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Psychology (BSC HONS) C800

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BSc|Undergraduate

Psychology

Entry year
Academic Year 2023/24
Entry requirements
ABB/AAB
Duration
3 years (Full Time)
UCAS code
C800
Apply via UCAS
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Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour. Our professional body, the British Psychological Society (BPS), describes Psychology as being "about understanding what makes people tick and how this understanding can help us address many of the problems and issues in society today."

Our programme is accredited by the BPS, and as such you will cover topics from the seven key areas in Psychology, building understanding and critical insight throughout your degree programme. These areas are:
1. Biological Psychology – Biological basis of behaviour: neuroscience, genetics, animal behaviour
2. Cognitive Psychology – Mental processes underlying thinking, memory, language and learning
3. Conceptual & Historical Issues – Considers where the discipline has come from, where it’s going, and the big unanswered questions of Psychology
4. Developmental Psychology – How we grow and develop, from conception to old age
5. Individual Differences – How we differ from one another in terms of traits, abilities and motivations
6. Research Methods – How we collect and analyse data to further understanding of the mind and behaviour
7. Social Psychology – How we perceive ourselves and others, interact as groups and the influences of culture and society

Psychology Degree highlights

Our BPS accredited programme is delivered by research leaders with a commitment to both student support and delivering an innovative and interactive educational experience.

Professional Accreditations

  • Successful completion of an accredited undergraduate programme confers eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society (BPS).

    We invest in our students by providing free Student Membership of the BPS throughout their undergraduate degree programme. As such a graduate of Queen's will automatically become a Graduate Member of the BPS with GBC providing the final year thesis module is passed and at least a 2.2 degree classification is achieved. This allows the use of the title MBPsS after your name for as long as you remain a member of the BPS.
    https://www.bps.org.uk/

Career Development

  • Our students can choose either a year-long paid professional placement or a placement module in their final year. Recent students have secured placements with IBM, PWC, Praxis, NI Civil Service, a range of local schools, Simon Community among many others. We support our students to find a placement that works for them through our dedicated Placement and Employability support team who are on hand before, during and after placements.

    Working together with colleagues in the University's careers team we prepare students both for placement and their future careers with a programme of guest speakers and practical skills workshops including CV writing, writing a personal statement and interview skills. Our aim is to enable our students to go on to further study or graduate employment in the workforce.
    https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/psy/PsychologyatWork/WorkPlacementswithPsychology/

World Class Facilities

  • We have invested to enhance facilities for students within the School to include a refurbished teaching and learning area where you will take weekly practical classes in your first two years. These state of the art facilities, which are only available to Psychology students, can also be used for private and group work outside class times.

    Students can get involved in our research programmes from early on and as such will become familiar with many of our high-tech research facilities such as our animal behaviour lab, brain stimulation lab, the virtual reality and motion-capture technology in our Science in Motion lab located in the Queens Sport building, our eye-tracking devices, our child development observation lab, and a large psychology test library amongst other facilities.

    For breaks between classes, there is a Psychology student social space with kitchen facilities as well as a separate student quiet room.

Internationally Renowned Experts

  • Our research is grouped around a number of themes including Development and Cognition; Social Psychology; Health Welfare and Clinical Psychology; and Perception and Action.

    We’re at the forefront of ground breaking research which you’ll find embedded throughout our teaching.

    We are particularly proud of the impact of our research on informing policy makers, developing industry partnerships and ultimately touching on the lives of thousands of individuals.

    The most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF 2014) placed the School among the UK’s top 20 Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience departments in terms of both research intensity and research impact.
    https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/psy/Research/

Student Experience

  • Our commitment to student experience begins before you join us on campus with a series of pre-induction welcome activities. These will provide you with important information about your course as well as an opportunity for you to meet your peers and smooth your transition into University life. You will later participate in a range of on-campus induction events, all aimed at building connections with your peers, academic staff, and the School more widely. During this time, you will meet a number of staff who will be important during your first year including your Year Head, Personal Tutor and Advisor of Studies.

    Beyond this, we hold social mixer events for each year group at the start of every year and we run a programme of social events which in recent years have included a on-campus zoo day, staff-student Christmas quiz, student photography competition, Easter treasure hunt and a staff-student running club. We also facilitate a number of student-led social groups including 21+ (for those who have had a break in their studies before coming to University) and our international student group. We run a peer mentoring scheme where first years are assigned to second and third year mentors and our student society PsychSoc is also very active.

