Psychology and Sociology - BSc (Hons)

Explore why humans behave the way they do and the impact of these actions within society. Psychology takes a scientific approach to understanding the mind, emotions and behaviour, at the individual and societal levels. This programme encourages you to tackle important social issues exploring cultures across the globe and to consider how societies have changed over time. Our British Psychological Society accredited degree enables you to gain broad subject-specific knowledge and advanced skills in communication, research and critical thinking to pursue a career of your choice.

Year of entry

Course type

  • Combined Honours

UCAS code

  • CL83

Duration of study

  • 3 years / 4 years with international or placement year

Why study Psychology and Sociology at Keele University?

This programme is accredited by the British Psychological Society, subject to passing your final year project and achieving a minimum 2:2 degree award
Global Top 400 for Social Sciences (Times Higher Education World University Subject Rankings, 2023)
Gain highly transferable graduate skills to pursue a broad range of careers in business, service, education and caring professions
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Accreditation and professional recognition

This programme is accredited by the British Psychological Society, subject to passing your final year project and achieving a minimum 2:2 degree award.

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Additional opportunities

There are a range of additional opportunities available when studying this course.
Please note, undertaking one may impact upon the availability of another.

Entry requirements

The following section details our typical entry requirements for this course for a range of UK and international qualifications. If you don’t see your qualifications listed, please contact us to find out if we can accept your qualifications. If you don't think you'll meet the entry requirements specified, you may be able to gain entry to this course via a Foundation Year.

Additional information

If you don't think you'll meet the entry requirements specified, you may be able to gain entry to this course via a Foundation Year.

A Level requirements

  • A Level requirement ABC / BBB

GCSE requirements

  • Maths at C (or 4) 
  • English Language or Literature at C (or 4)

BTEC

  • BTEC requirements DDM

International Baccalaureate

  • H5, H5, H5 or 30 points overall

Access to HE Diploma requirements

  • Obtain Access to Higher Education Diploma with 122 UCAS Tariff points including a minimum of 30 Level 3 credits at Distinction. 

T Levels

Merit overall in the the following T Levels:

  • Health
  • Healthcare Science
  • Science
  • Accounting
  • Legal Services
  • Finance
  • Management and Administration
  • Digital Business Services
  • Digital Production, Design and Development
  • Digital Support Services
  • Media, Broadcast and Production
  • Education and Childcare
  • Animal Care and Management

English Language Requirements

All of our courses require an English language qualification or test. For most students, this requirement can be met with a 4 or C in GCSE English. Please see our English Language guidance pages for further details, including English language test information for international students. For those students who require an English language test, this course requires a test from .

Alternative and contextual offers

We're committed to ensuring equality of opportunity to all our applicants with the potential and motivation to succeed, regardless of background. That's why we operate a range of alternative offer schemes with clear eligibility criteria, including contextual offers, offers for those studying within the Keele region, and recognising a range of additional qualifications in your offer.

General information

The entry grades outlined in this section indicate the typical offer which would be made to candidates, along with any subject specific requirements. This is for general information only. Keele University reserves the right to vary offer conditions depending upon a candidate's application.

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Engage with real-world projects

In the Psychology component of the course, you may have the opportunity to work on research led by staff or PhD or master's students. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to learn about research methods providing you with insight into the diversity of research carried out within the School of Psychology.

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Naomi, Neuroscience and Psychology

"Studying Psychology has enhanced my employability by offering countless opportunities to further my skills and knowledge - including voluntary work in labs, and talks from academics. I believe I will stand out when applying for further study and jobs because of these experiences."

Naomi, Neuroscience and Psychology

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Collaborate and foster networks

The School of Psychology is housed in the Dorothy Hodgkin building. Located at the heart of campus, our school offers a supportive environment with a close-knit student and staff community. The majority of lecture theatres, resource facilities and academics are situated within the building. This means when you need to collaborate with peers, or would like to gain feedback from academics, everyone is housed under one roof. 

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Central Science Laboratories

Develop your practical skills in Keele's state-of-the-art Central Science Laboratories

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Foundation year

Our Foundation Year provides an excellent alternative route to Keele, providing a unique opportunity to better prepare for your chosen degree, and with guaranteed entry onto your undergraduate course once you successfully complete your Foundation Year.

This extra year of study can improve your academic skills, expand your subject knowledge, give you a better understanding of higher education and, perhaps most importantly of all, build your confidence.

Keele University is consistently ranked among the top universities for student satisfaction, and we have over 70 years' experience of teaching a foundation year to students. On the Keele Foundation Year, you'll study on campus, joining our undergraduate community from the outset, with access to all the facilities and support that you'd get as an undergraduate student at Keele.

