Business Psychology - BSc (Hons)
with a Placement Year

This is an archived course for 2021 entry
2023 courses

Psychology is the study of people – what they do, think, perceive and feel. It helps us to answer many important questions about society by applying scientific principles to human behaviour. Our Business Psychology degree applies psychological theories, methods and processes to the study of individual and group behaviour in the workplace.

Overview

Kent is a leading centre for social psychology – the study of human behaviour in a social environment – and we also have strengths in cognitive, forensic and developmental psychology. Passionate about research, our academics are world-leading experts and can inspire you to develop your own ideas and become an independent thinker.

The lecturers have a friendly approach to teaching and you get a high level of academic support via lectures, seminars and one-to-one feedback.

Our degree programme

Business Psychology with a Placement Year is a four-year programme, you spend a year in practice between your second and final years. Our programme is accredited by The Association for Business Psychology.

In the first year you gain an excellent understanding of psychology, laying a strong foundation for the advanced material covered later. Subjects covered include statistics in psychology, biological and general psychology, social psychology and business psychology.

Your second year of study builds on the knowledge gained in the first year. Modules cover the study of personality, social psychology of groups and the individual, personal and professional development, and the development of leadership skills.

In your final year, you design and carry out an extended individual project under the supervision of a member of staff. You must pass the project element to obtain an honours degree.

Year of professional experience

On this programme you spend a year on placement (subject to availability of placements and achieving an average mark of 60% at Stage 1). Alternatively, you can take our three-year Business Psychology degree.

Study resources

The School of Psychology is in a modern building with state-of-the-art teaching facilities and two computer rooms. Our specialised equipment includes:

  • eye-tracker technology
  • electroencephalography (EEG) equipment for monitoring brain function
  • brain stimulation laboratories
  • physiology laboratories
  • child-friendly testing spaces
  • a virtual reality laboratory
  • group dynamics laboratories
  • observation suites.

Extra activities

The Psychology Society is run by Kent students. Previous activities include talks by guest speakers and the chance for students to publish work in the Student Journal of Psychology.

The School of Psychology also puts on many events that you are welcome to attend. These may include:

  • research seminars led by leading psychologists
  • professional development workshops
  • informal staff presentations followed by open discussion.

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Entry requirements

Please also see our general entry requirements.

  • medal-empty

    A level

    AAB-ABB excluding General Studies and Critical Thinking

  • medal-empty GCSE

    Mathematics grade C or 4

  • medal-empty Access to HE Diploma

    The University will not necessarily make conditional offers to all Access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis. 

    If we make you an offer, you will need to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above.

  • medal-empty BTEC Nationals

    Distinction, Distinction, Merit

  • medal-empty International Baccalaureate

    34 points or 17 points at HL, including Mathematics 4 at HL or SL

  • medal-empty International Foundation Programme

    Pass all components of the University of Kent International Foundation Programme with a 60% overall average (plus 50% in LZ013 Maths and Statistics if you do not hold GCSE Maths at grade 4/C or equivalent).

International students should visit our International Student website for further specific information. International fee-paying students who require a Student visa cannot study part-time due to visa restrictions.

English Language Requirements

Please see our English language entry requirements web page.

If you need to improve your English language standard as a condition of your offer, you can attend one of our pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes before starting your degree programme. You attend these courses before starting your degree programme.

Course structure

Duration: 4 years full-time

The course structure below gives a flavour of the modules available to you and provides details of the content of this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.

Business Psychology with a Placement Year is a four year programme. 

Year in industry

You undertake a placement within an organisation. Your work is jointly supervised by an academic supervisor in the School of Psychology and a placement supervisor.

Fees

The 2021/22 annual tuition fees for this programme are:

  • Home full-time TBC
  • International full-time TBC

For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.

For students continuing on this programme, fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.* 

Your fee status

The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.

Fees for Year in Industry

Fees for Home undergraduates are £1,385.

Fees for Year Abroad

Fees for Home undergraduates are £1,385.

Students studying abroad for less than one academic year will pay full fees according to their fee status. 

Additional costs

General additional costs

Find out more about accommodation and living costs, plus general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.

Funding

We have a range of subject-specific awards and scholarships for academic, sporting and musical achievement.

Search scholarships

University funding

Kent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. See our funding page for more details. 

Government funding

You may be eligible for government finance to help pay for the costs of studying. See the Government's student finance website.

Scholarships

General scholarships

Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.

The Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence

At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence. 

The scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of A*AA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications (including BTEC and IB) as specified on our scholarships pages.

Teaching and assessment

Modules are taught by weekly lectures, workshops, small group seminars and project supervision. The Psychology Statistics and Practical modules include laboratory practical sessions, statistics classes, computing classes and lectures in statistics and methodology.

Most modules are assessed by examination and coursework in equal measure. Both Stage 2 and 3 marks count towards your final degree result. Our assessment methods are varied and will include, but are not limited to, examinations, written assignments and essays, group work and oral presentations

Contact hours

For a student studying full time, each academic year of the programme will comprise 1200 learning hours which include both direct contact hours and private study hours.  The precise breakdown of hours will be subject dependent and will vary according to modules.  Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.

Methods of assessment will vary according to subject specialism and individual modules.  Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.

