Foundation Year in Psychology

Get ready for a full-time psychology degree with our foundation year. You'll learn about key aspects of psychology and study in state-of-the-art computer laboratories

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Viewing course details for 2025-26 year of entry

How to apply
Attendance
Full-time
Start
September 2025
Fees
£5,760 (FY) | £9,535* (UK) | £16,600 (INT)
Duration
1 year full-time + 3 years full-time
Course Leader
Lucy Irving and Neelam Ghuman
Study mode
On campus
Location
Hendon campus
Entry Requirements
56-64 UCAS points
School / Department
Psychology
Course overview

The Foundation Year in Psychology is offered as an entry route to a psychology degree for students who don't yet meet the entry requirements for degree-level study.

Why choose a Foundation Year in Psychology at Middlesex?

This course is a stepping-stone course into one of our three-year courses in Psychology.

A foundation year might be a good choice for you if you don't have the right qualifications or feel ready for degree-level study. Or perhaps you are returning to study and want to get up to speed before starting a degree.

You will need to enrol on a four-year course, which includes the one-year foundation course. When you complete this year successfully you will progress directly onto one of our three-year degree courses.

We offer:

What will you gain?

The opportunity to move on to a full three-year degree in psychology or another related subject.

You'll gain lots of transferable skills which are useful for whatever your future goals are. These include how to manage your workload, critical thinking, negotiating deadlines, general study, literature searching, and research skills.

Accreditations

Our course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), so you’ll gain a Graduate Basis of membership when you finish your degree providing that you gain a 2:2 award or above. An essential step for qualifying as a psychologist, our course also equips you with a professional skillset that opens up career doors in areas including health, education, forensics, coaching and business.

3 great reasons to pick this course

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British Psychological Society (BPS) accredited

All Psychology courses at Middlesex are BPS accredited, giving you the opportunity for eventual chartership in Psychology

apartment

Leverage specialist facilities and equipment

In our Psychology Department, you’ll be using a variety of state-of-the-art facilities and specialist equipment for both online and offline teaching, learning and research

groups

Excellent employment prospects

The versatility of the skills picked up in a Psychology degree could lead to careers as counsellors, social workers, teachers and academics or pursue careers in areas such as law, business management or education

About your course

About your course

You will study two modules per semester, which means you have the chance to examine topics in-depth.​ The modules you'll study in your foundation year cover introductory psychology and research, plus academic skills and mathematics. In the first year you'll study statistics, research methods and ethics, psychology in context, and build upon your academic skills. The second year will develop skills already learned, as well as focusing on social, personality and developmental psychology. Year three is when you'll do your dissertation project, as well as selecting some option modules. In years 1-3 your choice of modules will depend on the programme you have chosen. In years 1-3 your choice of modules will depend on the programme you have chosen.

You will be introduced to selected topics from social psychology, cognition and individual differences. In each of these areas, you will be introduced to contemporary theory and research, and will also have an opportunity to get hands-on experience of the techniques used to investigate these topics.

This module provides the fundamental written and oral communication skills required to continue studying at degree level. You will develop analytical skills through a problem solving approach, build your confidence working individually and as a member of a team, and gain appreciation of research techniques by using libraries and a range of e-learning resources.

This module introduces some fundamental mathematical topics and concepts that are required in a range of subjects studied at degree level. In a structured and supportive environment, you will begin to develop an appreciation of the importance of mathematics as an aid to understand and describe abstract ideas.

This module provides relevant experience in a range of subject-related projects that reinforce understanding of topics taught, and provides opportunities to apply the knowledge gained in other modules. 

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Teaching and learning

Teaching

The foundation year will engage you in all aspects of your learning. You'll gain knowledge, understanding and skills through interactive lectures, interactive activities, guided research, individual projects, and lab classes. You'll receive formative feedback electronically as well as in practical sessions and summative feedback is provided electronically. You'll be taught by an experienced teaching team with a wide range of expertise and professional experience. You will need to complete 120 credits per year, which are broken down into modules of typically 30 credits. You will do two modules per semester.

Typical weekly breakdown 

During your first year, your weekly timetable will typically consist of: 

  • A total of 12 hours of teaching sessions per week 

Outside of teaching hours, you’ll learn independently through self-study.  This will involve reading journal articles and books, working on reports and assessments, undertaking research, and preparing for assessments including coursework. 

