Psychology at Oxford

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Psychology at Oxford is taught as part of two schools, Experimental Psychology and Philosophy & Psychology, although admissions are conducted jointly, and the first two terms of both courses are identical.

The Psychology department at Oxford is on South Parks Road, housed in the same building as Zoology department.

Programme Specification: B.A. Hons in Experimental Psychology

1. Awarding insitution/body - University of Oxford
2. Teaching Insitution - University of Oxford
3. Programme accredited by - British Psychological Society
4. Final award - B.A. (Hons)
5. Programme - Experimental Psychology
6. UCAS code - C830
7. Relevant subject benchmark statement - Psychology
8. Date of Programme specification - June 2002 (Revised April 2005)

(Experimental Psychology Programme Specification, published by the University of Oxford)

Experimental Psychology: Course Overview

Experimental Psychology: Course Structure

Preliminary Examinations

Three courses are taken:

• Introduction to Psychology (28 lectures)
  • Developmental Psychology and Individual Differences
  • Sensory Processes and Perception
  • Introduction to Psychobiology
  • Introduction to Cognitive Psychology
• Introduction to Neurophysiology (26 lectures)
• Introduction to Probability Theory and Statistics (16 lectures)

Preliminary Examinations are taken at the end of Hilary term in your first academic year (the end of the second term), and consist of three three-hour long examinations (one exam per course).
Students must also gain 40 "Research Participation Scheme" credits by participating in experiments that are being run in the department, in order to pass the first year.

Final Honour School Part I

Students studying Experimental Psychology will take all eight Core Options and complete all eight Core Practicals

Core Options (2009 entry onwards):

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Behavioural Neuroscience
• Personality, Individual Differences and Psychological Disorders
• Perception
• Memory, Attention and Information Processing
• Language and Cognition
• Developmental Psychology
• Social Psychology

Research Methods and Experimental Design:

• Experimental Design and Statistics (16 lectures)
• Core Practical Course (8 practical write-ups; 2 classes for each write-up)

Final Honour School Part 1 exams are taken at the end of Hilary Term in your second year, and contributes to 40% of your total degree mark. All Core Practical Write-ups must be completed and handed in by this time as they count towards the examination mark, and students will sit __ exams (__ in Psychology and 1 in Experimental Design and Statistics).

Final Honour School Part II

• Research Project (6000 words)

AND

• Four Block Practicals (3000 words each)

AND

• Three Advanced Options

OR

• Two Advanced Options and a Library Dissertation (8000 words)

Final Honour School Part 2 exams make up 60% of your total degree mark. Each Advanced Option, Research Project and Dissertation contributes 15% towards the total mark. Research Projects and Library Dissertations are due in at the end of Hilary Term (noon on the Friday of 8th Week, and noon on the Friday of 9th week respectively), and 3-hour long examinations are taken at the end of Trinity Term for each Advanced Option. Four block practicals must also be completed by the end of Hilary Term in your final year in order to pass the year.

Experimental Psychology: Admissions

Entry Requirements

GCSEs

• Oxford expect applicants to have A* grades in at least 4 of the following subjects: English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Languages, Religious Studies, Psychology, Geography and History. They should also have A/A* in GCSE Maths.

A-Levels

• Applicants should be predicted, or have gained, 3 As at A2 level (excluding General Studies)
• People studying EP at Oxford have a range of different subjects at A Level, and there are no required subjects. (It is not necessary to have studied A level psychology.)
• However, they do strongly recommend that you take at least one of the science subjects (Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Psychology) and/or Mathematics to full A level.
• If you are taking more than 3 A levels, your offer may specify subjects.

International Baccalaureate

• At least 38 points (including bonus points), with 6s and 7s in subjects offered at the Higher Level.

For other qualification requirements, look at the Undergraduate Entry Requirements section of the Oxford website.

Admissions Test

Oxford now requires students to sit a pre-interview test in the month after they have completed their UCAS application (November):
Notice about the test (You must register for this test in early October, see link for more information.)

More information about the "Oxford Thinking Skills Assessment" can be found here:
Oxford Thinking Skills Assessment at Cambridge Assessments

Links

• Experimental Psychology admissions

• PPP admissions

• The Oxford University Psychology department website