Psychology and Business Management

This course has research at its heart, designed to help you become an effective, skilled and forward-thinking psychologist whilst learning about organisations, their management and the global environments in which they operate.   

You'll be taught by expert staff who are conducting influential studies into areas of psychology such as mental health and wellbeing, compassion and mindfulness, autism and maths anxiety. 

And you’ll have guest lectures by world-class researchers. You’ll also conduct your own research and be able to contribute to cutting-edge psychological research projects at the University. You can also take a placement year to help you translate theory into practice and enhance your employability. 

Through your Business modules, you will be challenged to tackle real-world scenarios through projects, placements and internships. On this course, everyone gets to do business as well as learn about business.  

We have recently updated our business management course, so you will cover many growth areas and hot topics, including: 

• responsible management 
• business ethics 
• business analytics 
• digital media 
• innovation and globalisation 

We’ll help you prepare for a career in a global business environment that is rapidly changing. We'll support you to become more agile, innovative and resilient. You will also develop self-learning and team-working skills, both crucial to success in the professional sphere. 

Importantly, you will also learn to see things differently, by working with students from many other countries - both in your classes and online through joint projects with our overseas partner universities. You will see how people from different cultures tackle the same business issue and you'll find that how we do business is affected by who and what we are. 

Specialist facilities 

Our Psychology facilities are used for both teaching and research. They include computing labs with specialist software for designing experiments and research. You'll use a range of psychological recording equipment such as the latest eye-tracker equipment for analysing eye movement and our Babylab for ethical research with babies and young children. 

Our Business facilities include a Financial Markets Lab where we offer students direct use of financial data, information and analytics to provide a simulation of what it’s like to work on a real trading floor in the financial district. We are committed to delivering the best experience for our students and give them an edge in a competitive market. 

Accredited course* 

British Psychological Society accreditation means we're delivering a high standard of psychology education. It shows we've met BPS standards for course content and design, and student development. It also means you can apply for BPS student membership. This provides: 

• Access to networking opportunities 
• The BPS student online community 
• Discounts on books 
• Events and e-learning 
• Academic journals 
• The chance to transfer to graduate membership free of charge after completing your degree 

And you will have the opportunity to progress to accredited postgraduate qualifications and training to gain chartered membership of the BPS. 

For students to receive the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society (BPS), students need to do the following: 

• Choose a Psychology major pathway with all prescribed modules 
• Obtain at least a 40% overall for the Independent Study in Psychology 
• Obtain at least a lower second-class degree

You may also be eligible for accreditation by the Chartered Management Institute.

Chartered Management Institute accreditation means the CMI has independently assessed that the course meets its own high standards and priorities. The CMI is a UK professional body dedicated to promoting excellence in management and leadership. CMI accreditation is, therefore, a sign of a high-quality degree.   

** Students receive this accreditation if they pass the Business Management modules in their first year and select and pass required modules in their second year. 

What is a Joint Honours degree?

A Joint Honours degree offers students the opportunity to study two subjects.

A Joint Honours degree is a great option if:

• You want to study two subjects you’re passionate about
• You’ve got a specific career in mind and want to create a tailored degree to prepare you for the future
• You want to study a new subject alongside one you’re already familiar with

The modules below indicate the range of modules you may study as part of this combination, however prescribed and optional modules will vary depending on whether you choose to study both subjects equally, or choose to major or minor in a subject. To find out exactly which modules you would study as part of your chosen combination please contact jhs@derby.ac.uk.

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.

You’ll be taught through several learning and teaching methods, such as formal lectures, which will at times include expert speakers, and seminars.  