Here is a guide as to how you will spend your time.

Year 1

Percentage Hours Typical activity
23% 276 Teaching, learning and assessment
77% 924 Independent learning

Our excellent teaching and support teams will help you develop your skills from research and practical skills to critical thinking and you will have an academic advisor who will support you as you progress through your degree course.  Our Sheppard Library is open from 7am to 11pm Monday to Sunday during term time. And we offer free 24-hour laptop loans with full desktop software, free printing and Wi-Fi to use on or off campus.

Assessments

This course is based on 100% coursework.

Your knowledge and understanding will be assessed by individual written assignments and group presentations. We'll assess your understanding and progress with formative assignments.

Assessments are reviewed annually and may be updated based on student feedback or feedback from an external examiner.

To help you achieve the best results, we will provide regular feedback.

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Facilities and support

Facilities and support

Our Sheppard Library has over 1000 study areas with and 600 computer spaces, with some areas open 24 hours a day

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Make the most of our free laptop loans, e-books, printing and photocopying

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Our librarians, academic advisers and IT specialists offer personalised support to help you

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We have one of London's biggest university campuses with everything you need in one place.

Our facilities

Student support

We offer lots of support to help you while you're studying including financial advice, wellbeing, mental health, and disability support.

Additional needs

We'll support you if you have additional needs such as sensory impairment or dyslexia. And if you want to find out whether Middlesex is the right place for you before you apply, get in touch with our Disability and Dyslexia team.

Wellness

Our specialist teams will support your mental health. We have free individual counselling sessions, workshops, support groups and useful guides.

Work while you study

Our Middlesex Unitemps branch will help you find work that fits around uni and your other commitments. We have hundreds of student jobs on campus that pay the London Living Wage and above. Visit the Middlesex Unitemps page.

Financial support

You can apply for scholarships and bursaries and our MDX Student Starter Kit to help with up to £1,000 of goods, including a new laptop or iPad.

We have also reduced the costs of studying with free laptop loans, free learning resources and discounts to save money on everyday things. Check out our guide to student life on a budget.

Entry requirements

At Middlesex, we're proud of how we recognise the potential of future students like you. We make fair and aspirational offers because we want you to aim high, and we’ll support you all the way.

Qualifications

56-64 UCAS Points
including GCSE: Grade 4/C in English, Mathematics and Science

We accept students with a wide range of qualifications, including combinations of qualifications. Our most common entry qualifications can be found below:

  • A Levels - DEE/CD - DDE/CC
  • BTEC - MPP
  • Access requirements - Overall pass: must include 45 credits at level 3
  • Combinations -  A combination of A-Level, BTEC and other accepted qualifications that total 56 -64 UCAS Tariff points

Our entry requirements page outlines how we make offers where we have given a range (e.g. BBB – BBC in A levels), and how we’ll make you an offer if you are studying a combination of qualifications (e.g. BTEC and A level).

We'll accept T Levels for entry onto our undergraduate degree courses (including our extended courses with a foundation year) with standard application of science requirements and GCSEs in line with UCAS tariff calculation.

Mature students (over 21)

We welcome applications from mature candidates, including those without formal qualifications, provided you can demonstrate relevant experience and ability.

Academic credit

If you have a qualification such as a foundation degree or HND or have gained credit at another university, you may be able to enter a Middlesex University course in year two or three. Find out how you can transfer courses. If you have relevant qualifications or work experience, we may be able to count this towards your entry requirements.

Interviews

You won't be required to attend an interview for this course.

We welcome students from the UK and all over the world. Join students from over 122 countries and discover why so many international students call our campus home:

  • Quality teaching with top facilities plus flexible online learning
  • Welcoming north London campus that's only 30 minutes from central London
  • Work placements and networking with top London employers
  • Award-winning career support to get you where you want to go after university.

Qualifications

We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the accepted qualifications on your country's support page. If you are unsure of the suitability of your qualifications or would like help with your application, please contact your nearest international office.

English language

You will need to meet our English language requirements. And, don’t worry If you don't meet our minimum English language requirements, as we offer a Pre-sessional English course.

Visas

To study with us in the UK, you might need a Student visa. Please check to see if this applies to you.

You must apply to one of the four-year degree courses listed below. Please apply for these courses through UCAS.

Fees and funding

Fees and funding

The fees below are for the 2025/26 academic year.

