Bachelor of Arts - Psychology (Including Year Abroad) (C801)

At Essex students can satisfy their curiosity about how the mind works and what drives human behaviour. Psychologists undertake scientific study to try to explain and predict how people work. It is the study of the mind and body, thoughts and behaviour, feelings and perceptions. Essex conducts experiments in order to investigate how people develop throughout childhood, the way in which they acquire language, and the behavioural changes that can occur as a result of brain injury, disease, or life experience. In the course students experiment, explore and research why humans think, feel and act the way they do. Students cover core areas of psychology including: sensation and perception, learning and memory, clinical psychology, personality and individual differences, and social and health psychology.

Education extends beyond the university campus. Essex supports students in expanding their education through offering the opportunity to spend a year or a term studying abroad at one of their partner universities. The four-year version of the degree allows students to spend the third year abroad or employed on a placement abroad, while otherwise remaining identical to the three-year course. Studying abroad allows students to experience other cultures and languages, to broaden their degree socially and academically, and to demonstrate to employers that they are mature, adaptable, and organized.

Essex provides one of the most immersive and exciting experiences of studying the human mind in the UK. Students learn from the researchers and can work together in the same space via their Research Experience Scheme (RES) which gives students the opportunity to work one-on-one with a psychologist as their research assistant.

Psychology now influences an increasing range of fields, from working with clinical disorders, to managing education and training. Today, it is widely used in industry, sport and employment to improve performance, as well as affecting legal and health matters.

Essex's students go on to follow diverse career paths. This degree helps many to pursue careers as clinical, forensic, educational, or occupational psychologists. Others work in related fields such as special educational needs, social work, or mental health care. However, many graduates pursue successful careers further afield, working in areas like management, human resources, financial services, the media, information technology, and market research.

For example, some of our recent graduates have gone on to work for a wide range of high-profile companies including: East of England Strategic Health Authority, The Crown Prosecution Service, M&G Investments, NHS Suffolk, and Accenture.