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Psychology with a Foundation Year - BSc (Hons)

Currently viewing course to start in 2025/26 Entry.

Looking for a foundation course in psychology in Birmingham? Our BSc (Hons) Psychology with a Foundation Year degree has lower entry requirements and can lead to a full undergraduate qualification....

  • Level Foundation
  • Study mode Full Time

This course is:

Open to International Students

Overview

Looking for a foundation course in psychology in Birmingham? Our BSc (Hons) Psychology with a Foundation Year degree has lower entry requirements and can lead to a full undergraduate qualification.

This course has been specifically designed to allow home and EU students, who do not initially meet the Birmingham City University entry requirements for our standard Psychology degree, to undertake additional level 3 study designed to ensure they are successful on their chosen degree course.

Why study a degree with a foundation year

  • If you want the flexibility of a year’s study on a more general course to find out the best degree choice for you.
  • If you have changed your mind about your career since you chose your A-levels or BTECs and need to improve your skills in a different subject area.
  • If you would like extra time and support to help you build your knowledge, skills and confidence before starting a full degree.
  • If you do not quite meet our entry requirements but know you have the potential to succeed at university.
This course is open to International students.

What's covered in this course?

The foundation year itself will equip you with the required knowledge and skills to proceed on to any of our undergraduate Psychology degree courses offered within the School of Social Sciences.

You will gain a deep understanding of how the core and specialised areas in psychology contribute to our understanding of contemporary issues, as well as looking at the role of brain function across multiple psychological perspectives. You’ll apply scientific reasoning and evaluate patterns of behaviour, gaining key transferable skills in communication, teamwork and problem-solving. You’ll also adopt a variety of perspectives ensuring you get the big picture.

You will explore scientific approaches to understanding the mind, brain and behaviour. Our Psychology department works in partnership with the nationally recognised Higher Education Academy (HEA) to continually develop the quality of both our staff and the course, focusing on self-development, contemporary learning practices and integrating practice within the community.

Instead of only engaging with other academics and psychologists, we focus on connecting with, and making an impact on, the local community through links with businesses, NHS and the surrounding prison services.

Accredited By

  • The British Psychological Society

Why Choose Us?

  • We have a strong focus on employability and through placement opportunities and our links with local businesses, we aim to ensure you graduate not only with your degree but also with the skills and knowledge needed to embark on your chosen career.
  • We aim to infuse learning with exposure to real-world experiences. Through participation in the Social Impact Hub, we give students the chance to work on real-life projects. These offer a unique opportunity for students to gain this invaluable experience while they study.
  • This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and gives you Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) when you pass the course.
  • Our staff are research active, allowing research-informed teaching and learning activities. You will be given the opportunity to learn and participate in a number of research projects throughout the year and we hold regular academic research seminars, which are recorded for our online students.
  • We are dedicated to fostering curiosity, critical thinking, and scientific inquiry in the realm of psychology, and our state-of-the-art facilities reflect this.

Open Days

Join us for an on-campus Open Day where you'll be able to learn about this course in detail, chat to students, explore our campus and tour accommodation.

Next Open Day: 24 November 2024

Book your place

Entry Requirements

These entry requirements apply for entry in 2025/26.

All required qualifications/grades must have been achieved and evidenced at the earliest opportunity after accepting an offer to help confirm admission and allow for on-time enrolment. This can also include other requirements, like a fee status form and relevant documents. Applicants can track their application and outstanding information requests through their BCU mySRS account.

Essential requirements

80 UCAS Tariff points. Learn more about UCAS Tariff points.

If you have a qualification that is not listed, please contact us.

Fees & How to Apply

Please select your student status to view fees and apply
  • UK Student
  • International Student

UK students

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.

Award: BSc (Hons)

Starting: Sep 2025

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees

International students

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.

Award: BSc (Hons)

Starting: Sep 2025

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Full Time
  • 4 Years
  • £17,690 in 2025/26

Access to computer equipment 

You will require use of a laptop, and most students do prefer to have their own. However, you can borrow a laptop from the university or use one of our shared computer rooms. 

Printing 

You will receive £5 print credit in each year of your course, available after enrolment. 

Field trips 

All essential field trips and associated travel costs will be included in your course fees. 

Access to Microsoft Office 365 

Every student at the University can download a free copy of Microsoft Office 365 to use whilst at university and for 18 months after graduation. 

Key software 

You will be able to download SPSS and Nvivo to your home computer to support with your studies and research. 

Key subscriptions 

Subscriptions to key journals and websites are available through our library. 

Excess printing (optional) 

Once you have spent your £5 credit, additional printing on campus costs from 5p per sheet. 

Personal stationery and study materials (optional) 

Based on the past experience of our students, you might find it helpful to set aside about £30 for each year of your studies for your personal stationery and study materials. 

Placement expenses (optional) 

If you choose to undertake a placement, you'll need to budget for accommodation and any travel costs you may incur whilst living or working away from home. 

Field trips (optional) 

This course includes the option of additional trips that may enhance your experience, at extra cost. 

Books (optional) 

All module key texts will be in the University library, but in limited numbers. You may choose to purchase a copy. We suggest budgeting approximately £10-45 per module for this. 

Memberships (optional) 

You may wish to join a union or professional body related to this course, such as BPS at a cost of approximately £31.68 for student membership.  

Accommodation and living costs (optional)

The cost of accommodation and other living costs are not included within your course fees. More information on the cost of accommodation can be found in our accommodation pages.

Guidance for UK/EU students

UCAS

UK and EU students applying for most undergraduate degree courses in the UK will need to apply through UCAS.

