Business Psychology* - BA (Hons)

On our BA (Hons) Business Psychology you will: 

• gain a solid foundation in a broad range of the principles of business management, including marketing, human resource management, finance, economics, digital business, strategy, law, and data management;  
• learn how the interplay of the study of psychology and business management can help you to understand how individuals and groups behave in work environment, and how to act on that knowledge; 
• explore how knowledge of psychology and human behaviour impacts organisational performance by enhancing communication, leadership, motivation and an understanding of consumer behaviour 
• benefit from the opportunity to carry out research in an area of your choice in your final year via the Honours Dissertation/Project, collecting and analysing data, and applying the knowledge you have gained throughout your course to address a real-world problem;  
• gain practical insights from academics with industry experience and external guest speakers; and 
• build the real-world skills that employers value. 

Structure

All students enrol onto the honours degree, but you can choose to exit after three years with an ordinary degree. 

Teaching, learning and assessment

You will be taught in lectures, seminars and practical workshops. Outside these formally timetabled sessions you will be expected to continue learning through self-study. You will be assessed by a range of methods such as written exams, reports, poster presentations, live pitch, group presentations and negotiation role play. If you are keen to set up your own business in the future, then there is the opportunity to prepare for this in your third year of study.  Expert advice and guidance is available to help you with planning your business – all designed to give you the skills to succeed. 

You will have the support of Academic Development (AD) throughout your course to enable you to confidently manage the purely academic challenges of your study, and address the diverse technical requirements of your assignments. AD involves the teaching of practical skills designed to support you carrying out academic research and presenting your work in the appropriate format required by your assessments. AD includes teaching in areas such as structuring essays, report writing, literature searching and referencing and citation. 

Teaching staff, class sizes and timetables

You can read more about the teaching staff on this course at the bottom of this page. Please note that teaching staff is subject to change.

For more information, please also visit ‘How we teach and how you’ll learn’.

Year One  

You will: 

• develop a foundational understanding of key areas of business management, including marketing, finance and accounting, digital business and data management; and 
• be introduced to psychology and its application to organisations; 

Modules 

• Marketing and Consumer Behaviour: You will learn about the role of marketing in a rapidly evolving business/organisational environment and examine the management of consumer markets and customer expectations. 
• Digital Business and Innovation: This module prepares you for digital business challenges with fundamental digital skills and an understanding of technology for different businesses. You will learn to use fundamental techniques fostering the creation of ideas leading to innovation in organisations in the private, public and third sectors. 
• Foundations of Psychology: You will be introduced to the foundational questions, concepts and practices in Psychology. Based around the central questions of “What is the mind (and how does it work)?” and “Why do people behave the way they do?”, the module will focus on historical and contemporary approaches and key philosophical, practical and methodological concepts. 
• Introduction to Finance and Accounting: You will be provided with a foundation in finance and accounting that will form a basis for developing the skills required to make constructive comments and decisions based on financial information. 
• Data Management: You will learn to comfortably explore and manage data from a variety of databases; using Microsoft Excel, students will learn how information can be utilised to present practical insights for decision makers. 
• Psychology in Practice: You will be introduced to the diverse professional contexts in which psychologists operate. You will gain an understanding of the fundamental principles of human behaviour through an examination of core psychological areas and will be introduced to the ethical standards required in psychological practice.  

Year Two   

You will: 

• explore concepts linked to sustainability, ethics and social justice to gain an understanding of ethical, responsible and sustainable approaches to managing businesses and organisations;  
• learn how organisations manage and optimise their people, how the law affects businesses and the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion; and 
• gain an understanding of how people learn, develop and the influences on their personality and behaviour.  

Modules 

• Human Resource Management: You will learn how organisational performance is impacted by contemporary HRM philosophy and practice. 
• Business Law: You will gain a practical, applied understanding of key legal concepts relevant to business.  
• Individual Differences, Wellbeing and Ethical Practice: You will learn about individual differences and well-being and the ethics of assessment methods and systemic bias. 
• Ethics, Social Justice and Sustainability: You will gain an overall understanding, in a national and global context, of the principal concepts and theories linked to sustainability, social justice and ethics relevant to organisations.  
• Developmental and Social Psychology: You will explore key areas of developmental and social psychology 
• Biological and Cognitive Psychology: You will gain an understanding of the biological bases of behaviour and cognitive processes as well as the ability to critically evaluate research and methodologies in these areas.  

Year Three  

You will: 

• learn how organisations assess and develop their staff and the impact of culture and genetics on human development:  
• gain an understanding of research methods and business statistics; and 
• have the opportunity to consider how to plan and fund your own business. 

