Applied Psychology BSc (Hons)

Hand holding a brain shaped guide to the insides of the brain

Psychology is the study of the mind and human behaviour. Applied psychology places particular emphasis on its application in real-life and clinical contexts.

Year of entry

2023-24 2024-25 2025-26

Location

Coventry University Wrocław (Poland)

Study mode

Full-time
Sandwich

Duration

4 years sandwich
3 year - Degree

Course code

CUPU041

Start date

April 2024
June 2024

How to apply

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Course overview

Career-focused modules allow you to understand how the key theories of psychology are applied in the professional context, and the course explores the use of psychology in areas such as health, education, sport, forensic, clinical and the law.

This allows you to learn about psychology in practice from different perspectives. The opportunities to gain real world exposure will also be developed across the course through engagement with a variety of psychologists from different fields.

Why you should study this course

This course aims to provide you with an understanding of the disciplines found within psychology and an awareness of how these are used when working with clients.
Core areas of psychology are incorporated at the appropriate levels, as stipulated by the British Psychological Society (BPS), so that you learn about the historical and philosophical contexts as well as the developmental, social, biological, cognitive and research methodologies in this field.
Opportunity to undertake an optional placement or study abroad year¹.

What you'll study

Applied psychology is the study of the mind and human behaviour with a particular emphasis on its application in real-life and clinical contexts.

This course aims to provide you with an understanding of the disciplines found within psychology and an awareness of how these are used when working with clients. The core areas of psychology are incorporated at the appropriate levels, as stipulated by the British Psychological Society (BPS), so that you learn about the historical and philosophical contexts as well as the developmental, social, biological, cognitive and research methodologies in this field.

The first year introduces you to the fundamentals of psychology and its professional application, covering important theoretical and historical issues within the subject as well as notions of the self and identity and vital research techniques.

Modules

Principles of Psychology - 30 credits

This module will introduce you to the significant conceptual and historical issues in psychology, taken from a range of theoretical and applied perspectives. We’ll explore the historical emergence of psychology in the 19th century and its development as an independent discipline, giving you an overview of the key concepts. Philosophical and social influences on the nature and practice of psychology are emphasised, in addition to introducing the current issues and debates in contemporary psychology.

Compulsory

Developing Self in Society - 30 credits

This module aims to develop your understanding of both theory and research in developmental psychology and social psychology. We introduce key theories on human development as you examine how psychological processes and challenges change over the life span. The latter section introduces social psychology, the study of the psychological processes that operate when we interact with others and how we behave in groups. This aspect of the module will introduce you to the social and cultural influences on self and identity.

Compulsory

Psychology in Context - 30 credits

This module will provide you with an introductory understanding of the various fields within psychology such as counselling, clinical, educational, forensic, occupational, sport, and health psychology. We introduce you to the role of psychologists in the wider community and organisational context, laying the foundation for further study as the course progresses.

Compulsory

Introducing Research in Psychology - 30 credits

Quantitative and qualitative methods of research are vital to progress in psychology. You will be introduced to the fundamental principles of research design and procedures in data collection (e.g. interview, questionnaire, observation). You'll also learn the basic techniques used in data analysis and laboratory report writing as well as the possible ethical dilemmas that psychology researchers could face.

Compulsory

In the second year we introduce the notion of personalities and how effective it is to assess the individual. You will explore the brain, hormones, addiction, and engage with psychologists to learn how effective it is to apply theoretical psychology to real world examples. Year two also builds on research methods taught in year one so that you are prepared for your research project in the final year.

Modules

Individual Differences and Personality - 30 credits

In the field of psychology, the concept of individual differences is viewed as a cornerstone in modern psychology. It examines how people are similar, yet different in their thinking, feeling and behaviour. This module will cover the key concepts in individual and group differences, exploring the different theories and debates within personality and intelligence and the psychological measurement used in establishing individual difference, as well as the strengths and limitations of such psychometric measures.

Compulsory

Brain and Behaviour - 30 credits

This module introduces the impact of biological processes on health and ill-health. You will study brain structure and function and the possible effects of brain chemicals and drugs on human behaviour alongside the biological bases of human and non-human animal behaviour, behavioural genetics, hormones and behaviour, neuroscience, typical and atypical neuropsychology. Addiction and the role the brain, nervous system and epigenetics play in this issue is also considered.

