Psychology

Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behaviour, drawing on biology, neuroscience, philosophy, and the social sciences to investigate how people think, feel, learn, develop, and interact. It is a discipline with broad intellectual scope and direct relevance to health, work, education, and everyday life.

At Edinburgh Napier University this four-year full-time programme leads to an honours degree in psychology. You will cover the core areas of the discipline, including cognitive psychology, biological psychology, developmental psychology, social psychology, and research methods, all of which form the foundation of a psychology education. The programme includes a year abroad, which places you in a different academic environment and cultural context, broadening your intellectual horizons and developing the adaptability and cross-cultural awareness that many employers value highly.

Research methods and statistical analysis are woven throughout the degree, training you to think carefully about evidence, evaluate studies critically, and conduct your own investigations.

Edinburgh is an outstanding city in which to study, with a strong cultural life, a large student population, and good connections to Scottish and UK employers. Napier's focus on applied learning means the degree is connected to real professional contexts as well as to academic rigour.

Graduates of psychology are employed across a very wide range of sectors. Those who want to practise as psychologists typically need postgraduate training, whether in clinical, educational, occupational, or forensic psychology, but the degree itself opens many doors. Human resources, marketing, health services, social care, education, user experience research, law, and business all employ graduates whose understanding of human behaviour is a practical professional asset.

Many also continue to postgraduate study in psychology or related disciplines.