Psychology and Economics

Psychology and economics address two fundamental questions about human life: how do people think, feel, and behave, and how do they make decisions about resources in conditions of uncertainty and constraint? Studied together, these disciplines illuminate each other in genuinely productive ways. Classical economics long assumed rational actors, but decades of psychological research have shown that human decision-making is shaped by cognitive biases, emotion, social context, and bounded rationality.

The resulting field of behavioural economics has transformed how governments, businesses, and policymakers understand and influence behaviour, making this combination both intellectually compelling and practically relevant.

At the University of Strathclyde, you will study both disciplines with real depth. In psychology, you will examine the conditions that shape human behaviour, including how people learn, remember, and coordinate their actions with others, as well as what drives individual differences in personality and intelligence. You will engage with experimental methods and learn to evaluate evidence critically.

In economics, you will develop a grounding in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and quantitative analysis, applying economic frameworks to the kinds of behavioural questions your psychology studies raise. The intersection of the two subjects offers rich territory for understanding consumer behaviour, financial decision-making, public health policy, negotiation, and many other applied domains.

The programme runs over four years and includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to study at a partner institution in another country. This experience broadens your academic and cultural perspective and develops the independence and adaptability that employers value.

Graduates from psychology and economics programmes are well placed for careers across a wide range of sectors. Many enter finance, banking, and consulting, where understanding behaviour and making sense of data are both critical. Others move into public policy, behavioural insights roles in government, market research, human resources, and organisational development.

Clinical and counselling psychology is an option for those who complete further training. Postgraduate study in economics, behavioural science, psychology, or business provides routes to more specialised roles in academia, policy, and applied research.