Psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour, asking how people perceive the world, how they think and remember, how they develop across the lifespan, how they interact with others, and what goes wrong when psychological processes are disrupted. It is a discipline that combines the rigour of experimental science with the depth of engagement with human experience that draws many students to the social sciences and humanities. Studying psychology at degree level means developing both theoretical understanding and the research skills to test that understanding against evidence.
At Heriot-Watt University, this four-year full-time programme is accredited by the British Psychological Society, which is a requirement for anyone wishing to pursue a career as a professional psychologist in the UK. The accreditation ensures that the programme covers the core areas of the discipline at the depth required for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership, which is the first step towards registration as a practitioner psychologist. You will study cognitive, developmental, social, and biological psychology, as well as research methods and statistics, which are central to the discipline's scientific identity.
The programme includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to study psychology in a different academic and cultural environment, deepening your comparative perspective and broadening your intellectual horizons. A typical entry tariff of 168 points reflects the programme's academic demands.
Heriot-Watt's international character and its campuses in Edinburgh, Dubai, and Malaysia give the programme a distinctive global dimension that enriches teaching and peer interaction.
Graduates of accredited psychology programmes are eligible to proceed to postgraduate training in clinical, educational, occupational, or forensic psychology. Many also go into research, human resources, marketing, health services, social work, and a wide range of roles where psychological understanding is professionally valuable.