Compulsory

Real World Applications in Psychology - 30 credits

You will examine the constraints of applying theory and laboratory principles to the real world and explore the use and application of psychological practice for individuals as well as groups and organisations, from a local, national and international perspective. Considerations will be made to the ethical, conceptual, cultural and historical aspects of psychology and the strengths and limitations of using psychological theory to answer real world questions. As a key part of the module, you will engage with psychologists in order to inform your assignment on your chosen area of applied psychology, and explore career paths while continuing to develop your skills and interests.

Compulsory

Research Methods - 30 credits

This module focuses on advancing the methodological and statistical techniques taught in year one so that you are prepared for your research project in the final year, as well as developing aptitude with statistical analysis software packages. Expanding your knowledge and skills in the analysis and utilisation of quantitative and qualitative data is the primary focus, but ethical issues in psychology and integration across multiple perspectives are all thoroughly considered.

Compulsory

There’s no better way to find out what you love doing than trying it out for yourself, which is why a work placement¹ can often be beneficial. Work placements usually start before your final year of study. They’re a great way to help you explore your potential career path and gain valuable work experience, whilst developing transferable skills for the future.

If you choose to study this course with a placement/sandwich year, you will need to pay a tuition fee² of 2000 zł to cover your academic support.

Modules

Work Placement – 0 credits

This module¹ provides you with an opportunity to reflect upon and gain experience for an approved placement undertaken during your programme. A placement should usually be at least 26 weeks or equivalent; however, each placement will be considered on its own merits, having regard to the ability to achieve the learning outcomes.

Optional

International Study/Work Placement – 0 credits

This module¹ provides you with an opportunity to reflect upon and gain experience for an approved international study/work placement undertaken during your programme. A work/study placement should usually be at least 26 weeks or equivalent; however, each placement will be considered on its own merits, having regard to the ability to achieve the learning outcomes.

Optional

In the final year of the degree, you will broaden your knowledge of group behaviour to include the workplace and sporting world. Using the lens of the Forensic Psychologist, you will design and carry out a small-scale experimental research study, and through the lens of the Educational Psychologist you will explore the processes involved in perception, learning and thinking. Therapy such as CBT and general mental health is also explored before entering the final section of the degree which comprises an extensive research project.

Modules

Applied Social and Developmental Psychology - 30 credits

This module develops an understanding of both theory and research in social and developmental psychology as used by Occupational Psychologists and Sport Psychologists, considering both social influences and developmental factors in these two areas. It will extend and improve knowledge of social and developmental theories by applying them to new situations such as the workplace and the sporting world, from understanding why bullying behaviour and aggression take place to analysing what creates a winning mentality and lifespan perspectives on such concepts.

You will evaluate the role of group dynamics, social cohesion and lifespan theories of development in providing explanations for behaviour, while also prompting further questions to be asked.You will also be expected to critically reflect on your own behaviour in group situations and apply this understanding to the relevant vocational contexts in order to synthesise your theoretical and experiential learning.

Compulsory

Cognition and Performance - 30 credits

This module will explore cognitive psychology including attention, perception, learning, memory, thinking, problem solving, decision making, metacognition, language, consciousness and cognitive neuropsychology. It will examine information processing in both human and computing contexts, and also provide skills to evaluate task performance in a psychological context.

You will design and carry out a small-scale experimental research study on memory retention using eyewitness evidence as a starting point. There will be a vocational focus on both Forensic Psychology and Educational Psychology in order to apply knowledge and understanding. Visual and memory processes will be considered from the perspective of Forensic Psychology, evaluating the reliability of eyewitness testimony. Thinking, reasoning and language use will be explored through the lens of an Educational Psychologist, as these processes are particularly relevant to the classroom.

Compulsory

Talking Therapies - 30 credits

Mental health practitioner training programmes provide the knowledge and professional skills for people to work with people with common mental health problems. This module introduces the mental health practitioner role, including the principles of CBT and the behaviour change models that provide the framework which support an integrated approach to the choice and delivery of the interventions they provide. Common mental health problems that are treated by such practitioners will be explored and the main areas of concern relevant to the assessments undertaken.

