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Psychology and Language Sciences

We are pleased that you are considering taking up the offer of a place on our Psychology & Language Sciences programme. We have set up these pages to provide you with more information about the course so that you can make the right decision for you.

Overview

The programme is the first of its kind in the UK and offers students a genuinely multi-disciplinary approach to the scientific study of the human mind and human communication, with a strong focus on language sciences throughout. Accredited by the British Psychological Society, the degree draws on world-leading teaching and research expertise in UCL’s Division of Psychology & Language Sciences.

Part of what makes the programme unique is its focus on experiential learning, including hands-on lab sessions with the opportunity to examine a dissected human brain and a second year placement with young children where you will gather your own data for an assignment. Students also hear from people with language disorders about the effects of these difficulties on their lives. Final year students conduct their own substantive research project, and choose from a wide range of specialised modules many of which have particular relevance to research and professional practice.

The fourth MSci year provides an exciting opportunity either to join world-leading researchers exploring, for example, the interface between cognition and language development, the neurobiology of speech, the impact of neurological insult on conversation, or to apply psychological and linguistic theory in the workplace, for example, working with a speech and language therapy team or a clinical psychologist.

You can listen to Caroline Newton, the Admissions Tutor, describe the course in more detail here:

Programme content

As you consider whether this is the right programme for you, use the links below to see more detailed information on the content of the modules taken by students on the degree.

Staff and students

Although it is situated in a large and varied research environment, the programme itself is relatively small for a psychology degree. Our staff and students really value being part of this small closely-knit community, where people know each other well: we think it benefits the teaching and the support that we can give students.

We are delighted that three of our current students have been awarded prestigious studentships to work with world-leading researchers over the summer:

• Action on Hearing Loss Summer Studentship
• Alzheimer’s Society Undergraduate Research Bursary
• Harvard University Laboratory for Developmental Studies Summer Internship.

You can also get to know some of our staff:

• Read an interview with Head of Year 3 Rosalind Potts: Bridging the Gap
• Learn about research involving Head of PaLS Year 2 Mark Huckvale on a new approach to the treatment of auditory hallucinations (hearing voices): Avatar Therapy

Hear from our first group of BSc PaLS graduates:

Graduates

We are still a young programme. Our first cohort graduated in 2015, and there’s great excitement for us in following the career paths of our former students. Some have used the programme as a foundation for professional training in clinical psychology, speech and language therapy, teaching and medicine. Many of our graduates are pursuing further study at Master’s level or embarking on PhD study. Others are applying the analytical and communication skills developed on this course in graduate training schemes in fields such as auditing, human resources and media.

The first group of students on the Psychology and Language Sciences MSci will graduate in 2018.

Chandler House

The programme is based in Chandler House, just a short walk away from the main UCL campus. Take a short tour of the building with students from a different degree:

Questions

We understand that you or your parents might have questions, so if you would like to speak to staff from the degree, please contact:
Caroline Newton, BSc PaLS Admissions Tutor
David Newton, BSc PaLS Administrator