Careers with this subject
Key features
- Hands-on learning in our psychology experiential learning lab. We embedded practical activities throughout the course, so you can put new knowledge into practice and build practical skills for future careers.
- Shape the psychologist you want to be. Course choices and our completely option-based final year give the freedom to explore and develop areas of psychology that interest and benefit you the most.
- As a successful graduate, you are eligible for with the British Psychological Society.
- Gain valuable real-world experience by putting your skills and knowledge into practice with an optional placement year, or take part in an international exchange year by studying abroad.
- You’ll go beyond the classroom and learn how psychology can have a tangible effect on the wider world with the field trips integrated throughout our curriculum - exploring how psychology can make a difference to our environment and communities.
- Gain insight into life as a community justice professional – you’ll study the same topics as professionals working in probation, policing, youth justice, community safety and victim services.
Course details
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Year 1
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In your first year, you'll study the core theories of psychology, including topics like learning, social, developmental, clinical, cognitive, and physiological psychology. You'll also begin developing key skills, such as research methods, information technology, communication, and critical thinking, all of which are crucial for your future career. You’ll also investigate criminology and learn about the criminal justice sentencing process in England and Wales.
Core modules
CRM4002
Introduction to Criminological Theory 20 creditsThis module introduces students to criminological theory. The module addresses the importance of theory in criminology, critically examines a range of criminological theories, and applies criminological thought to a variety of practical concerns throughout history, including contemporary social life.
100% Coursework
CRM4005
Responses to Crime: An Introduction 20 creditsThis module provides an overview of responses to crime in contemporary Britain. It examines responses to crime primarily in England & Wales, drawing upon comparative examples to explore similarities and differences. Its main focus is upon the criminal justice process, but the focus is also extended to approaches to crime founded upon different rationalities, such as restorative justice and risk management. This module will include two 2-hour talks that introduce our School and programme level employability related opportunities and support, including details of the optional placement year.
100% Coursework
PSYC421
Cognitive Psychology 20 creditsThis module introduces some of our fundamental mental processes, such as learning, memory, attention and reasoning. Across a series of lectures and practical workshops you’ll explore some of the core concepts in cognition – designing and testing your own experiments to build skills and experience in basic research skills, such as problem solving, hypothesis testing, data collection and the communication of your findings
100% Coursework
PSYC422
Clinical and Developmental Psychology 20 creditsThis module will establish an understanding of clinical and developmental psychology. You will learn about contemporary issues relating to mental health and neurodiversity, as well as the history of how conditions are classified, diagnosed, and treated. You also examine how cognitive, social and emotional abilities develop and change over childhood, informing our understanding of their origins and limitations on maturation.
100% Examinations
PSYC424
Social Psychology 20 creditsIntroducing fundamental topics forming the basis of social psychology you will learn about the formation of personality, relationships and our perceptions and prejudices of others, as well as our understanding of how particular social situations affect our thoughts and behaviours. Embedded workshops provide practical training on the research skills and techniques specific to the study of social psychology.
100% Coursework
PSYC425
Perception and the Brain 20 creditsIn this module you will learn about the biological bases of behaviour and the mechanisms of sensory perception. One strand of lectures focuses on the fundamentals of neuroscience, brain anatomy and function, and research methods in neuroscience including studies of disorders of the mind and brain. Another lecture strand concerns perception, with a particular focus on the mechanisms of human vision and hearing.
100% Examinations
HIPL400
Interprofessional Learning 1 -
Year 2
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With a focus on developing research and practical skills, your psychology modules will give you additional hands-on experience in designing and testing your own experiments to explore a range of topics. You also continue to build upon your knowledge of the core areas of psychology, getting to grips with key concepts from across cognitive, developmental, social and clinical psychology. In criminology you’ll explore theories of crime and culture, and learn about different perspectives on crime policy.
Core modules
CPIE202
Career and Placement PlanningPSYC513
Cognition and Biological Psychology 20 creditsThis module provides a comprehensive examination of the core topics in cognitive and biological psychology. Here you will learn about the key phenomena, theories and biological mechanisms that underpin our cognitive processes and emergent behaviour in learning, memory, reasoning, and language.
100% Examinations
PSYC514
Individual Differences, Social and Developmental Psychology 20 creditsThis module provides an in-depth and critical understanding of research in individual differences, social and developmental psychology. Here you will critically examine the leading theories that compete to explain our social behaviour and underlying psychological processes, how they developed, and why they can lead to such different outcomes.
100% Examinations
PSYC519
Research Skills in Practice 1 20 creditsHere you will develop your understanding of both qualitative and quantitative research methods through practical experience. Across a series of workshops, you will formulate a research question, design an experiment, collect data and learn about a range of statistical and qualitative techniques to analyse your findings. This will provide increasing confidence with the research process, project management, and ethics.
100% Coursework
PSYC520
Research Skills in Practice 2 20 creditsBuilding upon prior learning, in this module you receive practical instruction on how to undertake and communicate research of increasing complexity. Working in supervised groups across a series of workshops you will develop and empirically test research questions on inter-group differences, presenting your findings in oral presentations and a written report.
