Psychology

取得日期：2026-11-05、2026-09-16

https://sheffield.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/2027/psychology-bsc

https://sheffield.ac.uk/international/entry-requirements/hong-kong

https://www.ucas.com/explore/courses/67dc1919-605c-c97c-b268-50731eecb495?studyYear=2027

https://sheffield.ac.uk/undergraduate/apply/international-qualifications

https://sheffield.ac.uk/undergraduate/apply/english-language

The A Level entry requirements for this course are:

including a science subject

Other requirements

GCSE Maths grade 5/B

Science subjects include Biology/Human Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Geography, Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Psychology, Statistics

English language requirements |

You must demonstrate that your English is good enough for you to successfully complete your course. For this course we require: GCSE English Language at grade 4/C; IELTS grade of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each component; or an alternative acceptable English language qualification

Psychology BSc | Undergraduate study | The University of Sheffield

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Undergraduate study

2027-28 entry

Psychology BSc

School of Psychology

Study across the breadth of psychology with our accredited course. You’ll explore topics from social, health and clinical psychology, to cognitive and developmental psychology, neuroscience and psychological research methods.

A Levels

UCAS code

Duration

Start date

September

Attendance

Full-time

Accredited

Course fee

Funding available

Optional placement year

Study abroad

FY Foundation year entry for mature students

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Course description

Why study this course?

Start broad, then specialise

Study across the full breadth of psychology throughout your first and second year. You’ll then tailor your degree to your interests by choosing specialist modules in your final year.

Gain practical experience

Get hands-on to build your research skills, and gain practical experience through placements in the community. You can even opt to spend a full year on a work placement.

Top 15 in the UK for psychology

According to the Guardian University Guide 2027.

British Psychological Society (BPS) accredited course

BPS accreditation makes you eligible for graduate membership – the first step to becoming a chartered psychologist, and necessary for postgraduate courses in areas such as clinical, health, forensic, and occupational psychology.

This British Psychological Society accredited course will give you the skills and knowledge to understand human behaviour and the brain processes behind it.

Our Psychology BSc at Sheffield allows you to study across the breadth of the subject. From your very first week at Sheffield, you’ll start to cover five key areas:

Cognitive psychology

Developmental psychology

Neuroscience and clinical psychology

Social and health psychology

Research methods

Within these five areas, you'll get the chance to explore important topics with real world relevance such as neurodiversity, addictions, and depression. You'll run your own experiments and learn from some of the UK’s top psychology researchers, too.

In the first year of your degree, you'll study fundamental psychology topics, including how memory works, how we interact with others and our environment, and neurobiology.

In your second year, you’ll go even deeper into these core subjects. You could be learning about topics including Autism and ADHD, how children learn, and why people struggle to follow through with their intentions.

Your advanced research methods training that runs throughout the first two years will teach you how to design and conduct ethical, high-quality research projects, using a variety of tools. You’ll use professional statistical analysis software, as well as practical techniques to interpret non-numerical data. You’ll also get the chance to learn what it’s like to be a participant by engaging in real research studies, led by our academics.

By the end of year two you’ll have an excellent foundation of psychological knowledge and the technical skills you’ll need, ready to specialise in the topics you’re most passionate about in your third and final year.

In your final year, you’ll have a range of optional modules to choose from. Topics could include criminal and forensic psychology, the psychology of sleep, clinical psychology, neurodiversity, neuroscience, and even computer coding!

You can focus on the areas within psychology (and beyond) that interest you the most, to support your career goals. You could even choose a module that includes a short part-time work placement, giving you the chance to make a real contribution to a local community partner.

The biggest part of your course is the in-depth research project which students often report to be the best part of their degree. This also takes place in your final year. You’ll work with an expert in an area of psychology that you’re interested in and do a genuine piece of research over the course of six months. You’ll design the study, collect the data, and analyse your results.

Examples of recent student research projects include:

Exploring the meaning of home for university students

The role of exercise in controlling ADHD-like traits in university students

Understanding problematic smartphone use

Barriers to the use of alcohol free and low alcoholic drinks

If you choose to spend a year on a work placement as part of your course, this tends to take place after your second year. It’s a great way to gain valuable experience to make you stand out from the crowd (especially if you’re thinking of a career in the field of Psychology). You can opt into the scheme once you get to Sheffield.

Related courses

You may also be interested in our BSc in Education and Psychology, where you’ll learn how the two disciplines are deeply intertwined to master the science of human development and learning.

Undergraduate

Education and Psychology

/ September start

A Levels ABB

UCAS code C812

/ Full-time

Learn how education and psychology are intertwined, mastering the science of human development while developing research skills. You’ll learn how to improve wellbeing, launching careers across diverse clinical, education and community settings.

Foundation year entry for mature students

Accreditation

This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS). It provides Graduate Membership (GMBPsS) of the BPS, subject to a student passing the empirical psychology project and achieving an overall degree outcome of at least a 2:2. This is the first step to becoming a chartered psychologist and is necessary for postgraduate courses in areas such as clinical, health, forensic, and occupational psychology.

British Psychological Society (BPS) - accredited undergraduate psychology

A selection of modules are available each year - some examples are below. There may be changes before you begin your studies. As you progress through your course, we’ll confirm additional details for the core and optional modules available to you.

