Neuroscience with Psychology

Neuroscience with psychology is a combination that brings together two disciplines with a shared object of study, the human mind, and complementary approaches to understanding it. Neuroscience is the biological science of the nervous system, asking how the brain's 100 billion neurons give rise to sensation, movement, memory, emotion, thought, and consciousness. Psychology is the scientific study of behaviour and mental processes, examining the same phenomena through different methods and with a wider focus that extends from individual cognition to social dynamics.

Studied together, they provide a uniquely integrated perspective on how we think, feel, and act.

At the University of Aberdeen this four-year full-time programme takes you through the biology of nerve cells and neural circuits alongside the major areas of psychological inquiry, including cognitive, developmental, social, and clinical psychology. You will develop laboratory skills in both neuroscientific and psychological research, learning to design experiments, collect and analyse data, and interpret results critically. Understanding the neural basis of conditions including depression, addiction, dementia, and schizophrenia is a central concern of the field, and the programme situates basic science alongside its clinical implications.

A year abroad is incorporated into the degree, broadening your academic and personal perspective through study at a partner institution.

Graduates from neuroscience with psychology programmes pursue careers in academic and clinical research, pharmaceutical development, clinical neuroscience, educational psychology, and mental health practice. Many continue to postgraduate study in neuroscience, psychology, medicine, or clinical science, for which the combined undergraduate foundation provides excellent preparation. Others move into science communication, research management, healthcare consultancy, and a range of roles in the life sciences industry.

The analytical skills and scientific rigour the degree develops are valued across many sectors beyond those directly related to neuroscience and psychology.