Psychology

Psychology with a focus on developmental and educational psychology examines two deeply connected domains of the discipline. Developmental psychology is concerned with how people grow, change and develop across the lifespan, studying the emergence of cognitive, social, emotional and language abilities from infancy through childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Educational psychology applies psychological understanding to questions about learning, teaching, motivation, inclusion and the factors that support or hinder children's progress in educational settings.

Together they address some of the most practically important questions that psychology can ask.

At the University of Northampton, this three-year full-time programme provides a thorough grounding in the core areas of psychology alongside particular depth in developmental and educational applications. You will study child and lifespan development, cognitive psychology, learning theories, social psychology, psychological assessment, research methods and statistics, and the application of psychology to educational contexts. The programme develops both your theoretical understanding of how people develop and learn and your capacity to apply that understanding to real questions about supporting children and young people.

Northampton's close connections with schools, educational services and child welfare organisations provide a relevant professional context.

Graduates work in educational support roles, learning mentoring, special educational needs coordination, social work, child and family services, early years practice, educational research and many related fields. Some graduates also go on to further professional training in educational psychology, clinical psychology, counselling or teaching, for which the undergraduate degree provides essential preparation. Postgraduate study in educational psychology, developmental psychology, special educational needs, social work or counselling psychology is a natural progression for those who wish to work clinically or in specialist professional roles with children and young people.