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Programme Specification for the 2025/6 academic year

BSc (Hons) Psychology with Data Science

1. Programme Details

Programme name	BSc (Hons) Psychology with Data Science	Programme code	UFS4PSYPSY03
Study mode(s)	Full Time	Academic year	2025/6
Campus(es)	Streatham (Exeter)	NQF Level of the Final Award	6 (Honours)

2. Description of the Programme

Psychologists are interested in why we do things, how we do them and how we relate to others as well as to the world at large. As a result, Psychology plays an important role in drawing together techniques, theories, findings and professional practice from several areas of expertise to address complex and socially and economically important questions about behaviour. Psychologists study people at all stages in their lives from birth to old-age, assessing how people perceive the physical and social world around them, how they think and use ideas, how they vary in intelligence and personality and how they are influenced by particular environments such as work, school and family. Psychology is the systematic and scientific study of behaviour and experience. As such it has a wide range of applications, such as in industry and commerce, in education and in health and social services.

 

Based in the Washington-Singer Laboratories on Exeter’s Streatham campus, The Department of Psychology is an expanding centre for academic teaching and research, committed to providing its staff and students with a friendly and stimulating intellectual environment. We are one of the UK's top Psychology departments, providing high-quality undergraduate programmes for intelligent and highly-motivated people, whatever their background. Our teaching staff are recognised internationally for their academic excellence and world-leading research investigating mood disorders, human cognition, animal behaviour, and social, environmental and organisational psychology.

 

Our BSc Honours Psychology with Data Science degree has been designed to be stimulating, flexible and relevant to the needs of a career in psychology, with a strong reputation for intellectual rigour, academic excellence and practical value. The degree provides a solid grounding in all major areas of psychology and our teaching is inspired and informed by our internationally-rated research. Our graduates are widely recognised as being thoroughly prepared for employment or for entry into postgraduate research and professional training courses, and the programme is accredited by the British Psychological Society for Graduate Membership and Graduate Basis for Registration. The stage 3 year in Data Science is designed to give you a comprehensive understanding of data science principles and practical skills which align with not only psychology but will offer you invaluable transferable skills. It offers an intensive year-long immersion into the world of data analytics, machine learning, and big data technologies. Through a combination of lectures, hands-on coursework, and real-world applications, students will gain the expertise necessary to apply data science principles and methods in their home discipline.

 

A Psychology degree with data science from the University of Exeter will allow you to pursue careers that combine what you have learnt about how people behave and exist in the world, and how the capture of this via data science is paramount.   It will also give you valuable academic, personal and professional skills that can be used in a variety of sectors such as education, business, health, data science and the media, as well as the more conventional psychology careers (e.g. clinical). Our programme is designed to provide a fantastic platform for many future career paths.

3. Educational Aims of the Programme

We aim to promote the values described by McGovern et al (2010), providing an intellectual environment that allows you to develop into, ‘critical scientific thinkers and ethical and socially responsible participants in their communities’ (p.10).

 

Specifically, the aims of the undergraduate Psychology programme are: 

 

• To provide an education of high quality in a stimulating and supportive environment that is enriched by research and/or current practice in the discipline;
• To provide training in scientific skills of problem analysis, research design, evaluation of empirical evidence and dissemination;
• To provide a range of academic and key skills that will prepare you confidently for employment, future study, or training for professional practice;

 

Additional aims specific to this programme are:

 

• To provide a thorough grounding in a range of skills, including statistical analysis, and research design and methodology, necessary to satisfy the criteria for accreditation as conferring eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Registration under the scheme administered by the British Psychological Society.
• To give students the experience of working within a different but very much related discipline (data science)
• To provide a range of skills within machine learning and data handling
• To promote specialist capabilities in specific areas of psychology.
  

 

In doing so, we aim to encourage you to develop into individuals who, on graduation, will:

 

• Have a well-defined vocabulary and basic knowledge of the critical subject matter of Psychology
• Apply data science principles and analysis to a variety of situations
• Value the intellectual challenges required to use scientific thinking and the disciplined analysis of information to evaluate alternative courses of action
• Take a creative and amiable sceptic approach to problem solving
• Apply psychological principles to personal, social and organisational issues in work, relationships and the broader community
• Act ethically
• Be competent in using and evaluating information technology
• Communicate effectively in different modes and with many different audiences
• Recognise, understand and foster respect for diversity
• Be insightful and reflective about your own and other’s behaviour and mental processes

4. Programme Structure

5. Programme Modules

The following tables describe the programme and constituent modules. Constituent modules may be updated, deleted or replaced as a consequence of the annual programme review of this programme.

http://psychology.exeter.ac.uk/currentstudents/modules/

You may take optional modules as long as any necessary prerequisites have been satisfied, where the timetable allows and if you have not already taken the module in question or an equivalent module.

