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What is a Psychology foundation year?

A psychology foundation year programme is designed to provide students with the academic skills and fundamental knowledge of psychology foundational skills needed to pursue a degree in psychology. The foundation year serves as a preparatory year for individuals who may not meet the standard entry requirements for direct entry into a psychology degree programme.

The Psychology Foundation Year course has been specifically developed to provide you with the knowledge and understanding of the fundamental principles of Psychology to prepare you for study on one of our BSc Psychology degrees.

Throughout the duration of this course you will gain an understanding of the domains, classic studies, career paths, underlying debates, controversies and career paths related to psychology.  You will also acquire key transferable skills that will prove invaluable when you enter the workplace.

This course is one of the only foundation year courses in the country that is taught entirely within a psychology department, ensuring that all of the content is relevant and tailored towards the curriculum of the BSc level degree.

On successful completion of this course you will possess the qualification required to progress onto BSc (Hons) Psychology or BSc (Hons) Psychology with Criminology

 

Why choose Northumbria to study this Psychology Foundation Year course?

  • Over 92% of students studying Psychology at Northumbria thought staff were good at explaining things (NSS, 2024). 

  • Northumbria’s research in Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience is ranked 15th in the UK for research power out of 93 submissions (REF, 2021). This is a rise of 28 places from 43rd in 2014.

  • Psychology at Northumbria is ranked Top 35 in the UK by the Complete University Guide for 2025.

Discover all of our available Psychology Courses and find the course for you.

Course Information

UCAS Code
C801

Level of Study
Undergraduate

Mode of Study
1 year Full Time followed by a further 3 year or 4 years full-time study

Department
Psychology

Location
City Campus, Northumbria University

City
Newcastle

Start
September 2025

Fees
Fee Information

Modules
Module Information

Department / Psychology

The British Psychological Society has accredited a number of our psychology courses. We cover psychology and its various specialisms including health, occupational, organisational and sport

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Department

News / Psychology

Find out what our Psychology students and staff are taking part in and achieving.

Northumbria research develops new technology for police interviews

Discover NU World / A virtual journey through everything Northumbria has to offer.

Explore our immersive 360 tours, informative subject videos, inspirational student profiles, ground-breaking research, and a range of life at university videos and articles.

Delve Deeper / Discover more about life at Northumbria

The Hub / By Students, For Students

Read our student blog and find out what student life is like at Northumbria from real students, tips and advice and much more.

Book An Open Day / Experience Psychology Foundation Year

Visit an Open Day to get an insight into what it's like to study Psychology. Speak to staff and students from the course and get a tour of the facilities.

Entry Requirements 2025/26

Standard Entry

80 UCAS Tariff points

From a combination of acceptable Level 3 qualifications which may include: A-level, T Level, BTEC Diplomas/Extended Diplomas, Scottish and Irish Highers, Access to HE Diplomas, or the International Baccalaureate.

Find out how many points your qualifications are worth by using the UCAS Tariff calculator: www.ucas.com/ucas/tariff-calculator

Northumbria University is committed to supporting all individuals to achieve their ambitions. We have a range of schemes and alternative offers to make sure as many individuals as possible are given an opportunity to study at our University regardless of personal circumstances or background. To find out more, review our Northumbria Entry Requirement Essential Information page for further details www.northumbria.ac.uk/entryrequirementsinfo

Subject Requirements:

There are no specific subject requirements for this course.

GCSE Requirements:

Applicants will need Maths and English Language at minimum grade 4/C, or an equivalent.

Additional Requirements:

There are no additional requirements for this course.

International Qualifications:

We welcome applicants with a range of qualifications which may not match those shown above.

If you have qualifications from outside the UK, find out what you need by visiting www.northumbria.ac.uk/yourcountry

English Language Requirements:

International applicants shoud have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.0 with 5.5 in each component (or an approved equivalent*).

*The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades in our English Language section: www.northumbria.ac.uk/englishqualifications 

Fees and Funding 2025/26 Entry

UK Fee in Year 1: £9,535

* You should expect to pay tuition fees for every year of study. The University may increase fees in the second and subsequent years of your course at our discretion in line with any inflationary or other uplift, as decided by the UK Government, up to the maximum amount for fees permitted by UK law or regulation for that academic year. To give students an indication of the likely scale of any future increase, the UK government has recently suggested that increases may be linked to RPIX ( Retail Price Index excluding mortgage interest payments)


International Fee in Year 1: £19,350


Please see the main Funding Pages for 25/26 scholarship information.

 


ADDITIONAL COSTS

There are no Additional Costs

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Modules

Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.