UK students1

Foundation Year (FY): £5,760

Full-time: £9,535*

Part-time: £79 per taught credit

*Depending on the duration of your study, your tuition fees for subsequent academic years may be subject to further inflationary increases (most recently, the UK government has suggested that increases may be linked to the All-Items Retail Prices Index – RPIX) in line with any additional rise in the tuition fee cap set by the UK government. Any annual increase in tuition fees will be notified to students at the earliest opportunity in advance of the academic year to which any applicable inflationary rise may apply.

As a part of our commitment to an excellent student offer at Middlesex University, we pledge to invest the additional money from tuition fee increases into the student experience, and we are consulting at present on what these improvements will be and will follow up with further details

International students2

Full-time students: £16,600

Part-time students: £138 per taught credit

Additional costs

The following study tools are included in your fees:

  • Free laptop loans for a maximum of 24 hours
  • Free access to everything on your reading list
  • Free specialist software for your course
  • Free printing for academic paperwork
  • Free online training with LinkedIn Learning
  • Audio-visual equipment available for loan, including digital stills cameras, digital video recorders, digital audio recorders

The only additional cost students may incur is for additional texts they may wish to buy.

Scholarships and bursaries

To help make uni affordable, we do everything we can to support you including our:

  • MDX Excellence Scholarship offers grants of up to £2,000 per year for UK students
  • Regional or International Merit Awards which reward International students with up to £2,000 towards course fees
  • Our MDX Student Starter Kit to help with up to £1,000 of goods, including a new laptop or iPad.

Find out more about undergraduate funding and all of our scholarships and bursaries.

Fees disclaimers

1. UK fees: The university reserves the right to increase undergraduate tuition fees in line with changes to legislation, regulation and any government guidance or decisions. The tuition fees for part-time UK study are subject to annual review and we reserve the right to increase the fees each academic year by no more than the level of inflation.

Based on the current fee, for a typical three-year degree, the total costs for your studies will be £28,605.

2. International fees: Tuition fees are subject to annual review and we reserve the right to increase the fees each academic year by no more than the level of inflation.

Any annual increase in tuition fees as provided for above will be notified to students at the earliest opportunity in advance of the academic year to which any applicable inflationary rise may apply.

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We’ll carefully manage any future changes to courses, or the support and other services available to you, if these are necessary because of things like changes to government health and safety advice, or any changes to the law.

Any decisions will be taken in line with both external advice and the University’s Regulations which include information on this.

Our priority will always be to maintain academic standards and quality so that your learning outcomes are not affected by any adjustments that we may have to make.

At all times we’ll aim to keep you well informed of how we may need to respond to changing circumstances, and about support that we’ll provide to you.

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Studying psychology at Middlesex video thumbnail

I am Dr. Jonathan Silas and I'm a senior lecturer at Middlesex University in the psychology department. We have research laboratories that are dedicated to running experimental psychology work, facilities for developmental psychology, non -invasive brain stimulation.

We can actually not just measure brain states, we can change the way that the brain is working using these specialised techniques. We run dissertation projects every year and one year we took a group of students and we got a residency at the Science Museum in London.

Being in the museum with the students when it's closed at the beginning so you get to kind of wander around a little bit, also just engaging the public in science and psychology was really exciting. You get to know every single one of the students and it's like group work all the time so you're switching partners on and on again and again so you know every single person you're familiar with them,

you become friends with them, you know their stories, you support each other so that was the most favourite part for me. We were one of the first departments to have an academic employability officer.

Within the first year in the first time we begin to get them thinking about what their trajectory is out of the degree. We offer a sandwich year where students can take a year out fee free and go on a placement and develop in -work employability skills.

We also have a in -year placement option as well. As soon as you leave here you're ready to go into further education or ready to step into the workplace. What I found special about Middlesex University is the course that they offered which is psychology and counselling skills.

I think having a basis in psychology is super helpful if you want to go down a more clinical route but the counselling skills aspect of it is really nice for somebody like myself who wants to go down the psychotherapist route because it kind of gives you a bit of an opening into therapeutic approaches, counselling, different ways that you can help other people.

So many students come to study psychology because they have a vested interest, something that they feel about themselves or their life or the peoples in their life that they feel they want to know more about.

So psychology is just so fascinating because that's what the students are bringing part of themselves to the table and that's what makes it exciting.

Studying psychology at Middlesex