Intro

Psychology is the study of human minds, behaviours, experiences and relationships. This course combines psychology and counselling, giving you the knowledge to understand human experiences and support positive change.

You’ll explore theories and real-world applications, learning how counselling and psychology work together to help people improve their mental health and wellbeing.

Our accredited Psychology with Counselling Studies BSc degree offers hands-on experience, including a voluntary placement in the local community. You’ll gain valuable skills and, upon meeting the required standard, be eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society (BPS).

Key facts

Location Brighton: Moulsecoomb

UCAS code C8B9

Full-time 3 years

Accredited by the British Psychological Society

What are my next steps?

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

A-levels or BTEC
Entry requirements are in the range of A-level BBB–BCC (120–104 UCAS Tariff points), or BTEC Extended Diploma DDM–DMM. Our conditional offers typically fall within this range.

International Baccalaureate
30 points with three subjects at Higher level.

Access to HE Diploma
Pass with 60 credits overall. At least 45 credits at level 3, with 24 credits at distinction and 21 credits at merit or above.

GCSE (minimum grade C or grade 4)
English and maths.

If you do not have the required GCSEs, find out which equivalent qualifications we accept instead.

Mature students
Mature applicants without the above qualifications should be able to show how they will benefit from the course through, for example, work or professional experience. All mature applicants are considered on an individual basis.

Studied before or got relevant experience?
A qualification, HE credits, or relevant experience may count towards your course at Brighton, and could mean that you do not have to take some elements of the course or can start in year 2 or 3. 

English language requirements
IELTS 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. Find out more about the other English qualifications that we accept.

Contextual admissions

When you apply to Brighton we want to hear about who you are. Grades are never the whole picture; we're interested in things like creativity, resourcefulness, persistence and the capacity to think big and find new ways of doing things. And we recognise that not everyone has the same background. That's why we treat everyone who applies as an individual. We recognise many qualifications and we care about all of your achievements and the experiences you've had that set you apart.

Find out more about contextual admissions.

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Course content

Top reasons to choose this course

  • Our course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), the UK’s independent regulator of the psychology profession.
  • We follow the BPS curriculum, this means the content of your course prepares you for entry to the profession and for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of the BPS.
  • Varied study methods – modules generally involve weekly lectures followed by seminars or practical sessions. These run alongside structured learning activities and independent study.
  • Study all the major branches of psychology: developmental, cognitive, social and biological.
  • Experienced and enthusiastic lecturers create an environment in which curious and critical future psychologists can develop and flourish.
  • Our Psychology Research Laboratories are fully equipped to support a wide range of experimental and qualitative research, enhancing your learning experience.
  • The option to take a community placement, putting theory into practice, gaining experience and making key contacts in the sector.
  • Volunteering opportunities outside your course – broaden experience and links with sector.
  • Visiting lecturers share their experiences of working in industry.

Course structure 

Modules tend to be structured as weekly lectures followed by seminars or practicals, alongside structured learning activities and independent study.

In the first year you will be introduced to psychology and its research methods.

In the second year you will gain a strong understanding of core psychological concepts and practices, and the applications of psychology to a broad range of everyday problems, whilst learning about theoretical approaches to counselling and psychotherapy.

There is also the option of a community placement and opportunities for international study on our exchange programme. You can also opt to take a social science module.

In the final year, alongside your empirical dissertation, you will take two core modules in counselling that explore the skills and ethics of counselling practice and deepen your theoretical understanding of counselling and psychotherapy. In addition you will be able to choose two option modules from a selection that mostly explore contemporary applications of psychology.

Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up-to-date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. When you have applied to us, you will be told about any new developments through .

Year 1 

In your first year, you will be introduced to the core aspects of psychology. You will gain a thorough understanding of key psychological issues and debates, focusing on how psychological theory and research is applied to real-work issues and social problems. You will learn about the psychology of wellbeing – the social and psychological factors that can lead to happy and fulfilling lives – an essential component of counselling.

Modules

  • Introduction to Applied Psychology

    You will be introduced to the basic approaches and theories within psychology and consider issues of application in the field.

  • Developmental Psychology

    The module will introduce you to key theories and topics in child development and lifespan development. You'll examine issues from infancy through middle-childhood to adulthood to explore how people develop through time. The module provides an historical, biological, social and cultural context for studying child development, and life-span development to help you frame the theoretical perspectives presented.

