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  • Meteorology and Climate
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BA Art and Psychology

  • UCAS code
    CW81
  • A level offer
    ABB
  • Year of entry
    2024/25 See 2023/24 entry
  • Course duration
    Full Time:  4 Years
  • Year of entry
    2024/25 See 2023/24 entry
  • Course duration
    Full Time:  4 Years

With this BA Art and Psychology develop your practical skills and explore new and emerging art forms. Be stimulated by our internationally excellent staff, take part in wide variety of exhibitions and gain your first qualification towards training as a professional psychologist.

Explore how art and psychology feed into one another and discuss the therapeutic properties of creating art on this well-established course.

Join a lively community and explore a vast range of media, experiment with emerging art forms, and develop as an artist. Modules in Contemporary Art Theory and the History of Art will complement your practical study. You will receive a dedicated studio space, accessible 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, and a studio tutor to help develop your individual and professional practice. The studios are a busy place with events, screenings, performances and exhibitions happening regularly.

Trips to museums and art galleries help prompt thoughts on how art is displayed and received. You will gain professional experience by taking part in your own exhibitions, public art commissions and events. Our teaching staff are all artists, curators and researchers of international standing and strongly encourage regular exhibitions and open debate.

The psychology element of this course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and enables you to move on to further training as a professional psychologist. Your first year will introduce you to the concepts required for BPS qualification, including cognition, neuroscience, development, personality and social psychology.

Throughout the course you will gain practical experience, and learn how to devise and run your own experiments. You will develop your knowledge by exploring areas of interest in greater depth. Modules are regularly revised and recent additions include autistic spectrum conditions, behavioural economics, nutritional psychology, and cognitive behavioural theory and therapy.

In your final year you will concentrate on your psychology dissertation and art degree show.

Both departments actively encourage placements and there is also the chance to experience life in another country. Throughout your degree you will receive advice and guidance in career development.

In the National Student Survey 2023, 92% of our students said that their knowledge and skills for the future were developed well or very well (91.67 % of respondents studying BA Art and Psychology).

Placement

All students are encouraged to undertake several placement opportunities in both art and psychology. Past students have enjoyed art internships at Studio Voltaire and the Frieze Art Fair. Others have performed at the ICA, taken part in an Arts Council-supported film project at the Museum of Rural Life and participated in an international exhibition at the Seoul Institute of Arts in South Korea.

Psychology students have undertaken placements at outside organisations such as charities, at one of our three in-house NHS clinics, and at the world-renowned Charlie Waller Institute for Evidence-Based Psychological Treatments. Alternatively, you can volunteer as a research assistant on a range of projects within the School.

There are also several opportunities – across all our undergraduate courses - for you to study abroad at an international university. Institutions include the Emily Carr University of Art & Design in Vancouver, Canada; Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA; Monash University, Australia; and National Taiwan University of the Arts in Tapei, Taiwan; as well as Art Universities in Dijon, France; Zurich, Switzerland; Budapest, Hungary; and Tampere, Finland.

For more information, please visit the Reading School of Art website.

Overview

With this BA Art and Psychology develop your practical skills and explore new and emerging art forms. Be stimulated by our internationally excellent staff, take part in wide variety of exhibitions and gain your first qualification towards training as a professional psychologist.

Explore how art and psychology feed into one another and discuss the therapeutic properties of creating art on this well-established course.

Join a lively community and explore a vast range of media, experiment with emerging art forms, and develop as an artist. Modules in Contemporary Art Theory and the History of Art will complement your practical study. You will receive a dedicated studio space, accessible 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, and a studio tutor to help develop your individual and professional practice. The studios are a busy place with events, screenings, performances and exhibitions happening regularly.

Trips to museums and art galleries help prompt thoughts on how art is displayed and received. You will gain professional experience by taking part in your own exhibitions, public art commissions and events. Our teaching staff are all artists, curators and researchers of international standing and strongly encourage regular exhibitions and open debate.

The psychology element of this course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and enables you to move on to further training as a professional psychologist. Your first year will introduce you to the concepts required for BPS qualification, including cognition, neuroscience, development, personality and social psychology.

