BA (Hons) Philosophy and Psychological Studies Bachelor's degree at the Open University
BA (Hons) Philosophy and Psychological Studies at Open University leads to a nationally recognised Bachelor's degree. The university holds Gold for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023, reflecting its commitment to educational excellence.
About this course
BA (Hons) Philosophy and Psychological Studies is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at the Open University. It is studied part-time; duration varies by route.
For Historical, philosophical and religious studies graduates from this provider, 75% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 60% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £31,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Psychology, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Moderate evidence Published sample: 60; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 75% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 50% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
A typical UK Psychology degree builds from foundations to specialist options and a final project. An indicative structure:
| Stage | Module |
|---|---|
| Year 1 | Introduction to Psychology The field's big questions across cognitive, social and biological psychology. |
| Year 1 | Research Methods & Statistics I Designing studies and analysing data, the BPS-accredited core. |
| Year 1 | Biological Psychology Brain, neurons and behaviour: the biological bases of mind. |
| Year 2 | Cognitive Psychology Memory, attention, language and decision-making. |
| Year 2 | Social & Developmental Psychology How people develop and behave in social context. |
| Year 2 | Research Methods & Statistics II Advanced designs, qualitative methods and statistical software. |
| Year 3 | Specialist options Typically clinical, forensic, health, educational or occupational psychology. |
| Year 3 | Individual Differences & Psychopathology Personality, intelligence and mental-health conditions. |
| Year 3 | Empirical dissertation Your own supervised study, collection, analysis and write-up. |
Typical structure for this subject (indicative). Modules vary by university. Check the provider's course page for the exact curriculum.
Specialisations & pathways
Tip: click a specialisation → current jobs in that area.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
This degree combines philosophy and psychology, letting you explore both the conceptual foundations of mind and human behaviour, and the empirical science behind them. A course like this normally moves from introductory foundations, such as research methods, statistics and biological psychology, through mid-stage study of cognitive, social and developmental psychology, to specialist options in your final year. You'll usually choose from areas such as clinical psychology, forensic psychology, health psychology, neuroscience and child development. Throughout, you'll build skills in designing studies and analysing data to BPS-accreditation standards. In your final year, you'll typically undertake an empirical dissertation, your own supervised research project from design through write-up.
Who it's for
This course suits those seeking to understand human behaviour and philosophical thought whilst maintaining flexibility around work or other responsibilities. Most entrants hold A-levels or equivalent qualifications. You'll need to be self-directed, as part-time distance learning requires independent study skills. The course is taught in English.
University & format
The Open University is a public university founded in 1969. This BA (Hons) is studied part-time, in English, at a pace you can fit around work and other commitments. The degree is a recognised UK degree-awarding body qualification, nationally recognised and accredited with Gold for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
Part-time application dates vary by provider. UCAS dates
Opened 2 July 2026; last choice 19 October 2026. Check vacancies now. A cached page never claims a place is still available.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 31% |
| another higher-education qualification | 26% |
| Other | 22% |
| a previous degree | 17% |
| No / unknown prior qualifications | 2% |
| an Access course | 1% |
| a foundation course | 1% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course. One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by Apply directly to the provider
Part-time application dates vary by provider. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
The cap depends on the UK nation the provider sits in; the provider's page is authoritative.
Check fees at Open University →Check the finance route that applies to you
Support depends on ordinary residence, assessed fee status, course and provider nation. The provider nation is unresolved here, so no national cap or loan amount is being guessed.
Find your official student-finance route →Paying for it
- Tuition fee loan: applied for through the student-finance body for the UK nation you live in.
- Living-cost support: means-tested on household income, from your nation's student-finance body.
- Repayment: only above the income threshold set by your nation's student-finance system.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
Each UK nation runs its own student-finance system; check gov.uk for the rates that apply to you.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Psychology graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £31,000 | £27,000 – £45,000 | 60 |
| 3 years after | £23,500 | £15,500 – £34,500 | 745 |
| 5 years after | £27,000 | £17,500 – £38,500 | 790 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 60; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Assistant / Graduate roleAssistant psychologist or research · 0–2 yrs
- 2Trainee / PractitionerDoctoral training or applied role · 2–6 yrs
- 3Qualified PsychologistChartered / HCPC-registered · 6–10 yrs
- 4Senior / ConsultantLeading services or research · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Psychology nationally
National figures for Psychology graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 60; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Psychology courses at the same study level.
Compared with 758 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Teaching ProfessionalsSOC 2020 231 · 12% of published destinations · ASHE median £42,660
- Managers, directors and senior officialsSOC 2020 1 · 12% of published destinations · ASHE median £51,733
- Administrative occupationsSOC 2020 41 · 11% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,006
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 445; response rate: 51%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Psychology graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Survey scoring and data cleaning
- Literature-search summaries
- Routine report scaffolding
- Standard statistical runs
More human than ever
- Clinical judgement and formulation
- Empathy and the therapeutic relationship
- Designing and interpreting studies
- Ethics with vulnerable people
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Psychology graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- The NHS
- Schools
- Research & consultancies
- Charities
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Psychology graduates.
Psychology GraduateAcademicsPsychology Graduate: ABA Support for AutismAxcis Education RecruitmentPsychology Graduate for SEND school LincolnAspire PeoplePsychology GraduateTradewind RecruitmentPsychology Graduate TA – Special Needs School ExperienceStepintoteachingPsychology Expert Witness Lead: QA & TrainingSomek & AssociatesIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
Home tuition is regulated and the cap depends on the UK nation the provider sits in; check the provider's course page for the exact figure. Eligible students can apply for a tuition fee loan and living-cost support from the student-finance body for the UK nation they live in. Repayment thresholds differ by nation.
Where graduates go
75% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £31,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 7.0 out of 10: NSS 85% · in work or study 75% · continued 50%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The Open University
Psychology across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Is Psychology right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to Open University from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by Open University; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check Open University’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with Open University and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at Open University
Psychology at other universities
Common questions
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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