Modules 

• Cognitive Psychology: You will have a practical opportunity to explore and apply key concepts and methods underpinning the attempts of psychologists to explain human cognitive function. 
• Selection, Assessment and Career Coaching: You will learn about the tools and techniques used to recruit, select, coach and assess potential and existing employees throughout the employee life-cycle. 
• Business Statistics: You will develop knowledge and ability to summarise and evaluate quantitative information using statistical software and apply these skills to real problems, to build a foundation for analysing business problems from a quantitative perspective.  
• Research Methods (online): This module provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the research process, and the practical skills of critical reading, data collection and analysis. 
• New Enterprise Start-up: You will identify, research, critically evaluate, design and defend a new enterprise start-up within the context of a fundraising scenario. 
• Psychobiology in Context: You will explore biological theories of behaviour and psychopathology by considering genetics, evolution, neuroscience, individual differences and culture. 

Year Four  

You will: 

• deepen your understanding, and awareness, of contemporary issues and challenges facing organisations at a strategic level; 
• complete an independent piece of research in an area of your choice in the form of a dissertation or a consultancy project; and  
• develop a range of practical skills necessary for management roles such as hard and soft leadership skills alongside negotiation, collaboration, conflict resolution and change management skills. 

Modules 

• Strategy: You will develop an appreciation of the nature and value of strategy, and how organisations both create strategy and make strategy work in a dynamic and changing environment.  
• Negotiation Theory and Practice: You will learn what negotiation is, what to expect from people when negiotating and will develop the practical skills needed for negotiations in a variety of contexts such as private relationships, employment, crisis situations and business.  
• Marketing Strategy and Digital Planning: You will gain an understanding of theoretical and practical aspects of digital marketing strategy.  
• *The Human Factor:  You will learn about how our minds work, and how we feel and behave interacts with the engineered and technological world.  
• Organisational Behaviour: You will engage with and evaluate essential aspects of organisations and organisational behaviour. The module will explore important contemporary issues of organisational life across a range of organisational contexts.  
• Leading and Managing Change (elective module): You will develop a critical awareness of change and the skills and behaviours necessary to lead strategic change and other change initiatives in organisations.   
• Honours Dissertation or Honours Consultancy Project: If you choose to do the Honours Dissertation, you will develop, plan and undertake an independent piece of investigative primary research related to the degree course. If you choose the Honours Consultancy Project, you will plan, execute, evaluate and reflect upon a business project, completed for a business or other organisation. 

NB The modules listed here are indicative of those likely to be offered but may differ slightly following full validation of the course in December 2025.  Please check back here for any updates.  

Graduates of this course will have excellent employment prospects across a variety of fields in the public, private and third sectors. The degree is particularly relevant to those seeking high-demand careers such as human resource management and marketing and associated professions. Suitable future roles would include human resource advisers, human resource business partners, organisational development consultants and marketing managers. 

Many graduates also choose to pursue postgraduate study, whether it be with us here at QMU or elsewhere. Our MSc International Management and Leadership and MSc International Marketing courses are very attractive to graduates who want to further their studies. 

Entry requirements

Scottish Higher: Standard - BBBB, Minimum - BCCC 

A Level: BCC 

Irish Leaving Certificate: H2 H3 H3 H3 

International Baccalaureate: 28 points 

International: IELTS of 6.0 with no element lower than 5.5 

T-Level: Management and Administration Full T-Level Passing Grade A*- C 

Required subjects: English Required and Maths preferred at Nat 5/GCSE at grade C or above. We can also accept National 5 Application of Maths or Life skills at the same grade

Mature/Access: We welcome applications from mature students with other relevant qualifications and/or experience. 

For more information on related HNC and HND courses, visit our College Leavers and Mature Students Advice page.

Direct Entry:

Year Two

• HNC in a related subject with B in the graded unit - TBC

Year Three

• Not available

For details of related HNC and HND courses, visit our College Leavers and Mature Students Advice page.

Am I a Widening Access student?: We apply the minimum entry criteria to applicants who meet one or more contextual factor. To see if this would apply to you, please refer to the access and application page.

Disability/health conditions

If you have a disability, long-term physical or mental health condition, or learning disability, it should not stand in the way of your studying at QMU. However, if you are not sure whether your disability might be a barrier in your studies or in relation to the professional standards, please contact the Disability Service who will be able to have a conversation with you about reasonable adjustments and supports available to you.

Fee information

Fees: Please follow the link in the 'Course Overview' box for information on fees for 2026 entry.

Special note on RUK and ROI fees: Students from England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland, who are subject to Rest of UK fees will be charged for the first three years of study only. The fourth year is free. 

Other costs: The additional costs associated with placement travel and accommodation are the responsibility of the student. Students who receive SAAS funding may be able to claim for some of these expenses to be reimbursed.

Application information

How to apply: Application for this course should be made through UCAS. More application information is available in the 'Start your Application' box at the top right of this page.

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• The delivery of this course is subject to the terms and conditions set out in our 2026/27 Entry Terms and Conditions (Undergraduate).
• The course information on this page is correct at the time of posting (Feb 2025) but may differ slightly for 2026 entry following full validation. Please check back here for updates.