  • The Psychology of Wellbeing

    This module will introduce you to the notion of psychological well-being and you'll consider research that highlights 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 accommodating social, cultural, environmental and political determinants of wellbeing, life satisfaction and quality of life.

  • Psychology and Society

    This module will introduce you to 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.

    The module will introduce you to key issues, debates and approaches in psychology, as well as help you to develop essential skills for higher education study, including reflexive learning, critical analysis, team working and independent study.

  • Psychology Investigations 鈥� Practical Applications

    Building on Psychology Investigation – Foundations, this module enables you to further develop your range of quantitative and qualitative research skills and methods used in psychology.

  • Psychological Investigations 鈥� Foundations

    The module introduces you to quantitative and qualitative research skills and methods used in psychology. You'll develop expertise in study design, data collection and analysis, as well as critical thinking and communicating complex information.

Year 2 

In your second year you will specialise in counselling through a dedicated module that explores key theoretical approaches to counselling and psychotherapy. In addition you will take a number of psychology modules including one that explores psychological approaches to mental health and distress

You'll also choose an option module. The Community Engagement module will help you apply some of the theory you've learnt out in the community, developing key employability skills and making key contacts in the sector.

Modules

  • Psychological Investigation: Becoming an Independent Researcher
  • Counselling and Psychotherapy: Key Theoretical Foundations
  • Brain, Body and Cognition
  • Psychology, Mental Health and Distress
  • Social Psychology and Individual Differences

Options*

  • Forensic Security
  • Psychology Beyond the Barriers
  • Community Engagement
  • Innovative Research Methods and Analysis
  • Childhood, Psychology and Society

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Counsellor working with a client

Final year 

In your final year you will undertake a psychology dissertation project which will reflect your own particular interests and career aspirations. You will further develop your counselling skills, learning how best to support individuals to reflect on their experiences and make positive changes in their lives.

You will also learn to appreciate how building an effective relationship between therapist and client shapes what changes it is possible for people to make. These knowledge and skills are the first step towards a career in the helping professions, but are also valued across a range of workplace environments and professions.

Modules

  • Psychology Dissertation (the psychology dissertation must be taken and passed to be eligible for graduate basis of chartered membership of the BPS)
  • Counselling Skills and the Therapeutic Relationship
  • Counselling Practice and Dilemmas: Case Studies

Options*

  • Mood and Anxiety Disorders in Childhood
  • Community Wellbeing and Social Justice
  • Forensic Psychology
  • Cyberpsychology
  • Ecopsychology and Ecotherapy
  • Critical Addiction Studies
  • Sexualities
  • Psychology of Poverty
  • Power in Psy Disciplines

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Student in counselling session

 Placement

In your second year the Community Engagement option module offers the opportunity to engage with a local not-for-profit organisation and gain valuable hands-on experience. It is a great opportunity to develop your vocational skills and gain practical work experience while contributing to the wider community. 

You will spend around 50 hours volunteering with an organisation, often working with vulnerable people, in sometimes challenging situations. This will be supported and underpinned by organisational training, tutor support and by in-class teaching covering theories of community engagement, organisational structure and culture, and reflective learning.  

We will help you find a placement that is right for you from the range of local organisations who choose to work with our students. 

You will benefit from guest lectures delivered by external speakers drawn from the wider community. You will also produce a portfolio where you will reflect on your experiences and learning, with reference to practice examples and reflective theory. 

The module includes CV design, working on applications and interviews, developing reflective learning skills and time management. Making an active contribution to the local community during your course will not only help you to better society but will also improve your knowledge and look great on your CV.

During the placement you could be carrying out a piece of consultancy or gaining practical experience in a specific context relating to an area of possible future work.    

Previous students have had placements with organisations including:

  • CCHF All About Kids
  • Centre for Ecotherapy
  • Connect
  • Samaritans
  • MS Society
  • Fresh Start
  • Alzheimer's Society
  • Sussex Prisoners’ Families
  • Age UK
  • YMCA
  • MindOut
  • Trust for Developing Communities
  • Healthwatch Brighton & Hove

Lab facilities 

Mithras House is home to all our School of Humanities and Social Science courses. It has a series of ‘labs’, which may be used for teaching on your course or in your independent research work.

