Start studying the basics of psychology online, anytime.
If you’re interested in studying psychology at university but don’t have the grades you need, this course is here for you.
This flexible online Access course is designed to help you:
- access undergraduate psychology degrees at the University of Aberdeen
- develop your understanding of psychology to Advanced Higher level
- get an introduction to the subject and to different areas of psychology.
Start anytime
You’ll then have 12 months to complete the course at your own pace.
24/7 learning
Set your own hours and study when it suits you.
Progress to university
Improve your grades to qualify for undergraduate degree entry at the University of Aberdeen.
What you’ll study
In this course, you’ll study the five key areas of psychology outlined by the British Psychological Society.
You’ll also learn about psychological research and how psychologists carry this out.
You’ll cover the following five modules:
- An introduction to academic and psychological research methods
- Cognitive psychology and individual differences
- Social and developmental psychology
- Research methods
- Biological psychology and critical thinking.
Content advice guidance: This course may include the discussion of mental health issues. The classroom will be made a space to engage sensitively with this content in an academic context. Confidential and impartial support is also available from the Student Advice and Support Office.
By the end of this online psychology course, you’ll be able to...
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Demonstrate an understanding of key psychological concepts and theories.
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Demonstrate an understanding of the different methodological approaches that can be used in psychology.
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Demonstrate an understanding of how to plan and design psychological research studies to answer a research question.
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Apply key concepts and scientific knowledge to new situations, to interpret and analyse information.
Choose the University of Aberdeen for online psychology courses
Psychology pioneers
Join the first UK university to establish a lectureship in psychology. We’ve been teaching psychology for over 100 years.
Earn as you learn
We fit around full-time work, so you can build qualifications while you keep earning a salary.
Over 525 years of excellence
Study with the fifth-oldest university in the English-speaking world, founded in 1495.
How you’ll study
Online learning
This is an online, self-guided course that you can work through at your own pace.
Once you’ve enrolled, you then have 12 months to complete the course.
You’ll work your way through five course units, each guiding you through structured exercises to develop and consolidate your learning.
Online tutor sessions
You’ll have additional support through online drop-in sessions with the course coordinator that you can attend throughout your studies.
Online learning platform
Teaching is delivered through MyAberdeen, our online Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).
It holds all the materials, tools and support you’ll need in your studies. Take a look around MyAberdeen.
You can access your learning materials on computer, smartphone and laptop, 24 hours a day. You’ll find a range of resources available, including:
- video lectures to stream or download
- drop-in online tutor sessions
- slide shows
- reading materials
- discussion boards with your tutor and peers
- online access to our award-winning Sir Duncan Rice Library.
Your lecturers
This course is delivered by our School of Psychology.
You’ll learn from an internationally experienced team of psychologists who conduct academic research into different areas of psychology.
In this self-guided course, you set your own study hours.
The learning resources are there for you 24/7, all year round, so you can log in and study anytime.
How many hours per week?
- Learning and assessment for this course totals approximately 150 hours.
- That’s around 10 – 15 hours per week over 12 weeks.
- This is an indicative guide to the time required for a typical student at this level to achieve the learning outcomes.
This course is assessed online.
The course features five sections. At the end of each section, you’ll complete a series of corresponding online multiple-choice questions.
These multiple-choice question sections are your assessments. Each assessment section:
- is marked online automatically
- is worth 20% of your overall final grade.
You’ll receive your grade for each individual assessment immediately in MyAberdeen.
You’ll then receive your final overall grade once your assessment performance has been reviewed by examiners.
Once you’ve completed all the individual assessments, your overall performance will be assessed and you’ll be given a final grade.
When you’ll receive your final grade
Final grades are not issued automatically.
We determine final grades at five fixed points each year, called exit points.
You’ll receive your final grade two weeks after your exit point closes.
How exit points work
- We have fixed exit points so that your assessments can be reviewed by both internal and external examiners.
- Once you complete all assessments, your final grade will be determined at the next upcoming exit point.
- We position exit points throughout the year to line up with university and college admission dates.
Exit points for academic year 2025/2026:
See our timeline below to see when exit points close and when results will be available.
Exit point 3 - January
- Exit point closes 10am, 16 January 2026
- Assessments submitted between the closure of exit point 2 and the closure of exit point 3 are graded
- Final grades are available 2 February 2026
Exit point 4 - May
- Exit point closes 10am, 8 May 2026
- Assessments submitted between the closure of exit point 3 and the closure of exit point 4 are graded
- Final grades are available 25 May 2026
Exit point 5 - July
- Exit point closes 10am, 3 July 2026
- Assessments submitted between the closure of exit point 4 and the closure of exit point 5 are graded
- Final grades are available 20 July 2026
Exit points for academic year 2026/2027:
Exit point 1 - September
- Exit point closes 10am, 4 September 2026
- Assessments submitted to us before this exit point closure are graded
- Final grades for assessments submitted in this exit point are available 21 September 2026
Exit point 2 - October
- Exit point closes 10am, 30 October 2026
- Assessments submitted between the closure of exit point 1 and the closure of exit point 2 are graded
- Final grades for assessments submitted in this exit point are available 16 November 2026
Exit point 3 - January
- Exit point closes 10am, 15 January 2027
- Assessments submitted between the closure of exit point 2 and the closure of exit point 3 are graded
- Final grades for assessments submitted in this exit point are available 1 February 2027
Exit point 4 - May
- Exit point closes 10am, 7 May 2027
- Assessments submitted between the closure of exit point 3 and the closure of exit point 4 are graded
- Final grades for assessments submitted in this exit point are available 24 May 2027
Exit point 5 - July
- Exit point closes 10am, 2 July 2027
- Assessments submitted between the closure of exit point 4 and the closure of exit point 5 are graded
- Final grades for assessments submitted in this exit point are available 19 July 2027
How you’ll receive your final grade
- You’ll receive a grade according to our Common Grading Scale.
