Psychology, Social and Applied Psychology

Are you fascinated by how humans think, feel and interact with each other and the wider world around us? Applied psychology at Royal Holloway University of London takes the study of the human experience and applies it to real-world issues, creating a broader social and occupational context for your academic studies.

You’ll join a department ranked 6th in the UK for research (The Research Excellence Framework 2014), contributing to this cutting-edge research culture with a final year research project. This flexible programme lets you tailor your learning with a range of optional modules in your final year, including Occupational & Organisational Psychology, Human Performance: Work, Sport, & Medicine and The Ageing Brain.

You’ll study in one of the best-equipped psychology departments in the country, enjoying access to an on-site magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner for studying brain structure and activity, instruments for recording electrical changes in the brain (EEG), technology for tracking eye movements and more cutting-edge facilities and equipment. This friendly, inclusive department earned a 96% student satisfaction rating in the NSS 2015, and has been awarded the Athena SWAN Silver Award for its efforts to promote equality and women in science.

Follow your passion for applied psychology and you’ll graduate with highly developed literacy and numeracy skills, making you an attractive prospect for potential employers.

Apply the theory and principles of psychology to real-world issues.

Understand a broader spectrum of social and occupational contexts.

Select from a range of optional modules in your final year.

Contribute to cutting-edge research with a final year research project.

Graduate with excellent employability prospects in a variety of sectors.

Course Modules

Core Modules

Year 1

• Understanding Psychological Research

• Understanding Individuals and Groups

• Understanding Development across the Lifespan

• How to be a Psychologist

• Understanding Perception and Cognition

• Understanding Neuroscience

• Understanding Mental Health and Wellbeing

• Academic Integrity

Year 2

• Psychological Research Methods and Analysis

• Cognitive Psychology

• Social Psychology

• Developmental Psychology

• Personality and Individual Differences

• Brain and Behaviour

Year 3

• Final Year Project

Optional Modules

Below is a taster of some of the exciting optional modules that students on the course could choose from during this academic year. Please be aware these do change over time, and optional modules may be withdrawn or new ones added.

Year 1

• All modules are core

Year 2

• Employability in Psychology

• How can Psychology change the world – Applied and Developmental Perspectives

• How can Psychology change the world – Clinical and Neuroscience perspectives

Year 3

• Occupational and Organisational Psychology

• Educational Psychology

• Criminal and Forensic Psychology

• Health Psychology and Wellbeing

• Psychology of Love, Death and Meaning

• Psychology of Brain Injury

• Literature Review: Independent Critical Analysis (LiRICA)

• Data Science: AI & Machine Learning in Psychology & Beyond

• Social Psychology in the Real World

• User-Centre Design

• Adult Psychopathology

• Advanced Statistics

• Psychology of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/studying-here/undergraduate/psychology/psychology-social-and-applied-psychology/

We use a variety of different methods of assessment. These might include an essay about a controversial issue, an analysis of a video, a report of an experiment or a recently published research article. Some modules involve oral presentations.

Assessment is both summative (e.g. through exams and dissertations) and formative (e.g. essays which provide ongoing assessment and feedback), and the department has a tailor-made system of online feedback to provide detailed comments on essays and other coursework.

Many modules also have a written examination in May or June. Progression to the next year is dependent on passing the core modules. In combination, the quality and range of assessments will help you to develop a wide portfolio of skills and achieve high grades.