Choose a year to see modules for a level of study:

Title: Psychology BSc course structure

UCAS code: C800

First year

Second year

Third year

First yearFirst year

In your first year, you'll study fundamental psychology topics including how memory works, how we interact with others and our environment, and the biology behind human behaviour.

Your modules will span the breadth of psychology: from developmental psychology and social psychology to cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and clinical psychology, allowing you to understand the interrelated nature of the discipline.

You’ll also begin training in psychological research methodology and learn how psychological experiments are designed and conducted, before getting hands-on experience of how to analyse data and present your findings.

Alongside your new subject knowledge, we’ll support you to develop essential study skills that you’ll need during your time at Sheffield and beyond.

We’ve included detailed descriptions of all modules below.

Core modules:

Social Psychology I

This module will give you an overview of the fundamentals of social psychology.

You'll cover two big themes: how people think, and how people feel and behave.

We'll introduce and explain key theories and research for understanding social psychological phenomena. You'll also learn how to critically evaluate social psychological research and theories, and describe how they can be applied to address real world issues.

20 credits

Cognitive Psychology I

This module will give you an overview of the core components of cognition, and how we can investigate these.

You'll cover perception, attention, performance, cognitive neuroscience, language, learning, memory and reasoning.

We'll introduce and explore key studies in cognitive psychology, theoretical perspectives and foundational methods.

Neuroscience and Clinical Psychology I

This module will give you an understanding of the key principles within neuroscience and clinical psychology.

You'll cover the basic structure and function of the brain, techniques and assessments used within neuroscience and clinical psychology, and gain an awareness of the ethical issues.

You'll also learn about the aetiology, development, assessment and treatment of specific psychological and neurological disorders.

Developmental Psychology I

This module will give you an overview of the fundamentals of developmental psychology from infancy to adolescence, and into later life.

You'll cover concepts of development, including cognitive development, social development, and neurological development.

We'll explore major developmental changes, and discuss theoretical perspectives underlying developmental research.

Psychological Research Methodology I

This module will introduce you to the knowledge and skills that underpin the science of psychology.

We'll explore why psychological scientists conduct empirical research the way they do, and how to conduct research in psychological science.

You'll cover topics that span the various stages of the research process, including the logic of hypothesis testing; types of research designs, methodologies, and measurement strategies; descriptive statistics; simple qualitative and quantitative analytic techniques; and critical thinking about published research.

Academic and Professional Skills in Psychology

This module will equip you with the essential academic and professional skills you'll need to support your transition to university.

We'll help you develop skills in academic writing, including identifying, reading, and critically analysing psychological literature. You'll also learn how to use feedback to improve your work, effective time management techniques, and presentation skills. You'll then put these skills into practice, working in a team with your coursemates on projects focused on identifying and communicating real-world psychology problems.

Throughout the module, you'll also get the chance to explore your own strengths, interests, and career aspirations, as the first step in your academic and professional development. As part of this, we'll introduce you to the diverse career pathways that are open to graduates with a Psychology degree - both within and outside the field.

Second yearSecond year

In your second year, you’ll build on your new knowledge and explore core psychological topics in greater depth. You’ll explore how the different fields of psychology explain human behaviours, like psychological disorders and learning in children. You’ll also get the chance to delve further into cognitive, developmental, social, neuroscientific, and clinical explanations of behaviour.

Your research methods training this year will expose you to advanced techniques as you learn how to use professional statistical analysis software, and take ethical considerations into account when designing research projects.

You’ll also have the chance to explore an area of psychology, or a related subject, that interests you from a selection of optional modules.

Social Psychology II

This module builds on your knowledge of social psychology from first year, covering topics in greater depth.

This year you'll delve deeper into areas including the intention behaviour gap and how to address it, as well as social influences on health and environmental behaviours. You'll also explore new topics like organisational psychology, prejudice and discrimination, and risk perception.

Cognitive Psychology II

This module builds on your knowledge of the core components of cognition you gained in your first year.

You'll continue to cover the same broad topics, but in much greater depth. These include: perception, attention, performance, cognitive neuroscience, language, learning, memory and reasoning.

We'll expand on key concepts and introduce more experimental methods and theoretical nuance.

Neuroscience and Clinical Psychology II

This module builds on your knowledge from first year, covering the principles within neuroscience and clinical psychology in greater depth.

This year, you'll cover the aetiology, development, assessment and treatment of more complex psychological and neurological disorders.

Developmental Psychology II

This module will give you a deeper understanding of development from infancy to later life, building on the knowledge you gained in first year.

You'll cover how cognition, language, perception, and social skills develop, and consider individual differences in development and developmental disorders.

Together, we'll explore the major developmental changes, and discuss theoretical perspectives underlying developmental research.

Psychological Research Methodology II

This module builds on the knowledge and skills you developed in your first year and introduces more advanced concepts and techniques in research methods and statistics.

We'll cover research ethics; scale development; questionnaire design; advanced qualitative and quantitative analytic techniques; and critical thinking about published research.

Optional modules:

Students choose 20 credits (one module) from disciplines including Psychology, Education, Philosophy, and Sociology.

Contemporary Issues in Psychology

At Sheffield, we're carrying out world-leading research in many areas of psychology. This module will introduce you to some of the big questions and issues that your lecturers and other staff in the School are trying to address right now. You'll learn about the latest understanding in topics spanning the breadth of modern psychology. You'll also discover how we're using cutting-edge research techniques and approaches, the challenges that research can present, and how we hope to make a real difference in the world.

