Program Overview

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Psychology, MA

Introduction

Are you interested in what makes people tick? Do you want to understand why people do the things they do? If you are fascinated by people's behaviour this programme is for you.

Study Information

At a Glance

• Learning Mode: On Campus Learning
• Degree Qualification: MA
• Duration: 48 months
• Study Mode: Full Time
• Start Month: September
• UCAS Code: C802
• Pathway Programme Available: Undergraduate Foundation Programme

As the study of mental processes and behaviour, Psychology is interested in what makes people tick, why they do the things they do and what happens when it goes wrong?

Psychology covers a wide range of theoretical and applied disciplines; in our degree you will study how we think, perceive, develop, and change. Importantly you will also learn how to “do” psychology and will receive rigorous training in the methods that are used to study human behaviour and the mind.

Our psychology department provides a supportive and stimulating environment for undergraduate students. All of our degrees are accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) guaranteeing an internationally recognised high standard of education.

Psychologists can work in clinical and organisational settings. You may support children and families, adults towards improved mental health, winning and endurance in sports, profiling, or counselling, HR, and behavioural roles. We are all intrigued by self-awareness, why we behave as we do.

The Different Degrees

Psychology at Aberdeen is offered as a BSc or a MA degree. The Psychology element of either programme is exactly the same and they are both equally valued as Psychology degrees. MA students have typically done arts and humanities subjects at school. In the first 2 years within the MA you will be able to take any arts course (e.g., sociology, philosophy, languages) and any science courses that you have the pre-requisites for (many of the science courses require you to have e.g., biology at higher/A-Level). BSc students typically have school qualifications in science subjects and do subjects like maths, biology and chemistry alongside psychology in the first 2 years.

What You'll Study

There is a British Psychological Society (BPS) accredited Honours degree and a Designated degree in Psychology. Entry to honours occurs at the end of second year, and is based on academic performance.

Year 1

• Compulsory Courses:
  • Introductory Psychology I: Concepts and Theory (PS1009)
  • Introductory Psychology I: Methods and Applications (PS1011)
  • Introductory Psychology II: Concepts and Theory (PS1509)
  • Introductory Psychology II: Methods and Applications (PS1511)
  • Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen (PD1002)

Year 2

• Compulsory Courses:
  • Advanced Psychology A - Concepts and Theory (PS2017)
  • Advanced Psychology 1 - Methods and Applications (PS2018)
  • Advanced Psychology B - Concepts and Theory (PS2517)
  • Advanced Psychology 2 - Methods and Applications (PS2518)

Year 3

• Compulsory Courses:
  • Methodology A (PS3015)
  • Psychological Assessment (PS3011)
  • Perception (PS3012)
  • Biological Psychology (PS3014)
  • Methodology B (PS3522)
  • Social Psychology (PS3520)
  • Developmental Psychology (PS3518)
  • Memory and Language (PS3519)

Year 4

• Compulsory Courses:
  • Psychology Thesis (PS4019)

How You'll Study

The School of Psychology provides an exciting and vibrant research-led learning environment for students. We combine traditional teaching methods with innovative techniques to deliver an enhanced undergraduate experience.

Teaching

• Award-winning lectures and seminars with flexible course choice choices in fourth year that allow you to focus your degree on your speciality, e.g. Forensic Psychology, Organisational Psychology, Advanced Topics in Language;
• Practicals, experimental research projects, tutorials, and debate workshops that let you apply your knowledge;
• Independent reading and online quizzes.

Assessment

• Essays, project reports, examinations via essays and multiple choice questions;
• Presentations, posters, blogs, wikis, and peer-assessment.

Support

• An active psychology society running educational and social events that bring staff and students together;
• Peer-assisted learning where you get help from other students who have already completed the courses you are taking;
• Facebook support groups that allow you to get to know your fellow students, ask questions, and have informal discussions with both staff and students.

Learning Methods

• Group Projects
• Individual Projects
• Lectures
• Research
• Tutorials

Assessment Methods

Students are assessed by any combination of three assessment methods:

• Coursework such as essays and reports completed throughout the course;
• Practical assessments of the skills and competencies learnt on the course; and
• Written examinations at the end of each course.