 

You may take elective modules up to 30 credits outside of the programme in Stage 1 as long as any necessary prerequisites have been satisfied, where the timetable allows and if you have not already taken the module in question or an equivalent module.

 

You are also permitted to take the five-credit module PSY3910 Professional Development Experience in the second or final years. Registration on this module is subject to a competitive application process. If taken, this module will not count towards progression or award calculation.

Stage 1

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90 credits of compulsory modules, 30 credits of optional modules

Compulsory Modules

^a The written Statistics examination component of PSY1205 must also be passed at 40%.

Code	Module	Credits	Non-condonable?
PSY1202	Introduction to Biological Psychology	15	No
PSY1203	Introduction to Social Psychology	15	No
PSY1204	Introduction to Clinical Psychology	15	No
PSY1205	Introduction to Statistics (See note a)	15	No
PSY1206	Introduction to Research Methods	15	No
PSY1207	Cognition, Emotion and Development	15	No

Optional Modules

Code	Module	Credits	Non-condonable?
PSY1105	Introduction to Behaviour and Evolution	15	No
PSY1126	Classic Studies in Psychology	15	No
PSY1208	Workplace Learning	15	No

Stage 2

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90 credits of compulsory modules, 30 credits of optional modules 

 

In stage 2 you must take one practical module per term. You are required to take either one social or one cognitive practical. You cannot take two cognitive practicals, two animal behaviour practicals or more than one social practical.

Compulsory Modules

Code	Module	Credits	Non-condonable?
PSY2203	Social Psychology II	15	No
PSY2205	Personality and Individual Differences	15	No
PSY2206	Methods and Statistics in Psychology II	15	No
PSY2303	Cognition and Emotion	15	No
PSY2304	Biological Basis of Behaviour	15	No
PSY2306	Development Psychology and Psychopathology	15	No

Optional Modules

Code	Module	Credits	Non-condonable?
PSY2209	Cognition Practical I	15	No
PSY2210	Social Practical I	15	No
PSY2212	Cognition Practical II	15	No
PSY2213	Social Practical II	15	No
PSY2214	Observations and Experiments in Animal Behaviour	15	No
PSY2216	Qualitative Methods and Interview Skills	15	No
PSY2217	Wild Behaviour	15	No
PSY2218	Social Practical III	15	No

Stage 3

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120 credits of compulsory modules

Compulsory Modules

Code	Module	Credits	Non-condonable?
COM3026	Introduction to Data Science	15	No
ECM3420	Learning from Data	15	No
COM3025	Data Systems	15	No
COM3028	Programming with Python	15	No
COM3027	Machine Learning	15	No
COM3024	Computer Vision	15	No
COM3029	Social Networks and Text Analysis	15	No
COM3032	Foundations of Human-Centred AI	15	No

Stage 4

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75 credits of compulsory modules, 45 credits of optional modules

Compulsory Modules

Code	Module	Credits	Non-condonable?
PSY3401	Psychology Research Project	45	Yes
PSY3402	Methods and Statistics in Psychology III	15	Yes
PSY3403	Contemporary Issues in Psychology	15	No

Optional Modules

^b You must choose three 15-credit seminar modules in the series starting PSY3410. Seminars are arranged into three groups: Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3. The groupings may vary slightly from one year to the next and so prospective students should contact Psychology before making any firm decisions. You must take one seminar from each group and the three seminars cannot all be taken in the same term.