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) is a UK organisation responsible for managing applications to university and college.

Applying through UCAS
 Register with UCAS
 Login to UCAS
 Complete your details
 Select your course
 Write a personal statement
 Get a reference
 Pay your application fee
 Send UCAS your application

Course in Depth

Foundation Year

In order to complete this course, you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):

First Year

In order to complete this course, you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 100 credits):

In order to complete this course, you must successfully complete at least 20 credits from the following list of OPTIONAL modules:

Second Year

In order to complete this course, you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 60 credits):

In order to complete this course, you must successfully complete at least 60 credits from the following list of OPTIONAL modules:

Final Year

In order to complete this course, you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 80 credits):

In order to complete this course, you must successfully complete at least 40 credits from the following list of OPTIONAL modules:

Download course specification

Download now

You have the flexibility to transfer to any standard undergraduate Psychology course offered within the School of Social Sciences after successful completion of your foundation year and you may also transfer to any specialist Psychology pathway when you successfully complete your second year if you choose to stay on this course.  

The specialist pathways offered as part of the Psychology suite of courses are:

BSc (Hons) Psychology with Criminology will give you a deep understanding of how psychology can be applied to explain certain aspects of crime and criminal behaviour. This versatile course provides the opportunity for you to embark on a psychology career, or bring those skills to the domain of criminology.  

The British Psychological Society
The British Psychological Society

This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society, which not only demonstrates the high quality of our teaching provision, but also ensures our course remains cutting-edge, fresh and relevant.

The Society and its members develop, promote and apply psychology for the public good. They enhance the efficiency and usefulness of psychologists by setting high standards of professional education and knowledge, and cover all areas of psychological research and practice.

Find out more about British Psychological Society accreditation.

Employability

Enhancing your employability skills

Our graduates will not only gain a degree with some of the most diverse career options, but also the transferrable skills to support this.

Importantly, all content is underpinned by active learning - degree content and assessment not only meet the criteria for our accrediting body, but allow flexibility of the learning process, which can be tailored to career goals. Specific modules dedicated to employability skills and creation of impact within the local community will further support this.

International

Birmingham City University is a vibrant and multicultural university in the heart of a modern and diverse city. We welcome many international students every year – there are currently students from more than 80 countries among our student community.

The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.

Our international pages contain a wealth of information for international students who are considering applying to study here, including:

Facilities & Staff

Curzon facilities eatery
Curzon facilities staircase
Curzon facilities student hub

Our Facilities

We are constantly investing in our estate and have spent over £400 million on new learning facilities.

The Curzon Building

This course is based at our City Centre Campus – and specifically The Curzon Building, alongside other social sciences, law and business students.

The £63m building offers students a unique social learning space, including a dedicated student hub incorporating student support services, in the heart of Birmingham’s Eastside development.

Realistic, simulated environments include two mock court rooms, a Magistrates' and Crown Court, and an interviewing suite. We’re also exploring the use of virtual environments as a way to develop case study analysis.

For those studying on the BSc (Hons) Professional Policing or BA (Hons) Criminology, Policing and Investigation degrees, you’ll experience simulations of police interviewing environments for both suspects and witnesses, with access to tape recording and video playback analysis. You’ll also be able to utilise our unique mobile crime scene to simulate true-to-life and interactive situational simulations.

Crime investigation files are prepared using computer-based technology, and the crime data analysis requirements of the degree are supported by appropriate statistical and analytical software.

Psychology students can look forward to using state-of-the-art equipment as well, including the latest in eye-tracking software, and our new EEG machine, all geared towards giving you true hands-on experience with tools you’ll be using in your later career. You will also benefit from facilities across the wider campus including the Parkside and Millennium Point buildings.

The Curzon Building also features:

  • An impressive library with access to over 65 million full text items and stunning views of Eastside City Park
  • Your Students’ Union which is located in a beautifully restored 19th century pub, The Eagle and Ball
  • A modern 300-seat food court with space to study and socialise
  • Accessible IT facilities with full Office365 for all students for free
  • Shared facilities with the wider campus including the Parkside Building and Millennium Point

A student using psychology equipment

Psychology labs

Explore the cutting-edge psychology labs, their resources and spaces that support our quest to unravel the complexities of the human mind and behaviour.

Learn about the Psychology Labs

Our staff

Dr Mariel Marcano-Olivier

Lecturer in Psychology

Dr Mariel Marcano-Olivier is a passionate Social and Health Psychologist, with research expertise in assessing the personality correlates of dangerous patterns of consumption behaviour (illicit drugs and food-related), and developing and evaluating interventions to promote healthful consumption behaviour in primary school children.

More about Mariel

Dr Ivana Babicova

Lecturer in Psychology

Dr Ivana Babicova is a lecturer in Psychology, with particular interests in dementia, observational pain assessment, wellbeing and positive psychology.

More about Ivana

Sara Whylie

Assistant Lecturer

Sara Whylie has a passion for impactful research that supports children’s ability to read and write.

More about Sara

Dr Iris-Anda Ilies

Lecturer

Iris is a Lecturer in Psychology. She graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Psychology at Birmingham City University in 2017 and went on to study for a PhD in Psychology at BCU.

More about Iris-Anda

Dr Aaisha Connor

Senior Lecturer in Psychology

Dr Aaisha Connor (nee Farooqi) is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology, with an interest in mental health and well-being. She completed her industrial-based PhD at the University of Nottingham, and now enjoys working in academia. She is currently the Deputy Course Lead for the Psychology with Foundation Year course.

More about Aaisha