.

A direct application to Bolton provides the following features:

  • Free of charge to apply

  • Secure, simple and streamlined

  • Contact us directly for any admissions queries

  • Regular updates on your application directly from the University

  • Invites to offer holder events and taster sessions where you can meet your future tutors and get a flavour of university life

NOTE: You cannot apply both through UCAS and directly to Bolton. Submitting an application to any university through UCAS during the same academic year will void any direct application you make to Bolton.

For courses starting in September, please be aware that we are required to share your information with UCAS if we accept you on this course. We will create a simplified UCAS acceptance record on your behalf and return this to UCAS. By submitting your application directly to the University of Bolton, you agree to these terms.

If you are ready to apply directly, please select your chosen start date from the list below.

Before applying, please read the entry requirements section of this page.

If your course runs at multiple locations or has various start dates, please be sure to select the correct application link from the list below.

Before beginning your application, you should have the following information to hand:

  • Details of the educational establishments you attended and dates

  • Your certificates for the qualifications you are using to gain entry to the course – you will need to enter the completion date and upload copies

  • Details of any employment history, including name, address, dates and role

  • Personal statement – this can be either input into the relevant field or uploaded separately

  • Details including e-mail addresses of two referees, at least one of which should be someone who can provide an academic reference

Please make sure any documents you wish to upload in support of your application are in pdf or jpeg format. Personal statements may be word documents.

Please ensure your data is correct at each stage of the application before you proceed to the next page. If you use the back button at any time during the application, you should check the validity of the data you have already inputted.

If you experience difficulties during the application process, contact the Undergraduate Admissions Team on 01204 903394 or admissions-team@bolton.ac.uk

International Applicants

The University welcomes applications from international students from all over the world. We try to make the application process as simple and as fast as possible for our international applicants.

This course is not currently accepting international online applications.

Please contact Admissions by telephone on 01204 903903 or email enquiries@bolton.ac.uk

Admissions
University of Bolton
Deane Road
Bolton, BL3 5AB
United Kingdom

Tel: 01204 903903
Email: enquiries@bolton.ac.uk

Partner Organisation Applicants

University of Bolton Group Partners

Bolton College
University Collegiate School
Alliance Learning
University of Bolton

For valued members of the University of Bolton Group and progressing students, we try to make our application process as simple and as fast as possible.

If you have carefully considered your course and institution choices and decided that this course is the best option for you, you may apply free of charge to the University. By selecting the appropriate link from the list shown below, you will be taken directly to our online application form. Please read the user guidance before completing this, and ensure you upload all supporting documents such as certificates and your personal statement when you apply.

When you are asked to add a contact email address, please ensure you add your college/university email account address as well as your personal address. If you do not add your college address as your contact address, we will be unable to identify you as a partner and offer you the benefits of being part of our group.

NOTE: You cannot apply both through UCAS and directly to Bolton. Submitting an application to any university through UCAS during the same academic year will void any direct application you make to Bolton.

For courses starting in September, please be aware that we are required to share your information with UCAS if we accept you on this course. We will create a simplified UCAS acceptance record on your behalf and return this to UCAS. By submitting your application directly to the University of Bolton, you agree to these terms.

If you are ready to apply directly, please select your chosen start date from the list below.

Before applying, please read the entry requirements section of this page.

If your course runs at multiple locations or has various start dates, please be sure to select the correct application link from the list below.

Before beginning your application, you should have the following information to hand:

  • Details of the educational establishments you attended and dates

  • Your certificates for the qualifications you are using to gain entry to the course – you will need to enter the completion date and upload copies

  • Details of any employment history, including name, address, dates and role

  • Personal statement – this can be either input into the relevant field or uploaded separately

  • Details including email addresses of two referees, at least one of which should be someone who can provide an academic reference

Please make sure any documents you wish to upload in support of your application are in pdf or jpeg format. Personal statements may be word documents.

Please ensure your data is correct at each stage of the application before you proceed to the next page. If you use the back button at any time during the application, you should check the validity of the data you have already inputted.

If you experience difficulties during the application process, contact the Undergraduate Admissions Team on 01204 903394 or admissions-team@bolton.ac.uk

We look forward to receiving your application and you continuing your academic journey with us!

Teaching & Assessment

Our teaching and learning strategy is student-centred. We use a blended approach, so you'll have face-to-face sessions, sometimes one-to-one, and participate in online learning. During the degree, you can expect a mix of seminars, lectures and tutorials, practical workshop demonstrations, critiques, study visits, self-directed study, IT and library sessions, and guided study. The University's e-learning portal Moodle will support your online learning. We'll also encourage you to use the internet for research.

Guest lectures and presentations by visiting speakers from relevant employment areas offer you the chance to develop your knowledge and understanding further.

The assessment strategy aims to help you organise and develop your learning and evaluate your achievement. Over the course of the degree, you can expect time-constrained exams and coursework, such as essays, reports, presentations, and portfolios. These contribute to your final marks and allow you to demonstrate that you've met the learning outcomes for the course. Much of your assessed work is submitted online via Moodle, with feedback also given through this route. You can also use Moodle to communicate with fellow students studying the same modules.

Modules

The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.

  • Academic Language and Skills 5
  • Understanding the Person
  • Contemporary Issues in Psychology
  • Application of Psychology
  • Introduction to Research Methods in Psychology
  • Cognitive and Biopsychological Perspectives
  • Exploring Psychology
  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Biopsychology
  • Social and Critical Psychology
  • Research Methods in Psychology
  • Personality and Developmental Psychology
  • The Honours Project
  • Psychology of Loss and Trauma
  • The Therapeutic Process
  • Cyber Psychology and New Media
  • Social Neuroscience
  • Assessment in Psychology
  • Applied Experience
  • Psychology of Mental Health
  • Psychology of Sport and Exercise
  • Psychological Wellbeing in the Workplace
  • Young Life and the Mind

Assessment methods

Level Assessment method
Level 1 Coursework 66%
Written exams 33%
Level 2 Coursework 50%
Written exams 50%
Level 3 Coursework 100%

Learning Activities

Level Activity
Level 1 Guided independent study 66%
Scheduled learning and teaching activities 34%
Level 2 Guided independent study 74%
Scheduled learning and teaching activities 26%
Level 3 Guided independent study 75%
Placement/study abroad 5%
Scheduled learning and teaching activities 20%

The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.

Postgraduate Options

Programme Contacts

Help Centre

We have the answers to your questions, find all the advice and support in one place.

Part of the University of Bolton Group

Bolton college
Alliance learning
Anderton centre2
QQA Scheme Participant

Help Centre

We have the answers to your questions, find all the advice and support in one place.

Part of the University of Bolton Group

Bolton college
Alliance learning
Anderton centre2
QQA Scheme Participant