Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Psychology and Marketing (Placement year)

at Aston University United Kingdom

Study the BSc (Hons) International Relations and Sociology degree course at Aston University to get a fascinating insight into the political and sociological challenges facing our society in the 21st century, giving you a great springboard for your future career.

What you’ll learn
On this programme, you’ll explore the major political and social issues faced by governments across the world. You will develop a knowledge and understanding of the international state system, the structure and purpose of international organisations and the roles played by international institutions, other intergovernmental organisations, multinational corporations and NGOs. Important strengths of the programme include its focus on key contemporary issues in international relations and policy, such as global economic change and the environment as well as international comparisons of government policies.

On the sociology strand of the course, you’ll gain an in-depth understanding of social processes, organisational dynamics and inter-group relationships. We explore the social constraints we encounter in our everyday lives and how they are reinforced by class, race, religion and gender. To understand how these issues perpetuate existing inequalities and unequal life chances, we analyse how politics is intertwined with the profit-making aims pursued by big corporations and how their combined interests dominate our social imaginations. When learning about contemporary topics such as inequality, racism, health, migration, sexuality, identity, education, the media, crime and climate change, you will be taught by experts in these fields.

Sociology will equip you with the knowledge and analytical skills that will enable you to think critically and work independently. This includes how to design a research project, collect empirical data, handle complex datasets (e.g., through applying coding techniques) and, most importantly, develop an advanced analytical mindset. This training will be essential for your final-year dissertation during which you will carry out your own individual research project. This experience will provide you with a skillset that is highly desired in a wide range of industries and areas of work.

Bridging the gap between health, medicine and engineering, studying biomedical engineering at Aston University gives you the hands-on skills, knowledge and experience to help create the healthcare practices of tomorrow.

As a biomedical engineer, you will have the skills, flexibility and knowledge to be involved in a wide number of activities such as developing innovative devices and delivering expert services directly to patients.

Through a combination of our deep links into industry and world-class, state-of-the-art facilities, Aston is the ideal place to prepare for a successful and enriching career that improves and saves lives.

Course outline

You will have access to the very best, innovative, hands-on teaching from academics active in the field, with strong links to UK and international biomedical industrial collaborators.

At Aston, we don’t just teach biomedical engineering, we’re actively involved in the field. As a department, we have generated three spin-out companies, are partners with several hospitals, industry consortia, and medical device forums, meaning you’ll have access to over 100 companies developing real world health products in an entrepreneurial environment.

Study a BSc (Hons) Sociology and English Language degree course at Aston University to explore the English language, how it works in society and its role in the world today and learn about issues and policies affecting the world.

What you’ll learn
Our Sociology and English Language course will provide you with an in-depth understanding of social processes, inequalities, organizational dynamics, and inter-group relationships. To understand how these issues perpetuate existing inequalities and unequal life chances, we analyze how politics is intertwined with the profit-making aims pursued by big corporations and how their combined interests dominate our social imaginations.

Sociology will equip you with the knowledge and analytical skills that will enable you to think critically and work independently. This includes how to design a research project, collect empirical data, handle complex datasets (e.g., through applying coding techniques) and, most importantly, develop an advanced analytical mindset. This training will be essential for your final-year dissertation during which you will carry out your own individual research project. This experience will provide you with a skill set that is highly desired in a wide range of industries and areas of work.

Our Biochemistry course is focused on preparing you for a future career that makes a big difference. Studying at Aston gives you unrivalled hands-on experience, world-class facilities and specialist teaching.

In addition, your integrated placement year will give you the opportunity to put your knowledge into practice. You can undertake placements in hospital, industrial or research laboratories, as well as non-laboratory settings.

As a biochemist, you’ll help to comprehend and resolve biological problems through the use of molecular expertise and processes. You will help to lead the way in developing new thinking, techniques and technology in the fields of:

• Medicine
• Pharmaceutics
• Biotechnology
• Agriculture
• Nutrition

You’ll undertake and apply marketing analyses using appropriate marketing theories and techniques, whilst gaining knowledge and an understanding of the concepts, principles, and application of theories relating to leadership within organizations.

