BSc (Hons) Psychology with Education

3 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Plymouth

Program Overview

The BSc Psychology with Education at the University of Plymouth explores how people think, learn, and develop, with a strong focus on educational settings. It is a great fit for students who are interested in psychology combined with learning, teaching, and supporting children or young people in education-focused careers.

The programme brings together psychology and education so you can understand both human behaviour and how learning environments shape development, preparing you for careers in education, support services, or further psychological study.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1

In your first year, you build a strong foundation in core psychology while also being introduced to education-focused themes. You study Cognitive Psychology, Clinical and Developmental Psychology, Social Psychology, and Perception and the Brain, alongside education modules such as Debating Values in Education and Creativity in Education, helping you connect psychological theory with learning and teaching contexts.

Year 2

The second year develops your research skills while deepening your understanding of psychology in educational settings. You study Designing and Conducting Research, Qualitative and Mixed Methods for Research, Cognition and Biological Psychology, Psychology in Education, and Individual Differences, Social and Developmental Psychology, focusing on how psychological principles apply to learning and behaviour in real-world environments.

Year 3 (optional placement year)

In the third year, you have the option to complete a placement year where you gain real-world experience in schools, educational services, or related organisations. This helps you apply psychological knowledge in practice, build professional skills, and strengthen your experience before returning to your final year.

Final Year

In your final year, you study a range of advanced psychology topics of your choice while completing an independent research project. This allows you to explore areas such as cognition, development, mental health, or education in greater depth, while building strong research and analytical skills.

Focus Areas (in a string)

Educational psychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, social psychology, learning and pedagogy, research methods, mental health in education, child development, behaviour in learning environments, individual differences

Learning Outcomes (in a string)

Understand how people learn and develop across different settings, apply psychological theories to education, design and conduct research studies, analyse behavioural and learning data, evaluate educational practices and interventions, communicate psychological findings clearly and effectively

Professional Alignment (accreditation)

This degree is accredited by the British Psychological Society, supporting progression toward professional psychology training and further study in areas such as educational, clinical, or developmental psychology.

Reputation (employability rankings)

The University of Plymouth is known for its strong psychology teaching and practical learning approach, including lab-based experience and optional placements. The programme supports progression into postgraduate study and careers in psychology, education, and child development-related fields.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

At the University of Plymouth, the BSc Psychology with Education programme is built around practical, applied learning, so you are actively using psychological and educational theory rather than only studying it in theory. From the beginning of the course, you take part in experiments, workshops, and research activities that help you understand how people learn, develop, and behave in real educational and social settings. You also gain experience working with professional psychology tools and research environments that support both scientific and applied learning.

A strong emphasis is placed on “learning by doing,” where you develop practical skills through structured activities, lab-based work, and education-focused practice:

Psychology experiential learning lab where you design, run, and evaluate behavioural experiments
Psychology research laboratories supporting studies in cognition, development, social behaviour, and mental processes
Education-focused teaching sessions exploring learning theories, classroom practice, and educational values
Training in research methods using statistical and qualitative analysis software for psychological and educational data
Collaborative learning activities that develop teamwork, communication, and applied understanding of psychology in education
Optional placement year in schools, education services, or related support environments to gain real professional experience
Independent research project in the final year, where you investigate a psychology or education topic in depth
Access to university library and extensive online academic resources for psychology and education research
Specialist teaching spaces designed for seminars, workshops, and interactive learning sessions
Opportunities to engage with staff-led research projects in psychology and education fields.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates of the BSc Psychology with Education programme at the University of Plymouth are well prepared for careers across education, psychology, and child development fields. Many progress into roles such as educational support worker, teaching assistant, learning mentor, psychology assistant, or positions within youth and family support services, while others choose to continue into postgraduate study to specialise further.

The course combines psychology and education in a way that builds strong transferable skills in understanding behaviour, learning, and development, which are valued across both public and private sector roles.

Progression & Future Opportunities: supported by career guidance, practical experience, and professional recognition

The University of Plymouth Careers Service offers tailored support including CV development, interview preparation, and personalised career advice focused on education and psychology pathways
Employability is strengthened through applied learning, research projects, and optional placement opportunities in education or related support settings
British Psychological Society accreditation provides a strong foundation for further professional training in psychology, including educational, clinical, and developmental pathways
Links with education and psychology-focused research environments help students gain real-world insight and applied experience
Graduates often move into roles in schools, education services, mental health support, youth work, or research assistant positions
The combined focus on psychology and education supports long-term career flexibility across teaching support, wellbeing services, and behavioural research

Further Academic Progression:
After completing this degree, students can pursue Master’s programmes in Educational Psychology, Psychology, Child Development, or related social science fields. Many also go on to BPS-accredited conversion or specialist MSc routes, which can lead toward professional training as an educational psychologist, clinical psychologist, or other chartered psychology careers in the UK.