3-Term Pathway - International Foundation Year in Life Sciences - Continue to Bachelor of Arts - Psychology and French Studies

This program will prepare students to enter Year 1 of an undergraduate degree program at Lancaster University, which ranks 2nd in the UK for graduate prospects in biomedical sciences (The Guardian University Guide 2024).

The scientific study of how humans think and behave, and a working knowledge of French language and culture, combined with a fantastic experience overseas, will prepare students for a rewarding career in the UK and abroad.

Through this programme, students will develop a detailed understanding of psychology, while gaining the skills and knowledge to engage with the discipline in preparation for a placement year overseas in a French speaking country. During the four years, students will be able to draw on expertise from two specialist departments: Languages and Cultures; and Psychology. This degree is accredited by the British Psychological Society and provides the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership with the Society.

Students will learn and develop a solid grasp of French language and culture, while studying the main themes of modern psychology:

• Brain and Behaviour: how neural disorders such as Alzheimer’s Disease affect behaviour
• Cognitive Psychology: reactions to colours, smells, speech and music
• Developmental Psychology: the ways in which infants perceive space, patterns, objects and events
• Social Psychology: how our thoughts, emotions and behaviours are shaped by the presence of others

Students will learn from passionate academics, all of whom are active researchers and world leaders in their field, which allows students to benefit from their insight, expertise and cutting-edge research.

Alongside their academic study, students will have the opportunity to gain voluntary work experience through the Psychology Employability Programme, allowing them to develop invaluable skills for either a career in psychology or a graduate programme. Students can choose between working part-time in the community with charities and organisations that support vulnerable people, or working alongside staff in the Psychology Department on their ground-breaking research projects. Crucially, every placement will provide students with experience and skills that are valuable to both psychology careers and more general graduate level occupations, strengthening their CV and enhancing their employability for life after graduation.

Voluntary work can be an enlightening and rewarding experience, enabling students to make a difference to the lives of others, while having the opportunity to try something new, which may lead students to change or confirm their career plans and is recommended by the BPS.