Throughout the course you will gain practical experience, and learn how to devise and run your own experiments. You will develop your knowledge by exploring areas of interest in greater depth. Modules are regularly revised and recent additions include autistic spectrum conditions, behavioural economics, nutritional psychology, and cognitive behavioural theory and therapy.

In your final year you will concentrate on your psychology dissertation and art degree show.

Both departments actively encourage placements and there is also the chance to experience life in another country. Throughout your degree you will receive advice and guidance in career development.

In the National Student Survey 2023, 92% of our students said that their knowledge and skills for the future were developed well or very well (91.67 % of respondents studying BA Art and Psychology).

Placement

All students are encouraged to undertake several placement opportunities in both art and psychology. Past students have enjoyed art internships at Studio Voltaire and the Frieze Art Fair. Others have performed at the ICA, taken part in an Arts Council-supported film project at the Museum of Rural Life and participated in an international exhibition at the Seoul Institute of Arts in South Korea.

Psychology students have undertaken placements at outside organisations such as charities, at one of our three in-house NHS clinics, and at the world-renowned Charlie Waller Institute for Evidence-Based Psychological Treatments. Alternatively, you can volunteer as a research assistant on a range of projects within the School.

There are also several opportunities – across all our undergraduate courses - for you to study abroad at an international university. Institutions include the Emily Carr University of Art & Design in Vancouver, Canada; Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA; Monash University, Australia; and National Taiwan University of the Arts in Tapei, Taiwan; as well as Art Universities in Dijon, France; Zurich, Switzerland; Budapest, Hungary; and Tampere, Finland.

For more information, please visit the Reading School of Art website.

Entry requirements A Level ABB

Select Reading as your firm choice on UCAS and we'll guarantee you a place even if you don't quite meet your offer. For details, see our firm choice scheme.

Typical offer

ABB

All suitable applicants will be interviewed and will need to provide a portfolio of their work.

International Baccalaureate

32 points overall

GCSE

GSCE Science at grade C (4) required

Extended Project Qualification

In recognition of the excellent preparation that the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) provides to students for University study, we can now include achievement in the EPQ as part of a formal offer.

BTEC Extended Diploma

DDM

UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma

Merit

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5, with no component below 5.5

For information on other English language qualifications, please visit our international student pages.

Alternative entry requirements for International and EU students

For country specific entry requirements look at entry requirements by country.

Pre-sessional English language programme

If you need to improve your English language score you can take a pre-sessional English course prior to entry onto your degree.

  • Find out the English language requirements for our courses and our pre-sessional English programme

Structure

  • Year 1
  • Year 2
  • Year 3
  • Year 4

The following modules have been approved in principle for delivery in 2024/25. Please note that as part of our current curriculum improvement process, all modules require final University approval and may be subject to change.

Compulsory modules:

Art Studio

Art Studio 1 will introduce you to contemporary art and its global histories, models of practices and practical and professional skills. You will learn the codes of good practice, Health & Safety and sustainability in the studio while being given the opportunity to produce and present artworks that help develop your critically reflective and analytics skills. 

Learning about learning

The Person and the Brain

Introduction to Psychological Research

Debates in Mental Health 

The University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them. Further information about the content of final approved modules will be available between May and July 2023. We suggest that you regularly revisit this webpage during this time to ensure you have the most up-to-date information regarding the modules offered on this programme.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

The following modules have been approved in principle for delivery in 2024/25. Please note that as part of our current curriculum improvement process, all modules require final University approval and may be subject to change.

Compulsory modules:

Art Studio 2

Learn how to identify and investigate your own interests and concerns through practical engagement in the studio. You will develop your capacity for self-criticism through informed debate alongside your confidence and the ability to present exhibitions. 

Cognitive and Biological Psychology

Research Methods in Psychology

Social Psychology and Individual Differences

Optional modules:

History of Art 3

Explore different forms of art writing from criticism and visual analysis to interpretation to digital culture. You will consider how Art History shapes and is shaped as you develop your research and communication skills and reflect critically on the different purposes of art writing. 