Psychology and Learning Communities

This module explores learning as conceptualised by different approaches within the broad umbrella of psychology. It examines how and why these different approaches emerged, how they compare to one another, and how they have come to inform different understandings of what learning is, how it happens and how it might be facilitated. It also explores how these different conceptualisations have come to impact individual learners, and particular learning communities. Critical attention is drawn to the way in which language facilitates social practices including those involved in the construction of different kinds of knowledge. In this sense, knowledge relates to formal conceptualisations of learning provided by developments in scientific disciplines (e.g. psychology) and the social sciences (e.g. education and sociology). It is also concerned with informal understandings such as the continual constitution of learner's identities through social engagement. The module aims to challenge notions of learning as an individual enterprise and to support students in critical reflection upon their own learning experiences in connection to the approaches discussed.

Feminism

Feminists have famously claimed that the personal is political. This module takes up various topics with that methodological idea in mind: the family, cultural critique, language. We examine feminist methodologies - how these topics might be addressed by a feminism that is inclusive of all women - and also turn attention to social structures within which personal choices are made - capitalism, and climate crisis .

Ethics: From Theory to Practice

Ethical values shape our world and the lives we lead - from how we relate to our friends and community, to our social and political attitudes, to the aspirations and goals that guide our life choices. But ethics is also challenging. When our values clash, or we face unfamiliar problems, or we reflect on the objectionable values of people in the past, it becomes unclear what to do. Ethical theories attempt to help us solve these problems by giving a precise, unified and systematic account of moral values, ideals and duties.

This module introduces students to a range of contemporary and historical ethical theories. We discuss six broad approaches to ethical theorising, each centred on a core unifying value: altruism, relationships, freedom, agreements, rights and excellence. In doing so we will encounter theories such as Utilitarianism, Contractualism and Feminist Care Ethics, and the ideas of philosophers including JS Mill, Harriet Taylor, Simone de Beauvoir, Immanuel Kant, Thomas Hobbes, Mary Wollstonecraft, Aristotle and Freidrich Nietzsche.

Environmental Justice

This module will introduce students to contemporary philosophical discussions of environmental justice at the global level. Topics to be covered may include: The nature of global environmental injustices; responsibility for global environmental problems; the relationship between global environmental challenges and other historical and contemporary injustices; fair international sharing of the costs of environmental action; the justifiability of environmental activism; the rights of indigenous peoples; fairness in global environmental decision-making; and the politics of ‘geoengineering’ the planet.

The Philosophy of AI and Robotics

This module will investigate a range of philosophical issues pertaining to current developments in AI and robotics. Example topics might include relationships with AI and robots, responsibility concerns in regard to autonomous technology such as self-driving cars, the rise of data ethics, and the rights of cyborgs and future artificial beings. By studying these topics and others, students will gain a broad knowledge of the philosophical questions pertaining to contemporary and near-future technology, develop their ability to critically assess and discuss philosophy in regards to real world uses and developments in AI and robotics, as well as improve their understanding of how theoretical philosophical theories can be applied and used to tackle practical challenges posed by modern technology.

Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology

This module will give you a broad understanding of neuroscience, covering neurophysiology, molecular biology, neuropharmacology, model organisms, and simple behaviours.

Building on your knowledge from the first year, you'll learn about the concepts behind complex topics such as higher brain function, behaviour, biological psychiatry, and neurodegenerative disease.

SLT Developmental differences in speech, language and communication

This module aims to give a detailed overview of the developmental differences in children's speech, language and communication (including literacy) abilities. The module profiles these developmental differences in children and adolescents, and including learning difficulties, autism spectrum conditions and other neurodevelopmental differences. The module examines these developmental differences in the context of the diverse environments children grow up in. The impact of these developmental differences on children's lives as they grow older (eg. educational experiences, learning and well-being) are highlighted. Other perspectives are explored such as those of the parent/carers.

Metaphysics

This course is an introduction to metaphysics. It will focus on two general themes: whether we are material things, and the nature of time. Readings will be drawn mainly from recent and contemporary sources.

Political Philosophy Today

This module will investigate a broad range of contemporary topics and issues in political philosophy. Example topics include the political rights of animals and children, how we should allocate scarce health resources, whether we should ban private education, and the limits of free speech in the workplace. By studying these topics and others, students will gain a broad knowledge of the state of contemporary political philosophy, develop their ability to critically assess and discuss real-world issues, and improve their understanding of how theoretical topics in political philosophy can be applied in practical ways.

Philosophy of Mind

This module provides a survey of philosophical theories of the mind, looking at such questions as: How is consciousness possible? Why is it that vibrations in the air around us produce conscious experiences of particular auditory experiences in our minds? Why is it that electromagnetic waves hitting our retinas produce particular visual experiences in our minds? What makes our thoughts represent things in the world? What is it about your thought that cats have whiskers that makes it about cats and whiskers? What is it about your thought that there are stars in the universe too far away for any human to have perceived them that makes it about such stars? What is the relation between thoughts and conscious experiences and brain states? We'll look at a variety of answers to these and related questions and examine some of the most important and influential theories that contemporary philosophers have to offer.

Religion and the Good Life

What, if anything, does religion have to do with a well-lived life? For example, does living well require obeying God's commands? Does it require atheism? Are the possibilities for a good life enhanced or only diminished if there is a God, or if Karma is true? Does living well take distinctive virtues like faith, mindfulness, or humility as these have been understood within religious traditions? In this module, we will examine recent philosophical work on questions like these while engaging with a variety of religions, such as Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Daoism, Islam, and Judaism.

