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Psychology with Foundation

Entry requirements


A level

C,C,C

Access to HE Diploma

M:45

Extended Project

B

In recognition of the excellent preparation that the Extended Project Qualification provides to students for University study, we now include achievement in the EPQ as part of a formal offer.  Eligible applicants would receive two offers,  our usual offer plus an alternative offer of a B in the EPQ and one grade lower in their A level subjects.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

24

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DMM

T Level

P

Minimum grade C in the Core Component.

UCAS Tariff

96

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course


Course option

4years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Psychology

Examine the concepts and approaches of modern psychology, and develop core academic skills, on our BSc Psychology with Foundation course.

This four-year programme includes a foundation year that leads directly into the three-year course. It provides an excellent route to a degree in psychology if you do not have the typical entry requirements.

Throughout your studies, you will:

- build your knowledge of current and historical approaches in psychology

- explore and evaluate current research methods and applications – and learn how to conduct research of your own

- develop a critical understanding of ethical issues in research and professional practice.

You'll also benefit from our superb facilities, which include:

- MRI scanner, TMS, and EEG/ERP

- virtual reality, vision, pain, sensory and psychophysiology labs

- infant observation rooms.

**Accreditation**
Our BSc Psychology with Foundation course is accredited by the British Psychological Society, providing you with the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership.

**Your learning structure**
The Foundation Year will provide you with the skills and knowledge to succeed at university. You'll complete two psychology focused modules, offering a broad foundation in the subject. These will be complemented by a module in academic skills and a selection of optional modules taught across the University.

The first year of the programme will introduce you to the British Psychological Society (BPS) core areas, including psychological research methods, and build your understanding of how these core topics are connected.

In the second year, you'll gain in-depth knowledge and understanding of the BPS core areas, along with focused training in practical skills such as conducting experiments, collecting and analysing data, observation techniques, interview skills, and psychometric testing.

The third year offers the opportunity to apply your knowledge to more specialist areas, with a variety of optional modules to choose from. You'll also design and implement your own research project.

**Placement with BSc Psychology with Foundation**
Gain professional experience at one of our in-houseclinics, or via an outside organisation such as a charity. Our clinics treat a variety of conditions, including anxiety, dementia, and speech and language disorders. We also offer research assistant placements, which allow you to get involved in grant-funded projects.

**Study abroad**
Depending on your course, you could spend two weeks, a semester, or an academic year abroad. We'll help you decide where to go and for how long, guide you through the application process, and support you when you're abroad.

Modules

We will be updating this page with module information over the coming weeks.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£27,650
per year
International
£27,650
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

University of Reading

Department:

School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

67%
Psychology

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Psychology (non-specific)

Teaching and learning

71%
Staff make the subject interesting
73%
Staff are good at explaining things
65%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
59%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

69%
Library resources
70%
IT resources
76%
Course specific equipment and facilities
53%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

89%
UK students
11%
International students
18%
Male students
82%
Female students
76%
2:1 or above
10%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
C
B

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Psychology (non-specific)

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£18,200
med
Average annual salary
96%
med
Employed or in further education
66%
high
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

12%
Therapy professionals
12%
Childcare and related personal services
9%
Health professionals

20 years ago, this was a specialist degree for would-be psychologists but now it is the model of a modern, flexible degree subject. One of the UK's fastest-growing subject at degree level, and the second most popular subject overall (it recently overtook business studies), one in 23 of all graduates last year had psychology degrees. As you'd expect with figures like that, jobs in psychology itself are incredibly competitive, so to stand a chance of securing one, you need to get a postgraduate qualification (probably a doctorate in most fields, especially clinical psychology) and some relevant work experience. But even though there are so many psychology graduates — far more than there are jobs in psychology, and over 13,800 in total last year — this degree has a lower unemployment rate than average because its grads are so flexible and well-regarded by business and other industries across the economy. Everywhere there are good jobs in the UK economy, you'll find psychology graduates - and it's hardly surprising as the course helps you gain a mix of good people skills and excellent number and data handling skills. A psychology degree ticks most employers' boxes — but we'd suggest you don't drop your maths modules.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Psychology (non-specific)

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£22k

£22k

£24k

£24k

£31k

£31k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here