Programme summary for Graduate Diploma Psychology

This Programme is No Longer Recruiting

The programme comprises the Bridging Programme and the Graduate Diploma. The Bridging Programme provides the ideal foundation for the Graduate Diploma and is aimed at students who have studied little or no psychology in their first degree. If you already have 60 Psychology credits at degree level, you may apply for direct entry to the Graduate Diploma. Core and optional modules offer you the opportunity to gain a thorough grounding in psychological theories and practice, and to explore areas of specific interest.

About the programme

The Graduate Diploma in Psychology is for people who already have a first degree and wish to convert this into a qualification that will be recognised by the British Psychological Society as conferring the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (formerly known as Graduate Basis for Registration), a pre-requisite for post-graduate training leading to Chartership, and for professional work in the field (this depends on you achieving an overall average mark of 50% or above). Alternatively, you may be wishing to learn more about Psychology and/or further your career in related areas without having to undertake another complete degree course.

Programme structure

The Graduate Diploma takes one year full-time or a minimum of one and a half years part-time. You may study during the day or evening or a combination of the two. You will complete 120 credits, from two Level 2 modules and four Level 3 modules, each module carrying 20 credits.

The Bridging Programme takes one year part-time (day or evening study) starting in September, or one semester full-time (day or day and evening study combined) starting in February.

Career opportunities

A British Psychological Society recognised qualification is the first step towards becoming a professional psychologist, whether it be in the field of clinical, educational, occupational, counselling, health or forensic psychology. Those wishing to specialise in these areas undertake further postgraduate training at Masters or Doctorate level.

As well as providing a route into professional psychology, a qualification in this field is relevant to a wide range of other areas of work. Examples of these are social welfare, sport & leisure, education, human resource management, consumer research and advertising, media, market research and community work.

Support

On joining the programme, students will be offered induction sessions, including an introduction to Research methods and Statistics. All students are allocated a personal and academic tutor. Additional help is available from the leaders of individual modules and from the Programme Leader.

Project supervisors also provide personal support and help with career choice, job applications and preparation of CVs.

Students can take advantage of the flexibility of our provision (full-time/part-time, day or evening) to adjust their mode of study to suit changes in their financial, occupational or family responsibilities.

Specialist support (for example for financial advice, careers advice, counselling and learning support) is also available from University support services.

Admission

A first degree either from a UK university or from a recognised overseas institution (refer to the International Association of Universities) and that is equivalent to a UK degree (refer to the British Council’s International Guide to Qualifications in Education). Your degree must have included at least one semester or 60 credits or half a year’s study in Psychology.

Applicants who hold an appropriate degree that did not include the minimum amount of study of Psychology (see above) may apply for a Bridging Programme (full-time or part-time). This programme comprises up to 80 credits of Psychology at Level 1. Successful completion of the Bridging Programme gives entry to the Graduate Diploma.

Students may be admitted through Accreditation of Experiential Learning (AEL) or Accreditation of Certificated Learning (ACL) processes.

In the case of applicants whose first language is not English, then IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) is required. International qualifications will be checked for appropriate matriculation to UK Higher Education undergraduate programmes.