In Sickness and in Health: The Sociology of Medicine

Covid conspiracies and care home crises. AIDS activism and autism advocacy. Questions relating to health and illness are amongst the most crucial facing society today. From before people are born until the moment they die, everyone is profoundly shaped by their engagements with medicine.

In this module, you will examine the ways in which engagements with, and understandings of, physical and mental health shape ourselves and our societies. You will explore topics such as: intersecting inequalities in healthcare provisions, patient experiences of ill health, activism and the fight for recognition, contemporary health crises, and the COVID pandemic.

By critically examining these examples, you will develop a nuanced understanding of the role of health, illness and medicine within contemporary society.

Social Problems: Policy and Practice

Drawing on current examples and comparative references, you will explore social and ideological constructions of social problems and the role of the state and other agencies in responses to them. This module is team taught which means sessions are delivered by a range of leading experts on different social problems.

Some of the key concepts and themes in social policy and practice that you will cover include inequality, justice and fairness, individual versus collective responsibility, and welfare versus social control. The content of this module mainly focuses on major contemporary issues, including welfare and work, housing and homelessness, and community participation.

By the end, you will be equipped with the necessary critical perspective and skills to understand and explore social problems.

Third yearThird year

This year, you'll choose the majority of what you study.

You’ll complete an in-depth research project in an area of psychology that you're passionate about alongside a supervisor who’s an expert in the field. You could choose an empirical project, or focus on computer modelling. Whatever you choose, you’ll carry out novel research and apply your knowledge of research design, research ethics, and analysis. You’ll develop valuable transferable skills too, including project management, time management, and communication.

Alongside your project, you’ll choose to study four specialist modules from a range of options in Psychology and related subjects.

Core module:

Research Project in Psychology

Your research project will give you an opportunity to bring together the knowledge and skills you've developed from your studies so far to investigate a topic within an area of Psychology that interests you.

You'll work closely with a Psychology academic who'll offer ideas for your research project, while supporting you to shape the project around your own interests and ideas. Projects span a wide range of areas, from Clinical, Health, and Environmental Psychology through to Cognitive and Developmental Psychology and Neuroscience.

Over two semesters, you'll conduct an empirical research study or undertake computational modelling using large existing datasets. You'll work individually or within a small group to design your study, gain ethical approval, collect or access data, and analyse your results. The project will lead to a written report, allowing you to showcase your ability to conduct psychological research and engage with important research questions in the field of Psychology.

40 credits

Students choose 40 credits (two modules) from disciplines including Psychology, Education, Philosophy, and Sociology.

Sensory Perception in Health and Disease

In this module, you'll explore the relationship between brain structures and sensory experiences in the context of 'normal' function and the consequences of neurological differences, injury, and illness, bringing together your relevant knowledge from the first two years of your degree.

We'll take a 'structure-to-function approach': talking about the neuroarchitecture of the senses and how this relates to overall functioning. By understanding the structure, we can better understand the functional and behavioural changes following injury or disease, shedding light on how disruptions in sensory perception may serve as early indicators or contributors to neurological conditions.

By the end of this module, you'll understand the complex dynamics of sensory perception, the implications of sensory changes for health and wellness, and the variety of resulting changes in sensory experiences and behaviour for individuals.

Sports Psychology

This module will introduce you to key theories and empirical research in the field of sports psychology.

You'll learn about how psychological factors can influence athletic performance, and how participation in sports impacts psychological wellbeing.

Topics covered may vary, but could include: motivation, goal-striving, individual versus team sports, interventions and performance enhancement, cognition and expertise, and emotion regulation in sport.

Cognitive Neuroscience

This module will give you a comprehensive overview of the field of cognitive neuroscience, which aims to understand the neural mechanisms involved in cognitive processes.

We'll focus on methods and techniques, and how these have contributed to a broader understanding of human cognition and neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism spectrum conditions and ADHD. You'll also learn about modern applications of cognitive neuroscience to real-world issues, such as the development of brain-computer interfaces and the use of cognitive neuroscience techniques in assistive healthcare.

This module will explain a range of cognitive neuroscience techniques, with the main focus on EEG due to its flexibility and adaptability to a wide range of environments and participant groups.

The psychology of sexual orientation and gender identity

Diversity in sexual orientation and gender identity is a fact of human existence. Starting at the end of the 19th century, scientists have made efforts to understand the psychology underlying this diversity. Since then, and in the past few decades in particular, social attitudes towards sexual/gender diversity have changed substantially, and so has our scientific understanding.

In this module, we'll explore current and historic scientific understanding of sexual/gender diversity, and current efforts to understand and improve the lives of LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual/gender minority) individuals. We'll consider empirical psychological research from multiple psychological disciplines: developmental, clinical, health, and social. We'll cover major themes including current research into the development of LGBTQ+ identities, wellbeing, social stereotypes and prejudice. Throughout the module we'll discuss and critically analyse how, when it comes to these topics, social attitudes and psychological research are closely intertwined.

If you're interested in the psychology of sexuality and gender, this module will develop your critical thinking and will prepare you well for researching LGBTQ+ issues.