- You’ll receive your grades online.
Resitting assessments
If you fail an assessment, you are allowed one resubmission attempt for the next available exit point. There is a £30 fee to resit an assessment.
Our first-class support structure will ensure that you aren’t alone in your studies. You’ll have contact with your tutors via MyAberdeen and email. You can use social media and discussion boards to chat with your fellow students too.
We provide a wide range of services to support you in your studies and beyond:
- Careers and Employability Service
- Disability support
- IT support
- Library support
- Student Support Service – help with finances, wellbeing and non-academic issues
- Student Learning Service – study support, with advice sessions available
- Aberdeen University Students’ Association (AUSA) – run by students for students
- Toolkit – clever apps and free training that can make your study life easier
Wherever you are in the world, you’ll feel part of our very special Aberdeen learning community.
Your course coordinator
Dr Ewan Bottomley
Ewan is a Social Psychologist and a Teaching Fellow in our School of Psychology.
He is interested in how we can create positive learning environments for learners from a variety of different backgrounds.
View Ewan’s profileWhere this will take you
Study psychology at the University of Aberdeen
This Access Course in Psychology is designed to lift your knowledge and grades so you can meet the entry requirements for our undergraduate degrees in psychology.
With successful completion of assessments, you’ll receive an Advanced Higher-equivalent-level qualification in psychology from the University of Aberdeen.
This Access qualification is accepted for entry at the University of Aberdeen.
- If you’re applying to study anywhere else, please contact the respective university to confirm the acceptability of this course and the grades required.
Your Access qualification
On successful completion of the course and assessments, you’ll receive:
- 15 credits at SCQF Level 7 (Advanced Higher-equivalent level), and
- a transcript of your achievement from the University of Aberdeen.
What are Access qualifications?
This Access qualification is not an Advanced Higher. It is at an equivalent level to an Advanced Higher.
Access qualifications are awarded by the University of Aberdeen, not the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).
They are not SQA qualifications, but they are:
- equivalent to SQA qualifications
- designed in accordance with and credit rated by the Scottish Credit Qualifications Framework
- accepted for entry to the University of Aberdeen.
What’s it like to study an online Access course?
Meet Malcolm. He studied one of our online Access maths courses to get the grades he needed for teacher training.
Entry requirements
You will need access to:
A computer (PC, laptop or Mac) with an up-to-date operating system
Most teaching materials are smartphone- and tablet-friendly. But we recommend a proper laptop or desktop for completing assignments comfortably.
Reliable internet access
We recommend:
- a wired connection
- a minimum download speed of 2 Mbps so you can take part fully in live sessions.
Speakers or headphones
- We recommend a headset with built-in microphone and earphones if you’re likely to study in an environment with background noise.
- A webcam is optional, but you may like to use one for some interactive sessions.
Software
We’ll give you access to Office365 applications. This means you can use online versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneDrive and install these programs on up to five personal devices.
If your course requires specialist software, we’ll provide you with access to this and a licence that lasts throughout your studies.
See our detailed IT requirements for more information.
When you study with us, you can expect a first-class support structure that means you are never alone in your studies.
But learning online does mean that you have to motivate yourself and manage your own time.
This course is very much self-guided.
- Have you ever taken a course that involved a high proportion of self-study?
- If yes, did you enjoy self-study as a way of learning?
Self-study isn’t for everyone. If you have any concerns or queries, get in touch with our friendly team. We’re here to help.
Staff discount
University of Aberdeen staff are entitled to a discount on this course. View full details and eligibility criteria.
No other discounts are available.
How to pay
- Your course fee needs to be paid in full before you start your course.
- You enrol and pay for your course online – simply apply below.
- We accept payment via Visa Debit, Visa Credit and Mastercard.
Fees for this course will rise a little at the start of each academic year, on 1 August. This increase is typically 3%.
Resitting assessments
There is a £30 fee to resit your assessments.
Learning resources
Access to all the books and resources you need are included in your tuition fee. They’ll be made available to you online and you do not have to buy your own copies.
Printing
You may wish to set aside a small budget for printing, depending on how you like to work.
This course has no formal entry requirements. You decide if it’s suitable for you.
The course is designed to lift your learning in psychology to SCQF Level 7 (Advanced Higher level). It’s ideally suited to those who have:
- a pass or better at SCQF Level 5 (National 5 level) in English and maths.
National 5 is equivalent to a credit pass at Standard Grade or a good pass at O-Grade. See the guide to SCQF levels.
