Psychology, Development and Developmental Disorders BSc at Royal Holloway University of London

The course

Psychology is an important subject because it relates to the whole range of human experience, from visual perception to complex social interations. It is the study of how people think, react and interact. Study psychology, development & developmental disorders at Royal Holloway and you’ll focus on issues related to the study of typical and atypical child development, including the development of perceptual, cognitive and social skills in infancy and early childhood, and developmental disorders such as autism, Down's syndrome, dyslexia, dyspraxia and attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD).

We are one of the top psychology departments in the UK with excellent ratings for both research and teaching. Our research and teaching enhance one another, bringing students in touch with the frontiers of psychological knowledge. You’ll contribute to our renowned research culture with a final year research project.

This three year course explores a broad range of key areas within psychology, specialising in the final year in the study of human developmental processes and how they may be disrupted. Post- and undergraduates may benefit from the department's advanced technology. This includes an on-site MRI scanner, systems for tracking precise body movements in very young children and adults, CCTV and video systems for discreet observation of behaviour and a dedicated baby lab for studying the development of infants.

You’ll join a close and supportive learning community, which has earned consistently high satisfaction scores from our students in the annual National Student Survey (NSS). As part of small tutorial groups, you'll study within a progressive environment for which, the Department of Psychology has been awarded the Athena SWAN Silver Award for efforts to promote equality and women in science.

Our flexible degree programmes enable you to apply to take a Placement Year, which can be spent studying abroad, working or carrying out voluntary work. You can even do all three if you want to (minimum of three months each)! To recognise the importance of this additional skills development and university experience, your Placement Year will be formally recognised on your degree certificate and will contribute to your overall result. Please note conditions may apply if your degree already includes an integrated year out, please contact the Careers & Employability Service for more information.

• Specialise in your final year in the study of human developmental processes and how they may be disrupted.
• Contribute to cutting-edge research with a final year research project.
• Learn with internationally recognised experts in their fields.
• Dedicated baby lab for studying the development of infants.

Your future career

Our graduates are highly employable and develop a range of desirable transferable skills including advanced literacy and numeracy, critical reading, report writing, interviewing, survey research, observation, measurement and experimentation. Within six months of graduation, 90% of psychology graduates (Unistats 2015) have gone onto full time employment or further studies.

Our alumni have found employment in banking, publishing, journalism, media, management, local government, mental health support, youth work or other support work, as business analysts or working in human resources/personnel. In addition, a large number of graduates progress to further study at masters or doctoral level.

The Department of Psychology is dedicated to helping students prepare for their graduate careers. Throughout their studies, students benefit from a series of careers seminars, events, advice and information. Plus, we have established connections with many local organisations, including the Macular Society, Southern Addictions Advisory Service and Bishop Creighton House, providing you with the chance to enjoy rewarding placement opportunities. Careers information and advice will be on hand throughout your studies, while annual ‘Meet Our Grads’ events mean you can share the knowledge and experience of our extensive alumni network.

As well as careers directly linked to criminology and psychology, the transferable skills gained will form an excellent basis for potential careers in criminal justice agencies. As such, graduates have found employment with criminal justice agencies such as the Crown Prosecution Service, the police, probation service, youth custody and the prison service. Others have pursued careers in banking, publishing, media, management, youth work or other support work. For those interested in continuing onto postgraduate study, as this course is accredited by the British Psychological Society, graduates have the opportunity to gain Graduate and/or Chartered Membership of the Society, and eligibility to apply to our MSc in Forensic Psychology.