Psychology

Our Psychology course has research at its heart, a vibrant community of staff and students who are passionate about the subject, and course content designed with your future career in mind. At Derby you’ll study a wide range of theories and research methods to give you a well-rounded understanding of this fascinating subject.

Why choose this course?
We will introduce you to contemporary research into the social, developmental, cognitive and biological dimensions of behaviour. As part of your studies, you’ll look at the applications of psychology in a wide range of areas – from understanding the nature and causes of mental illness to investigating decision-making in real life situations.

Is this course for you?
There are plenty of opportunities to tailor your studies to match your personal interests and career aspirations through our wide selection of optional modules, whether that’s related to addiction, emotion, education, human behaviour or neuropsychology, allowing you to make an informed decision on your future career path.

How you will learn
Our course is research-led, which means you'll be taught by expert staff who are conducting influential studies into the specific areas of psychology you'll cover. You'll also benefit from guest lectures by world-class researchers. We have excellent facilities, so you’ll get to work in our computer labs with specialist software for experimental design. You'll also have access to EEG equipment for recording brain activity, eye tracker equipment for analysing eye movement and a Babylab for ethical research with babies and young children. We use a variety of assessment methods including essays, exams, posters, presentations, and reports to enable you to develop a wide range of transferable skills.

Opportunities and experiences
There are a range of volunteering opportunities available for students during the course and we encourage students to engage with these, to gain practical experience to bolster employability.

Professionally accredited
This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society and so, provided you meet their criteria, you will be eligible for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership.

Careers and employability
Psychological knowledge is invaluable in many walks of life, so your career options will be broad - our graduates are now enjoying success in roles including health service supervisors, assistant therapeutic care workers, and mental health support workers. This course also prepares you for further training in psychology and provides an essential platform if you would like to become a professional psychologist.

Based solely on more than 24,000 student reviews, we were named Uni Compare's University of the Year 2027, and voted 1st in the UK for employability and 2nd in the UK for course quality. Not only that, but 97% of students would recommend the University of Derby*, which we can offer you industry-relevant teaching, state-of-the-art study spaces, multi-award-winning accommodation, and a welcoming, inclusive community.

*Uni Compare 2027