BSc Psychology & Business

Duration: 4 years full-time with integrated placement year / 3 years full-time without integrated placement year option available for international students (i.e. non-UK / non-EU students)

UCAS Code: CN81

Please note:

• All candidates are considered on an individual basis based on all previous and predicted qualifications, experience, references and motivation. Whilst the grades listed here are our entry requirements, we understand that predicted grades are only an estimate. We will therefore consider applicants with lower predicted grades if the application is of a high standard (however, initial offers will not be lower than stated below).

• Applicants whose first language is not English will be required to provide evidence of an English language qualification. Find out more about our English language requirements.

• GCSE requirements: Five GCSEs at Grade C/4 or above including Mathematics at Grade B/5 and above or Grade C/4 if Mathematics or Psychology is held at A level.

• All applicants receiving offers will be invited to an Applicant Visit Day to discover more about the course and Aston University.

• Find out more about our admissions policy.

• The information contained on this website details the typical entry requirements for this course for the most commonly offered qualifications. Applicants with alternative qualifications may wish to enquire with the relevant admissions teams prior to application whether or not their qualifications are deemed acceptable. For less commonly encountered qualifications this will be judged on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the academic admissions tutor.
  

• Take a look at our FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

Typical offers:

• A Levels
• IB
• BTEC
• Access to HE
• International & other qualifications

ABB. Science subject/subjects welcomed, but not essential. General Studies not accepted.

A Level applicants who select this course as their Firm UCAS choice may be eligible for our lowered offer scheme. This means that the grades that you will need in order to be accepted on to the course will be reduced.

We welcome applications from students who have tried to improve their examination grades by taking a maximum of one set of resits. We treat these applications in exactly the same way as other applications. However, if you have had more than one attempt at improving your grades, your application will be considered on an individual basis and we reserve to make an amended (higher) offer, or not make an offer.

32 points, to include 655 at HL

• BTEC Subsidiary Diploma: D plus two A Levels at grade AB
• BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Applied Science or Social Science: DD plus A level at grade A (excluding General Studies)
• BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Applied Science or Social Science: D*DD.

We welcome applications from students who have taken BTEC qualifications as a first option and who have met our other requirements.

We do not consider applications from students who are unsuccessful in obtaining the required number and/or standard of A-levels for admission to our programmes and subsequently embark on a BTEC as a second option. Instead we would encourage you to resit your A-levels (see our resit policy).

Applicants of age 21 and above studying an Access to Science or Access to Social Science qualification will be considered on an individual basis.

Our standard offer is 45 level three credits, with at least 30 at distinction (the rest must be at merit or distinction).

International Foundation Programme in Science (Aston University): We also welcome international students with equivalent qualifications to apply for our courses. For international students without equivalent qualifications, it is also possible to gain entry to this course by completing an International Foundation Programme at Aston University, although please note the progression requirements to our courses. International applicants expected to gain foundation diplomas from other providers are welcomed and will be considered on a case by case basis.

Foundation Programme in Science (Aston University): For students with good A-level (or equivalent) grades, but who narrowly miss our standard requirements, it is also possible to gain entry to this course by completing a Foundation Year, although please note the progression requirements.

Other qualifications: If your qualification is not listed, please contact us using the form at the bottom of the page.

International qualifications: International students can discover more about the qualifications we accept on our international pages.

For 2017 entry:

• UK / EU students: £9,250 per year (£1,250 during placement year)

• International students: £14,630 per year (£2,500 during placement year)

Explore the costs involved in university and the financial support that may be available to you.

• This course looks at the practical applications of psychology and business, and the links between theory and practice.
  

  You will join two highly ranked departments - Aston Business School is in the top 1% of business schools worldwide (triple accredited) while the School of Life and Health Sciences ranked 5th in 97 UK universities for research in the Allied Health Professions.

  This course is unique in the UK, in that students have the opportunity to achieve recognition from two major professional bodies, the British Psychological Society (BPS) and the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD). Depending on your choice of options, it is possible to gain recognition from both bodies which will provide a further boost to your employability and your future prospects in education and employment.
  