Neurodiversity

The neurodiversity movement emerged from early online autistic culture which was self-advocating against ableist practices. The concept of biological diversity was adapted to state that neurodevelopmental disabilities, such as autism, dyslexia and ADHD, are all part of natural variation in the human species rather than disorders that need to be corrected.

The neurodiversity movement asserts that: a) diversity in cognition and behaviour has collective benefit for humanity, and b) neurodivergent people should be granted rights and opportunities to lead on decision making which impacts their lives.

These ideas have led to the development of the neurodiversity paradigm which is reshaping psychological research and practice.

This module will introduce you to neurodiversity and how these ideas contrast with those from the 'medical model' of disability. You'll explore the implications of the neurodiversity paradigm for psychology by engaging with contemporary theories and research from a range of disciplines.

Criminal Psychology

This module examines research on psychosocial origins of criminal behaviour and how this research can inform strategies to prevent offending.

We'll consider developmental, social, biological, and genetic perspectives on the origins of criminal behaviour, and explore different types of crimes including homicide, juvenile delinquency and intimate partner violence.

During this module, you'll conduct a case study on an offender of your choice to evaluate evidence into the potential causes of their offending and prevention strategies that could prevent similar offending in the future.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Formulation for Mental Health Disorders

Psychological case formulation lies at the heart of effective cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) — it is the bridge between theory and the person sitting in front of you. In this module, you will explore a range of CBT formulation models across several mental health conditions, grounded in current research evidence. You will examine the predisposing, precipitating, and maintaining factors that shape psychological distress, developing a scientifically informed understanding of why difficulties emerge and persist. Applying this knowledge, you will develop practical skills in constructing individualised case formulations that draw on evidence-based psychological models. By the end of the module, you will be equipped to think critically and clinically — a foundation for effective, formulation-driven practice across a range of professional contexts.

Neuroscience of Learning and Memory

This module will explain current research, both experimental and theoretical, into the brain mechanisms that form the basis of reward processing, associative learning, and the formation of episodic memories.

You'll start by covering the neural responses to pleasurable stimuli, including drugs of abuse. You'll then move on to the anatomy and physiology of the hippocampus and its involvement in learning and memory. Here we'll focus on episodic memory and how neural coding in the hippocampus might be used to store and recall memories.

You'll then learn about classical conditioning and cerebellar anatomy and physiology: a necessary basis for the evaluation of models of cerebellar function as applied to classical conditioning.

Throughout the module, you'll explore examples in the diseased brain and discuss where the relevant structures are affected.

Occupational Psychology

The workplace is changing fast, are you ready for it?

From the rise of AI to tackling workplace inequality, this module explores how psychology shapes the world of work. Whether it's understanding what motivates employees, how organisations can foster inclusivity, or the psychological impact of leadership, we tackle the biggest challenges facing workers and businesses today.

You'll debate real-world dilemmas, engage in interactive activities, and learn from top experts in the field.

Introduction to Counselling and Psychotherapy

This module will cover the fundamental principles, theoretical foundations and practices of counselling and psychotherapy.

We'll consider diverse therapeutic approaches, including Psychodynamic, Humanistic and Cognitive models, alongside the ethical frameworks and self awareness required for effective practice.

Throughout the module, you'll examine the nature of the therapeutic relationship and the process of case formulation, mapping a client's presenting issues to understand their needs. You'll learn about the evidence base for interventions and challenges facing the profession. You'll also have the opportunity to apply your learning to real world scenarios through case studies, developing practical skills in active listening, empathy and communication.

Psychology of Sleep

This module explores the psychological and neurological foundations of sleep, examining the neural architecture and chemical signaling that govern circadian rhythms and the sleep-wake cycle.

You'll explore the distinct stages of sleep and evaluate the role sleep plays in important human processes like memory consolidation and emotion regulation.

We'll also address the aetiology and evidence-based treatments for major sleep-wake disorders such as insomnia and narcolepsy.

By integrating insights from neuroscience, clinical, cognitive, and health psychology, this module will give you a holistic understanding of how sleep functions as a vital biological process and its profound impact on overall mental and physical wellbeing.

Addiction controversies

This module will introduce you to controversial issues related to addiction from a psychological perspective. You'll cover the nature of addiction, its determinants, underlying neurological basis, treatment, and prognosis.

During each lecture, you'll be introduced to the controversial topic before relevant evidence is described and critically evaluated. Clinicians and/or service users with direct experience of addiction may contribute to some of these sessions.

Topics covered may vary from year to year as new controversies emerge, but are likely to include critical appraisal of theories of addiction (such as the brain disease model), the public health implications of vaping, and innovative approaches to treatment.

Eating Behaviour

This module will introduce you to the psychology of eating behaviour within the context of obesity as a societal issue.

You'll cover key theories and empirical research on the main issues in this field such as drivers of energy intake, the obesogenic environment and weight stigma. You will also explore the role of individual differences in eating behaviours and weight management. You'll discover the methods used and the challenges faced by researchers in this topical area.

During this module, you'll have the chance to apply your learning to propose solutions to tackle the important societal challenge of obesity. You'll also consider organisations that overlap with the module topics covered, and who are aiming to address these important issues.

Pragmatic Development Across the Lifespan: How we learn to use language for social communication

How do children learn to use language with other people? And how can our social communication skills adapt when we face challenges?