    All of this is overseen by our Psychology Student Support Officer who is available for help and support.

    Your feedback is an important part of ensuring you have the best student experience possible and we provide numerous opportunities for students to voice their opinions throughout the academic year via town-hall meetings and student voice committees. These help us build an even better student experience.
Zoe Robinson, Student on one year Professional Placement with Aperture

My year of professional placement has had an enormous impact on me and my development.

My placement with Aperture has given me the opportunity to gain skills specific to psychology such as analytical and research skills. The placement year has also given me the employability skills and experience required for real-life work along with an increased understanding and awareness of the world of work.

My knowledge of the financial sector and debt solution industry has increased drastically which has allowed me to make better informed decisions about future career choices, including a career within occupational psychology.

Not only has my confidence significantly increased from doing the placement year but it has also accelerated my personal maturity, self-awareness and ability to articulate skills and achievements.

I am extremely glad I had the opportunity to undertake a placement year as I believe the skills and experience I have gained from my year of work will be priceless to me as I progress into final year and beyond.

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Course content

Course Structure

IntroductionOver the first two years of the programme, we cover a diverse syllabus, approved by our accrediting professional body, the British Psychological Society (BPS), which provides a solid foundation across the full range of Psychology’s core domains.

Throughout your time with us, you’ll develop the wide range of transferable skills which make our graduates so appealing to employers. Psychology offers an arguably unique grounding in both qualitative and quantitative research skills, meaning our graduates have high verbal and numerical competencies. You’ll have well-developed organisation and self-management skills and be confident communicators to both small and large groups of people, using a range of media. Equipped with team-working and leadership experiences, you’ll not only be able to problem solve with critical insight, but lead others to do so too. All this on top of your insights into the mind and behaviours of others, and yourself.
Stage 1In first year you'll get a gentle introduction to Psychological theories in each of the core domains and the application of Psychology in everyday life. We deliver this through a variety of engaging and interactive teaching methods including lectures, small-group tutorials and practical laboratory classes.

• Foundations in Psychology
• Introduction to Methods in Psychology
• Using Psychology in Everyday Life
Stage 2In second year you'll build a more detailed knowledge of the core domains whist developing critical and analytical thinking skills. Our subject specialists use a mixture of theoretical and practical teaching methods to hone the skills required to be a successful graduate.

• Core Psychology I
• Core Psychology II
• Psychological Methods

Professional Work Placement Year Option
At the end of second year, you’ll have the opportunity to enhance your employability and practice your psychological skills within the workplace, by taking a year-long professional work placement, working with one of our many graduate employer partners across the private, public and voluntary sectors.
Stage 3In final year you'll be able to tailor your Psychology degree according to your own individual interests by choosing from a selection of modules designed to explore current developments across the domains of Psychology; all delivered by our cutting-edge researchers. Note that final year modules change annually and modules listed are intended only to give an idea of the range of topics that might be available.

• Typical and Atypical Literacy Development
• Ageing: Mind, Brain and Behaviour
• Psychologists at work: Insights Into Graduate Employment
• Psychology of Gender
• Using Nudges to Change Behaviour
• An Introduction to Clinical Health Psychology
• Introduction to Political Psychology
• Depression and Anxiety
• Forensic Psychology and Crime
• Psychology Thesis


Check out the current modules on offer at:
https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/psy/Study/Undergraduate/FinalYearModules2021-22/

For students who don’t wish to take a year-long work placement before starting final year, we offer our ‘Psychologists at Work’ module which places students with one of our many employer-partners to work on a 6-8 week project applying psychology in the workplace.

You'll complete your degree in Psychology by submitting a research project thesis at the end of final year. This independent research is completed under the supervision of our expert academic staff, who will be with you every step of the way on your transition to becoming a graduate Psychologist.
What else will you do?You’ll also have opportunities to see psychology in action across your three years.

We have a Research Participation Scheme for first year students, where they gain experience by taking part in research projects being run within the School, while earning degree credit.

We also offer a number of paid research skills studentships where students have the opportunity to work with one of our academic teams over the year, developing their research skills while contributing to one of our many research projects.

As part of your studies, you’ll have the chance to take personality tests for yourself, see how they’re scored and learn how to interpret your results, gaining insight into who you are as an individual and how you tend to approach life, work and study situations.

Optional modules in final year may offer field trips. In previous years, our students have hosted visits from a local primary school, gaining practical experience of administering educationally relevant psychological assessments to young children.

