Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Psychology at National College of Ireland

Psychology is the fascinating study of the human mind and seeks to understand how we think, act and feel. In this degree you will look at compelling questions such as: What shapes our personality? How do children develop and learn? What influences our well-being? Why do we sometimes forget things? What gives some teams an edge over others? The psychology degree at NCI will set you on an amazing journey of discovery. It will also equip you for a range of careers.

Your degree could see you eventually working in a number of clinical and psychological settings, or alternatively in business areas such as marketing, management and human resources, or in sports, education, social work among others. It is a degree that gives a variety of career choices and the option of further postgraduate study.

Working with our dedicated and experienced psychology faculty you will gain a solid grounding in all the core areas of psychology including cognitive psychology, personality and individual differences, lifespan development, social psychology, research methods and biological psychology, as well as specialised topics such as workplace psychology and, cyber-psychology. You will cover all the major theoretical perspectives like the theory of Freud, Jung and Pavlov and will be encouraged to apply these theories to the world around you through an interesting range of projects and assignments. Studying psychology will take you through some of the darker and the dazzling aspects of the human condition. This degree will give you an excellent broad knowledge in psychology and the ability to later specialise in the areas you most enjoy.

As a graduate of this course you will:

• Understand the principles of psychology and gain a broad understanding of human behaviour.
• Learn how to critically analyse problems and how to conduct scientific research.
• Apply your knowledge of psychology to the workplace, the community and society.

Professional Recognition

The degree is recognised by the Psychological Society of Ireland and therefore allows graduates to complete further graduate training within psychology in areas including: 

• Clinical psychology
• Organisational psychology
• Forensic psychology
• Educational psychology
• Counselling psychology

Completion of the degree will also facilitate graduates in entering many other professions including human resources, recruitment, management, consultancy and marketing.

Who is the course for?

The course will appeal to students who have a curiosity about the human mind and who wish to work in a variety of related fields. The course is for school leavers, mature students and graduates of QQI level 5/6 programmes who wish to embark on a course of full-time study.

Further Study Options

Upon successful completion of the BA (Hons) in Psychology, graduates who have acquired the appropriate entry requirements can progress to postgraduate programmes at level 9 on the National Framework of Qualifications such as the MA in HRM at National College of Ireland, as well as clinical, educational, occupational and counselling psychology at other venues.