Psychology and Languages

Psychology is the scientific study of how humans think and behave. By studying human behaviour, you develop an understanding of what it is to be human, and the ability to use your knowledge to support other people effectively. You can combine this study with a language and spend a year overseas honing your skills. Choose from French, German, Spanish or a Chinese language. This degree is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) which is essential if you want to take on a career in professional psychology in the UK.

Learn about the main themes of psychology

• Brain and behaviour: how the biological functioning of our brain underlies our minds and behaviour

• Cognitive psychology: how we think, including perception, memory, attention and decision making

• Developmental psychology: how we develop throughout our lives and how growing up and ageing affect our experiences and behaviour

• Social psychology: how our thoughts, emotions and behaviours are influenced by others

• Individual differences: how our brains and our environments work together to create a wide diversity of people

What to expect

Our four-year BA Hons Psychology and Languages degree starts with a broad overview of the main themes where you will explore theories, evaluate scientific research, and learn to construct formal arguments. Alongside this you will develop practical skills to support research in psychology such as experimental design, data analysis and report writing. You’ll head over to the School of Global Affairs to begin your language classes.

Year 2 is about advancing your knowledge of the main study themes, towards the criteria required to become a BPS accredited psychologist. You will expand your knowledge of research methods and statistics which help us to explore how we investigate and study psychological questions. You will gain fluency in your oral and written language skills through specialised modules.

Jet off to your chosen destination to spend your third year immersed in the language and culture you are studying. You will continue to expand your psychology skills and knowledge too!

Returning to Lancaster for your final year enables you to continue to advance your language skills, as well as covering the final topics required for BPS accredited psychology. You will also complete your own independent research project.

Personal development

Through both independent and collaborative research opportunities, you will gain a variety of communication tools and learn how to design studies, analyse data, and present your findings through different means. These skills, alongside the language abilities you develop, will enable you to work in a range of environments and research settings.

We hope you find your time overseas personally enriching. Our students often tell us that they return feeling more confident, self-assured and with a broader perspective to take into job interviews.

3 things our Psychology students want you to know:

• The Psychology Employability Programme (PEP) is one of the best things about studying here. It really shows you how your studies link to the workplace and what your future might look like. It gives you a sense of feeling prepared for your next step. The Department also shares opportunities for broader development. The Belong, Engage and Employ (BEE) programme boosts other skills, knowledge and employability

• The University is home to the internationally-leading Infant and Child Development Lab, The Levy Lab, Virtual Reality Suite, Eye Tracking Labs and EEG Labs so you can gain hands-on research experience in state-of-the-art facilities. Studying psychology here gives you a continuous understanding of how your learning can be a driver for positive change in real-world environments

• We’re well supported by a group of lecturers who are world-leading researchers in their fields. Working within this close knit-community really boosts your learning