Psychology (BSc)

This BSc (Hons) Psychology degree (accredited by the British Psychological Society) engages students with academic knowledge and practical skills required by graduates in modern society. Our dedicated laboratory and teaching spaces at the Swansea SA1 campus provide an excellent learning environment. The focus on doing, rather than simply learning about psychology also provides a truly unique skillset, guided by an expert team of academic psychologists through an innovative blend of traditional lectures, practical workshops, and small group tutorials.

Throughout the degree you will explore links between psychological theory, research, ethics, and practice, and focus on producing scientific understanding of links between the mind, brain, and behaviour. You will experience how we can try to influence these processes to improve individual, organisational, and societal health and wellbeing.

You will have regular opportunity to discuss and debate cutting edge research and real-world applications of psychology with fellow students and tutors. The development of team-working skills and independent learning are supported throughout the degree, along with developing strong critical thinking, writing, analytical and problem-solving skills, plus other transferable skills considered desirable by employers and post-graduate courses.

Year One – Level 4 (Cert HE, Dip HE & BSc)

• Conceptual and Historical Issues in Psychology (20 credits; compulsory)
• Exploring Emotion and Communication (20 credits; compulsory)
• Personality and Individual Differences  (20 credits; compulsory)
• Psychology in Practice (20 credits; compulsory)
• Research Methods I (20 credits; core)
• Study Skills for Psychology (20 credits; compulsory).

Year Two – Level 5 (Dip HE & BSc)

• Developmental Psychology and Individual Differences (20 credits; compulsory)
• Organisational Psychology (20 credits; compulsory)
• Research in Action (20 credits; compulsory)
• Research Methods II (20 credits; core)
• Social and Cultural Psychology (20 credits; compulsory)
• The Brain, Biology and Cognition (20 credits; compulsory).

Year Three – Level 6 (BSc)

• Biological and Cognitive Neuroscience  (20 credits; optional)
• CBT and New Cognitive Therapies (20 credits; optional)
• Cognition in Action Cognition in Action (20 credits; optional)
• Ecopsychology (20 credits; optional)
• Ethics, Values, and the Professional Self (20 credits; compulsory)
• Forensic Psychology and the Criminal Mind – (20 credits; optional)
• Mental Health in Children and Young People – (20 credits; optional)
• Psychology Empirical Project (20 credits; core)
• Psychology, Health and Illness (20 credits; optional)
• Psychopathology and Mental Health (20 credits; optional)
• Social Knowledge and Identity (20 credits; optional)
• The Psychology of Education and Ageing (20 credits; optional)
• The Psychology of Prejudice and Discrimination (20 credits; optional)

Each student chooses four of the eight optional modules in Year Three (Level 6).

The programme uses a range of different assessment methods to provide students with the opportunity to extend their practical and academic skills and encourage independent learning.

These include innovative assessment methods such as academic posters, in-class skills assessments, group and individual presentations, research reports and research proposals, as well as traditional assessments such as academic essays and exams.

Your overall degree classification marks will be calculated from Years Two and Three of your studies.
This classification will be calculated as 33% at Level 5 and 67% at Level 6.

This Framework aims to develop your professional skills and competence alongside your academic subject knowledge. You’ll study up to 40 credits per level throughout your programme from the Graduate Attributes Framework.

The Graduate Attribute modules are designed to enable you to develop, and evidence, a range of career-focused skills related to your subject area. These skills include digital competency, research and project management, as well as such personal competencies as communication, creativity, self-reflection, resilience and problem-solving. 

• Find out more about the Graduate Attributes Framework

• Dr Ceri Phelps
• Dr Judith Marshall
• Dr Kate Williams
• Dr Lymarie Rodiquez
• Dr Paul B. Hutchings
• Stacey Coleman
• Ruth Groff
• Catherine Slade

Typical offers are made for 112 tariff points for the BSc Psychology programme. The programme is aimed at A-level school leavers and those who have left education and now wish to return.

