Psychology

Accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), our online Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology course is ideally suited to anyone who is looking pursue a career in psychology, bringing you one step closer to becoming a Chartered Psychologist. The University of Derby has a long-standing relationship with the BPS meaning you can be assured you are studying a quality Postgraduate Diploma course.

One step closer to a career in psychology

Our online Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology conversion course is designed for those who intend to specialise in psychology, giving you the opportunity to learn the distinctive range, depth and integration of skills, knowledge and applications of psychology. You will gain a comprehensive understanding of the core areas of psychology required by the BPS including contextual and historical issues, biological, cognitive, lifespan, individual differences and social psychology and the links between them. You will also gain experience in designing, conducting and disseminating an independent research project.

This course alone will not allow you to practice as a psychologist but provides an opportunity for a non-psychology graduate, or a graduate from a non-BPS accredited course, to meet one of the entry requirements for a postgraduate programme of professional training in Health, Sport, Clinical, Counselling, Occupational, Educational or Forensic Psychology by achieving Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC). You may also be looking to study this course as part of your Continuing Professional Development (CPD), or to enhance your career employability and general knowledge.

Obtaining GBC allows you to have access to the widest range of training, development and employment opportunities in psychology. Completion of an accredited programme, moreover, offers graduates a clear route to BPS membership, and therefore access to the full range of membership benefits, including services, publications, conferences, training and networking opportunities.

Gain eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC)

For those wishing to pursue a career as a Chartered Psychologist, gaining Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) is the first step towards gaining Chartered status. To be eligible for GBC, you need to have a minimum of 180 credits of Psychology and successfully complete a BPS accredited course.

Our online Psychology Postgraduate Diploma and online MSc Psychology conversion courses both confer eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC).

If you already have 60 credits of Psychology (level 4 or above), you can gain the additional 120 credits from this online Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology conversion course. If you are looking for a postgraduate conversion course and do not currently have 60 credits in Psychology, the online MSc Psychology conversion programme may be a suitable alternative.

We’ve designed this Postgraduate Diploma to be as flexible as possible. It will take you between 15 months and 2 years to complete depending on your pace of study.

If you are completely new to psychology, our online University Certificate in Psychology (60 credits) will prepare you for your postgraduate study by offering an introduction to the field of psychology and the fundamental skills that psychologists require. We believe this additional knowledge equips you to succeed in your postgraduate studies.

What skills will I develop?

You will begin your academic journeys on a Psychology-specific Skills and Careers module, that complements University-wide academic support, Develop@Derby. During the course you will gain a scientific understanding of the mind, brain and behaviour, and how they interact with the complex environments in which they exist. You will gain the ability to critically evaluate methodologies and collect and interpret primary and secondary empirical data, using both quantitative and qualitative research methods.

You will also learn how to apply critical, analytical and creative skills in scholarly thinking, problem solving, and communication to course material, and develop a comprehensive understanding of the scientific underpinnings of psychology as a discipline, its historical origins, development, and limitations.

Free student membership of the British Psychological Society (BPS)

Students on this BPS-accredited MSc Psychology conversion course will be eligible for 12-months free BPS student membership. Once you are accepted and enrol onto the course, you will be invited to join the BPS as a student member giving you access to a wide range of student member benefits including professional development, networking, publications and more.

After the one-year free membership, you will be eligible to continue your membership by renewing it directly with the BPS.

Please note: Free BPS membership is not available to students in receipt of Ministry of Defence Enhanced Learning Credit Scheme (ELC).

A talk from our academic

Our academic for Psychology, Dr Gulcan Garip, talks about our online Postgraduate Psychology courses.

If you have any further questions you can contact-us.

You can view the study plan for this online course.

The Psychology PG Dip is made up of six core 20 credits modules and one zero credit module, totalling 120 credits.

As a BPS accredited programme, group work is required as part of the BPS standards. This means that on Individual Differences, you will be required to work with other students in groups from the start of the trimester (week 1). Failure to engage with your group by the end of week 3 will result in you being dropped from the module and subject to a module cancellation fee.

Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.

Interactive and practical learning

You can be assured of a supportive and structured learning experience with academic teams who are specialists not only in their area of psychology, but also in online learning delivery. Our dedicated online learner advisors will also provide you with non-academic support throughout the duration of the course. You’ll have access to an extensive online library of psychology resources, student webinars in key areas such as library skills and assessment writing, and other academic and wellbeing related services.

There are plenty of opportunities to interact with tutors and other students through online discussion forums, virtual classroom sessions, email and Microsoft Teams. You will also receive one-to-one support from a specialist supervisor when you begin your empirical research project.

Pace of study

The academic year is made up of three 10-week terms, known as trimesters. We recommend about 20 hours of study per week to complete one 20-credit module over a 10-week trimester.

If you opt to undertake the accelerated study plan whereby you will study two modules in one trimester, we recommend 40 hours of study per week.