  During the course:

  • You will study a business curriculum which is robust, relevant and rooted in the real world.
  • You’ll study the theories, principles and underlying concepts of the main functions of management, people management in particular, and develop a strong understanding of business models and processes.
  • You’ll examine how strategic decision-making within organisations takes place, and develop the ability to recognise and analyse the economic, technical, financial, social and organisational parameters within which modern managers make decisions.
  • You'll gain a thorough grounding in the principles and research methods of psychology. The distinctive flavour of studying psychology at Aston is the emphasis which is placed on applied as well as theoretical studies of psychology. The course covers a wide range of issues in, and theories of, cognitive, developmental and social psychology, psychobiology, and individual differences.
  • Your placement year will give you the opportunity to apply your key skills and competencies within a real work-based situation, and gain valuable professional experience.

  Students rate this course very highly, as demonstrated by its 100% overall satisfaction score in the 2016 National Student Survey.

  You will take 120 credits of modules per year, 60 in each semester. Each 10 credit module listed below comprises 100 learning hours and has up to three contact hours per week, in the form of lectures, tutorials, seminars, and practical classes. You will also spend time engaged in independent study.

  Year 1
  • Introduction to Psychology: Investigate core theories, key ideas and big issues in psychology
  • Introduction to organisational behaviour: Learn about topics like leadership and stress
  • Introduction to marketing: Learn about the role of marketing in organisations and how it relates to other functions
  • Research methods and statistics: Learn how to design, analyse and present experiments and draw conclusions from research
  • Cognitive Psychology: Learn about how our memories work and sometimes fail
  • Social Psychology: Consider how other people can change our behaviour and about attitudes and persuasion
  • IT for Business: Asks questions like "how does switching your computer off at the end of the day result in huge maintenance costs?"
  • Developmental Psychology: Study young children's understanding of the world, focussing on early perceptual development
  • Principles of Financial Accounting: Accounting principles and practice
  • Economic Environment of Business: Study the key theoretical models used in Microeconomics and Macroeconomics to allow them to be able to solve both theoretical and applied problems
  Year 2

  • Theories and Practice of Human Resource Management: Deals with complex issues of capital, labour and the stewardship of enterprises.

  • Psychology & Work: Investigate why teams behave in certain ways and how that can impact business.

  • Developing creativity at work: Explores the concept of creativity and then applies it to the workplace.

  • Language & Communication: Explores key issues like "how are language and thought related?"

  • Psychological Research Methods: Design your own research project using one of the methods covered in this module

  • Individual Differences: Explore major theories of individual differences in personality and intelligence and their application

  • Thinking and Reasoning: Learn about how people try to solve problems (and what can sometimes go wrong)

  • Effective Teamwork: Explore the concept of groups and teams in both a theoretical and a practical sense

  Year 3 (placement year)

  Set your studies in context and enhance your employment prospects by selecting from a wide range of UK or overseas placement opportunities. Discover more below.

  Final year

  During your final year you have the opportunity to specialise in the areas of business and psychology of particular interest and relevance to your career.

  • Final Year Project (Psychology): Conduct a research project from start to finish in an area of interest with individual support from a member of staff
  • Child Development: This module covers theoretical concepts in cognitive and social development, together with a critical review of experimental research methodology with children
  • Theory and Practice of Leadership: How leaders both shape and are shaped by their context
  • Consumer Behaviour: This module provides students with the experience of applying and adapting existing theoretical frameworks to real consumer contexts
  • Critical Social Psychology: Consider questions like "how can we explore a person's own experience of their life?"

  • Cognitive Neuropsychology: Study examples of cognitive impairments arising from brain damage and techniques used to assess them

  • Contemporary Issues in Human Resource Management: Examines the behaviour of individuals within organisations

  • Employee Relations and Legal Issues in Human Resource Management: examines the relationships between management and labour

  • Learning Training and Development: Learn to apply the theories learned on the module to design a learning intervention for a live case study organisation
    

  • Strategic aspects of Organisational Performance - Learn about how different management functions relate to business strategy