About the School of Psychology and Neuroscience

The School’s size promotes a friendly atmosphere and has a thriving community of research staff and postgraduate students who are supported by an enthusiastic team of administrative and technical staff. The School is proud of its links with the town and actively seeks ways to engage with local schools and organisations through its outreach activities.

The culture in the School encourages a crossflow of ideas while providing the depth and breadth necessary to pursue scientific programmes at an international level. It has active links with other Schools and Departments within the University, with other UK universities and with research institutions in other countries.

The School is fully committed to being an inclusive environment that supports equality of opportunity and fairness for all, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, disability or other personal circumstances, and the School currently holds an Athena SWAN Silver award in recognition of its actions to support gender equality.  Further information can be found on the School's equality, diversity and inclusion pages.

Research

The inclusive culture in the School encourages a crossflow of ideas while providing the depth and breadth necessary to pursue scientific programmes at an international level. The School has active links with other Schools and Departments within the University, with other UK universities and with research institutions throughout the world.

Further information on the School's research groups and centres can be found on the research pages.

Teaching

The School believes that good teaching and good research go hand-in-hand, and it takes pride in the research-based culture of teaching. The School has an international reputation for the quality of its teaching. The Guardian University Guide 2024 has the School listed first for both Psychology and Neuroscience (under Anatomy and Physiology).

The breadth of psychology and neuroscience taught in the School is a notable strength, with significant opportunities to be exposed to a range of techniques applied to understanding the behaviour of humans and animals. Students have considerable contact time with researchers through tutorials and their research project and access to some of the best psychological laboratory facilities in the UK.

Students are encouraged to take part in the annual reading week and engage in the School's Psychology Society and Neuroscience Society.

Details on the teaching programmes the School offers can be found on the prospective students pages.

Strategy

The School of Psychology and Neuroscience's Strategic Plan 2021-26 outlines plans to maintain the position as one of the most highly regarded Schools in the UK for research, teaching and student experience. 

School of Psychology and Neuroscience Strategic Plan 2021-2026 (PDF)

Facilities

The School of Psychology and Neuroscience is located in St Mary's Quad in the heart of the ancient town of St Andrews.  Although housed in historic buildings the School prides itself on the fact its research environment was rated as equal first in the UK in REF 2021.  Learn more about the School's research, teaching and technical facilities.

History

The University has been involved with the study of psychology for over a century.  Further details can be found on the School's history page.