Psychology with Professional Placement

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour, one of the broadest and most intellectually varied disciplines available at undergraduate level. It encompasses cognitive psychology, biological psychology, developmental science, social psychology, clinical psychology, and neuropsychology, drawing on experimental methods, neuroscience, and theoretical frameworks to understand why people think, feel, and act as they do. A BPS-accredited degree provides the academic foundation for those who wish to go on to professional training as a psychologist, and it develops highly transferable analytical, research, and communication skills valued across many fields.

At Reading this four-year full-time degree is accredited by the British Psychological Society, enabling you to pursue professional training in clinical, educational, occupational, or other branches of applied psychology after graduation. The programme includes a year-long professional placement, giving you structured experience in a real-world psychology-related setting, whether clinical, educational, research, or commercial. This placement is central to the degree's design, ensuring that your academic learning is tested and enriched by direct professional engagement.

You will develop strong skills in research design, statistical analysis, critical evaluation of evidence, and the application of psychological theory to practical problems.

Graduates from BPS-accredited psychology degrees are well placed for professional postgraduate training in clinical, counselling, educational, occupational, or forensic psychology, leading to chartered status with the BPS. Others enter careers in healthcare, education, human resources, research, marketing, social care, and many other sectors where understanding of human behaviour is valued. The professional placement experience significantly strengthens employability and provides a clear context for your postgraduate and professional development.