Programme aims

The  programme aims to:

  • provide a programme that will attract and meet the needs of both those contemplating a career in business psychology and those motivated primarily by an intellectual interest in psychology. 
  • contribute to widening participation in higher education by offering a wide variety of entry routes.
  • provide a sound knowledge and systematic understanding of principal approaches and perspectives in psychology, with emphasis on improving working life.
  • develop a critical awareness and appraisal of the different approaches to psychology and related disciplines, and to introduce students to a range of different theoretical and methodological perspectives.
  • offer a range of modules covering foundations of psychology, as well as specialised modules in business psychology.
  • provide teaching which is informed by current research and practice, and which requires students to engage with aspects of work at the frontiers of knowledge.
  • enable students to manage their own learning and to carry out independent research, including research into areas of psychology they have not previously studied.
  • develop general critical, analytical and problem solving skills which are applicable in a wide range of different applied and non-applied psychological and extra-psychological settings.
  • provide opportunities for the development of personal, communication, research and other key skills appropriate for graduate employment both in the psychology professions and other fields.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, qualities, skills and other attributes in the following areas:

  • psychology statistics, practical experimentation and research from a theoretical and practical application.
  • how interpersonal and group behaviour affects individuals.
  • how cognition and biological processes play a role in human behaviour and experience.
  • personality and individual differences, and the impact they have on individuals and groups.
  • the historical, philosophical and theoretical issues in psychology.
  • the relationship between psychology and allied disciplines.
  • the different frameworks in psychology, and an ability to demonstrate different levels of description and explanation.
  • theory and practice of Business Psychology as applied to individuals, groups, and organisations.

Intellectual skills

You will develop intellectual abilities in the following:

  • be able to undertake critical reflection on particular issues in the field of psychology
  • communicate ideas and research findings effectively and fluently by oral discussion including in groups
  • demonstrate findings by means of written analysis and interpretation
  • be able to make critical evaluation and exposition of ideas
  • demonstrate development of writing and reading skills
  • use effective personal planning and project management skills
  • demonstrate self-reflection and development from feedback from different sources (e.g., staff and peers, information technology)
  • demonstrate clarity in thinking, critical thinking and problem identification.

Subject-specific skills

You will gain subject-specific skills in the following:

  • completion of an empirical study in an area of business psychology, under supervision
  • demonstrate expertise in the design and conduct of empirical research
  • evaluating and selecting appropriate frameworks and methodologies for exploring issues in business psychology
  • awareness of ethical principles and approval procedures and being able to apply these to   work undertaken by business psychologists
  • use of the major analytic techniques employed by business psychologists
  • demonstrate competence in use of inferential method of science (deductive methods, single case methods, semiotics)
  • reason statistically, and use a range of statistical methods with confidence
  • demonstrate competence in the use of psychology-oriented software applications (e.g., database programmes, experiment generators, statistical packages)
  • an ability to disseminate psychological information to appropriate bodies, and use of psychological knowledge to enhance this process.

Transferable skills

You will gain transferable skills in the following:

  • Communication: organise information clearly; respond to written sources; present information orally; adapt style for different audiences; use of images as a communication tool
  • Numeracy: make sense of statistical materials; integrate numerical and non-numerical information; understand the limits and potentialities of arguments based on quantitative information
  • Information Technology: produce written documents; undertake online research; communicate using e?mail; process information using databases
  • Working with others: define and review the work of others; work co-operatively on group tasks, assignments, and projects; understand how groups function; show leadership and followership
  • Improving own learning: explore personal strengths and weaknesses; time management; develop resilience; review working environment (especially student-staff relationship); develop specialist learning skills (e.g. foreign languages); develop autonomy in learning
  • Problem solving: identify and define problems; show entrepreneurship; explore alternative   solutions and discriminate between them.

Independent rankings

Psychology at Kent scored 93% overall and was ranked 18th in The Complete University Guide 2021.

Psychology at Kent was ranked 7th for graduate prospects and 5th for research intensity in The Complete University Guide 2021.

Careers

Graduate destinations

Our graduates have gone on to work in:

  • government administration
  • social welfare
  • the Home Office
  • the probation service
  • teaching
  • special needs work
  • NHS and health charities
  • social work
  • public relations
  • marketing
  • publishing.

Many continue their studies at postgraduate level to qualify as a:

  • clinical psychologist
  • educational psychologist
  • forensic psychologist
  • neuropsychologist
  • occupational psychologist.

Help finding a job

The University has a friendly Careers and Employability Service, which can give you advice on how to:

  • apply for jobs
  • write a good CV
  • perform well in interviews.

Work experience

The School of Psychology has valuable links with educational establishments, hospitals and prisons in the area, offering you the possibility of both visits and work placements. We also offer a Research Experience Scheme that gives you a taste of working within a research environment.

Career-enhancing skills

Studying for a degree is not just about mastering your subject area. Employers also look for a range of key transferable skills, which you develop as part of your degree.

These include:

  • computing skills
  • writing and presentation skills
  • analytical and problem-solving skills
  • the ability to respond to challenges.

You can also gain extra skills by signing up for our Kent Extra activities, such as learning a language or volunteering.

Apply for Business Psychology with a Placement Year - BSc (Hons)

This course page is for the 2021/22 academic year. Please visit the current online prospectus for a list of undergraduate courses we offer.

Contact us

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United Kingdom/EU enquiries

T: +44 (0)1227 768896

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International student enquiries

Enquire online

T: +44 (0)1227 823254
E: internationalstudent@kent.ac.uk

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School website

School of Psychology

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