100% Coursework
CRM5002
Theorising Crime and Harm 20 creditsThis module takes recent developments in criminological theory and analyses the potential for criminology as a discipline to contribute to understanding, contextualising and countering some of the greatest challenges facing society and the planet today. The emphasis on harm tests the boundaries of mainstream criminology, and encourages students to think beyond social and legal constructions of crime.
100% Coursework
CRM5004
Critical Perspectives on Crime Control 20 creditsThis module examines a range of critical social scientific perspectives which have sought to make sense of crime control within its wider social context and in terms of its wider social significance. It considers the contributions of key social science theorists such as Stanley Cohen, David Garland, and Loic Wacquant and others whose work has focused upon crime control, and it seeks to apply their core ideas in order to illuminate our understanding of contemporary features of policy and practice.
100% Coursework
HIPL500
Interprofessional Learning 2 -
Year 3
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If you choose, you can take an optional work placement after your second year, expanding your knowledge of psychology in a real-world context across the UK. Apply to spend a year honing your skills on a psychological professional/work placement. Gain invaluable experience, make professional contacts and receive a Certificate of Professional/Industrial Placement. Please note some placements may require Occupation Health and/or Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks.
Core modules
CPIE501
Placement: Psychology 0 creditsIn this professional placement you will develop and apply your psychological knowledge in the workplace, gaining invaluable working experience and connections in a psychological discipline. Our placement team will help you to secure a placement in a vocation of your choosing and, alongside your personal tutor, will guide and support you to achieve your desired learning outcomes and vocational experiences.
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Final year
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You will have freedom of choice about the topics you specialise in for your final year. In psychology you'll study four current topics from a list of sixteen options, taught by world experts in their fields. A typical year’s list includes options in
clinical, forensic, developmental, health, occupational, cognitive, social, and neuropsychology . You'll also choose to work on your own research project, supervised by one of our staff. All of our staff are active researchers, and all of our staff teach, unlike other universities. As one of the largest schools of psychology in the UK, you can be confident that we can cover almost every area of interest. In addition, you’ll choose from a diverse range of modules to enhance your expertise in criminology and criminal justice.Core modules
PSYC600
Careers Planning 0 creditsThis zero-credit module is home to careers talks.
PSYC601
Current Topics in Psychology 1 20 creditsIn this module you have a free choice of two topics drawn from across the breadth of the psychology, delivered by specialist academic or practitioner from that field. This choice will allow you to focus and develop an in-depth critical appreciation, knowledge, and skill base in areas of particular interest and utility to you and your future vocation.
50% Coursework
50% Examinations
PSYC603
Current Topics in Psychology 3 20 creditsIn this module you have a free choice of two topics drawn from across the breadth of the psychology, delivered by specialist academic or practitioner from that field. This choice will allow you to focus and develop an in-depth critical appreciation, knowledge, and skill base in areas of particular interest and utility to you and your future vocation.
50% Coursework
50% Examinations
PSYC605
Research Project 40 creditsIn this module you will undertake a comprehensive research project to investigate an original psychological research question in an area of your own choosing. Research training is provided across a wide range of workshops such that, with close support from your research supervisor, you will design and conduct an experiment or study to address your question, analyse data and communicate your findings verbally and in writing.
80% Coursework
20% Practicals
HIPL600
Interprofessional Learning 3Optional modules
CRM6003
Social Change and Justice 20 creditsThis module examines how attitudes towards crime and justice have changed and developed over time. It will demonstrate the importance of historically and socially contextualising specific crimes in order to increase the understanding of their contemporary relevance, alongside examining the political and economic context.
100% Coursework
CRM6008
Leisure, Consumerism and Harm 20 creditsThis module explores contemporary developments within the study of leisure and consumerism, offering a theoretically informed understanding of key issues at the forefront of the discipline. Students will have the opportunity to study the changing nature of criminology’s engagement with leisure against a backdrop of global consumer capitalism.
100% Coursework
CRM6015
Global Conflict, Genocide and Crimes of the StateThis module explores the issue of global (in)security in the context of state and non-state conflict. Theoretical and conceptual understandings of crime, violence, victimisation and justice will be used to interrogate acts such as war crimes and terrorism. The module will address the history of such crimes and will critically explore State and international responses.
CRM6016MX
Green Criminology: Climate Justice and the Planetary CrisisThis module will address theoretical perspectives, methodological issues, and empirical research related to the field of green criminology, including applied concerns, such as policy and social/political praxis, through a range of concepts, topics, and themes that are central to green criminology.
CRM6012
Critical Hate Studies 20 creditsThis module presents the problem of ‘hate crime’ to students by identifying legislation, policy and practice that has been framed within its context in the UK and abroad. It will deconstruct the notion of hate crime and provide a critical reflection on the notion of ‘hate’ and its manifestations in late modernity.
100% Coursework
Entry requirements
UCAS tariff
112 - 128
Contextual offers: Typically, the contextual offer for this course is 8 points below the advertised tariff. A contextual offer is an offer to study at university that takes into account individual circumstances that are beyond your control, and that can potentially impact your learning and your exam results, or your confidence in applying to university.