People teaching you

Dr Aideen McParland
Lecturer (Education)

School of Psychology
Dr Aideen McParland is a Lecturer (Education) in the School of Psychology at Queen's University, Belfast. Aideen is a Registered Behaviour Technician (RBT), Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), Chartered Psychologist (CPsychol) and Associate Fellow (AFBPsS) with the British Psychological Society. In June 2019, Aideen became a professionally certified Entrepreneurial Educator with UCD Innovation Academy, a qualification reflecting her commitment to incorporating innovative pedagogies in University teaching. Aideen teaches Research Methods and Statistics on the undergraduate programme and Developmental Psychology on the MSc in Applied Developmental Psychology programme. Aideen also supervises student research projects at undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral level. Aideen is the Deputy Director of Undergraduate Education and Level 1 Year-Lead on the BSc Psychology degree programme and engages with key aspects of student experience enhancement in these roles. Aideen also continues to conduct pedagogical research aimed at understanding transitional experiences of students in Higher Education and promoting research-led teaching practices in the School.

Dr Matthew Rodger
Senior Lecturer

School of Psychology
Dr Matthew Rodger is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology and is Year 3 Lead for the Undergraduate Psychology degree. His research is about Perception and Action, with a focus on using rhythmic and interactive sounds to help with learning new coordination skills or for overcoming movement challenges for people with Parkinson’s disease or visual-impairments. He also researches music psychology, including how people learn to play instruments and how anxiety can affect musical performance. He teaches Conceptual and Historical Issues in Psychology, and Research Methods, as well as supervising students with their research projects. In 2015, he was awarded Queen’s Student Union’s Personal Tutor of the Year, for his efforts in guiding and supporting his final year thesis students both in their research projects, and in their career development and future goals.

Dr Paul Wilson
Director of Undergraduate Education

School of Psychology
Dr Paul Wilson is a Chartered Psychologist, Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society (BPS). He is also on the executive committees of the European Society of Psychology Teaching and Learning and the BPS Division of Academics, Researchers and Teachers of Psychology. He is a Qualified Psychological Test User for Occupational testing (Ability and Personality). Paul is a Senior Lecturer who specialises in teaching & learning. His areas of expertise are in Individual Differences, Research Methods, Psychometrics and Statistics. His pedagogical research interests include personal factors influencing attainment in higher education and the use of student response systems to increase student engagement and attainment. For the latter work, Paul won the School's Teaching Award in 2017.

Contact Teaching Times

Small Group Teaching/Personal Tutorial1 (hours maximum)
1 hour of tutorials (or later, project supervision) every two weeks.
Personal Study24 (hours maximum)
22-24 hours studying and revising in your own time each week, including some guided study using handouts, online activities, etc.
Large Group Teaching8 (hours maximum)
8 hours of lectures each week
Medium Group Teaching2 (hours maximum)
2 hours of practical classes each week

Learning and Teaching

As a student you’ll benefit from our high quality learning environment. We invest in our academic staff, with some specialising in teaching and learning, and others specialising in psychological research. This means you’ll always be taught by an expert in the subject matter, who is delivering research-led teaching informed by current developments in the field. By providing a range of learning experiences which enable our students to engage with subject experts, we can support your development of attributes and perspectives that will prepare you for life and work in a global society and be an independent, lifelong learner. There is much more to our Psychology degree than traditional lectures. The delivery of our curriculum is evidence-based for best practice and effective learning – we bring Psychology to our teaching as well as to our students.

