Neuroscience with Psychology

Neuroscience and psychology together address some of the most fundamental and fascinating questions about what it means to be a thinking, feeling, social being. Neuroscience examines the biological substrate of mind and behaviour, from the molecular mechanisms of synaptic transmission and the organisation of brain regions to the neural correlates of perception, memory, emotion and decision-making. Psychology approaches the same phenomena from the level of behaviour and experience, developing rigorous experimental and analytical methods to understand how people think, learn, interact and develop across the lifespan.

Together they form one of the most intellectually exciting areas of contemporary science.

At the University of Keele, this three-year full-time programme is accredited by the Royal Society of Biology and develops your understanding of neuroanatomy and neurophysiology in depth alongside the psychology of social interaction, cognition and development. You will build both theoretical knowledge and practical laboratory skills, carrying out experiments and analysing data in ways that reflect the methods of working researchers in both fields. A placement year gives you direct professional experience in a relevant research or clinical context, a year abroad extends your academic and personal formation, and work placement opportunities are integrated throughout.

Graduates of neuroscience and psychology programmes move into careers across research, healthcare and a growing range of other sectors. Research roles in academic neuroscience and psychology, clinical work in neuropsychology and mental health, and roles in the pharmaceutical and neurotechnology industries are all natural destinations. The British Psychological Society accreditation of the psychology component provides the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership, which is the first step towards professional registration as a psychologist.

Many graduates pursue postgraduate training in clinical, neuropsychological or forensic psychology, or research degrees in neuroscience, where the combined scientific formation of the undergraduate degree provides a particularly strong foundation.