Description
This qualification is only available until 31 December 2017.
To claim this qualification, you must complete the required 360 credits by this date.
If you have any questions about your eligibility for this qualification, please contact the Centre for Qualifications and Ceremonies on +44 (0)1908 653003 or by email.
Philosophy and psychology seek to answer profound questions about us, our minds, our behaviour, and our place in the social and physical universe. What makes us happy? Do humans display irrational biases? How can I, a mere physical being, have thoughts and emotions? How does science progress and can I trust it? By what moral authority does the state rule over me? Who should get what? Is there a god? By studying this degree course in philosophy and psychological studies you’ll learn to: read and understand scientific and historical texts; construct and analyse arguments; understand and use a range of research methods; and express your ideas clearly and logically. These skills are relevant to a broad range of career opportunities, including media, marketing, financial and social services, administration and management.
Note: completion of this degree course will not make you eligible for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) conferred by the British Psychological Society.
If you’re awarded this degree you’ll understand key concepts, theories, methods and debates in selected areas of philosophy and psychology. You’ll be able to exercise critical judgement in the understanding and interpretation of philosophical texts and arguments, and appreciate different perspectives within psychology and be able to evaluate them critically. You’ll also have a range of generic skills, including numerical and IT skills, and you’ll have developed as an independent learner.
Planning your studies
Whether or not you’re new to study or to the OU, we strongly recommend that you start with a module at Level 1. For this degree that would mean starting with either The arts past and present (AA100) or Investigating psychology 1([DE100).
After your first 60 credits at Level 1 we suggest you seek advice from one of our study advisers about choosing your next module. You might well be advised to complete a further 60 credits from the optional modules at Level 1. This will give you a firm foundation for level 2 study in both the humanities and social sciences.
You are advised to study Level 1 modules first, followed by Level 2 modules and to complete your degree with Level 3 modules.
You should note that the University’s unique study rule applies to this qualification. This means that you must include at least 120 credits from OU modules that have not been counted in any other OU qualification that has previously been awarded to you (with the exception of an undergraduate-level qualification of less than 120 credits). If you have graduated with an OU BA degree without honours and are continuing your studies on to honours, this minimum requirement is reduced to 60 credits. Before being awarded any intermediate qualifications on the way to your OU honours degree, we advise you to check that you’ll have sufficient new credits to qualify for your degree.
Career relevance and employability
The disciplines brought together in this degree in philosophy and psychology are highly regarded by employers, who prize graduates’ reasoning ability, clear thinking and specialist knowledge. Relevant careers include:
- public administration, local government, the civil service, social services
- advertising, journalism, publishing, creative industries, public relations
- education and health
- management and human resources
- police and the law
- business, banking and retail
- charities, campaigning and policy development.
This degree course develops skills vital to effective decision-making in complex organisations:
- selecting, interpreting, evaluating and presenting data
- identifying and using relevant information in constructing an argument
- appreciating different ways to conceptualise and address a question
- seeing different sides in a debate while being able to reason in favour of one
- thinking coherently about both abstract and practical matters.
You’ll also sharpen your writing and IT skills. All these attributes are greatly sought after in the world beyond study, whether you’re already working, volunteering or changing career.
Careers and Employability Services have more information on how OU study can improve your employability.
Modules
For this 360-credit honours degree you require:
60 credits from the following optional modules:
Level 1 optional modules |
Credits |
Next start |
- Investigating psychology 1 (DE100)
|
60 |
|
- The arts past and present (AA100)
|
60 |
|
Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued modules A103, AZX103, DD100, DD101, DD121, DD122, DD131, DD132, DSE141
And 180 credits from the following compulsory modules:
Level 2 compulsory modules |
Credits |
Next start |
- Exploring philosophy (A222)
|
60 |
|
- Living psychology: from the everyday to the extraordinary (DD210)
|
60 |
|
Level 3 compulsory module |
Credits |
Next start |
- Key questions in philosophy (A333)
|
60 |
|
Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, at Level 2 the discontinued modules A211 instead of A222, and either DSE202 or DSE212 instead of DD210, and at Level 3 the discontinued module AA308.
And 60 credits from the following optional modules:
Level 3 optional modules |
Credits |
Next start |
- Counselling and forensic psychology: critical perspectives on self and others (DD310)
|
60 |
|
- Advancing social psychology (DD317)
|
60 |
|
Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued modules D307, D309, D317, DD303, DD307
And a maximum of 60 credits of free choice from any OU modules to bring your total number of credits to 360. Within the total, you must ensure that you have at least the required minimum number of credits at each level and no more than 30 from Openings modules or the discontinued Short module Science starts here (S154).
Other modules that we particularly recommend to make up the credits for your degree are Living political ideas (DD306) or any of the modules mentioned above.
Learning outcomes
The learning outcomes of this qualification are described in four areas:
- Knowledge and understanding
- Cognitive skills
- Practical and professional skills
- Key skills
Read more detailed information about the learning outcomes, and how they are acquired through teaching, learning and assessment methods.
Credit for previous study elsewhere
If you have already completed some successful study at higher education level at another institution we may be able to give you credit for this study that you can count towards this Open University qualification. You can find out more on our Credit Transfer site. If you make a successful claim for transferred credit it may affect your choice of modules so you are advised to investigate this option as soon as possible.
Classification of your degree
On successful completion of the required number and type of modules you will be awarded a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Philosophy and Psychological Studies degree.
Your honours degree will be classified as first-class honours, upper second-class honours, lower second-class honours or third-class honours. The class of degree is determined by the best grades you achieve in A222 (or A211), DD210 (DSE212 or DSE202), A333 (or AA308) and the best grades you achieve in either DD303 (or D309) or DD307 (or D317 or D307).
You will have the opportunity to attend a degree ceremony.
Regulations
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the qualification-specific regulations below and the academic regulations that are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.
How to register
If you want to study for this qualification, read the description and check you meet any specific requirements (for example, some of
our qualifications, require you to be working in a particular environment, or be sponsored by your employer). Then select the
module you wish to study first and ensure it is suitable for you before following the registration procedure for that module.
During the registration procedure you will be asked to declare which qualification you are studying towards.
See a full list of modules available for this qualification