In this module, you'll explore these questions by reviewing research on pragmatic development across the lifespan. You'll start with some theory on the nature of human communication, then you'll be introduced to the series of pragmatic skills acquired during infancy, childhood and adolescence. Here you'll see how children move from communicating prelinguistically with babble and gesture, to conveying information effectively by using words, sentences, complex discourse and rapid fire conversation - including use of advanced tropes like sarcasm.

You'll consider individual differences and atypical trajectories, then finish up with creative solutions to the challenges often faced in older age, for example, as a result of hearing loss.

Throughout the module, you'll learn about the research methods used to test skills, the learning mechanisms that drive developmental change, and the real world applications in artificial intelligence, educational and clinical domains. At the end, you'll not only be able to connect evidence and theory but you should also be a more skilled and inclusive communicator, able to apply your insights in almost any employment setting.

Using Behavioural Science to Help Tackle Environmental Challenges

Human behaviour is one of the biggest contributors to climate change, loss of biodiversity, and deforestation. Understanding behaviour, and learning how to change it, has the potential to have a significant impact on these issues.

This module will give you an understanding of how theories and methods from the behavioural sciences are being used to tackle real-world environmental challenges. You'll use theoretical models of behaviour and previous research to understand the barriers and enablers of pro-environmental attitudes and behaviour. You'll also evaluate a range of lab- and field-based interventions designed to promote pro-environmental behaviour (for example, via communication campaigns, incentives, or fines).

Alongside this, you'll learn about the innovative sustainability research taking place within our school and discover how psychologists can (and should) collaborate with scientists from other disciplines to develop interdisciplinary solutions and avoid unintended consequences that may negatively impact the environment.

By the end of the module, you'll have the skills to design and evaluate behaviour change interventions, and knowledge of how to disseminate research to relevant stakeholders.

Offending Behaviour: Rehabilitation and Resettlement

This module will introduce you to various concepts related to the field of Forensic Psychology, specifically considering what happens after a person has been convicted of a criminal offence.

You'll learn about different factors that contribute to the rehabilitation and resettlement of people with various conviction types. Example topics might include: post-conviction living environments, offending behaviour treatments, risk considerations, resettlement issues, and desistance from crime. You'll also learn about these issues for people with a range of offence types.

By the end of this module, you'll have a strong understanding of the topics that are central to reducing reoffending and aiding people with convictions to live positive, offence-free, lives.

Coding for psychologists

Being able to manage data is a key transferable skill that employers want, both inside and outside of academia.

When collecting data, researchers are often overwhelmed by the huge amount of data they have. During this module, you'll learn how to process and manage data sets with R, with a focus on processing data from psychological research. You'll be taught how to organise and prepare data for the next steps of analyses.

You'll also learn fundamental coding principles, and cover how to develop routines for checking the plausibility and quality of data.

By the end of the module, you'll have the knowledge to write a set of scripts and routines to preprocess empirical data sets from psychological research.

Psychology in the Community and in the Workplace

This module will allow you to undertake a six-week part-time placement alongside your other third year modules. It's a great opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills you've gained in the first two years of your course.

You'll work alongside local community partners to complete project work that will make a tangible contribution to an organisation, local community, or specific service user groups.

You'll also get to see first hand how a wide variety of professionals from different psychology, health, education, social work, youth work and other backgrounds work together to address the health and wellbeing of local communities.

The content of our courses is reviewed annually to make sure it's up-to-date and relevant. Individual modules are occasionally updated or withdrawn. This is in response to discoveries through our world-leading research; funding changes; professional accreditation requirements; student or employer feedback; outcomes of reviews; and variations in staff or student numbers. In the event of any change we will inform students and take reasonable steps to minimise disruption.

Learning and assessment

You’ll learn in lots of different ways to make sure that you get the skills and knowledge that every psychologist needs. You'll attend lectures, take part in small group tutorials and workshops, and put what you’ve learnt into practice during research methods classes and project work.

We invest to create the right environment for you. That means outstanding facilities, study spaces and support, including 24/7 access to our online library service.

Study spaces and computers are available to offer you choice and flexibility for your study. Our five library sites give you access to over one million books and periodicals. You can access your library account and our rich digital collections from anywhere on or off campus. Other library services include study skills training to improve your grades, and tailored advice from experts in your subject.

Learning support facilities and library opening hours

Assessment

Throughout the course you'll be assessed through a variety of methods including exams, tests and coursework.

Entry requirements

With Access Sheffield, you could qualify for additional consideration or a contextual offer - find out if you're eligible.

Standard offer

Access Sheffield offer

A Levels + a fourth Level 3 qualification

ABB, including a science subject + B in a Psychology or Biology based EPQ; ABB, including a science subject + A in Core Maths

International Baccalaureate

34, with 5 in a Higher Level science subject; 33, with 5 in a Higher Level science subject, and B in a Psychology or Biology based Extended Essay

BTEC Extended Diploma

DDD in Applied Science (including Biomedical Science, Analytical & Forensic Science, and Physical Science streams)

BTEC Diploma

DD in Applied Science + A at A Level; DD + A in an A Level science subject

Distinction in the Health, Healthcare Science or Science T Level, including grade A in the core component

Scottish Highers + Advanced Higher/s

AAABB + B in a science subject

Welsh Baccalaureate + 2 A Levels

B + AA, including a science subject

Access to HE Diploma

The award of Access to HE Diploma in Science, with 45 credits at Level 3, including 36 at Distinction and 9 at Merit

Routes for mature students

33, with 5 in a Higher Level science subject

DD in Applied Science + B at A Level; DD + B in an A Level science subject

AABBB + B in a science subject

B + AB, including a science subject

The award of Access to HE Diploma in Science, with 45 credits at Level 3, including 30 at Distinction and 15 at Merit

Equivalent English language qualifications

Visa and immigration requirements

Other qualifications | UK and EU/international

Pathway programme for international students

If you're an international student who does not meet the entry requirements for this course, you have the opportunity to apply for the International Year One in Psychology at the University of Sheffield International College. Alternatively, the College also offers the International Foundation Year for a range of other progression routes. These programmes are designed to develop your English language proficiency and academic skills. Upon successful completion, you can progress to eligible degree-level study at the University of Sheffield.