The exact mix of these methods differs between subject areas, year of study and individual courses.

Honours projects are typically assessed on the basis of a written dissertation.

Why Study Psychology?

• You will be introduced to state-of-the-art concepts and theories taught by award-winning teachers and world-class researchers, exposing you to the latest thinking in the field.
• You will benefit from the key strengths within the School of social psychology, neuroscience, language, perception and industrial psychology.
• We have a wide range of course options available in 4th Year to allow you to specialise in areas such as clinical, forensic, language and developmental psychology.
• You will have the opportunity to gain experience using specialised laboratories and equipment including those for brain imaging analysis, eye movement recording, movement analysis and visual neuroscience.
• To help you get a job we have an employability programme for our students which includes: internship opportunities, online resources, career talks and networking events.
• Psychology graduates are eligible for membership of the British Psychological Society, this is a first step towards becoming a professional Psychologist.
• In the final year students have the opportunity to do a unique research project to a professional level. A number of final year projects have gone on to be published in internationally renowned journals.

Entry Requirements

Qualifications

• SQA Highers:
  • Standard: AABB
  • Minimum: BBB
  • Adjusted: BB
• A LEVELS:
  • Standard: BBB
  • Minimum: BBC
  • Adjusted: CCC
• International Baccalaureate: 32 points, including 5, 5, 5 at HL.
• Irish Leaving Certificate: 5H with 3 at H2 AND 2 at H3.

English Language Requirements

• IELTS Academic: OVERALL - 6.0 with: Listening - 5.5; Reading - 5.5; Speaking - 5.5; Writing - 6.0
• TOEFL iBT: OVERALL - 78 with: Listening - 17; Reading - 18; Speaking - 20; Writing - 21
• PTE Academic: OVERALL - 59 with: Listening - 59; Reading - 59; Speaking - 59; Writing - 59
• Cambridge English B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency: OVERALL - 169 with: Listening - 162; Reading - 162; Speaking - 162; Writing - 169

Fees and Funding

• England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Republic of Ireland: £9,535
• EU / International students: £20,800
• Self-funded international students commencing eligible undergraduate programmes in 2025/26 will receive a £6,000 tuition waiver for every year of their programme
• Home Students: £1,820

Careers

The School of Psychology at Aberdeen has an employability programme that provides support throughout your degree and beyond, helping to ensure our graduates get those all-important jobs and post-graduate study opportunities. Perhaps the most important aspect of this is our internship programme:

• Internships: A range of Psychology-specific internships are available to fourth year students, including placements with Forensic, Clinical and Educational Psychologists. These internships provide vital experience that will ensure you stand out to future employers.

Our employability programme also includes the following:

• Career talks: Find out more about the range of career options available and learn from the experience of past graduates and chartered Psychologists.
• Employability officer: A member of academic staff who can be contacted directly for career advice and help in locating and successfully applying for relevant work and volunteer experience.
• Networking event: Connect with more than 80 employers and chartered Psychologists at our annual networking event.
• Online materials: A dedicated range of materials including: career paths of former graduates, answers to frequently asked questions, links to relevant work and volunteering experience.
• Lectures from professional Psychologists: You will have the opportunity to attend lectures provided by a range of chartered Psychologists.

Accreditation

• British Psychological Society

Our Experts

The School of Psychology provides an exciting and vibrant research environment. Our degrees are taught by a range of experts across our 3 research themes: Cognition, Perception and Attention and Social Cognition.

• Director of Undergraduate Teaching: Dr Helen Knight

World Class Facilities

There is a range of specialised laboratories including those for brain imaging analysis, eye movement recording, movement analysis and visual neuroscience.

• Psychophysiology Centre: This facility consists of several spacious rooms that house electroencephalographic (EEG) equipment and sound-attenuated, shielded testing booths.
• Eye Tracking Facilities: The School of Psychology has four in-house eye trackers. The Eyelink 1000 system allows the recording of eye gaze at a sampling rate of 1000 Hz.
• Sir Duncan Rice Library: The University’s award winning Sir Duncan Rice Library is listed in the “Top 20 spellbinding University libraries in the World”. It contains over a million volumes, more than 300,000 e-books and 21,000 journals.