Code	Module	Credits	Non-condonable?
Psychology Seminar Group 1 2025-6 BSc/MSci
PSY3411	Psychology and Law	15	No
PSY3412	The Psychology of Gender	15	No
PSY3416	Work and Organisational Psychology	15	No
PSY3432	The Moral Mind	15	No
PSY3439	Social Exclusion and Inclusion in Childhood and Adolescence	15	No
PSY3441	Psychology of Close Relationships	15	No
PSY3452	Social and Affective Neuroscience	15	No
PSY3458	The Psychology of Inequality, Conflict and Social Change	15	No
PSY3464	The Psychology of Human-Animal Intergroup Relations	15	No
Psychology Seminar Group 2 2025-6 BSc/MSci
PSY3051	Virtual Reality and Psychology	15	No
PSY3418	Processes of Human Memory	15	No
PSY3420	Brain Plasticity and Language Learning across the Lifespan	15	No
PSY3427	Compulsive Behaviour	15	No
PSY3436	Neuropsychology of Ageing and Dementia	15	No
PSY3437	The Psychology of Addiction	15	No
PSY3449	The Evolution of Social Behaviour	15	No
PSY3450	Philosophy of Mind	15	No
Psychology Seminar Group 3 2025-6
NEU3003	Psychology Applied to Health	15	No
PSY3049	The psychosocial perspectives of the development and perpetuation of EDs throughout the lifespan	15	No
PSY3050	Cognitive and Behavioural Therapy: Theory and practice	15	No
PSY3411	Psychology and Law	15	No
PSY3426	Parental Psychiatric Disorders and Children's Development	15	No
PSY3446	Prevention Science in Developmental Psychopathology	15	No
PSY3455	Environmental Psychology	15	No
PSY3456	Cognitive Biases in Emotion and Psychopathology	15	No
PSY3457	The Psychology of Play	15	No

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6. Programme Outcomes Linked to Teaching, Learning and Assessment Methods

Intended Learning Outcomes
A: Specialised Subject Skills and Knowledge

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to:	Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be...
	...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class):	...and evidenced by the following assessment methods:
1. Demonstrate detailed knowledge about a range of core subject areas as defined by the British Psychological Society, with in-depth specialisation at the forefront of the subject in certain areas 2. Apply a range of methodological skills, including statistical inference, data modelling, machine learning, and other research techniques, to carry out empirical investigations both individually and collaboratively. 3. Apply skills of scientific writing in psychology, through a range of methods, and presenting results, at a level appropriate to an honours degree. 4. Demonstrate knowledge and be able to use methods for data analysis to find patterns and relationships in complex datasets, including network analysis, image and text analysis, and high-performance computing. 5. Show awareness of the organisational context of data science, including the role and applications of data science to business practices.	ILO 1 is developed in Stages 1 and 2 of the programme through lectures and tutorials. In-depth specialisation is developed in Stage 4 via seminars and the dissertation (research project). ILOs 2 and 3 are developed throughout the programme, via practical classes, lectures, and the Stage 4 dissertation (research project). Independent study also forms a major part of the programme’s teaching and learning methods.   ILOs 2, 4, and 5 are developed in stage 3 via lectures, workshops, seminars, practicals, online materials and formal training. Each module also has core and supplementary texts, or material recommended by module deliverers, which provide in-depth coverage of the subject and go beyond the lectures.	ILOs 1 and 3 are assessed by a combination of written examinations, and continuous assessment essays.   ILOs 2 and 3 are assessed via practical reports and the final dissertation.   ILOs 4-5 are assessed via essays, technical reports, closed book tests, practical exercises in programming and data analysis, project work, and individual and group presentations.

Intended Learning Outcomes
B: Academic Discipline Core Skills and Knowledge

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to:	Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be...
	...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class):	...and evidenced by the following assessment methods:
6. Review and critically evaluate empirical evidence using a range of defined techniques. 7. Review and critically evaluate published academic and technical literature well as your own work. 8. Plan, execute and present an independent and original project. 9. Demonstrate competence in underpinning mathematical and computational techniques, including linear algebra, probability, calculus, programming languages and programming tools such as notebooks and integrated development environments. 10. Effectively handle large and complex datasets and prepare them for analysis. 11. Use appropriate methods for data visualisation and presentation of data. 12. Construct data analysis pipelines to test hypotheses or analyse complex datasets, and use appropriate statistical and machine learning methods to find patterns within such datasets 13. Appreciate the basic legal and regulatory requirements for data privacy, ethical use of data, and data governance.	ILOS 6, 7 and 8 are developed through Research Methods, Key Skills, and Statistics lectures, tutorials and practicals at Stage 1; through research practical modules at Stage 2, and through the research project at Stage 4. ILOs 6, 7 and 8 are also developed throughout the programme in lectures, seminars, and continuous assessment. Independent study and practice also form a major part of our teaching and learning methods.   ILOs 9-13 are assessed at stage 3 though lectures, workshops, seminars, practicals, online materials and formal training. Each module also has core and supplementary texts, or material recommended by module deliverers, which provide in-depth coverage of the subject and go beyond the lectures.	ILO 6 is assessed by a combination of written examinations, and continuous assessment essays.   ILOs 7 and 8 are assessed via written examinations, practical reports, and the final project report.   ILOs 9-13 are assessed at stage 3 via essays, technical reports, closed book tests, practical exercises in programming and data analysis, project work, and individual and group presentations

