Open University

BSc (Honours) in Psychology

Knowledge and understanding

When you have completed this degree you will:

• Know about the core domains within psychology as specified by the relevant professional bodies
• Be able to demonstrate an understanding of the types of evidence and research methods used in psychology
• Have an awareness of the importance of ethical issues in the practice of psychology, an understanding of what constitutes a scientific approach to psychology, and of the differences between common sense and psychological explanations of human behaviour
• Be able to recognise how psychological theories and research are applied in practical or professional contexts

Cognitive skills

When you have completed this degree you will have the ability to:

• Construct arguments with appropriate use of psychological concepts, theories and evidence
• Interpret and evaluate the contributions of different kinds of evidence and research methods
• Engage with and justify research questions and hypotheses, using psychological theories and evidence
• Illustrate the ability to design and carry out research projects, and analyse and interpret the findings appropriately

Practical and professional skills

When you have completed this degree you will:

• Have the ability to employ evidence-based reasoning and examine practical, theoretical and ethical issues
• Be able to communicate knowledge and findings appropriately for particular audiences
• Be able to plan and conduct appropriate psychological investigations
• Have the ability to identify and prioritise tasks, and adhere to a schedule of work.

Key skills

When you have completed this degree you will be able to demonstrate the following key skills (these skills are matched against QCA levels 3 and 4):

Communication

• The ability to select, summarise, synthesise and reference appropriately information from different psychological sources, including primary texts
• The ability to present written material in a coherently organised form, with arguments and information in a logical sequence and communicated effectively in a variety of formats

Application of number

• The ability to work with data, and interpret tables, graphs, diagrams, and bar charts
• The ability to manipulate and analyse data

Information technology

• The ability to process, prepare and present information using computers
• The ability to use information technology to search for and access electronic resources

Learning how to learn

• Development of independent learning skills
• The ability to work collaboratively
• The ability to monitor and reflect on personal progress, using feedback, and identifying own strengths and weaknesses.

This degree has three stages, each comprising 120 credits.

• At Stage 1 you'll choose between an introduction to the social sciences or childhood studies. You’ll follow this with your first core psychology module
• At Stage 2, you’ll choose from a range of applied psychology modules relevant to specific issues. You'll complete this stage with a second core psychology module
• At Stage 3 you can specialize in sports psychology, developmental psychology, social psychology, or forensic and counselling psychology. Your final core psychology module includes an independent research project

Stage 1 (120 credits)

You’ll start your degree with one from:

• Exploring psychological worlds: thinking, feeling, doing (D110)
• Introducing the social sciences (DD102)
• Introduction to childhood studies and child psychology (E104)

You’ll complete Stage 1 with:

• Encountering psychology in context (D120)

Stage 2 (120 credits)

You'll choose one from:

• Exploring mental health and counselling (D241)
• Living psychology: from the every day to the extraordinary (DD210)
• Psychology of childhood and youth (E219)
• Sport and Exercise Psychology in Action (E235)

You’ll complete Stage 2 with:

• Investigating Psychology 2 (DE200)

Stage 3 (120 credits)

You’ll choose one from:

• Advancing social psychology (DD317)
• Athletic development: a psychological perspective (E312)
• Counselling and forensic psychology: investigating crime and therapy (DD310)
• Contemporary research with children and young people (E320)

You’ll complete your degree with:

• Investigating Psychology3 (DE300)

Assessment

Our assessments are all designed to reinforce your learning and help you show your understanding of the topics. The mix of assessment methods will vary between modules.

Computer-Marked Assignments

• Usually, a series of online, multiple-choice questions

Tutor-Marked Assignments

• You’ll have a number of these throughout each module, each with a submission deadline
• They can be made up of essays, questions, experiments or something else to test your understanding of what you have learned
• Your tutor will mark and return them to you with detailed feedback

End-of-Module Assessments

• The final, marked piece of work on most modules
• Modules with an end-of-module assessment won’t usually have an exam

Exams

• Some modules end with an exam. You’ll be given time to revise and prepare
• You’ll be given your exam date at least 5 months in advance
• Most exams take place remotely, and you will complete them at home or an alternative location
• If a module requires you to take a face-to-face exam, this will be made clear in the module description, and you will be required to take your exam in person at one of our exam centres.

Skills for career development

As well as the specific knowledge gained from studying an OU degree, you'll develop many transferable and work-related skills that are highly valued by employers. These include skills in:

• Communication
• Numeracy
• Effective team-working
• Independent and critical thinking
• IT and data handling
• Analysing and evaluating diverse sources of information, including qualitative and quantitative data
• Designing and carrying out research projects, and presenting their findings
• Problem-solving and reasoning
• Application of learning to real-world problems and situations
• Independent learning.

Career relevance

Our psychology degree is designed to deliver the requirements for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society (BPS) and has been accredited by the BPS for over 20 years. Careers as a professional psychologist in the applied areas of psychology will require further study, training and/or work experience beyond your degree – for which this degree course provides ideal preparation.

The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) regulated titles include:

• Clinical psychologist
• Counselling psychologist
• Educational psychologist
• Forensic psychologist
• Health psychologist
• Occupational psychologist
• Sports and exercise psychologist.

Other careers

There are many other types of careers for which the knowledge and skills that you will develop as a psychology graduate may be useful such as:

• Advertising
• Marketing
• Education
• The health professions
• Human resources
• Management.

Many graduate-level jobs are open to graduates of any discipline, particularly in business, finance, management consultancy and the public sector. Some careers may require further study, training and/or work experience beyond your degree.

With our unique approach to distance learning, you can study from home, work or on the move.

You’ll have some assessment deadlines to meet, but otherwise, you’ll be free to study at the times that suit you, fitting your learning around work, family, and social life.

For each of your modules, you’ll use either just online resources or a mix of online and printed materials.

Each module you study will have a module website with

• A week-by-week study planner, giving you a step-by-step guide through your studies
• Course materials such as reading, videos, recordings, and self-assessed activities
• Module forums for discussions and collaborative activities with other students
• Details of each assignment and their due dates
• A tutorial booking system, online tutorial rooms, and your tutor’s contact details
• Online versions of some printed module materials and resources.