Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Psychology with Placement Year

at University of Westminster - Cavendish Campus United Kingdom

Recent technological advances decreasing hardware costs and the ‘Internet of things’ has led to a rapid explosion in the amount of data generated in a variety of domains, including data-driven science, telecommunications, social media, large-scale e-commerce, medical records and e-health. Big data refers to the ability of exploiting these massive amounts of extremely heterogeneous in structure and content data that are routinely generated at an unprecedented scale from an ever-expanding variety of data sources. Business and industry used their big data to extract a better understanding of customers’ needs and behaviour, to develop targeted new products and to cut operational costs. The competitive advantages and productivity gains that big data brought led to a great number of a big data projects and a shortage of people with the required skills.

This course is aimed at people who want to move into this rapidly expanding and exciting area; it has a strong vocational flavour as it has been designed to build your knowledge and understanding of big data systems architectures and to equip you with the range of highly marketable, hands-on skills employed by the core technologies utilised in big data projects.

Our course will provide you with an exciting and unique learning experience, delivered by active researchers who are passionate and knowledgeable about their subject.

We believe strongly in maintaining close links between our research and teaching, which means that you'll be taught by recognised international experts. We are committed to understanding the place of psychology in contemporary society, and our course content is constantly updated to provide a fresh perspective into the human mind.

The course is designed to enhance your chances of successfully gaining employment once you graduate, and many of our past students have pursued careers in clinical, counselling, forensic or occupational psychology. Others have used their degree in related professions, including human resources, management, market research, public relations and social work.

Our course is structured to provide a strong psychology base from the start of your studies. What you study has been designed to meet the requirements for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society, preparing you for postgraduate training on the path to becoming a Chartered Psychologist.

Between Years 2 and 3 you'll have the opportunity to take a work placement year experiencing work under supervision in a psychological setting. Alternatively, you'll have the opportunity to spend a year studying at one of our international partner universities.

Top reasons to study with us

• You’ll have the opportunity to gain a year's experience on a psychology work placement
• Employability and transferable skills are embedded within the curriculum
• You’ll be eligible for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of the British Psychological Society, if you achieve at least a Lower Second Class Honours degree and pass the Project module

Health Psychology plays a key role in improving the health and wellbeing of the population. This course, based in the heart of London, was one of the first Masters in Health Psychology and has been accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) since 1999. It includes an innovative portfolio of assessments geared to developing transferable skills, and relating directly to the world of work. The course also provides the opportunity to gain work experience and apply your knowledge in a health psychology setting, whilst considering future career plans.

In addition to the core taught programme, we work with a range of practitioners to provide additional professional training in areas such as resilience, coaching and clinical practice.

The course will give you an in-depth understanding of the theoretical and applied bases of health, illness and disease. The main aim is to help you to develop the theoretical and methodological skills essential for conducting independent research and applying health psychology in practice.

Our Biochemistry BSc will give you the skills and knowledge to establish yourself in a range of careers related to biochemistry, including the pharmaceutical, diagnostic and biotechnology industries.

Biochemistry is a pivotal degree discipline and a fundamental part of all the biological sciences. It is the study of living systems at the molecular level, and biochemists study the ways in which cells and organisms are formed. This involves examining the structure and function of molecules found in living systems, as well as experimental investigations of the properties of biological systems ranging in complexity from cell extracts to whole organisms, and elucidating the roles of specific genes in the cells in which they are expressed.

The foundation of our course is our thriving research in diverse areas of biochemistry, including biotechnology, cancer biology, membrane transport, molecular diagnostics and therapeutics, plant biochemistry, and protein structure.

In this degree, you'll gain a sound foundation in chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology and analytical biochemical techniques. Your laboratory and research skills will be developed throughout your degree, culminating in your final-year project in which you'll undertake original research of your own.

This exciting interdisciplinary degree considers how the structure and function of the brain gives rise to mental processes while it interacts with its physical, social, and cultural environment.

Cognitive and clinical neuroscience blends theoretical, experimental and applied aspects of psychology with neuroscience, and overlaps with other psychological disciplines including physiological, cognitive and clinical psychology, developmental science, psychopharmacology and neuroanthropology.

Our unique course places a particular focus on brain-behaviour relationships, by bringing together evidence from molecular and cellular neuroscience, brain injury studies, neurological illness, and also looks at developmental and cognitive aspects. It explores a wide range of research-based and clinically relevant methodologies including brain imaging, computational modelling and comparative cognition (considering evolutionary and developmental approaches).

During your degree, you’ll consider all aspects of cognitive functioning, from learning, memory and language through to concepts such as intelligence, decision-making, creativity and consciousness.

Our course will equip you with the skills and knowledge to develop a career across a vast range of highly sought-after employment areas, including academic research, clinical psychology, experimental research, IT and neuropsychology. You’ll also gain the transferable and cognitive skills necessary for lifelong personal and professional development.

This course (previously Business Intelligence and Analytics MSc) addresses the need to propel information-gathering and data organisation, and exploit potential information and knowledge hidden in routinely collected data to improve decision-making. The course stretches the artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and decision science themes to Business Intelligence, Data Science and Business Analytics.

You will focus on developing solutions to real-world problems associated with the changing nature of IT infrastructure and increasing volumes of data, using applications and case studies, while gaining a deep appreciation of the underlying models and techniques. You will also gain a greater understanding of the impact technological advances have on nature and practices adopted within Data Science, Business Intelligence and Analytics, and how to adapt to these changes.

