Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Psychology and Sociology with International Year

at Keele University United Kingdom

International Business will help you to appreciate the diversity of international work cultures and acquire the skills to help manage them. You’ll learn about the global business environment, international business strategies, supply chains and cross-cultural management. In Marketing you will learn how to plan and implement successful marketing strategies. There are exciting opportunities to explore branding and digital marketing and how to implement these in the context of international business. There’s also a firm grounding in the wider social context of organisation and a broad reflection on the ethics of business and marketing. The variety of optional modules available on this course will also enable you to further develop your skills and insights. 

This course will fully immerse you in the discipline of psychology by offering a personalised learning experience with abundant choice across compulsory and elective modules.

You will share closely the excitement of new discoveries in psychology working alongside academic staff on research projects from brain electrophysiology to studies on alcohol, and from conflict resolution and forgiveness to how young people respond to advertising.

Our students tell us how much they value the psychology-specific learning support on offer from our Academic Support Team, from essay writing workshops to support with project work and rapid response advice over email.

You will learn to apply psychology in situations ranging from negotiating personal relationships to influencing judgments about matters of global significance such as climate change. You will graduate ready to use your psychology skills and knowledge to make a real difference.

Astrophysics is active wherever the laws of physics are being tested to the limit – and beyond. Keele will help you to use astronomical observations, mathematical models and computer simulation to develop theories explaining some of the most complex phenomena.

You’ll develop your mathematics and computing skills, and apply them to solving a range of problems in the laboratory and beyond (you’ll have access to Keele’s own on-site observatory). We are committed to supporting you throughout your studies, providing you flexible access to our staff to seek advice or feedback.

For the Forensic Science element of the course, you will be taught by academics and forensic professionals, and gain valuable lab and crime scene experience, helping you to stay ahead in this fast-moving science. You will be taught in our modern laboratory facilities and have access to equipment and our dedicated Crime Scene House.

This course will provide you with a broad education in the core areas of forensic science. Your studies may explore key topics in forensic chemistry, analytical science, forensic biology and criminalistics science. You will develop your analytical science skills, enabling you to analyse a variety of evidence. This is complemented by additional emphasis on professional practice and an understanding of the roles of the crime scene investigator and the forensic scientist as an expert witness in the court.

Our forensic science combined honours programmes are recognised by the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. 

The Human Biology element of this course is ideal if you’re interested in biology but are looking for a particular focus on the human body and how we’ve adapted to our environment. This course provides a broad understanding of the physiology of the body’s major systems as well as human health and disease and the relationship between the human body with the environment. The multidisciplinary approach to Human Biology is supported by input to the programme from staff with diverse expertise.

The Medicinal Chemistry element of the course will enable you to develop a deep understanding of the complex chemical and biological processes involved in the design and manufacture of drugs and other therapies for treating disease. This course prepares you to help solve problems at the intersection of chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology and pharmacology. The goal of medicinal chemistry is to support the search for new drugs to treat conditions such as heart disease and cancer. You’ll work in well-equipped laboratories, and learn to conduct effective independent research. You’ll develop essential skills for employment, such as problem solving, presentation and communication.

Studying History and Politics at Keele will enable you to develop your appreciation of various global histories and political arenas, whilst enjoying the rich history of our local area. In your spare time, you might find yourself exploring the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon metalwork most likely deposited in the 7th century in the then Kingdom of Mercia. The Staffordshire Hoard provides a window to England in the 6th and 7th centuries and also to the warrior elite that existed during these times and now rests less than 5 miles away from Keele.

Whether interpreting acts of resistance, assessing economic change, describing environmental behaviour or understanding acts of oppression, an appreciation of the past is essential to understanding where we are today and how we’re attempting to shape the future. Even societies in the very distant past can be highly relevant in this respect, which is why history and politics work very well together as subjects. You will learn the skills of the historian as you deepen your understanding of eras, continents and cultures from political, social and religious perspectives, and you will learn to use that knowledge to analyse the way in which societies govern themselves today. You’ll develop an understanding of different approaches to history and politics, developing a range of methods used in their pursuit. 