There is no expectation that A-level candidates will have studied psychology at A-level and, although they typically would have studied a (social) science at A-level, students with a mix of subjects across the A-level spectrum are welcome. International applicants are also welcome (subject to minimum English language requirements).

Here at UWTSD, we place great importance on encouraging non-standard entry students with relevant life skills and academic potential to join our course. Additional study skills support is available for any student needing more one-to-one tuition. The nature of assessments and feedback in the first year provides ample opportunity for students to develop their confidence and academic style.

Students who graduate with a minimum lower second-class honours classification (2:2) are eligible for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society.

This indicates that students have met the curriculum requirements derived from the Quality Assurance Agency’s (2019) subject benchmark statement for Psychology and is often an important prerequisite for students wishing to go on to further postgraduate study or training in psychology.

Over the years, many of our students have progressed onto BPS stage II postgraduate training programmes (popular routes being Masters programmes in Clinical Psychology, Occupational Psychology and Health Psychology), as well as our own MSc in Applied Psychology (https://www.uwtsd.ac.uk/msc-applied-psychology/), offered at UWTSD.

For those not wishing to pursue a career in psychology, graduates have long been recognised as being of value to a range of organisations beyond Psychology such as HR, Advertising, Media, Research & Development, and Health and Social Care. 

Students may be required to apply for and obtain a UWTSD Enhanced Disclosure Barring Check (DBS). The fee for this is dependent on the DBS; it is currently approximately £44.

Students are required to gain practical placement experience within a setting that offers students exposure to a variety of organisational processes and systems, for which a DBS may be required (see above). This placement will also incur travel and refreshments costs that will be payable by the student.

The department also offers students optional opportunities to partake in visits beyond the campus, for example, Cardiff, London, and to study abroad. The students incur the costs of these optional visits and activities.

BPS Student Conference Attendance (Optional) £100. 

This programme is accredited by the British Psychological Society.

• Applied Psychology (BSc)
• Mental Health (BSc)
• Psychology and Counselling (BSc)

Amy Curtis, BSc Psychology student

"During my time studying Psychology at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, I experienced a rollercoaster of academic and emotional challenges. The academic and non-academic staff were, therefore, one of the most important parts of my time at UWTSD. The academic staff were amazing at providing guidance and support for assignments, exams and presentations but additionally, they were always there to help with other problems you may be experiencing, I think that is what makes the Psychology team so supportive and really helps with motivation to do as well as you can.

The non-academic support at UWTSD was also invaluable and were brilliant whenever I needed them. While studying Psychology at UWTSD I found the lectures interesting and engaging, the content covers such a broad range of psychology it gives you a great opportunity to find out what interests you most. The lecturers are very passionate and incredibly knowledgeable about their areas which are so inspiring as a student.

I also really enjoyed the wide range of assignments on this course, you are given the opportunity to present, write essays, do group work and most importantly design and conduct interesting research before the third year and write up a report. This is honestly such a valuable assignment as it allows you to learn how to conduct robust research in the new SA1 campus Psychology Labs before your dissertation! Overall, I loved my time studying Psychology at UWTSD and am so proud to have completed my degree at such a great university."

You may be eligible for funding to help support your study.  To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available please visit our Scholarships and Bursaries section.

Please visit our Student Accommodation section to find out more.

Psychology at University of Wales Trinity Saint David offers an exciting mix of expertise in experimental psychology, applied health psychology, therapeutic counselling practice and psychotherapeutic approaches. This diverse mix of skills and experience inform both the teaching and research areas across all programmes within the discipline and creates an exciting and dynamic learning environment where students can flourish and develop strong academic, research and transferable skills.

We have strong links with the local community through our community engagement work, as well as with national charities and the NHS, alongside a growing national and international research profile.

For more information, please contact the programme director Dr Paul Hutchings via email paul.hutchings@uwtsd.ac.uk.