Institute of Psychological Sciences
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Study Psychology at Leeds
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"Providing an excellent student education and learning experience is at the heart of our work in the Institute.
We are proud of our students, the work they produce and the partnerships that we have we them.
We aim to stimulate your thinking, within an inspirational research environment, and to provide you with the necessary resources to help you get the best out of your time with us. Multiple opportunities are available to you here in the Institute to extend your knowledge and competencies, from research experience posts and the enterprise scheme to a study abroad or industrial placement year. Our students become confident and skilled graduates, able to compete for the best jobs in the market place. We are proud of our Institute and look forward to welcoming you should you choose to study with us." |
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| Dr Ed Sutherland Director of Student Education |
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In our degree programmes, we aim to deliver inspirational teaching that draws on our extensive research expertise.
You will encounter diverse psychological topics, which build year on year to advanced, specialist modules in your final
year, providing you with a contemporary and engaging education in psychology. Training students in psychological
research skills, from research design to its implementation and analysis, is also core to our undergraduate programmes,
which are all fully accredited by British Psychological Society.Our undergraduate programmes
We offer four undergraduate programmes, all of which are accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS).
The Society's minimum requirement for the Graduate Basis for Registration (GBR) is a second class honours degree. For more
information on the BPS and why accreditation is important, please see www.bps.org.uk.
Our four undergraduate programmes are:
BSc Psychology (International)
BSc Psychology (Intercalating)
Our education philosophy
Our aim is to inspire our students to develop to their full potential by engaging them in learning within a supportive, vibrant and exciting research environment. We value partnership with our students in learning and in research.
Psychology is an extensive and evolving scientific discipline, and to reflect this, undergraduate study of psychology
at Leeds draws upon aspects of biology, physiology, pharmacology, neuroscience, animal behaviour, linguistics and forensics,
as well as applied concerns involving health behaviours, medical error and product design. We provide substantial training
in research methods, which includes training in conducting and understanding statistical analyses of data.
We are a reputable research institute (read more about our research expertise on our research pages)
and we are passionate about sharing our knowledge. We teach core psychology in ways that draw upon cutting edge
psychology research. You will be able to enjoy a unique apprenticeship model of learning and get involved in some of
our research directly in your second and third years.
Psychology as a profession and discipline of academic enquiry demands excellent communication skills, and our undergraduate
students are trained to become articulate and proficient communicators equipped with professional skills to promote confidence
and ambition in pursuing desired career paths.
Madeline Kavanagh, 2012 Graduate
BSc Psychology
This degree is three years, full-time only. Each year has two semesters, semester 1 is September to January, and semester 2 is February to May.
Our degree programme is academically challenging and we encourage our students to aim high. Students at Leeds learn about psychology, and how to think critically about it, in a range of ways, including:
- reading core, classic and contemporary publications
- designing, conducting and analysing research
- using lectures to focus further research and reading
- preparation for, and participation in, seminars
- designing and delivering presentations
- discussions in groups and personal tutorials
- engagement with on-line activities to tailor learning
- preparing for coursework and examinations
- reflecting on, and developing from, feedback on coursework
Jo Cutler, Level 1 Student, BSc Psychology, 2012
The degree is taught in teaching units called modules and each module is worth either 10 or 20 credits. Modules taught in semester 1 are assessed in January and modules taught in semester 2 are examined in May/June. Students must pass 100 credits in each level in order to progress.
Modules in the BSc Psychology programme
| Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 |
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Research Skills 1 (20 credits)
And one from: |
Research Skills 3 (20 credits)
For 2012-13 only, choice of one from: |
Compulsory: One module from each of Bands A, B, C. A further 3 from any band.
Band A: Health and Social Psychology
Band B: Biological Psychology
Band C: Cognitive Psychology |
| (Please note that modules are subject to change) | ||
Assessment
Students are assessed at many points throughout the degree, and are supported in understanding the purpose of assessment, its format, and how it will be marked. Most forms of assessment (except end of module examinations) will be returned with personalised feedback so that students can understand their performance and develop further. Assessment begins in the form of multiple choice exams, short reports and essays, and progresses onto more substantive pieces of work, such as larger research reports, examinations, presentations and research protocols. Students can discuss their grades and overall performance every semester by meeting with their personal tutor.
Professor Dorothy Miell, The Open University, External Examiner 2008-2009
Student success
Approximately 25% of our students graduate from our undergraduate degree programmes with first class honours, and a further 65% graduate with a 2:1 degree.
Professor Chris Fife-Schaw, University of Surrey, External examiner 2010/11
One of our second year students talks about the Psychology course and life in Leeds in this three minute video.
BSc Psychology (International)
This exciting four year degree programme is identical to the BSc Psychology programme in content, but it includes one year of studying psychology at another university outside the UK. There are over 200 exchange partners across 30 different countries.
All students must initially register on the BSc Psychology degree programme (UCAS code C800). Applications to study abroad can then be made in either December (for non-European countries) or February (for European countries) of Level 2.
Year 1: Level 1 in Leeds identical to the Level 1 of the BSc Psychology programme. However, students intending to study abroad in a foreign language may choose to study the language of their chosen destination. 10-20 credits of study are available to do this through agreement with the Study Abroad Tutor.
James Briggs, Study Abroad Year at the University of California
Year 3: Study Abroad Year. In consultation with the Study Abroad Tutor, modules will be selected that broaden and deepen students' understanding of Psychology, that increase their familiarity with the culture, institutions and working practices of another country and, where appropriate, enhance their foreign language skills.
Year 4: Level 3 in Leeds identical to Level 3 of the BSc Psychology.
Forms of learning, assessment and support are identical to the BSc Psychology programme with the exception that there is a dedicated Study Abroad tutor in the Institute to support those students considering changing to the International variant.
Degree classification
The classification of the BSc Psychology (International) degree is identical to that for the BSc Psychology degree. All modules taken at Levels 2 and 3 in Leeds (Years 2 and 4) contribute towards the classification of the BSc Psychology (International) degree. Grades awarded during the study abroad year do not contribute to the degree classification. However, to be awarded the International degree students must pass their year abroad.
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BSc Psychology (Industrial)
Our new four year degree programme is identical to the BSc Psychology programme in content, but it includes one year of work placement in the UK or abroad. All students must initially register on the BSc Psychology degree programme (UCAS code C800). Applications for the work placement programme can then be made in Level 2.
Year 1: Level 1 in Leeds identical to the Level 1 of the BSc Psychology programme.
Year 2: Level 2 in Leeds is identical to Level 2 of the BSc Psychology programme.
Year 3: Work Placement Year. In consultation with the Institute and the Careers Centre, students can arrange to take up to three different placements during this year. Placements can be very diverse and student-led; the only requirements is that the placement demonstrates a clear potential to build the student's psychological knowledge and experience of using psychology in the workplace.
Year 4: Level 3 in Leeds identical to Level 3 of the BSc Psychology.
BSc Psychology (Intercalating)
Our one year, intercalating programme enables medical students to develop a deeper understanding of human behaviour than can be acquired through conventional medical training. Students can develop a mature and critical approaches to theory and data and undertake their own research project under the supervision of researchers of international calibre. This promotes their ability to design and analyse experiments of their own, construct questionnaires and use other psychological and empirical techniques. These projects are carried out in laboratories, clinics, hospitals and other institutions with which the Institute has close contact. Topics investigated in recent years have included:
Psychology is a friendly department! Students interact, as far as possible, with every member of staff as well as with students on a range of psychology degree schemes, from psychology single subject to our joint honours programmes. Students will cover the following modules:
Kate Tuffy, Intercalating medic, 2012
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