PY0300 -

Classic Studies that Shaped Psychology (Core,20 Credits)

On this module you will learn about several of the key concepts and studies that have influenced our formative understanding of Psychology as a subject and importantly how we research psychological processes today. You will cover classic studies in a range of different areas such as behavioural psychology, developmental psychology, social psychology, evolutionary psychology and cognitive psychology. In addition to this, you will learn about the development of neuroimaging, discuss ethics in psychological research, and look at classic studies in applied domains such as eyewitness memory.

More information

PY0301 -

Current Debates and Controversies (Core,20 Credits)

Psychology is a relatively new discipline, and is still developing its identity as a science. On this module you will learn about some of the questions that excite researchers right now: what are the boundaries of knowledge and the big questions in areas such as perception, neuroimaging, culture, and consciousness, and which directions are currently being explored?

More information

PY0302 -

Academic Skills for Psychologists (Core,20 Credits)

On this module you will learn academic skills that will assist your learning and development on this programme and your future degree. The skills you acquire will also be transferable to enhance your employability.

You will be introduced to the learning resources that are available to support you. Using these resources you will learn how to conduct effective bibliographic searches and how to evaluate the credibility of the sources. You will learn about the sections of a journal article and how to read journal articles effectively. You will explore what it means to be a critical thinker and begin to learn how to evaluate information. You will focus on writing skills – essay writing and writing for different audiences – and learn the processes involved including referencing and how to avoid plagiarism. You will be introduced to the University’s Assessment for Learning policy and how assessment criteria and feedback can be used to help you develop your skills. Integrated within this you will develop your understanding of research by learning and reading about research, taking part in research studies and reflecting on research activities.

More information

PY0303 -

Psychology for Life (Core,20 Credits)

The Psychology for Life module will primarily focus on developing your knowledge of how psychology is applied in the real world, and supporting you in making longer term decisions about your career. You will be introduced to different chartered routes in psychology, as well as broader professions, in which psychology can be readily applied. This knowledge in the application of psychology will help you to develop your understanding and self-efficacy when it comes to making career-related decisions. In-class discussions will also enable you to develop transferable skills valued by employers, such as communication skills and the role of teamwork.

You will have access to specialist input from the Careers and Employment Service in how to begin your journey in psychology, looking at securing relevant work experience, reflecting on your own skills and interests, CV writing, and interview support. Making use of this service will ensure that you are building your employability from the early stages of your journey in psychology.

Within the department of psychology, we also run invited speakers’ programmes for you to network with a range of practitioners and academics from outside of the university.

More information

PY0304 -

Collecting & Managing Data (Core,20 Credits)

On this module you will learn basic techniques for collecting and managing different types of data. You will learn to differentiate between qualitative and quantitative data and to understand how these types of data are used by psychologists. In taught sessions, you will gain practical experience of collecting both qualitative and quantitative data (e.g., through interviews, questionnaires and experiments). You will then learn how to collate and describe these data by identifying themes or calculating appropriate summary statistics, using appropriate software where appropriate. Towards the end of the module you will be introduced to the concept of inferential statistics, which allow us to make inferences about the wider population based on data from a sample of that population.

More information

PY0305 -

Research Skills for Psychologists (Core,20 Credits)

On this module you will learn research skills that will assist your learning and development on this programme and your future degree (e.g., how to read a journal article, how to find psychological literature, how to form a research question, how to design a psychology study, and how to interpret and communicate results). The skills you acquire will also be transferable to enhance your employability.

You will be introduced to the learning resources that are available to support you. You will learn how to conduct research and how to best report your findings. You will work individually and in groups to test your own abilities. You will explore the psychological theories behind the psychological phenomena and relationships that you investigate. Integrated within this you will develop communication skills by learning how to present information using posters, PowerPoint slides, and learn how to give confident oral presentations. In teaching session discussions, you will develop group working skills and enhance your understanding of the role of teamwork.

More information

Modules

Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.

PY0300 -

Classic Studies that Shaped Psychology (Core,20 Credits)

On this module you will learn about several of the key concepts and studies that have influenced our formative understanding of Psychology as a subject and importantly how we research psychological processes today. You will cover classic studies in a range of different areas such as behavioural psychology, developmental psychology, social psychology, evolutionary psychology and cognitive psychology. In addition to this, you will learn about the development of neuroimaging, discuss ethics in psychological research, and look at classic studies in applied domains such as eyewitness memory.

More information

PY0301 -

Current Debates and Controversies (Core,20 Credits)

Psychology is a relatively new discipline, and is still developing its identity as a science. On this module you will learn about some of the questions that excite researchers right now: what are the boundaries of knowledge and the big questions in areas such as perception, neuroimaging, culture, and consciousness, and which directions are currently being explored?

More information

PY0302 -

Academic Skills for Psychologists (Core,20 Credits)

On this module you will learn academic skills that will assist your learning and development on this programme and your future degree. The skills you acquire will also be transferable to enhance your employability.