The information in this Foundation Year section is for UK/Home applicants. Where an international Foundation Year is available, please see the 'Information for international students' tab.

The information within this section is for students wishing to start their studies in September. If you would like to start this course in January, please visit our January pages for further details.

Course Content

Our Foundation Year allows you to develop your critical thinking, academic reading, writing, and communication study skills along with subject-specific knowledge and skills which will be invaluable in your academic studies and beyond. Upon meeting the progression criteria and successfully completing our Foundation Year, you will automatically progress into your Keele undergraduate degree with the confidence that you have the skills, and knowledge needed to successfully complete your course.

The Keele University Foundation Year  is a two semester programme which provides a tailored pre-degree programme of study to better prepare you for the BSc (Hons) Psychology and Sociology degree. For example, the Foundations of Psychology module introduces you to the principles and concepts of psychology in a theoretical context, while also demonstrating the application of concepts to everyday life. You'll discover how psychology as a science studies human behaviour. In addition, the Foundations of Social Sciences 1 module introduces you to the ‘backbone’ of social sciences, the concept of social inclusion, the factors that lead to exclusion and the impact this may have on individuals, families and communities. Course content has been developed in collaboration with degree teaching teams, so that by the time you begin Year 1, you will be ready to excel at your studies, as the majority of our Foundation Year students do. 

You will develop subject-specific and broad based skills that will be invaluable in your academic career and beyond. You can find out more about our Foundation Year, including information on learning, teaching and assessment methods and further opportunities available to you by visiting our homepage. 

Module Summary

The module details given below are indicative, they are intended to provide you with an idea of the range of subjects that are taught to our current students. The modules that will be available for you to study in future years are prone to change as we regularly review our teaching to ensure that it is up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods. The information presented is therefore not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules available in any given year.

Semester One

FYO-00247 Foundations: Breaking the code - Understanding Academic Writing 15 credits
FYO-00211 Foundations in Numerical and Quantitative Methods for Scientists 15 credits
FYO-00201 Foundations of Psychology 15 credits
FYO-00263 Foundations in Social Sciences - 1 15 credits

Semester Two Modules

FYO-00269 Advancing Social Sciences 30 credits
FYO-00203 Advancing Psychology 30 credits

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

The entry grades outlined in this section indicate the likely offer or range of offers which would be made to candidates along with any subject specific requirements. This is for general information only. Keele University reserves the right to vary offer conditions depending upon a candidate’s application. Read more about our undergraduate entry requirements for United KingdomEuropean Union and International students.

  • Between 40-56 UCAS points from at least 1 A level/level 3 qualification or equivalent, or
  • Relevant work experience

  AND

  • GCSE English Language at grade 4 (C), or Level 2 Functional Skills, or
  • IELTS 5.5 (with 5.5 in all subtests)

AND

  • GCSE Mathematics at grade 4 (C) or above 

How to Apply 

Students will need to apply for BSc (Hons) Psychology with Foundation Year (UCAS code C802) through UCAS at www.ucas.com. You will be contacted to confirm your second subject by a member of our team. 

Direct Entry Students

If you already have your qualifications, are not expecting any further results and only wish to apply to Keele, please contact the Admissions Office directly.

The information in this Foundation Year section is for UK/Home applicants. Where an international Foundation Year is available, please see the 'Information for international students' tab.

We also offer a January start for some of our Foundation Year courses. Adopting a blended learning approach, the January start is particularly useful for students wishing to return to education following time out of studying, or who are seeking a flexible approach to their Foundation Year studies. Our January start is available across most of our Science, Humanities, Social Science and Business courses.

Whilst still being a full-time course, our blended delivery model combines live teaching sessions - both online and on-campus - with self-directed study, enabling you to predominantly study at a time that suits your lifestyle. You will benefit from weekly online taught sessions which encourage you to engage with your teachers and peers.

In addition to online study there will be a series of full study days that you will be required to attend throughout each semester. These sessions may include lab-based activities, group work, review of course and assessment materials studied online. They will emphasise opportunities for you to deepen your knowledge and understanding of your chosen route.

Please refer to the September start tab for more information about the entry requirements and what you will study. The modules that you will take on a January start Foundation Year will be similar to those for the September start, but in a slightly different order and pattern.

For more information, including fees, the UCAS code for this course, how to apply, and how you will be taught, please visit our January Start Foundation Year webpage.

Our International Foundation Year is delivered on campus through Keele University International College (KUIC). Find out more about the International Foundation Year options on the KUIC website.

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Discover the Keele difference

Everything’s on your doorstep at Keele, and you’ll soon feel at home and make friends wherever you go.

We help students manage their money and ensure that they receive any funding for which they may be eligible.

Make yourself more employable after graduation by taking advantage of the whole host of additional opportunities.