  • Digital Learning
    Digital skills are becoming ever-more important for graduate employers, so we embed such skills across our degree. For example: delivering lectures online; using mobile phone apps in lectures so students can text in answers and participate in group activities; weekly laboratory classes to develop competencies using statistical software packages; use of interactive web-based learning activities to explain statistical concepts; training in the use of IT programmes for creating presentations, reports and other media.
  • Guest Speakers
    We want to prepare and motivate our students for their life beyond University. As a student, you’ll see that our embedded employability strand invites guest speakers to come and talk to you about their career pathways and professional work. The invited speakers are a mix of practicing Psychologists working in the different professional areas of the discipline, and also high achieving psychology graduates who have embarked on careers outside of traditional Psychological practice.
  • Laboratory Practicals
    Psychologists need skills in measuring, analysing and describing behaviour as part of their professional practice. You’ll develop these practical skills in weekly laboratory practical classes throughout first and second year. Lab classes will develop your research methods and experimental design skills, providing you with training in analytical methods and statistics. You will collect data during the classes by participating in experiments/class activities, and practice analysing and describing the results you find. Laboratory practicals are designed to prepare you to undertake the assessed research projects in the second and final years of your degree.
  • Lectures
    Lectures provide you with foundational knowledge of core concepts and theories of each topic covered. In lectures, we will provide you with some suggested reading to start you off with self-directed study, encouraging you to study each topic in the detail required for assessments.
  • Practical Research Projects
    As a first year student, you’ll receive course credit for participation in Psychological research being carried out in the School, providing you with a participant’s perspective on research. As a second year, you’ll undertake a group research project under the supervision of your academic tutor, ending in a mini-conference where you’ll present your findings to other students and staff, developing your psychological and transferable skills in tandem. This will prepare you for undertaking your final-year thesis where you will undertake a research project under supervision of an academic staff member to showcase the skills and knowledge you have acquired over your degree programme.
  • Professional Practice Experience
    We also offer the opportunity to develop practical skills in the administration and interpretation of psychometric tests. For example, you’ll be given the opportunity to complete, score and interpret your results on a psychological test of personality. This will provide you with the opportunity to reflect on your own personality dispositions and understand how you as an individual tend to approach various work, life and academic situations. You’ll get insights into your own behaviour which will be useful when making decisions about your future career pathway, help you to improve your approach to studying and also identify personal development goals. This is in addition to the insight into psychological testing and the work of a Psychologist. These opportunities are also provided in some of our final year modules, where assessments involve the administration and interpretation of psychological tests.
  • Self-directed study
    This is an important aspect of a University education – the ability to build your own knowledge through independent study. We place great importance on developing and encouraging these attributes which graduate employers tell us are key to employment success.
  • Small-group Tutorials
    In the first two years of study, you’ll meet in small groups (of around 10 students) with your academic tutor to discuss critical aspects of psychology, develop scholarship and academic skills, and engage in personal-professional development planning. The sessions will also be used to regularly review your academic performance on a one-to-one basis with your tutor. As a final year student, you’ll do these development tutorials during your regular meetings with your thesis supervisor.

Assessment

Assessment isn’t just about measuring performance; it’s about helping and motivating you to achieve your full potential. That’s why we use a continuous assessment philosophy with a ‘little and often’ approach. The course is designed to help you to keep up with your studies on a weekly basis, to avoid stressful ‘cram for the exam’ situations.

  • We assess students in a variety of ways, with each assessment tied to the aims and objectives of the module. For example, we assess understanding and knowledge of Psychology through coursework essays, research reports, class tests and end of year examinations.
  • We also teach and assess the skills necessary to be a successful Psychologist and graduate, using methods including: reflective diaries, oral presentations, debates and practical research/psychometric testing projects.

Feedback

Feedback is key for professional development and success.

  • When you think of feedback, most people think about corrections on a piece of work after it has been marked. That’s called summative feedback, and while this type of feedback is important, there is much more to feedback than simply a mark and some corrections. Feedback is the key for professional development and success, so when we provide you with summative feedback, we won’t just tell you what was good and what wasn’t so good; we’ll also tell you HOW you can achieve more next time round by giving you specific ‘action-points’ to work on.
  • The other, arguably more important, type of feedback we’ll give you is called formative feedback. This type of feedback is provided BEFORE you submit a piece of work for assessment. We want our students to achieve, and formative feedback is how we will guide you to achieving your best, before you take assessments. It comes in a variety of forms, e.g. coursework guidance documentation, revision classes, coursework help clinics, practice tests, online discussion posts between teaching staff and other students, and tutorial discussions to name but a few.
  • We also believe that feedback is most useful when you engage with it. That’s why we’ll teach you how to reflect on the feedback you encounter throughout your degree and apply the learning in your future assessments. Reflective practice is something you’ll be doing as a future Psychologist, so we will introduce it to you early in your studies so you can harness this approach to improve the quality of your work.

Facilities

Weekly lab classes in Year 1 and Year 2 take place in our state of the art teaching and learning space located in the David Keir Building. This facility is available exclusively to Psychology students and outside teaching times can be used for group work or private study. We also provide a Psychology student common room to help you connect with other students between classes as well as a student quiet room.