Intended Learning Outcomes
C: Personal/Transferable/Employment Skills and Knowledge

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to:	Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be...
	...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class):	...and evidenced by the following assessment methods:
14. Use electronic information retrieval and management tools effectively; access information from a variety of sources. 15. Manage yourself effectively including autonomy, time management, self-teaching, self-reflection, seeking and using feedback, personal responsibility, self-criticism. 16. Demonstrate awareness of tool and technologies relevant to data science, and effectively communicate methods and results based on analysis of complex datasets in both written reports and oral presentations. 17. Work effectively independently or in a team.	ILOs 14 is developed through the process of acquiring subject knowledge and core academic skills (see A and B above).     ILO 15 is developed through you progressing through a teaching programme that is gradually more self-managed, and the personal tutorial and Personal Development Planning system. Independent study and practice also forms a major part of our teaching and learning methods.   ILOs 16-17 are developed at stage 3 via lectures, workshops, seminars, practicals, online materials and formal training. Each module also has core and supplementary texts, or material recommended by module deliverers, which provide in-depth coverage of the subject and go beyond the lectures. ILO 17 is also developed through group discussions in academic tutorials, through working in groups in practicals, through pair work and an apprenticeship teaching model on the final research project.	ILO 14 is assessed primarily through continuous assessment essays, practical reports, and the final project report.   ILO 15 is indirectly assessed – in the sense that where modules require development of these skills, it would be very difficult to achieve a good mark in the assessments without having developed such skills.   ILOs 16-17 are assessed via essays, technical reports, closed book tests, practical exercises in programming and data analysis, project work, and individual and group presentations.

7. Programme Regulations

To progress to Stage 2 of the BSc Psychology / Psychology with Data Science programme you must pass the non-condonable module PSY1205 Introduction to Statistics (40%). If you do not pass PSY1205 you will be transferred to the 3-year BA Psychological Studies programme. If you subsequently take and pass PSY2206 as an optional module on the BA in Psychological Studies programme, you would have the opportunity to transfer back onto the BSc Psychology programme. Students wishing to move to the data science version of the programme need to have gained at least 60% in PSY2206.

BSc Psychology students who wish to progress to stage 3 of the Psychology with Data Science programme must indicate that they wish to do so before or during the second year of study and meet the requirements above.
To progress to Stage 3 of the BSc Psychology with Data Science programme you must achieve at least a 2:1 on average in your second year and pass PSY1205 (at a mark of 40%) and PSY2206 (at a mark of 60%).

Classification

Full details of assessment regulations for all taught programmes can be found in the TQA Manual, specifically in the Credit and Qualifications Framework, and the Assessment, Progression and Awarding: Taught Programmes Handbook. Additional information, including Generic Marking Criteria, can be found in the Learning and Teaching Support Handbook.

8. College Support for Students and Students' Learning

9. University Support for Students and Students' Learning

Please refer to the University Academic Policy and Standards guidelines regarding support for students and students' learning.

10. Admissions Criteria

Undergraduate applicants must satisfy the Undergraduate Admissions Policy of the University of Exeter.

Postgraduate applicants must satisfy the Postgraduate Admissions Policy of the University of Exeter.

Specific requirements required to enrol on this programme are available at the respective Undergraduate or Postgraduate Study Site webpages.

11. Regulation of Assessment and Academic Standards

Each academic programme in the University is subject to an agreed College assessment and marking strategy, underpinned by institution-wide assessment procedures.

The security of assessment and academic standards is further supported through the appointment of External Examiners for each programme. External Examiners have access to draft papers, course work and examination scripts. They are required to attend the Board of Examiners and to provide an annual report. Annual External Examiner reports are monitored at both College and University level. Their responsibilities are described in the University's code of practice. See the University's TQA Manual for details.

(British Psychological Society (BPS). BPS accreditation confers eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership, provided that the student passes their research project and achieves at least a Lower Second-Class Honours degree, or its equivalent (i.e. an overall pass mark of at least 50% for conversion programmes). This is the first step towards becoming a Chartered Psychologist.