If you have any questions about entry requirements, please contact the school.

Graduate careers

You won’t be short of career options with a degree in psychology from Sheffield.

Some of our graduates go on to qualify as psychologists after further postgraduate training, working in areas such as clinical, occupational, health or educational psychology or counselling. Others continue their education by studying for a masters or even a PhD.

Our degree is accredited by the British Psychological Society, and covers all the topics and training that you need to complete the first steps towards becoming a Chartered Psychologist if this is the route for you.

But you don’t have to complete a doctorate to apply psychology in your career. You could work in hospitals, for charities or local psychological services, in the prison service or in education. Roles can include researcher, counsellor, psychotherapist or psychological wellbeing practitioner (PWP) trainee.

A good degree from a great university can take you far, whatever you want to do. We have graduates putting their knowledge of human behaviour and data analysis skills to good use in marketing and communications, human resources, data science, management and teaching.

Explore psychology careers

Careers support

As a psychology student, you'll get lots of support to help you work out what you want to do after graduation, and the steps you need to take to get there.

We have skills development sessions built into the curriculum where we’ll teach you how to handle data, solve problems, and communicate complex ideas to a range of audiences. These are all important transferable skills that employers are looking for.

We also regularly hold employer events, networking sessions, and even talks from alumni and visiting psychology professionals.

We’re here to give you advice too, with staff based in the School of Psychology who work alongside the University’s Careers and Employability Service. We’ll help you with CV and application writing, job hunting, and preparing for interviews, and support you in finding placements, volunteering, or part-time work opportunities tailored to your future plans.

How we'll support you

Department statistics

92% of our research is rated as world-leading or internationally excellent

Research Excellence Framework 2021

The School of Psychology at Sheffield is focused on exploring the science behind the human brain and behaviour.

Our teaching is informed by cutting-edge scientific research, which ranges from cognitive and neural processes across the lifespan to the wellbeing of individuals and society. All of this has an impact on the population.

Our work explores child development, psychological therapies, health and wellbeing, lifestyle choices, cognitive behavioural therapy, safe driving, mother-baby interaction, autism, Parkinson's disease, and reducing prejudice and inequality. It’s research like this that you’ll learn about and get the chance to be involved in throughout your course.

School of Psychology students are based in the ICOSS building in the heart of campus. Here you'll find seminar rooms and social spaces, all within easy reach of the main University facilities, including our 24-hour libraries and award-winning Students' Union.

Facilities

During your modules, you’ll learn about the latest techniques in psychological research from the psychologists who are using them in their published studies. These include eye-tracking technology used in perception studies, and state-of-the-art EEG for measuring brain activity.

You can access a range of tools for testing participants in your final year research project. This includes running psychophysical experiments using Heart Rate Variability equipment, cognitive experiments using computer stimulus presentation software, or carrying out qualitative data collection and analysis.

University rankings

A world top-100 university

QS World University Rankings 2027 (82nd)

Number one in the Russell Group for student voice

National Student Survey 2026

92 per cent of our research is rated as world-leading or internationally excellent

University of the Year for Student Experience

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026

Number one Students' Union in the UK

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2024, 2023, 2022, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017

Number one for Students' Union

StudentCrowd 2025 University Awards

7th best University for Work Experience

Higherin 2026-27

Student profiles

My placement showed me all about working in an educational setting

Charlotte Thompson

Placement organisation: Tapton Secondary School,

Psychology with Placement Year BSc

Fees and funding

We have a fixed fee guarantee in place for undergraduate overseas students, meaning that your tuition fee will not increase during your studies. Tuition fees for undergraduate home students may increase during your studies in line with our Terms and Conditions upon Acceptance of an Offer policy.

Tuition fees

Fee status help

Additional costs

The annual fee for your undergraduate course includes a number of items in addition to your tuition. If an item or activity is classed as a compulsory element for your course, it will normally be included in your tuition fee. There are also other costs which you may need to consider. These costs may increase due to price increases outside of the University’s control, if you defer entry or if you choose to change course.

Examples of what’s included and excluded in undergraduate fees

Funding your study

Depending on your circumstances, you may qualify for a bursary, scholarship or loan to help fund your study and enhance your learning experience.

Use our Student Funding Calculator to work out what you’re eligible for.

£2,500 per year scholarships for international students

We're offering automatic scholarships worth up to £10,000 to overseas fee-paying students starting their studies in September 2026 - no additional application required.

Placements and study abroad

Placements

Adding a placement year as part of your course

You may have the opportunity to add an optional placement year as part of your course, converting the three-year course to a four-year Degree with Placement Year.