For Psychology modules, you will learn from lecturers and tutors who have a wealth of knowledge and experience, and are carrying out research designed to offer fresh perspectives on issues that are significant at every stage of life, from birth to old age, including:  

• Maternal health and the development of new-borns, to help improve health care during childhood  
• Mental health and wellbeing such as maths-induced anxiety, eating disorders, addiction and irrational thinking  
• Compassion and mindfulness, tackling self-esteem issues and fostering sensitive support for others  
• The psychological aspects of pain  
• Emotional processing  
• The positive benefits of engaging with the natural environment  

Your lecturers bring their latest thinking to your studies. And, in some cases, you’ll have opportunities to get involved in research projects yourself. Quality inspectors have commended us for being “at the forefront of technology-enhanced learning” in Psychology. 
Teaching methods for Psychology and Business Management modules are varied, interactive and engaging. These include lectures, seminars, practical workshops, work experience and optional placement opportunities. 
Seminars can include critical analysis of reading, presentations, group work, debates and general problem solving, interaction with real businesses, case study analysis, computer lab work, practical analysis and formative assessment.  

• Tutorials: one-to-one sessions with a tutor to discuss the development of assignments 
• Formal lectures 
• Work projects  
• Self-directed study  

In addition to direct teaching by faculty staff the University also makes use of blended learning through which students will be able to enhance and progress their learning. Through the university’s online portal; University of Derby Online (UDO) students can access the university virtual learning environment which forms an important part of the delivery of the programme and provide a facility through which tutors can supply lecture notes and presentations, links to learning resources and information and announcement.

How you are assessed 

For Psychology modules, you’ll be assessed mainly through assignments, via essays, posters, presentations, and reports. You may also have to take some exams. These can include essay questions, multiple choice and short answer questions.  
 
For Business Management modules, you will be mostly assessed through practical coursework assignments and the sort of tasks you might undertake in a workplace. Sometimes these will be individual tasks and at other times, you will need to work in a group. Assignments could include: 

• business reports 
• research 
• presentations 
• design of digital materials such as videos, blogs or augmented reality posters 
• computer-based assessments 

Studying psychology opens doors to many different sectors and professions - anywhere an understanding of people is valued - so your career options will be broad. Our Psychology graduates have gone on to successful roles in sectors such as:   

• Psychological research   
• Scientific or clinical research   
• Charity leadership   
• Mental health support and management   
• Health services and therapeutic care   
• Probation service and police   
• Human resources   
• Health psychology   
• Educational psychology   
• Occupational psychology   
• Forensic psychology   
• Clinical psychology   
• Teaching   

Through our Professional Development Package, you'll gain valuable transferable skills, including:  

• Written and verbal communication  
• Research and analytical  
• Personal motivation, organisation and self-reflection  
• Numeracy  
• IT literacy  
• Critical awareness 

If you want to become a Psychologist or progress to Postgraduate study in Psychology, we advise that you major in Psychology including all prescribed credit bearing modules. This means you will receive accreditation from the British Psychological Society. 

Because Business Management offers the opportunity to study a variety of subjects, lots of different job roles may be open to you, in areas such as: 

• Project management 
• Analysis 
• Consultancy 
• Accountancy 
• Operations 
• Human resource management 
• Marketing 
• Sales 
• Logistics 
• Finance 

Our links with major employers in the area offer the students opportunities to network, build contacts and develop their confidence which adds to their employability. Students are encouraged to gain work experience through the Derby Internship Programme and offered networking opportunities at the many events through the year such as the recruitment fair, Network of Entrepreneurs, and Business Showcase.

2025 entry

These are the typical qualification requirements for September 2025 entry.

Contextual offers may apply to students who meet certain criteria.

2025/26

Further information about our fees and support you may be entitled to.

Additional costs and optional extras

Additional information about your studies

You will typically study your two subjects equally at stage one, before choosing whether you want to major in one subject at stages two and three.

Teaching hours

Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will usually be available on the website 24 hours after enrolment on to your course.

Course updates

The information provided on this page is correct at the time of publication but course content, costs and other individual course details do change from time to time and are updated as often as possible, so please do check these pages again when making your final decision to apply for a course. Any updated course details will also be confirmed to you at application, enrolment and in your offer letter.

If you are thinking about transferring onto this course (into the second year for example), you should contact the programme leader for the relevant course information as modules may vary from those shown on this page.

Minimum numbers

Please note that this course is subject to minimum numbers in order to run.