Honours BA in Psychology
If you are finishing secondary school and want to pursue a career in psychology our 3-year denominated entry Honours BA in Psychology will be of interest to you. It is fully accredited by the Psychological Society of Ireland, and so provides the foundation, and gateway for further postgraduate professional training in all branches of psychology including clinical, counselling and health psychology.Curriculum
If you are admitted to the UCD Honours BA in Psychology you will study four core psychology modules and two other art subjects in first year and focus on psychology as a single subject in second and third year. First year modules are on social psychology, brain and behaviour, perception and cognition and research methods. In second and third year there are advanced modules on all of these topics and modules on many other topics including neuroscience, developmental psychology, intelligence, language, personality, crime, disability, counselling, the history of psychology, clinical psychology, health psychology, work and organizational psychology, sport psychology, and liberation psychology. In addition you will do a series of practical laboratory experiments in psychology in your second year and complete a research project in third year. For a full list of modules click this link: HONOURS BA IN PSYCHOLOGY, HONOURS BA INTERNATIONAL IN PSYCHOLOGY, CORE AND OPTION MODULES LIST. The following are brief descriptions of the four core psychology modules that you will take in first year.
Introduction to Social Psychology. This module introduces students to the themes of social psychology, a core branch of psychology. These themes are focused on the relationships between people, and the way their interaction is shaped by a broader social context. Thus social psychologists are interested in the personal, the interpersonal and the societal. The course is divided into four sections. The first looks at the individual (the self-concept, attitudes and non-verbal communication), the second at social influence (conformity, compliance, and persuasion), the third at social relations (attraction, altruism, aggression) and the fourth at group dynamics (productivity, prejudice, social identity and social categorization).
Brain & Behaviour. This module provides an introduction to the relationship between brain and behaviour. Although it is a biologically-based course, it does not assume a background in biology or other sciences, and students will be provided with an introduction to the main approaches in biopsychology. Students will gain an understanding of how the brain is involved in everything we do, whether it be eating, sleeping, learning, or feeling pain. Throughout the course, case studies and video-clips will be presented to help show the link between brain and behaviour and to explain clinical disorders and real-life problems that neuroscientists study. The goal is to demonstrate that the link between brain and behaviour is important for students who are considering further study in psychology, neuroscience, or other biological or health-related areas, but it is also of interest to any student with a general interest in behaviour.
Introduction to the Psychology of Perception and Cognition. The study of perception is concerned with how we acquire knowledge about the external world through our senses. It examines such questions as: How do we come to experience colours and sounds, tastes and smells, and objects and faces? Cognitive psychology explores how our minds work in seeking, storing and using our knowledge of the world, ourselves and other people. It addresses such questions as: How does our memory system work and what goes on in our heads when we imagine something? The objective of the module is to introduce you to the main principles, methods and findings of contemporary psychology as applied to the fields of perception and cognition.
Introduction to Research Methods and Statistics. This module introduces students to the basic principles underpinning scientific enquiry in psychology. Students will learn about commonly used quantitative and qualitative methodologies. In addition, the module introduces basic descriptive statistics, for example level of measurement, properties of the normal curve, and measures of central tendency and variation.
A fuller description of the Honours BA in Psychology programme is available at this link: myUCD Psychology
Application and Selection Process
For Irish candidates up to 70 places are offered each year on the basis of Leaving Certificate results and an additional 8 places are available to mature students and non-traditional students who qualify for entry under the HEAR and DARE schemes.
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| Higher Eduction Access Route |
Disability Access Route to Education |
Logo of UCD Mature Years |
HEAR stands for Higher Education Access Route and DARE stands for Disability Access Route to Education. For Irish candidates application for places must be made through the Central Applications Office (CAO). The CAO code for the UCD Honours BA in Psychology is DN519.
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International Applications
A number of places are offered each year to international applicants. It is best to submit international applications in January.The following website provides general information for international students who wish to study at UCD: International Teaching in Irish Universities is normally through the medium of English, therefore all applicants are required to demonstrate a high level of competence in English language. Applicants whose first language is not English, and who are not presenting the subject English in a school-leaving examination which is at least of pass Leaving Certificate standard (e.g. GCSE grade C) must meet the minimum English Language Requirements in relation to TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) and IELTS (International English Language Testing System) specified at the following website: English Language requirements
Indicative Fees
Non-EU fees: €14,850
Fees for the Honours BA in Psychology for Non-EU fulltime students can be found on the UCD Fees website under undergraduate programmes, DN519 psychology
Contact
For further information about international applications to the Honours BA in Psychology please contact Dr Louise McHugh