Sociology and Psychology with a Foundation year

Studying a joint honours Foundation degree in Sociology and Psychology will give you expert scientific training in the relationship between the mind, brain, and behaviour while equipping you with the essential theoretical foundation to understand people's behaviour as social beings.

The foundation year of this four-year course will introduce you to the key concepts and knowledge you need to progress to the BSc in Psychology. Following successful completion of the Foundation Year, students will progress onto Year 1 of the BSc.

The foundation year (level 3) will be delivered by The College, Swansea University (TCSU). Years 2-4 (levels 4-6) will be delivered by the School of Psychology.

You will study the psychological and neuro-scientific processes that underpin activities such as thinking, reasoning, memory and language, learn about the effects of brain injury, and explore ways to improve health-related behaviour.

You will learn how to generate new knowledge and information using a variety of qualitative and quantitative social research tools, from large social surveys interpreted through statistics through to in-depth interviews with individuals and small groups.

Throughout the course, you will develop excellent research, communication, critical analysis and presentation skills, as well as a high degree of numeracy and ICT ability.

WHY SOCIOLOGY AND PSYCHOLOGY AT SWANSEA? Our School of Psychology has an outstanding reputation both in the UK and internationally. In the most recent research assessment, we were proud to maintain our research culture with a strong record of translating science into real-world consequences, with 100% of our impact rated as internationally excellent (REF2021).

Sociology at Swansea University is ranked:

Top 25 in the UK Overall (Complete University Guide 2025)

The course is validated by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and, providing you achieve at least a 2:2 in your degree, you will be eligible for Graduate Membership of the BPS and the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC), the first step to becoming a Chartered Psychologist.

Being based in the School of Psychology, you will be immersed in a dynamic research and learning environment with many opportunities to build links with students from related disciplines.

You will be taught by an academic team who are research active and widely published, giving you the benefit of the most current social science debates in the UK and internationally. Many of our academics write your textbooks.

You will have the opportunity to take part in work placements to build on your skills and experience, and enhance your career prospects. These placements could include local authorities, businesses, healthcare settings, education settings and charities, depending on your interests and career goals.

YOUR SOCIOLOGY AND PSYCHOLOGY EXPERIENCE Our flexible degree structure with a wide range of specialist modules gives you the scope to tailor your course to your particular interests, career ambitions, or plans for further study.