In addition we have a wide range of high-tech research facilities available for student projects including our Animal Behaviour Lab, Electrophysiology Lab, Social Interaction Lab, Eye Tracking Lab, Child Development Lab, Science in Motion lab located in the Queens Sport building, and much more.
https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/psy/Research/ResearchEnvironmentCulture/

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Overview

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Modules

Modules

The information below is intended as an example only, featuring module details for the current year of study (2023/24). Modules are reviewed on an annual basis and may be subject to future changes – revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year.

  • Year 1

    Core Modules

    Using Psychology in Everyday Life (40 credits)
    Introduction to Methods in Psychology (40 credits)
    Foundations in Psychology (40 credits)
  • Year 2

    Core Modules

    Psychological Methods (40 credits)
    Core Psychology II (40 credits)
    Core Psychology I (40 credits)
  • Year 3

    Core Modules

    Psychology Thesis (40 credits)

    Optional Modules

    Introduction to Cultural Psychology (20 credits)
    Contemporary Issues in Mental Health and Addiction (20 credits)
    International Collaboration: Psychology towards Global Goals (20 credits)
    The Development of Numeracy (20 credits)
    Using Psychology to Tackle Social Issues: The Role of Applied Research and Evaluation (20 credits)
    Forensic Psychology and Crime (20 credits)
    Understanding Sport and Exercise Psychology (20 credits)
    Introduction to Political Psychology (20 credits)
    Psychologists at work: Insights Into Graduate Employment (20 credits)
    Ageing: Mind, Brain and Behaviour (20 credits)
    Psychology of Gender (20 credits)
    Using Nudges to Change Behaviour (20 credits)
    Typical and Atypical Literacy Development (20 credits)
    An Introduction to Clinical Health Psychology (20 credits)
    Depression and Anxiety (20 credits)

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Course content

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Entry Requirements

Entrance requirements

A level requirements
ABB to include an acceptable Science subject (See Acceptable Science Subjects below)
+ GCSE Mathematics grade B/6.
OR
AAB + GCSE Mathematics grade B/6.

A maximum of one BTEC/OCR Single Award or AQA Extended Certificate will be accepted as part of an applicant's portfolio of qualifications with a Distinction* being equated to grade A at A-Level and a Distinction being equated to a grade B at A-level.
Irish leaving certificate requirements
H3H3H3H3H3H3/H2H3H3H3H3 to include one acceptable Science subject (See Acceptable Science Subjects below), if not offered at Higher Level then Ordinary Level grade O3 in Mathematics is required.
OR
H2H3H3H3H3H3 if not offered at Higher Level then Ordinary Level grade O3 in Mathematics is required.
Access/Foundation Course
Successful completion of Access Course with an average of 70% to include two acceptable Level 3 Science modules (See Acceptable Science Subjects below) + GCSE Mathematics grade B/6 or a minimum of 70% in relevant Mathematics modules in Access course.
OR
Successful completion of Access Course with an average of 75% + GCSE Mathematics grade B/6 or a minimum of 70% in relevant Mathematics modules in Access course.
International Baccalaureate Diploma
33 points overall, including 6,5,5 at Higher Level to include an acceptable Science subject (See Acceptable Science Subjects below). If not offered at Higher Level/GCSE then Standard Level grade 5 in Mathematics would be accepted.
OR
34 points overall, including 6,6,5 at Higher Level. If not offered at Higher Level/GCSE then Standard Level grade 5 in Mathematics would be accepted.
BTEC Level 3 Extended/National Extended Diploma
QCF BTEC Extended Diploma (180 credits at Level 3), with overall grades D*D*D

RQF BTEC National Extended Diploma (1080 GLH at Level 3) with overall grades of D*D*D

+ GCSE Mathematics grade B/6.
Graduate
A minimum of a 2:2 Honours Degree, provided any subject requirement is also met + GCSE Mathematics grade B/6.
All applicants
Acceptable Science Subjects:
Psychology, Biology / Human Biology, Chemistry, Computing Science, Digital Technology, Economics, Environmental Science, Geography, Geology, Life and Health Science, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics



Please note - all applications for BSc Psychology must be received by the UCAS equal consideration deadline. Applications received after this deadline will not be considered.

Selection Criteria

In addition, to the entrance requirements above, it is essential that you read our guidance below on 'How we choose our students' prior to submitting your UCAS application.

Applications are dealt with centrally by the Admissions and Access Service rather than by individual University Schools. Once your on-line form has been processed by UCAS and forwarded to Queen's, an acknowledgement is normally sent within two weeks of its receipt at the University.

Selection is on the basis of the information provided on your UCAS form. Decisions are made on an ongoing basis and will be notified to you via UCAS.