You will be introduced to the learning resources that are available to support you. Using these resources you will learn how to conduct effective bibliographic searches and how to evaluate the credibility of the sources. You will learn about the sections of a journal article and how to read journal articles effectively. You will explore what it means to be a critical thinker and begin to learn how to evaluate information. You will focus on writing skills – essay writing and writing for different audiences – and learn the processes involved including referencing and how to avoid plagiarism. You will be introduced to the University’s Assessment for Learning policy and how assessment criteria and feedback can be used to help you develop your skills. Integrated within this you will develop your understanding of research by learning and reading about research, taking part in research studies and reflecting on research activities.

More information

PY0303 -

Psychology for Life (Core,20 Credits)

The Psychology for Life module will primarily focus on developing your knowledge of how psychology is applied in the real world, and supporting you in making longer term decisions about your career. You will be introduced to different chartered routes in psychology, as well as broader professions, in which psychology can be readily applied. This knowledge in the application of psychology will help you to develop your understanding and self-efficacy when it comes to making career-related decisions. In-class discussions will also enable you to develop transferable skills valued by employers, such as communication skills and the role of teamwork.

You will have access to specialist input from the Careers and Employment Service in how to begin your journey in psychology, looking at securing relevant work experience, reflecting on your own skills and interests, CV writing, and interview support. Making use of this service will ensure that you are building your employability from the early stages of your journey in psychology.

Within the department of psychology, we also run invited speakers’ programmes for you to network with a range of practitioners and academics from outside of the university.

More information

PY0304 -

Collecting & Managing Data (Core,20 Credits)

On this module you will learn basic techniques for collecting and managing different types of data. You will learn to differentiate between qualitative and quantitative data and to understand how these types of data are used by psychologists. In taught sessions, you will gain practical experience of collecting both qualitative and quantitative data (e.g., through interviews, questionnaires and experiments). You will then learn how to collate and describe these data by identifying themes or calculating appropriate summary statistics, using appropriate software where appropriate. Towards the end of the module you will be introduced to the concept of inferential statistics, which allow us to make inferences about the wider population based on data from a sample of that population.

More information

PY0305 -

Research Skills for Psychologists (Core,20 Credits)

On this module you will learn research skills that will assist your learning and development on this programme and your future degree (e.g., how to read a journal article, how to find psychological literature, how to form a research question, how to design a psychology study, and how to interpret and communicate results). The skills you acquire will also be transferable to enhance your employability.

You will be introduced to the learning resources that are available to support you. You will learn how to conduct research and how to best report your findings. You will work individually and in groups to test your own abilities. You will explore the psychological theories behind the psychological phenomena and relationships that you investigate. Integrated within this you will develop communication skills by learning how to present information using posters, PowerPoint slides, and learn how to give confident oral presentations. In teaching session discussions, you will develop group working skills and enhance your understanding of the role of teamwork.

More information

To start your application, simply select the month you would like to start your course.

Psychology Foundation Year

Home or EU applicants please apply through UCAS

International applicants please apply using the links below

START MONTH
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Any Questions?

Our Applicant Services team will be happy to help.  They can be contacted on 0191 406 0901 or by using our Contact Form.

 

All information is accurate at the time of sharing. 

Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.  

Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.

 

Accessibility and Student Inclusion

Northumbria University is committed to developing an inclusive, diverse and accessible campus and wider University community and are determined to ensure that opportunities we provide are open to all.

We are proud to work in partnership with AccessAble to provide Detailed Access Guides to our buildings and facilities across our City, Coach Lane and London Campuses. A Detailed Access Guide lets you know what access will be like when you visit somewhere. It looks at the route you will use getting in and what is available inside. All guides have Accessibility Symbols that give you a quick overview of what is available, and photographs to show you what to expect. The guides are produced by trained surveyors who visit our campuses annually to ensure you have trusted and accurate information.

You can use Northumbria’s AccessAble Guides anytime to check the accessibility of a building or facility and to plan your routes and journeys. Search by location, building or accessibility feature to find the information you need. 

We are dedicated to helping students who may require additional support during their student journey and offer 1-1 advice and guidance appropriate to individual requirements. If you feel you may need additional support you can find out more about what we offer here where you can also contact us with any questions you may have:

Accessibility support

Student Inclusion support

If you’d like to receive the latest updates from Northumbria about our courses, events, finance & funding then enter your details below.

* At Northumbria we are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of personal data. To view the University’s Privacy Notice please click here

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Virtual Tour

Get an insight into life at Northumbria at the click of a button! Come and explore our videos and 360 panoramas to immerse yourself in our campuses and get a feel for what it is like studying here using our interactive virtual tour.

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