Skip to main content

Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin

Trinity Menu Trinity Search



Single Honor Psychology

Students following the single honor programme study Psychology almost exclusively for four years. The single honor degree confers eligibility for Graduate Membership of the Psychological Society of Ireland and the British Psychological Society.

Apply

Note: Psychology is no longer offered as part of the TSM programme: TSM Psychology. From September 2019, Psychology will only be offered as a single honors degree at undergraduate level. TSM refers to the Two Subject Moderatorship programme in TCD which is a joint honors programme. Psychology could be combined with one other subject within the TSM programme. Both subjects were normally studied for three years with one subject studied in the fourth year. An honors degree was awarded in both subjects.

Is this course for me?

The School of Psychology aims to offer a knowledge base and a set of skills that not only equip students for the many careers that exist in psychology, but also prepare students intellectually for other careers. Psychology is a branch of science that demands clear, rigorous thinking, numeracy and the ability to define, study and solve problems in complex, changing settings. It is also an applied science that deals with how people act and behave in the real world and provides support for people in their social life and work, for example, through clinical and counselling interventions. If you are interested in the factors influencing human thinking, feeling and behaviour you will enjoy this course.

See more details on the main courses website

Lisa Gannon
Final year single honor Psychology student from Roscommon

As a psychology student I have gained fascinating insights into the enigmatic human mind and the peculiarities of human behaviour. The diverse and comprehensive range of modules offered in psychology as well as the vast array of helpful resources made available by the department have equipped me with a rich theoretical understanding of the human psyche and an aptitude for critical thought. I hope to use the knowledge and skill I have gained through studying psychology to make a positive and valuable contribution to society. Psychology has not only prepared me for my future career, it has prepared me for life.

Course Structure

The course is designed to develop a wide knowledge of the concepts, principles, theories and research methods of contemporary psychology; to develop skills of analysis and synthesis, research design, statistical description and evaluation, problem-solving and computer use; to provide practice in the design, execution, reporting and assessment of research and to develop competence in group work, communication and presentation skills and self-assessment. This preparation is designed to cultivate a high level of competence in scholarship and research, enabling the successful graduate to proceed directly to advanced postgraduate work, professional training or a productive career.

During the lecture term, single honour students spend approximately 10-12 hours per week receiving tuition such as lectures, tutorials, seminars and laboratory practicals.

Please note that modules are subject to change and specific offerings may change from one year to the next.

Year 1: Junior Freshman

  • PSU11005 Academic Skills Tutorial 1
  • PSU11010 Research Skills and Methodology 1
  • PSU12070 Perception
  • PSU12130 Cognition and the Brain
  • PSU12140 Foundations of Psychology
  • PSU11011 Statistics and Methodology 1
  • PSU12060 Social Psychology
  • PSU12120 Introduction to the Psychology of Language
  • PSU12300 Personality and Individual Differences

Year 2: Senior Freshman

  • PSU22011 Statistics & Methodology II
  • PSU12070 Perception
  • PSU12130 Cognition and the Brain
  • PSU22013 Research Skills & Methodology II
  • PSU12060 Social Psychology
  • PSU12120 Introduction to the Psychology of Language
  • PSU12300 Personality and Individual Differences

An additional 20 ECTS must be comprised of non-psychology Trinity Elective /Open modules

Year 3: Junior Sophister

  • PSU33018/9 Group Project A&B
  • PSU33013 Practicals, Methodology & Statistics III

Students choose six of the following modules (Module availability may vary from year to year):-

  • PSU34800 Morality and Moral Development
  • PSU34170 Health Psychology
  • PSU34550 The Theory and Application of Behaviour Analysis
  • PSU34560 Human Factors and Organisational Factors
  • PSU34590 Neurological Rehabilitation
  • PPSU34610 Making Sense of Action
  • PSU34710 Case Studies in Neuropsychology
  • PPSU34790 The Psychology of the Climate Crisis
  • PSU34080 Clinical Psychology and People with Intellectual Disabilities
  • PSU34120 Advanced Psychology of Language
  • PSU34180 Perceptual Neuroscience
  • PSU34330 Qualitative Research Methods
  • PSU34430 Development of Perception Throughout the Lifespan
  • PSU34670 Child Health and Wellbeing
  • PSU34680 Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology
  • PSU34770 Traffic Psychology
  • PSU34780 Debates in Developmental Psychology
  • PSU34760 The Psychology and Neuroscience of Spontaneous Thought

Year 4: Senior Sophister

  • PSU44003 Theoretical Issues
  • PSU44014/PS44009 Final Year Project/ Advanced Academic Skills