A placement year will help you to:

gain an insight into possible careers

develop a range of transferable skills

build a professional network

get a feel for what you do and don’t like doing

add valuable work experience to your CV

gain experience of applying for jobs and interview practice

apply elements of academic learning in the workplace

Our students have previously completed their placements with organisations including the NHS, Sheffield Mind, Prison and Probation Services, and local schools, in roles spanning assistant psychologist, SEND teaching assistant, and human resource management.

Learn more about placements for psychology students

Opportunities to gain experience

Another great way to gain extra experience is by applying to join the Sheffield Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) scheme. This gives you the chance to spend around six weeks working in one of our research groups over the summer. It's a unique paid opportunity to pursue research in an area that you’re excited about, and can help inform your future career aspirations.

Sheffield Volunteering is also popular with our psychology students. Run by the Students’ Union, the scheme helps you gain valuable experience whilst making a positive impact in our city. Student volunteers have worked on projects ranging from assisting mental health charities to preparing and serving meals to the homeless.

Spending time abroad during your degree is a great way to explore different cultures, gain a new perspective and experience a life-changing opportunity that you will never forget.

You can apply to extend this course with a year abroad, usually between the second and third year. We have over 250 University partners worldwide. Popular destinations include Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Find out more on the Global Opportunities website.

University open days

We host five open days each year, usually in June, July, September, October and November. You can talk to staff and students, tour the campus and see inside the accommodation.

Open days: book your place

Online events

Join our online information sessions to find out more about different aspects of University life.

Online information sessions

Subject tasters

If you’re considering your post-16 options, our interactive subject tasters are for you. There are a wide range of subjects to choose from and you can attend sessions online or on campus.

Upcoming taster sessions

Offer holder days

If you've received an offer to study with us, we'll invite you to one of our offer holder days, which take place between February and April. These open days have a strong school focus and give you the chance to really explore student life here, even if you've visited us before.

Campus tours

Our weekly guided tours show you what Sheffield has to offer - both on campus and beyond. You can extend your visit with tours of our city, accommodation or sport facilities.

Campus tour: book your place

Events for mature students

Mature students can apply directly to our courses. We also offer degrees with a foundation year for mature students who are returning to education. We'd love to meet you at one of our events, open days, taster workshops or other events.

Lifelong learning events for mature students

Make sure you've done everything you need to do before you apply.

How to apply When you're ready to apply, see the UCAS website:

www.ucas.com

Not ready to apply yet? You can also register your interest in this course.

Contact us

Start a conversation with us – you can get in touch by email, telephone or online chat.

Contacts for prospective students

The awarding body for this course is the University of Sheffield.

Recognition of professional qualifications: from 1 January 2021, in order to have any UK professional qualifications recognised for work in an EU country across a number of regulated and other professions you need to apply to the host country for recognition. Read information from the UK government and the EU Regulated Professions Database.

Any supervisors and research areas listed are indicative and may change before the start of the course.

Our student protection plan

Terms and Conditions upon Acceptance of an Offer

Department

Extra info box

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課程頁官方原文 AAB including a science subject GCSE Maths grade 5/B Science subjects include Biology/Human Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Geography, Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Psychology, Statistics https://sheffield.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/2027/psychology-bsc 取得日期：2026-11-05

香港／國際頁官方原文 HKALE Applicants with a minimum of three HKALEs will be considered for direct admission to undergraduate programmes. HKDSE A range of offers will be made to applicants presenting with the HKDSE, depending on course and specific requirements. Most offers will range from 555 to 444 in core or elective subjects (excluding liberal and general studies). Competitive subjects may require higher grades. International Baccalaureate International Baccalaureate diploma holders will be considered for direct admission to undergraduate programmes. https://sheffield.ac.uk/international/entry-requirements/hong-kong 取得日期：2026-11-05

UCAS課程完整原文 including a science subject. Science subjects include Biology/Human Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Psychology, or Statistics https://www.ucas.com/explore/courses/67dc1919-605c-c97c-b268-50731eecb495?studyYear=2027 取得日期：2026-09-16

香港／國際頁完整官方原文 The tables below list some of the international qualifications that we consider for entry to our undergraduate degree courses, and an indication of the levels of achievement we normally consider equivalent to the A Level requirements specified in the online prospectus . A Level | A*AA | AAA | AAB | ABB | BBB Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education | 555 in three subjects | 555 in three subjects | 554 in three subjects | 544 in three subjects | 444 in three subjects https://sheffield.ac.uk/undergraduate/apply/international-qualifications 取得日期：2026-11-05

HKDSE英文對照官方完整原文 HKDSE English Language Grade 4 or above overall, with Grade 4 or above in each component If you were awarded one of these qualifications more than five years before the start date of your Sheffield course, we may ask you to complete a new English language qualification. Please include with your application any evidence you have of ongoing use of English. https://sheffield.ac.uk/undergraduate/apply/english-language 取得日期：2026-11-05

本課英文及 IELTS 官方原文 IELTS grade of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each component; or an alternative acceptable English language qualification https://sheffield.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/2027/psychology-bsc 取得日期：2026-11-05

本課英文及 IELTS 官方原文 Tests measure English language ability at a single point in time. If you are presenting one of the tests listed in this section, it should have been completed no more than two years before the start date of your Sheffield course. https://sheffield.ac.uk/undergraduate/apply/english-language 取得日期：2026-11-05

院校未公布 DSE 對應等級，請向院校確認。

請查看下方完整入學要求原文，或向院校確認。