VR and eye tracking lab
This lab is used for psychological research, specifically:

  • eye-tracking research – eye-tracking (using an eye-tracking nano bar and eye-tracking glasses) is used to study visual attentional patterns across areas including CCTV observation and analysis, marketing and advertising research, and police and offender perceptions

  • virtual reality research – VR allows participants to immerse themselves in virtual environments, so that researchers can study typically impractical situations. Research areas include the effects of virtual interactions, phobias, wellbeing, mediation, and city architecture

  • measuring physiological responses within participants in response to external stimuli – equipment includes an electroencephalography (EEG) headset and Electrodermal Activity (EDA) equipment.

Stats lab
A specialist workspace with computing equipment for statistical analysis and projects involving video and audio editing software. The lab is accessible as a study space to students on psychology courses. 

It is also available to students studying courses involving video and audio recording and editing, such as politics degrees and our creative writing programmes. The stats lab contains eight soundproof booths for recording or transcribing interviews undertaken as part of dissertation research. 

Life lab
A comfortable space with lounge furniture intended for qualitative research with larger groups. Due to its relaxed layout and naturalistic environment, the space is suited to research using focus groups, research using observation-based methods and child research.

The space is also used for teaching on some social science courses, as well as for dissertation research for projects.

City lab
A space designed for collaborative student learning. It is used by students and staff involved in the university’s Global Challenges programme, our collective mission to contribute towards tackling the pressing issues facing our world.

Design lab
A space housing our extensive collection of historic dress and textiles, which are used in some teaching on our History of Art and Design courses. It has the space and equipment to work on textile projects. Displays created by students on these programmes are on view in the social spaces of the building.

Meet the team 

Charlotte Wilcox, co-course leader

Charlotte is a critical community and counselling psychologist, with a particular interest in lived experience and the relational healing of distress. She teaches on a range of modules with a focus on both applied and counselling psychology, mood and anxiety disorders, critical approaches to mental health and psychiatry, and the use of qualitative methods.

Dr Emma Anderson, co-course leader

Emma is a critical social and community psychologist using discourse analysis and creative methods to look at how people are making sense of themselves and their lives in the context of neoliberalism. Her research has included participatory work with lived-experience researchers to explore the role of arts in mental health; and explorations of contemporary constructions of happiness and wellbeing.

Dr Rebecca Grist

Rebecca has a BSc in Psychology with Neuroscience and a PhD in Psychology investigating computerised and internet-based interventions for common forms of mental health problems. Her work included the novel application of theories from clinical psychology, human-computer interaction, developmental psychology, and cognitive psychology. She gained chartered membership of the British Psychological Society in 2015. .

 

Matt Adams, principal lecturer

Matt completed his PhD in 2001 at Nottingham Trent University under the supervision of John Tomlinson and Mike Featherstone. The focus of his thesis was identity and social change, reflecting a longstanding critical interest in the conceptualisation of selfhood and subjectivity in social theory and the interface between sociology and psychology.

After 2001 Matt held various research and teaching posts before joining the 香蕉直播 in 2003. In 2007 Sage published his book Self and Social Change, which draws on key approaches of recent years (Bourdieu, Butler, Foucault, Giddens etc.) to offer an account of identity in which class and other social structural divisions still loom large, though in socially novel ways.

More recently Matt has published theoretical work on the social and psychological theorisation of various topics, and worked on the moral economies of various consumption and representation practices. Work in progress includes a growing interest in developing a psychosocial approach to the issue of human behaviour and ecological degradation, and the value of silence and illegibility for 'healthily' marginal identity positions.

Matt recently won an Excellence in Facilitating and Empowering Learning (EFEL) award for his outstanding contribution to student learning.

Other staff who teach on the course include: , Dr Naomi Law and .

Dr Matthew Adams

More about this subject at Brighton

Careers

 Accreditation

Our Psychology with Counselling Studies BSc(Hons) is accredited by the (BPS), the UK’s independent regulator of the psychology profession. Taking a BPS accredited course is necessary if you wish to pursue a career in psychology or in the wider psychological workforce.

Our degree follows the BPS curriculum so you will be prepared for entry into the profession. 

You will also benefit from access to BPS information, advice and student membership. Benefits include membership of the Society’s Student Member Group, The Psychologist magazine every month, and exclusive discounts to books, journals and events  

When you graduate you will be eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the BPS. Graduate Basis is the first step in becoming a Chartered Psychologist and enables you to begin further training and to become, for example, a forensic, educational or occupational psychologist.