Compulsory

Research Project - 30 credits

Research in Applied Psychology seeks to solve practical problems. This type of research plays an important role in solving everyday issues that often have an impact on life, health, work and overall wellbeing. This module will give you the opportunity to undertake a sustained, in-depth research exploration and demonstrate the ability to use research and enquiry skills to collect, analyse and interpret relevant literature and data. You will aim to formulate novel research questions and test these questions through the application of contemporary psychological methodologies and appropriate data-analytic procedures in order to find solutions to everyday problems.

Compulsory

We regularly review our course content to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.

How you'll learn

Our teaching methods are varied, offering a number of teaching styles to suit the needs of all our students, so in addition to lectures, we also utilise a blended learning approach, including online aspects, workshops and group work. Additional support is available via email and our online learning platform, which is currently Aula.

Progression through the modules develops knowledge and skills, including communication (written and oral), study skills, research methods, project management, presentation and career development. We will also encourage you to consider your employability and/or entrepreneurial development.

Unlike traditional institutions, there are no end of year exams. Instead, learning is assessed through coursework and phase tests, which is more reflective of our learning model.

Teaching contact hours

You can expect up to 20 hours of learning activities per week, made up of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials, online classes and independent learning.

Additionally, you will be expected to undertake significant self-directed study of approximately 30 hours each week, depending on the demands of individual modules.

As an innovative and enterprising institution, the university may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.

Since COVID-19, we have delivered our courses in a variety of forms, in line with public authority guidance, decisions, or orders and we will continue to adapt our delivery as appropriate. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.

Assessment

The learning outcomes of modules, assignments and projects will be clearly stated. Your work will be marked according to how well you achieve these learning outcomes and your final feedback will refer to each outcome, as well as providing an overall percentage grade.

Assessment methods vary and include: practical class and project performance, written practical reports, project thesis, oral presentations, tutorial tasks and assessments which take place at the end of each six-week block.

Course Breakdown:

Coursework

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.

International experience opportunities

You may have the opportunity to attend international visits¹ with our academic or industry collaborators, allowing you to gain valuable experience.

Please note that all UK, Polish and international experience opportunities may be subject to additional costs, competitive application, availability and meeting applicable visa and travel requirements are therefore not guaranteed¹.

Entry requirements

Polish requirements

The candidate should be able to demonstrate one of the following diplomas:

Requirement	What we're looking for
Polish Matura Exam	Pass Matura (Świadectwo Dojrzałości) poziom podstawowy/basic level with satisfactory grade 40% or better
Polish Matura Advanced Level	Pass Matura poziom rozszerzony/advanced level with a grade of 55% in two subjects. Obtain 75% in Matura extended level English Language Exam OR IELTS 6.0 overall OR equivalent.
A Level	BBB
International Baccalaureate (IB Diploma)	28 points

EU requirements

Requirement	What we're looking for
EU exams	We're here to help you understand which qualifications, diplomas and certificates you can use from your own country to meet our entry requirements. Contact us to find out more
International Baccalaureate (IB Diploma)	28 points

We recognise a breadth of qualifications, speak to one of our advisers today to find out how we can help you.

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International requirements

For international students and regional specific information, find your home country on our regional entry requirements page.

English language requirements

A telephone interview to assess English language skills will be arranged for non-native English speakers.

If you hold IELTS Level 6.0 (with no component less than 5.5) or equivalent, you will not have to complete the telephone interview.

We recognise a breadth of qualifications, speak to one of our advisers today to find out how we can help you.

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Fees and funding

2023/24 tuition fees².

Student	Full-time	Part-time
EU	27,500 zł (EU) per year	Not available
International	46,000 zł (non-EU) per year	Not available

If you choose to do a work placement¹, you should consider travel and living costs to cover this. There is also a tuition fee² of 2,000 zł that will cover your academic support throughout your placement year.

Coventry University Wroclaw will review tuition fees each year. Coventry University Wroclaw may increase fees for each subsequent year of study but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. Please note that the calculation of inflation is based on the information on price indices of consumer goods and services published by the President of the Statistics Poland website: www.stat.gov.pl for the quarter preceding the fees’ valorisation. Students who are not satisfied with the changes will be offered the opportunity to withdraw.

