Psychology and Sociology

The Aston BSc (Hons) Psychology and Sociology degree is designed to equip you with a comprehensive understanding of psychological and sociological principles in both theory and practice and merge your understanding of these two fields to gain a greater insight into human behaviour and society.

By choosing to study at Aston you will gain a degree accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), have the opportunity to complete a career-enhancing placement in the UK or internationally, and be taught by leading experts in the field of psychology and sociology.

Our BSc (Hons) Psychology and Sociology degree explores why people behave the way they do and how society operates. Whilst psychology focuses on understanding behaviour at an individual level, sociology focuses on the collective. Jointly, both disciplines interpret what influences our behaviour and the structure of society.

You will investigate and analyse why people behave the way they do, and how our views are shaped by societal structures, culture, and our collective experiences. In addition, you will have the opportunity to research why these societal structures exist in the first place; giving you a rounded view of human behaviour and the impact we have on each other as fellow citizens.

Year 1

In your first year of the BSc (Hons) Psychology and Sociology programme, you will establish a strong foundation in the key principles and concepts that underpin both psychology and sociology. This year is designed to introduce you to fundamental knowledge and skills essential for your academic journey and future career.

Year 2

You will build on the core grounding you gained in your first year and be introduced to exciting new subject areas such as Applied Psychology and Professional Skills and Social Theory for a Changing World. You will also choose from a range of optional modules.

Placement year

This is your opportunity to gain valuable career-boosting experience by setting your studies in the real-world context of a working environment alongside professionals.

Final year

During your final year, you have the opportunity to specialise in the areas of sociology of particular interest and relevance to your career. You will also complete core psychology modules, deepening your understanding of developmental and social psychology, while undertaking a research project in an area of psychology with support from our expert psychology staff.

Key course benefits:

• Professional accreditation: The course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS).

• Triple Gold for Teaching: We’re rated Gold across all categories in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF, 2023).

• Future career: Psychology graduates have gone on to secure work in organisations such as the BBC, HSBC, Jaguar Land Rover, local Government, PwC, private care companies, and the NHS.

Facilities

Psychology and Sociology students have access to a range of specialist facilities that reflect the hands-on learning within the field. In these settings, you gain practical experience alongside like-minded students, with workshops and lectures guided by industry professionals and expert technicians.

Specialist facilities:

• An observation suite (with audio-visual recording)
• Equipment and tools for psychophysiological measurements, such as eye tracking and motion-capture
• Experiment labs for cognitive experiments
• Larger labs for focus groups and audience-based experiments

We no longer offer a Foundation Programme.

Course Modules

Year 1

• Key Skills in Psychology I

• Key Skills in Psychology II

• Biological and Cognitive Psychology

• Developmental and Social Psychology

• Ideas That Shape Society

• Power in Society

• What's Trending? Debating the Challenges of Our Time

• Crime and Deviance
  
  Year 2

• Research Methods and Data Analysis

• Applied Psychology and Professional Skills

• Individual Differences and Personality

• Cognition and Cognitive Neuropsychology
  
  Plus select two modules from:

• Racisms

• Media and Society

• Social Theory for a Changing World

• Victimology

Placement Year

This module aims to provide a framework for students on placement (including working or studying abroad, working or volunteering in the UK in a variety of contexts) to demonstrate the learning they have achieved through their placement experiences and relate these to future employment opportunities.

Final Year

• Final Year Project

• Critical Social Psychology

• Child Development

Plus select two modules from the following in term 1:

• Elites (Sociology)

• Health Policy (Sociology)

• Work, Organisations and Society (Sociology)

• Drugs, Law and Society (Criminology)

Plus select two modules from the following in term 2

• Bodies, Power and Resistance

• Pregnancy and Politics

• Religion and Society

• Corporate Crime (Criminology)

• Migrations, Borders and Detention (Criminology)

https://www.aston.ac.uk/study/courses/psychology-and-sociology-bsc/september-2027

Our BSc (Hons) Psychology and Sociology curriculum utilises a range of different assessment types and the assessment strategy reflects the national educational requirements in the Framework for Qualifications of Higher Education.

You will be assessed throughout the course. A wide range of assessments linked to learning outcomes are used, including:

• class tests/end-of-year examinations (unseen essay, short answer or multiple-choice questions)
• essays
• individual research reports
• presentations (group and individual)
• statistics assignments

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

• British Psychological Society