To be eligible for Graduate Basis, you must pass the Psychology Dissertation and achieve at least a 2.2 honours degree.

BPS accredited

 Prepare for your career

In your career you’ll need a combination of knowledge, skills, personal qualities and relevant experiences – and you’ll get all of this from your degree.  

  • When you graduate you will be eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the BPS. 
  • The optional placement will give you hands-on experience and help you stand out to potential employers.  
  • Option modules enable you to tailor your degree to suit your personal career goals.  
  • You'll be equipped with knowledge of different therapeutic approaches which is an excellent foundation for careers in beyond the traditional psychological professions.
  • Opportunities for international study on our exchange programme.

 Work-related experience 

Many of our modules include visiting guest speakers who present on a range of topics and give insight into their organisations. Speakers have come from organisations including:

  • Eastbourne Foodbank
  • St Mungo’s
  • Troubled Families Programme
  • Boing Boing
  • Trust for Developing Communities

We also work with MindOut, a local LGBTQ+ mental health project, to bring a Living Library to the campus. The library is designed to challenge prejudice and stigma. Trained volunteers act as ‘books’ to help you explore social issues.

 Graduate destinations 

The course offers you the chance to gain highly developed skills to help others and is excellent preparation towards a career in counselling and psychotherapy.

Having knowledge of different therapeutic approaches in addition to a psychology degree will open up career opportunities in a wide range of areas:

  • mental health and wellbeing
  • the health and social care sector
  • the helping professions
  • working within organisations in the statutory and voluntary sectors.

If you wish to qualify and practice as a counsellor we offer a wide range of postgraduate professional counselling courses, which are accredited by the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP).

Postgraduate opportunities at Brighton include:

 Supporting your employability 

Outside of your course, our Careers Service is here to support you as you discover (and re-discover) your strengths and what matters to you. We are here for you throughout your university journey as you work towards a fulfilling and rewarding career.

Connect with our careers team

  • Find part-time work that you can combine with your studies.
  • Find, or be, a mentor or get involved with our peer-to-peer support scheme.
  • Develop your business ideas through our entrepreneurial support network.
  • Get professional advice and support with career planning, CV writing and interview top tips.
  • Meet potential employers at our careers fairs.
  • Find rewarding volunteering opportunities to help you discover more about what makes you tick, and build your CV.

Whatever your career needs, we are here to help. And that's not just while you are a student, our support carries on after you've graduated.

Find out more about our Careers Service...

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Fees and costs

Course fees

UK (full-time) 9,535 GBP

International (full-time) 17,250 GBP

The fees listed here are for the first year of full-time study if you start your course in the academic year 2025–26.

You will pay fees for each year of your course. Some fees may increase each year.

UK undergraduate and some postgraduate fees are regulated by the UK government and increases will not be more than the maximum amount allowed. Course fees that are not regulated may increase each year by up to 5% or RPI (whichever is higher).

If you are studying part-time your fee will usually be calculated based on the number of modules that you take.

Find out more

What's included

Here you’ll find details of specific resources and services that are included in the tuition fee for our psychology students. To help you to budget for your studies, there is also information on any additional costs that you may have to pay or can choose to pay in addition to your tuition fee.

Find out how tuition fees enable us to support all of our students with important services, facilities and resources across the university and check out our finance pages for info about fees, funding and scholarships along with advice on international and island fee-paying status.

You can chat with our enquiries team if you have a question or need more information.

What's included in your tuition fee

  • Course books, magazines and journals are available in the university libraries. You do not need to have your own copies. See the in the library for an up-to-date list of key subject journals and databases.
  • You will have access to computers and necessary software on campus – and can borrow a laptop from us if yours is broken or you don’t have a computer at home. Specialist equipment is provided to cover essential learning.

Additional costs

  • Most coursework submissions are electronic but you may wish to print notes and should budget up to £100 for printing.
  • For some assessments you may be required to print large format posters for presentations at a cost of £5–£10 per poster.
  • Some courses include an optional placement module for which students will need to cover the costs of travel to and from the placement and DBS checks as required.
  • You may have the opportunity to attend field trips and off-site visits. These are optional and are not required to pass your course but if you choose to go on optional trips you can expect to pay either a contribution towards, or the full cost of, travel as well as for your food.鈥疷nder normal circumstances we would expect a budget of approximately £150 per year will cover the costs of particular trips. The amount spent would be based on location and number of trips taken.
  • You’ll need to budget for printing and stationery for personal study, and books if you decide to buy your own. Many of the set texts are available as cheap editions and we estimate that students will not need to spend more than £200.
  • Many students choose to buy their own hardware, software and accessories. The amount spent will depend on your individual choices, but this expenditure is not essential to pass any of our courses.
  • Our undergraduate degrees are accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), making you eligible for student or graduate membership of the Society upon the award of an honours degree (BPS membership costs apply).

