Psychology with Development and Education
Psychology with development and education focuses on two of the most important applied areas within the broader discipline of psychology, giving you both the scientific grounding of the parent discipline and specialist depth in how psychological knowledge informs our understanding of children's development and the practice of education. Developmental psychology examines how people change across the lifespan, from infancy through childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, studying the development of cognition, language, emotion, social understanding, and personality and the factors that shape these trajectories. Educational psychology applies this knowledge and more to understanding how learning happens, how teaching can be made more effective, how educational difficulties are identified and addressed, and how the design of learning environments affects outcomes.
At Abertay University, you will study this degree over four years of full-time study, with the programme including a year abroad that gives you the opportunity to study in a different educational and cultural context. The core psychology curriculum covers cognitive, social, biological, and abnormal psychology alongside research methods and statistics, reflecting psychology's status as a science that depends on careful empirical enquiry. The development and education strands deepen your knowledge of child and adolescent development, learning theory, inclusive education, and the social and cultural factors that shape educational experience.
Scotland's distinctive educational system provides an additional layer of contextual relevance for students studying at Abertay. The year abroad broadens your perspective on how development and education are understood and practised in different national settings.
Graduates from psychology with development and education are prepared for a range of careers. Teaching, at primary and secondary level, is a natural path, typically requiring a postgraduate teaching qualification. Educational psychology, which works with children and young people who have learning difficulties or other needs, requires doctoral-level training and is a career for which this degree provides strong preparation.
Child and family social work, early years practice, and youth work draw on the developmental knowledge the degree provides. Research roles in developmental psychology and educational research are open to graduates who continue to postgraduate study. The degree also provides a strong foundation for the broader field of psychology, and those who achieve the requisite academic standard can pursue a career as a chartered psychologist following further training.