Choosing the right university course can be a little overwhelming, especially if you have no previous knowledge or experience of it. If you are interested in Psychology but not sure what to expect from the course, you will be pleased to know that you are in the right place!
Accreditation
The first thing to do before choosing a psychology course is to make sure it is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS). An accredited course is essential especially if you wish to specialise and pursue further professional postgraduate training. If you graduate with a 2:2 Honours degree or higher, you will be eligible to apply for the graduate membership of BPS and use the title GMBPsS after your name.
Course Content
Psychology is quite a broad field and an undergraduate degree in Psychology takes you through several different areas ranging from clinical psychology to developmental psychology. The first and second years comprise compulsory modules that are spread across two terms each year. The final year involves carrying out your own empirical research project under the supervision of an academic member of staff and gives you the option to choose from a range of optional modules (usually two in each term). A full list of modules in each year can be found here.
Teaching
The course is taught through a combination of on-campus lectures, seminars, and workshops. The lectures are recorded and can be viewed later through Brunel’s online learning platform i.e., Brightspace. The teaching sessions are usually one to three hours long and are spread across the week (usually three days). However, the timetable is subject to change and is released each year in September. A number of other resources such as reading lists, recommended articles, supplementary videos, discussion boards, quizzes, etc, are made available to complement the student learning experience. In case you have any further questions, you can always book an appointment with the relevant module leaders or drop in during their feedback and consultation hours.
Assessment
The assessments include a combination of exams (MCQs, short answer and long answer questions) and coursework (essays and lab reports). Moreover, some modules involve taking part in research projects run in the department to obtain a certain number of credits and practical assessments such as analysing data sets using statistical software, submitting a research ethics application, conducting qualitative interviews and focus groups etc.
Placements
At Brunel, the Psychology degree can be studied full-time over three years or over four years with either a thick sandwich (one-year long) or a thin sandwich (two six-month) placement. Most common psychology placements include working as a research assistant, SEN teaching assistant, assistant psychologist and support worker etc. Many placements are advertised on the Brunel jobs board each year and the dedicated careers team is happy to support students throughout their application journey.
Events and opportunities
Various events and community-building activities are organised by the department in collaboration with the Psychology Society throughout the year which include movie nights, bake sales, field trips, networking events and a grand annual summer celebration! You can also get involved in opportunities such as volunteering as a course representative, peer-assisted learning (PAL) leader or contributing to the psychology newsletters. Moreover, upon successful completion of a set of employment-enhancing activities, you can be eligible to receive a bronze, silver, or gold Graduate Stream in Psychology award designed specifically to contribute to your professional development and set you apart from other candidates in the graduate job market.