International Study 

Embark on a supervised study visit to a major European art centre where you will encounter and experience contemporary art and art history first hand. You will visit major museums, galleries, and collections as you enhance your understanding of art history beyond an academic context. Recent visits have included Madrid, Berlin, Paris and Venice. 

The University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them. Further information about the content of final approved modules will be available between May and July 2023. We suggest that you regularly revisit this webpage during this time to ensure you have the most up-to-date information regarding the modules offered on this programme.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

The following modules have been approved in principle for delivery in 2024/25. Please note that as part of our current curriculum improvement process, all modules require final University approval and may be subject to change.

Compulsory modules:

Art Studio 2b

Learn how to identify and investigate your own interests and concerns through practical engagement in the studio. You will develop your capacity for self-criticism through informed debate alongside your confidence and the ability to present exhibitions. 

Development across the Lifespan

Situated Art Practice

Shape your understanding of the global and historical diversity of models in artistic. As you work, you will realise your active role as an artist in shaping and being shaped by the world as you effectively apply research methods to your material and present in an appropriate format.  

Optional modules:

Language and the Brain

Health Psychology

Science of Emotion

Early Lexical Development

Motivation and Performance in Organisations

The University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them. Further information about the content of final approved modules will be available between May and July 2023. We suggest that you regularly revisit this webpage during this time to ensure you have the most up-to-date information regarding the modules offered on this programme.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

The following modules have been approved in principle for delivery in 2024/25. Please note that as part of our current curriculum improvement process, all modules require final University approval and may be subject to change.

Compulsory modules:

  • Art Studio 3b
  • Project: for Art & Psychology

The University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them. Further information about the content of final approved modules will be available between May and July 2023. We suggest that you regularly revisit this webpage during this time to ensure you have the most up-to-date information regarding the modules offered on this programme.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Fees

New UK/Republic of Ireland students: £9,250

New international students: £27,650

UK/Republic of Ireland fee changes

UK/Republic of Ireland undergraduate tuition fees are regulated by the UK government. These fees are subject to parliamentary approval and any decision on raising the tuition fees cap for new UK students would require the formal approval of both Houses of Parliament before it becomes law.

EU student fees

With effect from 1 August 2021, new EU students will pay international tuition fees. For exceptions, please read the UK government’s guidance for EU students.

Additional costs

Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.

Financial support for your studies

You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.

Placement year fees

If you spend a full year on placement, you will only pay 15% of your usual tuition fee for that year. For more information, please see our fees and funding pages or contact placements@reading.ac.uk.

Careers

As well as the practical experience gained on this degree, our students graduate with a range of transferable skills, such as self-motivation, time management and strategic thinking, and the ability to think and analyse scientifically.

As a graduate of this course you will be qualified for further training as a professional psychologist. Our BSc Psychology is accredited by the British Psychological Society and provides you with the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership. You could go on to work for organisations such as the NHS, civil services, schools or charities.

97% of leavers are in work and/or study 15 months after the end of their course (Graduate Outcomes Survey 2018/19; First Degree responders from Art). Many of our graduates develop successful careers as artists, writers and curators. These include a number of famous alumni, such as Turner Prize-nominated artists, and PhD students who are award-winning artists and curators at influential museums.

Others have found employment in galleries, education, art therapy, and film and video production. Recent employers include Tate, Whitechapel Gallery, Christies, Microsoft, the BBC, Victoria & Albert Museum, and Manolo Blahnik.

Alternatively you can choose to further develop your skills by moving into research, teacher training or postgraduate studies.

BA Art & Psychology

BA Art and Psychology podcast


On this episode of the University of Reading's "Things I Wish I'd Known..." podcast, current student Sumaya talks about her experience of studying BA Art and Psychology.

Listen on Spotify

ONCAMPUS Reading


International students can enrol on the Undergraduate Foundation Programme (UFP) in Art and Design with a guaranteed opportunity for progression to Art, Design, Film and Theatre degrees at the University of Reading.

To find out more, please visit the ONCAMPUS Reading website.

Contextual offers


We make contextual offers for all our courses.

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  • Psychology

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