BSc in Psychology with Professional Placement

The BSc Psychology with Professional Placement at the University of Exeter is designed for students who want a strong scientific understanding of psychology combined with real workplace experience. It is ideal for students who are curious about human behaviour, enjoy analysing evidence, and want to graduate with practical experience that strengthens their career options.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1:
In the first year, you build a strong foundation in psychology through core areas such as Introduction to Biological Psychology, Introduction to Social Psychology, and Cognition, Emotion and Development. Alongside this, you study Research Methods and Statistics in Psychology, which helps you understand how psychological evidence is created and interpreted. The focus is on developing scientific thinking and learning how psychologists study behaviour in a structured way.

Year 2:
In the second year, you move into more advanced topics including Personality and Individual Differences, Developmental Psychology and Psychopathology, and Cognition and Emotion. You also continue strengthening your research abilities through Methods and Statistics in Psychology II. Practical work becomes more detailed, helping you design studies and critically evaluate psychological findings with greater independence.

Year 3 (Professional Placement Year):
This year is dedicated to full-time professional experience in a workplace setting related to psychology. Through the Professional Placement module, you apply your academic knowledge in real environments, develop key workplace skills, and build confidence in professional practice. It is a valuable opportunity to gain experience that directly supports future career goals.

Year 4:
In the final year, you focus on advanced psychological study and independent research. You complete a Psychology Research Project and study Methods and Statistics in Psychology III, alongside Contemporary Issues in Psychology. You also choose specialist modules that allow you to explore areas such as clinical psychology, neuroscience, or organisational psychology in greater depth.

Focus Areas (in a string)

Cognitive psychology, biological psychology, social psychology, clinical psychology, developmental psychology, personality psychology, neuroscience, research methods, statistics, applied psychology, workplace psychology, independent research, data analysis

Learning Outcomes (in a string)

Critical understanding of psychological theories, ability to design and evaluate research, advanced statistical and analytical skills, application of psychology in real-world contexts, ethical awareness in research, strong scientific reasoning, effective communication of findings, independent problem-solving

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

This programme is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), giving eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership, which is essential for progressing into professional psychology training and related careers.

Reputation (Employability & Rankings)

The University of Exeter has a strong international reputation for Psychology, consistently ranked among the top universities globally in major rankings such as QS World University Rankings and Times Higher Education. The inclusion of a professional placement year significantly improves graduate employability by giving students real industry experience before they complete their degree.