Should you decide to study on the accelerated rate you should ensure that you have the capacity to fully engage with your studies and achieve the best grades and final award. If you choose to study on the accelerated rate, you will need to balance approximately 40 hours of study per week alongside your professional and personal life and commitments.

It may be useful to consider studying one module at the standard rate of study before deciding whether to then increase to the accelerated rate of study.

There will be 1/2 virtual classrooms over the 10 week trimester and if you are unable to attend you will be able to download the session to view in your own time.

Assessment method

This course is assessed through 100% coursework with a range of methods, such as essays, research reports, presentations, group work and practical reports.

Student support and guidance

Whilst we encourage our students to become independent, life-long learners, we also recognise that offering the right support and guidance will help you to achieve your goals. There is a wealth of support available to you at the University, from your dedicated Personal Tutor and Online Learner Advisor, through to our:

• Library
• Health and Wellbeing Centre
• Careers and Employability Service
• IT Support
• Union of Students
• Develop@Derby for study, personal and employability skills

All these services, and more, are available to you as an online student at the University of Derby.

Who will teach you

Take a look at the programme co-leaders for this online Psychology Postgraduate Diploma course or explore all staff on this course.

Get a taste of the course content

Our Psychology Postgraduate Diploma course taster will give you an idea of how online learning works. It includes a selection of content from a course module so you can see what some of our learning material looks like.

You will need to complete a short form to access the course taster.

You will need:

• 60 credits in psychology at level 4 or above. If you don't have 60 credits in psychology, you can study our online University Certificate in Psychology, which can be completed in 12 months.

In addition, you will usually need one of the following:

• An undergraduate degree with Honours (in any subject) from a UK university or equivalent overseas qualification - at least a 2:2
• A Masters degree from a UK university or equivalent overseas qualification
• A psychology degree which hasn't given you Graduate Basis for Chartership - at least a 2.2
• An undergraduate degree from an overseas institution that is equivalent to the above UK qualifications. It is also important that you have a good standard of written and spoken English

If you have studied at another institution you may be able to translate some of this prior learning into credits (a maximum of two taught modules or 40 credits) towards this course. This is called Recognition of Prior Learning or RPL. This could potentially reduce the course length to a minimum of 12 months. Learn more about RPL.

English language qualifications

You’ll also normally require one of the following English language qualifications:

• GCE O level English Language C
• GCSE English C

If English is not your first language, or you have not successfully completed your highest level of qualification in English, you will need an English language qualification. For this course you will need at least one of the following:

• IELTS 6.5
• TOEFL: 550 (paper based), 213 (computer based) or 80 (internet based)
• Pearson Test of Academic English: 51
• Cambridge Advanced Certificate: Pass
• London Tests of English: we accept level 5 for postgraduate courses
• International GCE O Level English Language: Grade C
• International GCSE English/English as a Second Language: Grade C

Find out more about our English language requirements

^‡2024/25 for new entrants

Starting between September 2024 and August 2025.

2025/26 for new entrants

Starting between September 2025 and August 2026.

About your fees

This figure would be the total cost of this course based on the fee in the current academic year. However, please note that fees normally increase in line with inflation and the University's strategic approach to fees, which is reviewed on an annual basis. The total fee you pay may therefore increase if your course lasts longer than one year.

If you are required to undertake any associate study or additional study as a condition of your offer for the programme, please be aware that the cost for this may be in addition to the programme cost stated above.

Flexible payment plans available

Choose from two payment plan options:

• Pay monthly and only for the modules you are studying

• Pay your full course fees upfront and avoid annual increases

Apply directly to the University.

Apply now

For support with completing your application, view our guide to the application process.

Documents to support your application

In order for your application to be assessed, you will need to provide the following documents when you apply:

• Official photo identification such as a passport or driving licence
• Copies of certificates and transcripts or a letter of testimony for previous qualifications*

*Documents not in English or Welsh must be accompanied by a certified translation by a professional translator/translation company. Each translation must contain:

• Confirmation from the translator that it is an accurate translation of the original document
• The date of the translation
• The full name and signature of the translator, or an authorised official of the company
• The translator’s contact details

A list of approved translators can be found on the UK Government website.

Please note: failure to submit any documentation when requested, may result in your application being withdrawn.

Application deadlines

All of our online courses have set start dates throughout the year. We require time to review your application and get back to you with a response before your course starts. Take a look at information regarding applying for an online course to see full details of deadlines and term dates.

During this course you’ll study all the core areas of psychology to gain a deep understanding of the subject.

From here you can then choose which area you would like to specialise in and continue to further training. For example, you may want to consider our online MSc Health Psychology or online MSc Forensic Psychology courses which will introduce you to a range of psychology professional competencies. Other areas of psychology you can consider are sports, clinical, educational and occupational.

Utilise our Careers and Employment Service​

Whilst you are a student at the University of Derby, and for 3 years after you graduate, our Careers and Employment Service can assist you with job search advice, CV creation, workshops and events, as well as one-to-one appointments with employment advisers to help with career planning and interview preparation.

Contact us

Contact the University of Derby Online Learning:

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