BSc (Hons) Psychology with Counselling Studies Bachelor's degree at the University of Brighton

You will look at the basic approaches and theories within psychology and consider issues of application in the field. Areas covered include an introduction to applied psychology; cyberpsychology; clinical and counselling psychology; community psychology; gender and sexuality; health psychology; forensic psychology; and positive psychology.

This module addresses key issues in child development and lifespan development to provide you with an introduction to the field of developmental psychology. You will examine issues from infancy through middle childhood to adulthood, exploring how people develop through time. Content covers the broad themes of history and theories of childhood development; cognitive development; development through the lifespan; social development; culture and development; and atypical development.

During this module you will be introduced to the notion of psychological wellbeing and consider research highlighting the social and psychological factors that can lead to happy and fulfilling lives. This domain is often associated with 'positive psychology', but in this module you will be developing a critical stance that goes beyond this perspective and takes into account social, cultural, environmental and political determinants of wellbeing, life satisfaction and quality of life.

This module introduces the social history of psychology and seeks to embed psychology within the social and historical contexts of its development, critically exploring how these contexts have shaped the aims, methods and outcomes of psychological theory and research. You will look at key issues, debates and approaches in psychology, and develop essential skills for higher education study, including reflexive learning, critical analysis, team working and independent study.

You will develop your understanding of research design and analysis, drawing on both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Indicative content includes probability and significance testing; normal distribution and sampling distribution; formulating research questions and choosing appropriate research design and analyses; data preparation and management; and analyses for experimental and correlational designs.

You will learn the quantitative and qualitative research skills and methods used in psychology and develop expertise in study design, data collection and analysis, and critical thinking. You will also develop the ability to communicate complex information such as research design, data, interpretation of findings and limitations.

This module teaches you about quantitative and qualitative research methods relating to psychology, including advanced experimental design and multivariate analyses. You will gain experience in small-scale research projects and develop skills in reviewing literature, research design, data collection, data analysis and report writing.

This module gives a broad overview of the key theoretical approaches within counselling and psychotherapy. You will explore psychodynamic, humanistic and cognitive behavioural perspectives and learn how these approaches differ in how they see the person, mental distress and the change process.

This module covers two core areas of psychology: biological psychology and cognitive psychology. You will gain a foundational knowledge and understanding of the biological basis of behaviour, including biological methods and ethical issues. You'll explore classic and contemporary theory, research, debate and real-world applications of cognitive functions and their underlying physiology.

This module covers psychological understandings of mental health and distress. It looks at the role of biology, culture and history in the formulation of mental health problems and the role and validity of diagnoses in clinical management. It also evaluates psychological explanations, personal experiences and interventions for mental health and distress.

Introducing two main areas of psychology, this module will look at social psychology and the psychology of individual differences. Through theory, research, ethical considerations and real-world applications, it addresses the social, cultural, conceptual and historical issues related to our experiences in the social world and how these are influenced by disposition.

This module introduces you to forensic psychology with a focus on security. You will explore the psychological and behavioural underpinnings of feelings of security. You'll look at the psychological factors in various measures – such as raising awareness of crime in the community and identifying the likelihood of becoming a victim of crime – that police, government and security personnel take in ensuring the security of people in the community.

This module explores the structural barriers which impact people's lives, how these are erected and maintained and what can be done to dismantle them. You will look at the role of mainstream psychology in perpetuating these barriers and use critical psychology tools to deconstruct the discipline. You will also study how psychological knowledge is produced and the role of language in constructing social realities.

At the heart of this module is a 40-hour voluntary engagement within a local, not-for-profit organisation. You will also explore community engagement theory, reflect on your personal values and aspirations, and develop transferable skills through both theory and practice. You will develop awareness of broad social, structural and economic issues which impact the work of local not-for-profit organisations and the lived experiences of the communities they support.

This module introduces modern and innovative research methods and analysis techniques used in academic and work environments. Taught within the context of contemporary, social issues, practical sessions will give you hands-on experience of using methodological and analytical techniques which you use to decide how different methods are used to examine a real-world social issue.

This module examines the role of psychology in understanding contemporary issues that children face in society, including their education, health and wellbeing and involvement in the criminal justice system. You will critically evaluate current psychological interventions that are used with children and propose new and novel interventions.

You will study the therapeutic relationship from several theoretical perspectives in this module. Introducing basic counselling skills within a helping context, the module examines the professional skills and qualities that enhance therapeutic relationships and how issues of diversity can shape them. The professional ethic of the 'reflective practitioner' is used to highlight the importance of reflecting for developing personal skills, therapeutic relationships and working with clients.