Location and student life

Campus where this course is taught

Moulsecoomb campus

Two miles north of Brighton seafront, Moulsecoomb is our largest campus and student village. Moulsecoomb has been transformed by a recent development of our estate. On campus you'll find new Students' Union, events venue, and sports and fitness facilities, alongside the library and student centre.

Over 900 students live here in our halls, Moulsecoomb Place and the new Mithras halls – Brunswick, Goldstone, Hanover, Preston and Regency.

Moulsecoomb has easy access to buses and trains and to all the exciting things happening in our home city.

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Accommodation

We guarantee an offer of a place in halls of residence to all eligible students. So if you applied for halls by the deadline you are guaranteed a room in our halls of residence.

Brighton: Moulsecoomb

Halls of residence
We have self-catered halls on all our campuses, within minutes of your classes, and other options that are very nearby.

You can apply for any of our halls, but the options closest to your study location are:

  • Mithras Halls are stylish new high-rises in the heart of the student village at our revitalised Moulsecoomb campus with ensuite rooms for more than 800 students.
  • Varley Park is a popular dedicated halls site, offering a mix of rooms and bathroom options at different prices. It is around two miles from Moulsecoomb campus and four miles from the city centre, and is easy to get to by bus.

Want to live independently?
We can help – find out more about private renting.

Relaxing in halls

Modern accommodation at Moulsecoomb

Mithras halls room with a view

Relaxing in halls near the campus

Student Union social space

Student Union social space at Moulsecoomb

Local area

About Brighton

The city of Brighton & Hove is a forward-thinking place which leads the way in the arts, technology, sustainability and creativity. You'll find living here plays a key role in your learning experience.

Brighton is a leading centre for creative media technology, recently named the startup capital of the UK.

The city is home to a national 5G testbed and over 1,000 tech businesses. The digital sector is worth over £1bn a year to the local economy - as much as tourism.

All of our full-time undergraduate courses involve work-based learning - this could be through placements, live briefs and guest lectures. Many of these opportunities are provided by local businesses and organisations.

It's only 50 minutes by train from Brighton to central London and there are daily direct trains to Bristol, Bedford, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Map showing distance to London from Brighton
Brighton Beach sunset

Maps

Moulsecoomb campus map

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Support and wellbeing

Your course team

Your personal academic tutor, course leader and other tutors are all there to help you with your personal and academic progress. You'll also have a student support and guidance tutor (SSGT) who can help with everything from homesickness, managing stress or accommodation issues.

Your academic skills

Our Brighton Student Skills Hub gives you extra support and resources to develop the skills you'll need for university study, whatever your level of experience so far.

Your mental health and wellbeing

As well as being supported to succeed, we want you to feel good too. You'll be part of a community that builds you up, with lots of ways to connect with one another, as well having access to dedicated experts if you need them. Find out more about how we support your wellbeing.

Sport at Brighton

Sport Brighton

Sport Brighton brings together our sport and recreation services. As a Brighton student you'll have use of sport and fitness facilities across all our campuses and there are opportunities to play for fun, fitness or take part in serious competition. 

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Sports scholarships

Our sports scholarship scheme is designed to help students develop their full sporting potential to train and compete at the highest level. We offer scholarships for elite athletes, elite disabled athletes and talented sports performers.

Find out more about sport scholarships.

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Stay in touch

Statistics

Find out more about how the academic year and degree courses are organised, and about learning and assessment activities you might get to grips with at Brighton. More specific information about this course is detailed in the programme specification (linked below). You can find out also about the support we offer to help you adjust to university life.

Course and module descriptions on this page were accurate when first published and are the basis of the course. Detailed information on any changes we make to modules and learning and assessment activities will be sent to all students by email before enrolment, so that you have all the information before you come to Brighton.

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Course specification

Course specifications are the approved description of each course. They contain a breakdown of the content and structure of the course, learning outcomes and assessment. Course specs are updated following course changes.

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