Demand for places differs from course to course and for Psychology, past performance at GCSE is taken into account when deciding whether or not to make conditional offers. Initially offers will be made to those with a minimum of 2 grade A/7 and 4 grade B/6 at GCSE. Applicants must have GCSE Mathematics grade B/6 and GCSE English Language grade C/4. This threshold may be lowered as the cycle progresses depending upon the number and quality of applications. The final threshold is not usually determined until late in the admissions cycle, so there may be a delay in processing applicants who do not meet the initial threshold. Please note that thresholds may change from year to year depending on the demand for places.

Offers are normally made on the basis of 3 A-levels. Two subjects at A-level plus two at AS would also be considered. The offer for repeat applicants is set in terms of 3 A-levels and may be one grade higher than that asked from first time applicants. Grades may be held from the previous year.

Applicants offering two A-levels and one BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/National Extended Certificate (or equivalent qualification), or one A-level and a BTEC Diploma/National Diploma (or equivalent qualification) will also be considered. Offers will be made in terms of the overall BTEC grade(s) awarded. Please note that a maximum of one BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/National Extended Certificate (or equivalent) will be counted as part of an applicant’s portfolio of qualifications. The normal GCSE profile will be expected.

For applicants offering Irish Leaving Certificate, please note that performance at Junior Certificate is taken into account. Last year the initial Junior Certificate profile to qualify to be made an offer was 2A/Distinction and 4B/Higher Merit grades. The Selector also checks that any specific entry requirements in terms of Leaving Certificate subjects can be satisfied. This threshold may be lowered as the cycle progresses depending upon the number and quality of applications. The final threshold is not usually determined until late in the admissions cycle, so there may be a delay in processing applicants who do not meet the initial threshold.

For applicants offering a HNC, the current requirements are successful completion of the HNC with 2 Distinctions and remainder Merits. For those offering a Higher National Diploma, to be eligible for an offer, at least half of the units completed in the first year of the HND must be at Merit level and remainder Passes. Applicants must successfully complete the HND with 2 Distinctions and remainder Merits in all units assessed in the final year. Any consideration would be for stage 1 entry only. Some flexibility may be allowed in terms of GCSE profile.

The information provided in the personal statement section and the academic reference together with predicted grades are noted but, in the case of this degree, these are not the final deciding factors in whether or not a conditional offer can be made. However, they may be reconsidered in a tie break situation in August.

A-level General Studies and A-level Critical Thinking would not normally be considered as part of a three A-level offer and, although they may be excluded where an applicant is taking 4 A-level subjects, the grade achieved could be taken into account if necessary in August/September.

Applicants are not normally asked to attend for interview, though there are some exceptions and specific information is provided with the relevant subject areas.

If you are made an offer then you may be invited to a Faculty/School Open Day, which is usually held in the second semester. This will allow you the opportunity to visit the University and to find out more about the degree programme of your choice and the facilities on offer. It also gives you a flavour of the academic and social life at Queen's.

If you cannot find the information you need here, please contact the University Admissions Service (admissions@qub.ac.uk), giving full details of your qualifications and educational background.

International Students

Our country/region pages include information on entry requirements, tuition fees, scholarships, student profiles, upcoming events and contacts for your country/region. Use the dropdown list below for specific information for your country/region.

English Language Requirements

An IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in each test component or an equivalent acceptable qualification, details of which are available at: http://go.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs

If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.

  • Academic English: an intensive English language and study skills course for successful university study at degree level
  • Pre-sessional English: a short intensive academic English course for students starting a degree programme at Queen's University Belfast and who need to improve their English.

International Students - Foundation and International Year One Programmes

INTO Queen's offers a range of academic and English language programmes to help prepare international students for undergraduate study at Queen's University. You will learn from experienced teachers in a dedicated international study centre on campus, and will have full access to the University's world-class facilities.

These programmes are designed for international students who do not meet the required academic and English language requirements for direct entry.

INTO - English Language Course(QSIS ELEMENT IS EMPTY)

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Careers

Career Prospects

Introduction
Psychology offers an arguably unique grounding in both qualitative and quantitative research skills, meaning our graduates have high verbal and numerical competencies. You’ll have well developed organisation and self-management skills and be confident communicators to both small and large groups of people, using a range of media. Equipped with team-working and leadership experiences, you’ll not only be able to problem solve with critical insight, but lead others to do so too. All this on top of your insights into the mind and behaviours of others, and yourself.