The MSc in Psychology and Health Inequalities has been designed to give you advanced training in psychological research methods and analysis, whilst also introducing advanced study of health inequalities from a wide range of perspectives, including psychological, sociological, linguistic, and epidemiological. In addition to your taught components, you will have the opportunity to undertake a dissertation project on a topic of your choice under the supervision of a research-active member of staff. 

Keele has a well-established and growing community of researchers in health inequalities. Recent research within the School of Psychology has considered health from the perspectives of older adults, LGBTQ communities, people with intellectual disabilities, gender, new mothers, and Eastern European migrants, amongst others. 

The MA in History involves class-based learning and an optional opportunity for practical work placement, alongside one-on-one supervision. This course is best suited for those who wish, for a variety of reasons, to have structured classroom guidance during their studies, or for those wanting more support for planning their dissertation research project. There are 5 taught modules spread over two semesters, while the dissertation is 15,000 words.

This programme offers world-renowned one-one-one supervision and small classes so you can develop your research interests, while assessments prepare you for your specific career. Practical work experience is available in a range of fields, along with support writing CVs and job applications. You can learn a language, take palaeography, or complete a work placement as part of your degree.

The study of International Relations covers key issues of international threats, conflict, competition, cooperation, development and globalisation, provides a solid understanding of international organisations such as the UN and
the European Union. IR as a discipline also covers structures of power and influence. Our IR experts specialise in a broad range of topics, which currently include security and terrorism studies, the environment, gender, development, peace and conflict, international history, political economy, international organisation, and IR and political theories. We currently have regional expertise in the politics of Europe, Eurasia, Africa, China and the Middle East.

Our programme develops a range of analytical skills to help you interpret and explain the processes at work in unfolding current events. In a world of complex interdependence, such skills are of increasing relevance to many areas of business, industry and government. 

The programme is ideal for individuals looking to develop more critical and theoretical perspectives on a broad range of educational matters. The MA Education provides an excellent opportunity for you to develop both intellectually and professionally.

Successful Masters level study will enable you to further develop and reflect on your practice. Our practice-focused modules, such as ‘Reflecting on Practice’, will allow you to reflect critically on aspects of your own practice, and widen your understanding of the latest teaching developments and education research at local, regional, national and international levels. For example, we believe our MA teaching fits well with the latest government strategies and policies published under the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy and the Early Career Framework. We would anticipate that the programme will prepare you to make positive changes in your learning communities and to become an effective mentor for both, early career and more experienced colleagues.

Undertaking our MA will enable you to demonstrate to employers a level of critical and intellectual rigour, which can place you at the forefront of developments in practice. You will have the opportunity to demonstrate the capacity for sustained and systematic engagement with current evidence-driven curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and contemporary policy matters. This can potentially put you in a stronger position for progression, promotion and leadership in education

Studying Education and History at Keele will enable you to develop your appreciation of various global histories and how education has evolved whilst enjoying the rich history of our local area. In your spare time, you might find yourself exploring the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon metalwork most likely deposited in the 7th century in the then Kingdom of Mercia. The Staffordshire Hoard provides a window to England in the 6th and 7th centuries and also to the warrior elite that existed during these times and now rests less than 5 miles away from Keele.

Education at Keele is distinctive because of its strong focus on contemporary issues in education and policy making. You will explore educational topics such as the nature of learning, the history of education, and changes to educational policies and practices. You'll consider Education's relationship to the economy, its historical evolution, its impact on people’s life chances and identities, how education is organised, and how learners learn. We aim to introduce you to many of the big questions concerning education and schooling both in the UK and also internationally. Why do we go to school? What should we learn? How should we learn it? What is the main aim of education? You will explore the ways in which education has been central to social and political change around the world.

Alongside this, you’ll develop an understanding of different approaches to history, developing a range of methods used in their pursuit. The programme will carry you chronologically from the medieval period to the present, and span the globe. You will be introduced to a wide range of history – from political, social, economic and cultural history to the history of gender, health, sexuality and religion. Throughout your first year, you may engage in modules that encourage you to explore topics such as how European rulers tried to strengthen their authority with the increase of military power between the late fifteenth and late seventeenth centuries, or some of the key defining moments in History which may include the 1720 South Sea Bubble in Britain, the 1791 Haitian Revolution or the 1933 Bauhaus movement.