The MSc Marketing and Leadership will develop your understanding and application of core theories in Marketing. You will learn how to undertake and apply marketing analyses using appropriate marketing theories and techniques, which will allow you to make appropriate strategic and operational marketing decisions.

The course will also develop your knowledge of the concepts, principles, and theories relating to leadership within organizations. It will teach you how to apply the strategic role that leadership can make within a wider organizational context.

This course aims to provide a program of study that meets your needs if you are a local, national or international student, enabling you to learn by the exchange of experience as well as formal academic study. It is designed for recent graduates and those already in employment.

A unique combination of strategy, management consulting, and international business, our MSc Strategy and International Business can kick-start your career.
This course will equip you with the skills to analyze companies’ strategic situations and develop practical strategic solutions for complex commercial problems. You’ll learn the vital role middle managers play in implementing strategy and how you can make strategy work in practice.

When you study economics at Aston, you will be looking at some of the most challenging and controversial issues facing society today, including the gender pay gap and how human behaviour is linked to global warming.

What you’ll learn
You will learn about economic theories and build on your analytical and mathematical skills in order to understand how economics is used to solve a breadth of issues in business and wider society.

You’ll learn about the principles of micro and macroeconomics, mathematics and statistics in economics, econometrics and competition policy, as well select modules to tailor your learning to your areas of interest.

Through case studies, real-world examples and challenges, you’ll explore economics in an applied context and your placement year gives you an opportunity to develop your employability skills. 

Study Psychology BSc at Aston University, Birmingham, and experience our unique mix of expert teaching, specialist facilities, and real-world placement opportunities, which will help you to gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of human behavior.

Psychology is a fascinating subject that aims to understand why people behave in the way that they do, by considering the complex interplay between biological, psychological, environmental, cultural, and social influences on behaviour. This academic discipline encompasses a wide range of topics including how changes in the brain influence behaviour, why false memories occur, why people behave differently when they are in a group, how language influences thinking, how we learn to understand other’s intentions, how psychological distress can be alleviated, why we identify with some people and not others, how subconscious processes influence our behaviour, and how our thinking develops as we grow from children to adults.  

Studying psychology at Aston University will provide you with the basis for understanding why people act in certain ways and insight into methods of changing their behaviour.

You’ll master key theories and concepts of economics and finance, and gain quantitative skills that are in high demand in the global job market. Developed in collaboration with industry practitioners, this course will equip you for a range of career paths including one within the financial sector.

This course will provide you with the tools for a variety of financial positions in a range of organizations, from blue-chip companies to not-for-profit groups.

You’ll enjoy a stimulating range of teaching methods including lectures, seminars, simulations, and lab sessions. You will use advanced statistical software packages and have access to Datastream, a global financial and macroeconomics data platform, to enhance your practical skills.

There is also the opportunity to develop other practical business skills, such as writing business plans, and country and market reports. You’ll be able to benefit from visits of guest speakers who are leading industry experts in the field of economics and finance.

Our four year course, integrated with a placement year, will develop your IT knowledge and give you the skills needed to provide businesses with consultative support, strategic direction and technological insight. There is also an option to gain a double degree (two degrees for the price of one).

This degree will develop your understanding of the management and communication of information, as well as the human, managerial and technical considerations.

You will learn the role that information technology plays in modern business environments and societies, and how technology can be the key to solving some of their biggest challenges.

What you’ll learn
This course will provide you with theoretical knowledge and skills, including analysis and problem-solving, which can be applied to a broad range of career paths.

You will learn the relationship between technical knowledge and human design, the complex role of IT in business, and how technology can be used to drive competitive advantage. 

In your first year you will develop a general knowledge of business theories as well as computing and IT. Your second year is focused on building your IT and computing skills. This will help you as you apply for placement opportunities in your third year.