Employability is woven throughout the degree programme, supporting you to develop a range of workplace skills. You will be encouraged to undertake volunteering and placement opportunities to enhance your knowledge and skills and to build experience to help you progress either to further study in your chosen field or to the world of work.

Employer surveys suggest that graduates who have spent time in a workplace whilst studying are at an advantage when it comes to applying for graduate employment, therefore you will have the opportunity to undertake one of two placement opportunities within the degree programme.

Firstly, we offer a professional placement year which is taken between the 2nd and final years of study and enables you to gain in-depth experience, working full-time, in a paid capacity for 40 weeks. Through the placement you will be supported to develop work-based skills and experience in a sector that you are interested in.

Or there is a shorter placement option in the autumn term of the 3rd year. This placement will enable you to gain experience and use your psychological knowledge to support the work of an organisation.

Students have said:
“Placement gave me the chance to build my own confidence and independence.”
‘’It really allowed me to begin to understand how psychological theories are transferred and used”
https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/psy/PsychologyatWork/WorkPlacementswithPsychology/

Employment after the Course
To become a practicing psychologist you will need a postgraduate qualification. Practitioner roles include:

• Clinical psychologist
• Educational psychologists
• Developmental psychologists
• Forensic psychologists
• Health psychologists
• Occupational / organisational psychologists
• Counselling psychologists
• Sport psychologists
• Academic psychologists

At Queen's, we offer professional doctorate degree programmes in Clinical Psychology and also in Educational, Child and Adolescent Psychology, in addition to a doctoral research (PhD) programme for academic psychology.

However our graduates are often found using their Psychology knowledge and skills in a wide range of graduate careers including teaching, information technology, social services, media and communication, marketing, civil service, HR, healthcare, recruitment, consultancy, market research and training and development.
https://www.bps.org.uk/public/become-psychologist/career-options-psychology

Employment Links
Our students go on placement with employers across the public, private and third sectors. Hopefully those listed below give an indication of the range of employers we have established links with in recent years.

Private sector:
• Graham Construction
• Grant Thornton
• Hughes Insurance
• MXB
• Wilson Sloan

Public sector:
• Belfast City Council
• Northern Ireland Civil Service
• Rathcoole Primary School
• SPSS The Link Centre
• St. Brides Primary School

Community and Voluntary sector:
• Child Brian Injury Trust
• Conway Education Centre
• Guide Dogs NI
• Mindwise
• Upper Springfield Development Trust
https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/psy/PsychologyatWork/WorkPlacementswithPsychology/

Alumni Success
Gerard Anderson, Head of Brain Injury Services, Child Brain Injury Trust.
Psychology is not just a subject for aspiring clinical or educational psychologists, but also a subject that is used to develop leaders, build teams, create relationships and a subject that will enable you to develop emotional intelligence and critical thinking skills that others will remember you for.

Maeve Hinds, Mental Health Navigator.
With Psychology being such an all-encompassing subject, I believe it to be very important for the student to be proactive about discovering where they would like to go after they graduate; from the beginning of their time as an undergraduate. Queen’s Psychology degree offers a fantastic range of volunteer opportunities, inside and outside of the university as well as informative work placements.
https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/psy/PsychologyatWork/SchoolofPsychologyAlumni/AlumniProfiles/

What employers say

SPSS The Link Centre

The ADHD Resource Booklet that Zoe has created will be invaluable to our staff. It provides a well-researched, pupil informed collection of activities that are rich in content, purposeful and meaningful to support pupils with ADHD who are struggling in school. Zoe got involved with the daily activities in the centre and engaged positively with the young people to create a document that will be useful for our staff and pupils. It was just wonderful having such a reliable and genuinely interested Insight student on our team. We are very grateful for how much work and effort she put into creating this for us, she knew exactly what we needed and executed the task professionally, enthusiastically and with real purpose.

Additional Awards Gained

There are no specific additional course costs associated with this programme.

Prizes and Awards

We award prizes to the top three students in each year, for the best second year group project and for the best final year thesis. The British Psychological Society (BPS) awards a prize to the highest performing graduating student annually.

Degree plus award for extra-curricular skills

In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Degree Plus. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.

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Entry requirements

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Fees and Funding

Tuition Fees

Northern Ireland (NI) 1 £4,710
Republic of Ireland (ROI) 2 £4,710
England, Scotland or Wales (GB) 1 £9,250
EU Other 3 £23,100
International £23,100

1 EU citizens in the EU Settlement Scheme, with settled status, will be charged the NI or GB tuition fee based on where they are ordinarily resident. Students who are ROI nationals resident in GB will be charged the GB fee.

