Overview

Take an in depth look at the fascinating world of business psychology with this undergraduate programme*. Focusing on real life situations you will gain an understanding of the psychological behaviours of people in business or organisation contexts. This course will allow you to immerse yourself in a variety of unique and interesting topics including psychological development through the lifespan, leadership and managing teams, as well as individual differences, emotions and behaviours.

You will learn to apply knowledge of the human mind and behaviour to investigate fundamental business functions, as well as adopting core psychological theories to understand organisational change, effective leadership, recruitment and selection, and corporate decision-making. Our courses involve a range of technical competencies which can be applied immediately to the real world, making you an asset to any team or employer.

Looking to progress in your career? Or maybe you want to start a new role? Our BSc (Hons) Business Psychology will allow you to fit your education around your work and family commitments as you study 100% online and part-time. Graduates of the course will also have a holistic understanding of both business and psychology in addition to a wide range of transferable skills including critical thinking, research, self-motivation and communication.

Please note: This course is not accredited with the British Psychological Society (BPS).

* The start date and details of this course are still subject to University approval. In the event that approval is not granted by your course start date, an alternative date will be offered or a full refund given. If we need to make changes to this programme as part of the University of Essex validation process, we will communicate these to you at the earliest possible date.

Course structure

The BSc (Hons) in Business Psychology is made up of the following modules and, upon completion, is equal to a total of 360 credits.

Level 4 modules:

• Fundamentals of Effective Learning in Psychology (15 credits)*
• Introduction to Social Psychology (15 credits)*
• Introduction to Cognitive Psychology (15 credits)*
• Introduction to Research Methods (30 credits)*
• Human Resources Management (15 credits)*
• Fundamentals of Marketing (15 credits)

One optional module from the list below**

Level 4 optional modules:

• Personality and Intelligence (15 credits)
• Business and Management Skills (15 credits)

Level 5 modules:

• Biological Psychology (15 credits)*
• Advanced Cognitive Psychology (15 credits)*
• Psychological Development through the Lifespan (15 credits)*
• Quantitative Psychology (15 credits)*
• Individual Differences, Emotions and Behaviours (15 credits)*
• Leadership and Managing Teams (15 credits)*
• Organisational Development and Change (15 credits)*
• Consumer Behaviour (15 credits)*

Level 6 modules:

• Critical Social Psychology (15 credits)
• Developmental Science (15 credits)
• Business Strategy (15 credits)
• Business Psychology Project (30 credits)*
• International Marketing Strategy (15 credits)
• Reasoning and Decision-Making in a Business Context (15 credits)
• Occupational Psychology (15 credits)

* These modules are core and must be passed in order to achieve the award.

** Optional modules become core once taken.

Learning and assessment

Introduction

Studying online gives you the freedom to study when and where it suits you – at home, during your lunch hour or anywhere else you have internet access.

All of our online courses have an indicative study duration which is a guide to how long your course will take to complete. The actual duration may be longer or shorter depending on your speed of study, study options chosen and module availability. It’s possible to complete your studies faster than the indicative course duration by doubling up on modules at certain times; however, minimum study durations do apply.

All of our courses have regular start dates throughout the year. Our academic year is organised into modules, typically with a one- or two-week break between modules and a structured three-week break for the Christmas period. Students will receive a course timetable during the application process.

Teaching methods and style

As we are a 100% online university, we utilise a virtual learning environment instead of a traditional campus. The system tracks and manages the learning process in real-time and provides you with immediate access to your learning materials.

This learning platform allows both students and tutors to actively take part in real-time conversations and you can listen to, and view, live lectures and seminars over the internet. All courses are delivered in English only.

You are supported throughout your course by a dedicated Student Adviser and have the opportunity to regularly interact with fellow students and your tutor. To ensure you receive the support you need from your tutor, we cap our class sizes at 20 students.

Assessment

We adopt an assignment-based approach to assessment instead of exams. Business Psychology assignments are based on real-life work experience and assessed by tutors on an ongoing basis.

You are always aware of your current provisional grade right from the start of the programme, allowing you to evaluate the success of your current study methods and clearly identify areas to improve.

We believe that this transparency gives you the information you need to make the most of your course. We achieve this by:

• showing your marks clearly in your gradebook, which can be viewed whenever you log onto the learning platform
• the rapid turnaround of work assessed to ensure that your gradebook is always up to date
• assessing your work throughout the module rather than waiting for end of year exams
• ensuring you have regular contact with your Student Adviser
• the simplicity and transparency in the design of our assessment criteria

We also have a policy of ensuring that work submitted by students is authentic. As well as the fact that all work is frequently assessed, we use a well-established electronic monitoring system to check for plagiarism.

On successful completion of your BSc (hons) Business Psychology, you will be invited to attend a graduation ceremony at the University of Essex, Colchester Campus.

Career prospects

We are dedicated to improving employability amongst our graduates. Our online courses give you the opportunity to improve your career prospects and earning potential with a mix of key skills that are directly transferable to the workplace.

A business psychology degree equips you with a wide range of skills making you highly prized by employers in a variety of industries and professions. From this degree you can expect to gain a sound educational foundation for working in applied psychology with the potential to pursue a career in: organizational psychology, management, human resources, business development, business consultancy, staff training and development, careers counselling, marketing/advertising, market research and finance.

Entry requirements

We have flexible entry requirements that look at both your academic and work-based experience. There are two entry routes onto our BSc (Hons) Business Psychology degree programme:

1. Academic Entry Route

In order to satisfy the Academic Entry Route requirements for our BSc (Hons) Business Psychology degree programme you must have the following qualifications as a minimum:

• Three A-levels, or equivalent; plus
• If English is not your first language, IELTS (Academic) 6.0 or equivalent.
• If you do not hold an IELTS or equivalent qualification, we require students to pass a free online English test.

You don’t need to prove your knowledge of English if you’re a national of, or if you have completed a qualification equivalent to a UK degree in, any of these countries.

You are required to pass your initial assignment set during the first 21 days of the course in order to continue with your studies

2. Work Experience Entry Route

To apply for the BSc (Hons) Business Psychology degree via our Work Experience Entry Route you must meet the following criteria:

• GCSE Maths and English at grade C or above, or equivalent;
• Three years’ relevant work experience; plus
• If English is not your first language, IELTS (Academic) 6.0 or equivalent.
• If you do not hold an IELTS or equivalent qualification, we require students to pass a free online English test.

You don’t need to prove your knowledge of English if you’re a national of, or if you have completed a qualification equivalent to a UK degree in, any of these countries.

You will be required to pass your initial assignment set during the first 21 days of the course in order to continue with your studies.

21-day money back guarantee

We want to give you the opportunity to experience a University of Essex Online course for a 21-day trial period. That’s why we have introduced our money back guarantee. If you start the course and decide it’s not for you during the first three weeks, you will receive a full refund.

Related courses

• CertCE Business Psychology