British Psychological Society accreditation | News

February 2025

University receives British Psychological Society degree accreditation

By Melanie Hall

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Psychology degrees at University College Birmingham have received the official seal of approval from the leading professional association in the field.

The University has been accredited by the esteemed British Psychological Society (BPS), meaning the University has met the very highest quality standards in education and training in this subject area.

Crucially, it means students who graduate with a BPS-accredited undergraduate degree or postgraduate conversion course are eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the society.

Professor Gill Brown, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of the School of Health, Life Sciences and Education at University College Birmingham - who has worked with everyone from youth offending teams to mental health inpatient and community services - said: "Having BPS accreditation is the gold standard in psychology.

"It is an important hallmark of quality that is extensively acknowledged by employers in the field and is the vital stepping stone for students looking to become a chartered psychologist after graduation.

Professor Gill Brown - Executive Dean School of Psychology

Professor Gill Brown, Executive Dean (School of Health, Life Sciences and Education)

"Ensuring our students have a route to BPS membership is an integral part of their development and the opportunity for them to influence and have a voice in this field, both in the UK and internationally."

University College Birmingham's psychology courses were introduced last September while awaiting official accreditation from the BPS.

Receiving BPS accreditation will come as welcome news for the 2024-25 intake, as well as students looking to enrol in September.

The courses are wide-ranging and enable students to drill down into specific areas of interest. As well as Psychology BSc (Hons), the University offers Psychology with Health BSc (Hons), Psychology with Sport and Exercise BSc (Hons) and Psychology with Education BSc (Hons).

And if you have completed a psychology undergraduate degree without BPS accreditation elsewhere, you can apply for the University's Psychology (Conversion) MSc postgraduate course to gain the crucial BPS accreditation to become a chartered psychologist.

Find out more about our courses and what makes them stand out in our Department of Psychology.