Embedded into the course are two key themes. The first will help you to develop your skills in the use and application of various technologies, architectures, techniques, tools, and methods for data science. These include data warehousing and mining, distributed data management, and the technologies, architectures, and appropriate AI and ML techniques. The second theme will enhance your knowledge of algorithms and the quantitative techniques including AI, ML, and Operational Research (OR) suitable for analysing and mining data and developing decision models in a broad range of application areas. The project consolidates the taught subjects covered, while giving you the opportunity to pursue in-depth study in your chosen area.

Teaching approaches include lectures, tutorials, seminars, and practical sessions. You will also learn through extensive course work, class presentations, group research work, and the use of a range of industry standard software such as R, Python, Simul8, Palisade Decision Tools, Hadoop, and Oracle.

Working in the world of information systems can be exciting and rewarding as businesses become more and more reliant on information systems to support innovation, decision making and day-to-day operations.

The creative use of information systems can transform organisations. Successful enterprises require hybrid managers and analysts who can evaluate and use the tools, gauge the risks and provide the key insights and sound direction for strategic business planning.

Our Business Information Systems BSc will give you a clear perspective of the current nature and practice of business information systems, and will develop your understanding of the business challenges of an enterprise, and your ability to conceive and manage solutions which are increasingly ICT dependent.

You’ll integrate your skills of problem solving and information systems modelling with your knowledge of business processes and environments. You’ll be able to consult on, support or develop the technological platforms of an enterprise to achieve competitive advantage, building a career in roles ranging from systems developer to business manager.

Our course offers a short-term work-based learning experience that will give you the opportunity to work on a real-life problem, which is normally set by an external organisation as a small-scale project. This experience will allow you to put your new knowledge and skills into practice by addressing a real-life situation, usually within the context of a business-related problem.

In addition, you’ll have the opportunity to undertake a year in industry (work placement) after completing the second year of your study. This will help you gain work experience and enhance your employability. You’ll be offered help and support to find and secure placement opportunities through various workshops and events organised by the Careers and Employability Service and the course team. Typically, you’ll be assigned into roles involving tasks related to business information systems.

Our Computer Games Development course combines technology and creativity in a multidisciplinary way.

The games industry is an expanding and challenging sector with continually evolving ideas and cutting-edge technologies. It requires practitioners to exercise more flexibility in software specifications and functionality, through adapting their approaches to design and management while keeping abreast of broad changes to technology.

This course covers all major technical aspects of the games development process, from design to production. It aims to prepare you for a career in software development with a particular emphasis on computer games. The course provides you with a solid understanding of game technologies, including programming, applied maths, computer graphics and game engines. You'll develop a broad range of knowledge and skills including mobile and web application development, 3D modelling and animation, and human-computer interaction. To enhance student employability, the course offers a number of talks from the creative industry and will support your participation in prestige game competitions and digital fairs, as well as industrial placements and internships.

The primary language you'll learn is C++, but you'll also have the opportunity to engage with other languages and software, such as C#, Python (Machine Learning, Algorithms), JavaScript and Swift for Android and iOS development. For character development we use Adobe Maya, Photoshop, 3DS Max and 3D Coat. The course focuses on using Unreal Engine 4 and Blueprints technology, but students will have the opportunity to engage with any of the commercial engines across the course.

Top reasons to study with us

• Valuable industry insights – our strong links to the sector ensure the course is taught with the games development industry in mind. Our teaching staff includes academics with experience in the games industry, alongside industry advisors who support the course on all work-based learning projects and competitions
• Work experience before graduation – as part of the course, you'll have the option to work for a year in the industry, gaining valuable work experience and boosting your employability
• Successful alumni – our alumni have found positions in companies including Microsoft, Sega, and Marmalade

Pharmacology and physiology are two closely related disciplines. Pharmacology is the study of drug action and how medicines may modify disease states. Physiology is concerned with how the body and its systems are controlled, and in the changes that lead to disease states (pathophysiology).

This course will provide you with a sound understanding of the biological action of drugs and other biomolecules at the whole-body, tissue, cellular and sub-cellular levels, and their uses as medicines for the treatment of disease. It provides an ideal grounding for a career in the pharmaceutical industry or other areas of biomedical research, academia, the Scientific Civil Service and healthcare provision.

Opportunities exist for you to enhance your practical and related transferable skills within our research laboratories. Teaching is informed by high-quality research in relevant cognate areas, within the department.

Top reasons to study with us

• Build a successful career – this course will give you the knowledge and skills for a career in the pharmaceutical industry or other areas of biomedical research
• Make the most of our facilities – develop your skills in our fully equipped laboratories, and benefit from our APOLLO Patient Care Simulator platform
• Learn from our expert teaching staff – teaching is informed by high-quality research, delivering the forefront of current and cutting-edge science to students

This course will focus on the physiology and pathology of blood and its use as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool.  A variety of areas of molecular and cellular bioscience will be covered with an emphasis on new technologies and developments in Haematology and related disciplines such as Transfusion Science. You will expand your knowledge of the basic science and analytical techniques relating to Haematology and gain an up-to-date understanding of the application of Haematology in bioscience / pharmaceutical research, as well as in diagnostic and therapeutic medicine.

There will be an emphasis in the course on development of critical analysis skills in the assessment of scientific literature and laboratory data. In addition you will have the opportunity to design and execute your own research project. The course team is supported by visiting lecturers who are practising scientists in the field, which helps ensure that taught material is current and relevant.