Bradford praised by British Psychological Society with renewed accreditation

Accreditation by the professional body of psychologists in the UK is an important hallmark of quality, awarded to institutions that meet rigorous criteria and acknowledged by employers in the sector. 

It also gives students the edge in their careers as it enables them to become graduate members of the Society, demonstrating the depth and breadth of their knowledge. 

Bradford’s efforts in widening participation, in particular engaging with students from the local community and forming community partnerships, and its “supportive and collaborative” learning environment were hailed by Society assessors. 

Dr Paul Sullivan, Head of Department of Psychology, said: "As a Department, we are very proud to secure ongoing accreditation from the British Psychological Society and delighted with their commendations on the excellence of our offer for psychology students. 

"With a teaching team of internationally renowned researchers and with world-leading research, a culture of curiosity and inclusivity within our student journey is the lifeblood of our mission to develop the next generation of psychologists and push forward the frontiers of psychological knowledge."

Pictured above: Dr Paul Sullivan 

Professor Peter Mitchell, Head of School for Social Sciences at the University of Bradford, said: "The British Psychological Society is respected around the world as an esteemed organisation that has worked for well over a century to maintain the highest professional and academic standards in Psychology. A team of specialists commissioned by BPS conducted a rigorous review of our teaching programmes earlier in the year and not only conferred accreditation but also awarded commendations of excellence, notably in the support we give to our students. We are extremely proud on receiving this significant recognition."

The five courses with accreditation are: BSc Psychology, BSc Psychology with Counselling, BSc Psychology and Criminology, MSc Psychology and PG Diploma Psychology. 

As part of the accreditation process, a visiting team spoke to students, who praised the quality and diversity of teaching sessions, “impeccable” lecture materials and “friendliness, responsiveness and approachability of the team.”

Support of mature students was also acknowledged, along with the University’s commitment to removing barriers to higher education for underrepresented groups. 

The review team noted the "student focus, commitment and cohesion of the programme team."

Pictured above: Professor Peter Mitchell

The report stated: "The programme team makes good efforts in conducting outreach and widening participation activities. In particular, the way in which they engage with students from the local community as well as forming community partnerships is commendable. The programme team creates a very supportive and collaborative learning environment for students and this enhances their learning journey."

In terms of community work, the report particularly highlighted the university’s recent partnership with Pain Association Scotland, which supports people in the community living with chronic pain by offering self-management guidance, which students are able to observe. It also praised the school’s Future Psychologist Mini-Series which promotes psychology to school pupils via weekly presentations as well as “experience days,” which, it noted, "give potential students an insight into what it would be like to study psychology at the University of Bradford and demonstrate to them that it is an accessible environment."

Accreditation is given for six years, with the next review set for 2029/2030.