If you hold a BTEC qualification it is vital that you provide our Admissions team with details of the exact modules you have studied as part of the BTEC. Without this information we may be unable to process your application quickly and you could experience significant delays in the progress of your application to study with us. Please explicitly state the full list of modules within your qualification at the time of application.
Candidates concerned about meeting this offer are encouraged to contact the Institution direct.
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English language requirements - We welcome applicants with international qualifications. To view other accepted qualifications please refer to our
tariff glossary . - Students under the age of 18 at the start of the programme are eligible to apply for this programme.
Fees, costs and funding
2024-2025 | 2025-2026 * | |
---|---|---|
Home | £9,250 | £9,535 |
International | £18,100 | £18,650 |
Part time (Home) | £770 | £795 |
*UK Government announcement on tuition fees
Following an , the government has confirmed its intention to increase undergraduate tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year.
Subject to final Parliamentary approval (expected in early March 2025), the tuition fee for UK students is increasing to a maximum of £9,535 from 1 August 2025. This change applies to current and new students at the ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ. The Student Loans Company (SLC) has confirmed loans for tuition fees will be increased accordingly.
Additional costs
Tuition fees for optional placement years
How to apply
Progression routes
International progression routes
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'Specialist facilities – 22 labs to choose from
Why choose Plymouth?
We have 22 specialist laboratories which can be booked by students and staff. Labs range from single participant rooms through to labs with a range of networked or standalone computers and social interaction or group participation rooms.
All of our psychology students can opt to take a voluntary placement year, so you do not have to apply for a particular course. You will gain invaluable experience and cultivate professional contacts. The process starts in your second year, with information sessions to help you decide if a placement year is right for you.
Every year around 60-70 first and second-year students volunteer to work with a member of staff as a 'Research Apprentice'. With this informally run scheme, you'll get first-hand experience of carrying out research – everything from literature searching through experimental design and data collection to analysis and even publishing papers.
Learning alongside other students on your course can give you a greater opportunity to discuss ideas, broaden your knowledge, gain confidence and make friends. You will benefit from regular, coordinated Peer-Led Study Sessions planned and delivered by student PALS leaders from the academic year above. Your group will be small enough to work together, discussing ideas, completing tasks and checking understanding in a relaxed and friendly environment.
Discover psychology at Plymouth and explore our open days

Research in the School of Psychology
Learn more about the research in the School of Psychology
Staff insight – Professor Caroline Floccia
...I was in my twenties, and I went to a party and I met somebody who told me for the first time about the existence of a field called cognitive psychology… a field in which people study how the brain and mind work… it was a revelation…
Our labs
Academic staff
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Dr Rana Abu-Zhaya
Visiting Lecturer
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Professor Jackie Andrade
Professor in Psychology
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Dr Alison Bacon
Associate Professor
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Dr Sarah Baldrey
Associate Professor (Senior Lecturer) in Clinical Psychology
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Dr Nadège Bault
Lecturer in Psychology (Behavioural or Cognitive Neuroscience)
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Dr Christopher Berry
Associate Professor of Psychology
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Dr Jaysan Charlesford
Lecturer in Psychology
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Professor Judy Edworthy
Emeritus Professor
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Professor Elsa Fouragnan
Professor
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Professor Caroline Floccia
Professor in Developmental Psychology
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Dr Giorgio Ganis
Associate Professor (Reader) in Cognitive Neuroscience
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Dr Phil Gee
Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning
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Professor Jeremy Goslin
Head of School of Psychology
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Professor Stephen Hall
Professor in Human Neuroimaging
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Dr Sonja Heintz
Lecturer in Psychology
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Dr Nerissa Ho
Lecturer in Psychology
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Dr Sophie Homer
Associate Professor of Psychology
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Ms Rebecca Holtom
Clinical Tutor
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Dr Matthew Hudson
Lecturer in Psychology
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Dr Peter Jones
Associate Professor
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Dr Patricia Kanngiesser
Associate Professor in Psychology
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Dr Pete Keohane
DClinPsy Programme Director
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Dr Chris Longmore
Lecturer in Psychology
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Dr Mila Mileva
Lecturer in Psychology
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Professor Jon May
Professor in Psychology
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Professor Christopher Mitchell
Professor in Psychology
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Dr Steve Minton
Associate Professor in Applied Psychology
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Professor David Murphy
Clinical Programme Director
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Professor Reg Morris
Emeritus Professor
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Dr Alyson Norman
Associate Head of School for Teaching, Learning, Quality and Student Experience
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Professor Sabine Pahl
Honorary Professor of Applied Social Psychology
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Dr Matt Roser
Lecturer in Psychology
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Dr Alastair Smith
Associate Professor in Psychology
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Dr Jacqui Stedmon
Emeritus Professor
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Dr Ed Symes
Lecturer in Psychology
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Dr Michael Verde
Lecturer in Psychology
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Dr Clare Walsh
Lecturer in Psychology
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Dr Ben Whalley
Associate Professor
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Professor Andy Wills
Professor in Psychology
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Dr Jan K. Woike
Lecturer in Psychology
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Dr Kayleigh Wyles
Associate Professor in Psychology