For advice and guidance on tuition fees and student loans visit our Undergraduate Finance page and see the university’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.

We offer a range of scholarships to students. For more information, visit our Scholarships page.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them.

The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees²:

Any optional overseas ﬁeld trips or visits
Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in Poland, the UK or abroad)

Facilities

Coventry University Wrocław will offer you a wide range of facilities to support your studies and help you succeed.

This campus offers the opportunity to study in fully equipped classrooms for interactive and collaborative teaching, IT suites purpose-built to support the needs of our students and also break out spaces³.

Careers and opportunities

Studying psychology opens up a wealth of opportunity in a diverse and exciting range of fields that can lead to vast employment potential.

Through the analysis of psychology in real-life situations, you should develop key employability skills valued by employers. These include teamwork, independent working, presentation skills, role play, reflection and an ability to articulate complex ideas effectively. In this way, graduates are prepared for a future career in psychology as well as in other areas that require the many and varied skills that this course promotes.

On successful completion, you should be able to:

Critically evaluate the discipline of psychology, with the ability to systematically review and synthesize psychological knowledge, recognise the diversity of psychological functioning and the global, historical and cultural context of human experience.
Structure and confidently articulate ideas and information to a range of different audiences, using professional standards and enterprise skills appropriate to the socio-cultural and global contexts and purpose of the communication.
Critically evaluate psychological research paradigms, a range of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, and analyse data, culminating in the successful execution of a research project complying with established ethical standards.
Demonstrate a critical understanding of the applications of psychology and approach problem-solving in innovative and creative ways to explain and develop solutions to a range of real-world problems and global contexts.
Show a deep understanding and high level of competency in a range of transferable skills, including analysis and interpretation of statistical and other forms of data, digital literacy skills, communicating effectively through scientific argument and the effective sourcing and utilization of ideas and evidence from a wide range of psychological and other scientific sources.
Critically reflect on and be self-aware of the achievement of personal and group objectives whilst developing introspection and autonomy in the application of learning.

Where our graduates work

Upon graduation, there are a range of career possibilities. You could continue on to postgraduate study in order to become a psychologist. Other options include becoming a researcher in psychology or careers in an alternate field e.g. occupations within social and welfare settings, law and business, HR and marketing, or childcare, education and health professions. Depending which type of psychology you choose to research in your final year project, you can gain real insights into fields including law, health, business, education, counselling, sport and leisure and more.

How to apply

EU students

EU full-time students should apply directly to the university. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.

How to apply

International students

International full-time should apply directly to the university. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.

How to apply

For further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.

(+48) 71 748 85 55

wroclawenquiries@coventry.ac.uk

Complete our contact form

Disclaimers

Coventry University Wroclaw is a branch campus of Coventry University. Coventry University together with Coventry University London Campus, CU Coventry, CU London, CU Scarborough and Coventry University Online come together to form part of the Coventry University Group (the “University”) with all degrees awarded by Coventry University.

¹UK, Polish and International opportunities

Please note that we are unable to guarantee any UK, Polish or International opportunities (whether required or optional) such as internships, work experience, field trips, conferences, placements or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be subject to additional costs (which could include, but is not limited to, equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire, travel, accommodation and visas), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable travel COVID and visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the visa requirements, please contact the International Office.

² Tuition fees

The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated on the course webpage and in the prospectus for the first year of study. Coventry University Wroclaw will review tuition fees each year. Coventry University Wroclaw may increase fees for each subsequent year of study but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. Please note that the calculation of inflation is based on the information on price indices of consumer goods and services published by the President of the Statistics Poland website: www.stat.gov.pl for the quarter preceding the fees’ valorisation. Students who are not satisfied with the changes will be offered the opportunity to withdraw.

³Facilities

Facilities are subject to availability. Since COVID-19, we have delivered our courses in a variety of forms, in line with public authority guidance, decisions, or orders and we will continue to adapt our delivery as appropriate. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.

Student Contract

By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. A copy of the 2023/24 contract can be found here. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.

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