Psychology (Cognition and Neuroscience)

The course is a specialised variant of our BSc (Hons) Psychology degree, and includes modules tailored towards a Cognition and Neuroscience emphasis in Years One and Two, and specialist option modules in Year Three which will give you insights in the complex mechanisms of the human brain and mind.

The course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), and covers all the core areas of Psychology stipulated by the BPS curriculum. This includes the workings of the brain; the processes and mechanisms of human thinking, feeling and behaviour; and how psychologists, psychological research and therapy can make a tangible and positive difference to people’s lives and society. You'll also consider how all of these impact and relate to psychology.

You'll be taught by our team of over 150 expert psychologists in one of the largest Psychology departments in the UK, and will be able to take advantage of our innovative Psychology laboratories to carry out your research and data analysis. Our teaching is delivered by scholars who are recognised as world-leading as evidenced by the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF).

Why choose this course at NTU:

• All of our courses offer work-like experience and we'll support you to develop your work experience or find a placement.

• Tailor your learning experience through optional modules and pathways. We offer a wide range of optional modules which are taught by experts in their field.

• Get involved in our amazing UK and overseas opportunities such as field trips and international summer schools. You could even study abroad for a year at a partner university.

• Your future employability and careers prospects are endless. In addition to working directly in Psychology, you will also develop transferable skills in communication, critical evaluation, and data handling, which are highly sought in many areas.

The first two years are designed to provide you with a thorough grounding in all core areas of psychology. You'll learn about how psychology can be applied to complex real-world issues, and receive solid training in the core areas of biological, social, developmental and cognitive psychology as well as research methods and statistics. Further specialisation takes place in the final year where most modules will be related to cognition and neuroscience.

In your First Year, you will study key topic areas including: Understanding the Self: Psychology 101; Psychology in Action; Exploring Psychological Impact and Change; Research Design and Practice One; Analysing Data: Methods and Tools One; and Developing Academic Skills in Psychology.

In Year Two the core modules include: Brain, Behaviour and Cognition: Understanding the Mind; Social Evolution and Individual Development; Analysing Data: Methods and Tools Two; Research Design and Practice Two; and Analytical Thinking in Cognition and Neuroscience.

In your final year you'll complete an empirical research project, focused on a topic of your choosing, under the supervision of one of our highly trained staff who has expertise in their field. You'll also undertake the Psychological Applications to Work Settings core module, and have the opportunity to choose from a wide range of optional modules that will help you develop specialist knowledge.

You'll be assessed in a variety of ways and on a modular basis – through traditional means such as examinations, research reports and essays, but also in more innovative ways which may include blogs, reflective essays and podcasts. Your final year project is a cornerstone of the degree and is your opportunity to put all you've learned into practice! Our diverse approach to assessment allows students to demonstrate the breadth of their abilities and provides opportunity for everyone to excel. The range of assessment tools has been acknowledged as one of the strengths of the course by the BPS Accreditation Committee and External Examiners. In response to student feedback, the University introduced a policy ensuring you receive feedback on your assessed coursework within three weeks of submission. This timely feedback means you have the chance to incorporate suggestions for improvement in your future assignments.