2 EU students who are ROI nationals resident in ROI are eligible for NI tuition fees.

3 EU Other students (excludes Republic of Ireland nationals living in GB, NI or ROI) are charged tuition fees in line with international fees.

All tuition fees quoted relate to a single year of study and will be subject to an annual inflationary increase, unless explicitly stated otherwise.

NI, GB and ROI fees for 2022 entry will be published soon. International fees for 2022 entry can be viewed here: www.qub.ac.uk/International/International-students/International-tuition-fees

Tuition fee rates are calculated based on a student’s tuition fee status and generally increase annually by inflation. How tuition fees are determined is set out in the Student Finance Framework.

Additional course costs

All Students

Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.

Students can borrow books and access online learning resources from any Queen's library.

If students wish to purchase recommended texts, rather than borrow them from the University Library, prices per text can range from £30 to £100. A programme may have up to 6 modules per year, each with a recommended text.  

Students should also budget between £30 to £75 per year for photocopying, memory sticks and printing charges.  

Students undertaking a period of work placement or study abroad, as either a compulsory or optional part of their programme, should be aware that they will have to fund additional travel and living costs.

If a final year includes a major project or dissertation, there may be costs associated with transport, accommodation and/or materials. The amount will depend on the project chosen. There may also be additional costs for printing and binding.

Students may wish to consider purchasing an electronic device; costs will vary depending on the specification of the model chosen.

There are also additional charges for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.

Psychology costs

There are no specific additional course costs associated with this programme.

How do I fund my study?

There are different tuition fee and student financial support arrangements for students from Northern Ireland, those from England, Scotland and Wales (Great Britain), and those from the rest of the European Union.

Information on funding options and financial assistance for undergraduate students is available at www.qub.ac.uk/Study/Undergraduate/Fees-and-scholarships/.

Scholarships

Each year, we offer a range of scholarships and prizes for new students. Information on scholarships available.

International Scholarships

Information on scholarships for international students, is available at www.qub.ac.uk/Study/international-students/international-scholarships/.

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Apply

How and when to Apply

How to Apply

Application for admission to full-time undergraduate and sandwich courses at the University should normally be made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Full information can be obtained from the UCAS website at: www.ucas.com/students.

When to Apply

UCAS will start processing applications for entry in autumn 2023 from 1 September 2022.

Advisory closing date: 25 January 2023 (18:00). This is the 'equal consideration' deadline for this course.

Applications from UK and EU (Republic of Ireland) students after this date are, in practice, considered by Queen’s for entry to this course throughout the remainder of the application cycle (30 June 2023) subject to the availability of places.

Applications from International and EU (Other) students are normally considered by Queen’s for entry to this course until 30 June 2023. If you apply for 2023 entry after this deadline, you will automatically be entered into Clearing.

Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as is consistent with having made a careful and considered choice of institutions and courses.

The Institution code name for Queen's is QBELF and the institution code is Q75.

Further information on applying to study at Queen's is available at: www.qub.ac.uk/Study/Undergraduate/How-to-apply/

Apply via UCAS

Terms and Conditions

The terms and conditions that apply when you accept an offer of a place at the University on a taught programme of study. Queen's University Belfast Terms and Conditions.

Additional Information for International (non-EU) Students

  1. Applying through UCAS
    Most students make their applications through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) for full-time undergraduate degree programmes at Queen's. The UCAS application deadline for international students is 30 June 2023.
  2. Applying direct
    The Direct Entry Application form is to be used by international applicants who wish to apply directly, and only, to Queen's or who have been asked to provide information in advance of submitting a formal UCAS application. Find out more.
  3. Applying through agents and partners
    The University’s in-country representatives can assist you to submit a UCAS application or a direct application. Please consult the Agent List to find an agent in your country who will help you with your application to Queen’s University.

Download Undergraduate Prospectus

Keywords

BEHAVIOUR

BRAIN

MIND

PLACEMENT

PSYCHOLOGY

SCIENCE

SOCIAL SCIENCE

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Fees and Funding

Register your interest
Course Vacancy Status

Below is the current vacancy status for this course. For further information please visit the dedicated Clearing website.

Student Type
Places available?
NI and RoI Students
GB Students
International and EU (not RoI) Students
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