“I chose to study Psychology out of curiosity about how people think and behave. What I particularly like about the degree is that, as they say – you don’t read, you do Psychology. In addition to excellent lectures and seminars, I have had the opportunity to participate in various experiments. It has been an invaluable and very enriching experience for me to learn both theoretical and practical aspects of Psychology – both necessary for my future career after I graduate.”


Davis (Carnikava, Latvia)


However the course is not just about listening to other people’s ideas. It is also about learning to do research yourself. There is a strong emphasis on practical classes and on learning research techniques right from the start. In the final year you have the opportunity to carry out your own research project on a topic of your choice under the individual supervision of a staff member – all of whom are active researchers, many at the forefront of their field. Their research has made significant contributions to the development of Psychology as an academic discipline, and has delivered tangible benefits to society, such as the development of a computer programme to assist in the care of patients with Alzheimer’s disease.


Summary of Course Content Whether you are entering the Faculty of Arts or the Faculty of Science there are First-level modules which give a general introduction to Psychology. A pass can lead on to the Second-level modules in which topics from the First level are built on and expanded in greater depth, combined with an introduction to new areas of Psychology. By the end of the second year everyone will have the grounding for the more advanced Honours Psychology programmes, regardless of entry route. Honours entry is dependent on performance in the second year.


First Level (1st year) MA and BSc Four lectures and a two-hour practical per week. These cover an introduction to the problems and methods of Psychology including instruction in diverse areas such as the Biological Bases of Behaviour, Cognition, Development, Social Behaviour and Individual Differences in Behaviour. They also provide a methodology programme which integrates the practical classes with instruction in research design and statistics.


Second Level (usually 2nd year) MA and BSc Four lectures and a three-hour practical per week, plus small group tutorials. These provide a more developed treatment of the problems and methods of Psychology, covering such topics as Social Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Physiological Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience and Perception. The methodology programme also continues through the Second year.


Honours (3rd and 4th years) Lecture hours vary, with an increasing emphasis on library and project research. At Junior Honours level, modules provide an advanced grounding in the core areas of psychology, including Perception, Cognition, Brain and Behaviour, Social Psychology, and Evolutionary and Developmental Psychology. There is also an advanced course in Research Design and Analysis and a supervised literature review on a topic of your choice. In the Senior Honours year, you choose from a wide range of specialist modules, on topics such as Behavioural Neuroscience, Social Psychology, Comparative Cognition, Cognitive Psychology or the Psychology of Music. You also write a dissertation and undertake a research project in an area of your choice.


Teaching The course is taught using a wide variety of methods, including traditional lectures, seminars, practicals, tutorials and individual supervision. At Honours level much of the teaching is in small groups and there is a considerable amount of one-on-one contact with staff. There is a general emphasis on active learning, with students having the opportunity to ask questions, participate in discussions and debate issues.


Professional Exemptions and Accreditation The Single Honours degree and the “With” degrees are recognised by the British Psychological Society as conferring the basis for graduate registration. That is, they are a qualification for undertaking training in various areas of professional psychology including clinical psychology and educational psychology. It should be noted that both the BSc and the MA degree are acceptable qualifications for all postgraduate courses in psychology including clinical psychology. Subject to taking the necessary Honours components, Joint Honours degrees may in some cases also be recognised by the BPS. This is typically not possible for degrees that are joint with Theological Studies, Economics, History, International Relations, Management, Modern Languages and Social Anthropology.


Careers There are a number of professions directly linked to a psychology degree such as Clinical Psychology, Educational Psychology, Industrial Psychology and Forensic Psychology. Psychology is also associated with jobs in the welfare area and in personnel. More generally, a good Honours degree in Psychology can give direct entry into management training and Civil Service posts. Recent graduates have secured positions in the Health Service, Speech Therapy, the Civil Service, management and banking.


Please see page 42 for details of the University’s Careers Centre.


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“One marked feature o that life was the sociality o the students at St Andrews, and the good feeling and fiendship that prevailed amongst all. Everyone knew the oher.”


David Cameron – at St Andrews 1869-1874


Psychology


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