Students choose five of the following modules (Module availability may vary from year to year):-

  • PSU34800 Morality and Moral Development
  • PSU34170 Health Psychology
  • PSU34550 The Theory and Application of Behaviour Analysis
  • PSU34560 Human Factors and Organisational Factors
  • PSU34590 Neurological Rehabilitation
  • PSU34610 Making Sense of Action
  • PSU34710 Case Studies in Neuropsychology
  • PSU34790 The Psychology of the Climate Crisis
  • PSU44009 Advanced Academic Skills
  • PSU34080 Clinical Psychology and People with Intellectual Disabilities
  • PSU34120 Advanced Psychology of Language
  • PSU34180 Perceptual Neuroscience
  • PSU34330 Qualitative Research Methods
  • PSU34430 Development of Perception Throughout the Lifespan
  • PSU34670 Child Health and Wellbeing
  • PSU34680 Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology
  • PSU34770 Traffic Psychology
  • PSU34780 Debates in Developmental Psychology
  • PSU34760 The Psychology and Neuroscience of Spontaneous Thought

Student Handbook

Please see the student handbook for more information on the course. Student handbooks are subject to review each year in line with college policy.

Study Abroad Opportunities

Second and third-year undergraduates are eligible to apply to study for one or more semesters (usually a whole academic year) in certain other European psychology schools, with travel, and, where appropriate, some subsistence funding provided by the EU Erasmus fund. There are no basic course charges to be paid abroad. Assessment is carried out in the host (i.e., international) institution and is accepted by Trinity as if students were examined here. The School of Psychology has bilateral agreements with several European universities, including the University of Helsinki, Freie Universität Berlin, Erasmus University Rotterdam, & Université Paris V.

Click here for more information about our EU Erasmus Exchange Programme

Mature Students

General Information

All mature student undergraduate applicants must complete an online application form at the Central Application Office – www.cao.ie. The CAO has a mature student information page here http://www.cao.ie/index.php?page=mature. The deadline is the 1st of February each year. Late applications are not accepted.

To be considered a mature student applicant you must be:

  • 23 years of age or older,
  • an undergraduate applicant,
  • an EU applicant.

A TCD FAQ on this can be found here - https://www.tcd.ie/maturestudents/faq/

All mature students applying to TCD must complete a CAO application AND a separate TCD mature student application form.

Please find the correct course form through the link at this page - https://www.tcd.ie/maturestudents/apply/

TCD has a dedicated Mature Student Officer, Clodagh Byrne who can be contacted via email at: mature.student.officer@tcd.ie. Mature student information webpages can be found here - https://www.tcd.ie/maturestudents/

Full details on the application process can be found at the above website link. You will also find support information, important dates and profiles of some mature students at TCD. It is recommended that you read through as much information as possible before completing your application.

School of Psychology: Mature Student Selection Process

The School of Psychology invites all mature students who have successfully applied to study Psychology to attend TCD Psychology aptitude tests. The tests take place approximately 4-6 weeks after the CAO closing date. The TCD Admissions Office will contact all applicants and inform them of the date, time and venue for these tests. The tests are usually held at a TCD venue on a Saturday morning.

Aptitude Tests

There are two aptitude tests:

  • A general test of academic aptitude, and
  • A test of specific academic aptitude for Psychology
  • Each test lasts under one hour and is in multiple-choice format.

You will be given a short break in-between each test. Since these are tests of aptitude, there is no special preparation that you can do in advance. There are no samples or practice tests.

There is no pass or fail mark on these tests. The test scores are used as a basis for short-listing candidates for interview. There are generally many more applicants than we can interview, let alone offer a place, so not getting an offer of an interview should not be taken as meaning you do not have the academic aptitude required – simply that enough others scored higher.

Interview

Interviews for short-listed candidates usually take place 2-3 weeks after the tests. The Admissions Office will contact candidates confirming the time, date and venue for this.

Interviews are usually held at the School of Psychology offices on a weekday. Unfortunately, we cannot hold interviews outside of normal working hours.

Two members of the School of Psychology academic staff will interview each candidate individually for approximately 20 minutes. The candidate’s background, knowledge, reading and interest in psychology will be discussed.

Candidates are scored out of 20 in the interview.

Place Offer

The names of those who score highest are sent to the Admissions Office. The Admissions Office will make offers of places directly to the successful candidates over the following months. Those who have not been successful will also be informed by the Admissions Office at this stage.

The TCD Mature Student Guidelines booklet 2020 can be downloaded here.