Have you ever wondered why humans do what they do? It’s an age-old question, but it remains an exciting subject for those curious about mental states and processes and behaviour in humans and other animals.
The study of psychology is one of the most popular subjects among students and one of the few programmes that remain irreplaceable by technology. The level of human depth and understanding within this field is far from being dependent on an app, robots or AI. As a student of this discipline, you get to learn how humans think, and why they make certain choices or actions.
By pursuing BSc (Hons) Psychology at the University of Surrey, you can do just that — and a whole lot more. The psychology programme, ranked 14th in the UK (The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023) is provided by the School of Psychology, part of a university ranked 13th in the UK Complete University Guide 2024 league table.
You’ll learn about neurodevelopmental disorders, mental health, brain injury, sustainable behaviour, forensic psychology, and more British Psychological Society (BPS) accredited final-year modules from lecturers who are active researchers and clinicians within their respective fields. Course modules can be chosen according to personal interests, and still cover the basics for professional accreditation as a Chartered Psychologist. “Studying my course at Surrey has equipped me with so much fundamental knowledge, and has introduced me to key theories — from the very beginning of psychology to the modern techniques psychologists and scientists are using today,” says graduate Despoina Constantinou.
State-of-the-art facilities give students like Constantinou crucial exposure to their future careers. With five million pounds invested, the school now has the latest equipment, including a four-room virtual reality suite to simulate real-life scenarios, two observation labs, a neurophysiological lab and access to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, an Extended Reality (XR) Lab and more.
Within these spaces, student Lucy Todd performed experiments that gave her a glimpse of what going into research would be like. “The facilities at Surrey are great, having access to equipment like blood-pressure machines meant I could learn new skills and use interesting technology to improve my psychological studies,” she says.
The award-winning Professional Training programme adds more valuable work experience in a variety of industries, including healthcare, education, human resources, and marketing. You can choose from a large number of placement providers or source your own placements. This unique opportunity is offered by only two psychology schools in England, providing you with the option to spend a career-enhancing year in the industry, either in the UK or abroad.
Upon completing the Professional Training programme, you’ll develop prized attributes — adaptability, resilience, global awareness, confidence, entrepreneurship, and digital proficiency. All of this are sought after by employers. 95% of Surrey graduates secure jobs or pursue further education. Graduates can be found in commercial, charity, private, and public sectors across the UK, with recent graduates working for GlaxoSmithKline, Great Ormond Street Hospital, and St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, academia, and more.
Salina Iten, who completed her professional training placement at Vestas Wind Systems A/S, hailed the programme as it allowed her to apply the transferable skills she learned, and to develop herself both personally and professionally.
“It enabled me to explore a career field I had no prior experience in, and this helped me to decide on my future career aspirations,” she says. “Placements are invaluable, as it lets you explore a field of work while engaging in a professional environment and developing yourself to better prepare for work after graduation.”
While a great learning environment and cutting-edge facilities are important, ultimately the best judge of how good a programme is are its students. In this, the University of Surrey ranked 4th for psychology in England in the 2022 National Student Survey.
Studying psychology at the University of Surrey also prepares you for a future-proof career. The best psychology graduates excel at critical thinking, possess strong interpersonal communication abilities, and possess a deep understanding of human behaviour and dynamics — characteristic of University of Surrey graduates. As such, if you choose to change careers down the line, a psychology degree opens up a wide array of options in law, management and teaching, thanks to the diverse skill set you acquired.
Click here to learn more about the University of Surrey and its psychology programme.