Open University

BSc (Honours) in Social Psychology

Knowledge and understanding

On completion of this degree, you will have knowledge and understanding of:

• The core domains within psychology as specified by the relevant professional bodies
• The types of evidence and research methods used in psychology and social psychology
• The importance of ethical issues in the practice of psychology
• How psychological theories and research are applied in practical or professional contexts, particularly within public policy areas.

Cognitive skills

On completion of this degree, you will be able to demonstrate 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
• Design and carry out research projects, and analyse and interpret the findings.

Practical and professional skills

On completion of this degree, you will be able to:

• Employ evidence-based reasoning and examine practical, theoretical and ethical issues, particularly issues concerning the use of social-psychological evidence
• Communicate social psychological knowledge and findings appropriately for a variety of particular audiences
• Plan and conduct appropriate social psychological investigations
• Identify and prioritise tasks and adhere to a schedule of work.

Key skills

Upon completion of this degree, you will be able to demonstrate:

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 communicate effectively in a variety of forms.

Application of numbers

• The ability to work with data and to 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

• Develop independent learning skills
• Develop an 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 two 60-credit modules.

• At Stage 1 you’ll be introduced to core academic skills and concepts from either a social sciences or psychology and counselling perspective. You’ll follow this with your first core psychology module.
• Next, in Stage 2, you’ll explore a wide range of real-life problems and issues to which psychology has been applied, along with the research and practical skills used by professional psychologists.
• Finally, in Stage 3, you’ll specialise in psychology as it has been applied to contemporary social issues such as surveillance technologies, power, inequalities and modern working practices. You'll cap your degree with an independent research project.

Stage 1 (120 credits)

You'll start your degree with either:

• Exploring psychological worlds: thinking, feeling, doing (D110)
• Introducing the social sciences (DD102)

You'll complete Stage 1 with:

• Encountering psychology in context (D120)

Stage 2 (120 credits)

You'll study both of the following:

• Living psychology: from the every day to the extraordinary (DD210)
• Investigating Psychology 2 (DE200)

Stage 3 (120 credits)

You'll study both of the following:

• Advancing social psychology (DD317)
• Investigating Psychology 3 (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 specific knowledge about social psychology, this degree course will help you to develop many transferable and work-related skills that are highly valued by employers.

• 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

Studying social psychology opens up career opportunities in social justice, public policy, media and communications. As a graduate of social psychology, you will have gained an impressive breadth of knowledge and skills that are also attractive to employers across a broad range of careers.

A career 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 useful 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

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.

These include:

• Advertising and marketing
• Education
• The health professions
• Human resources
• Management
• Research

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.