Psychology and Sociology MA (Hons)

Psychology and Sociology offers a thorough training in the major areas of both subjects. Those wishing to understand identity, violence, crime or intimacy tend to draw on both disciplines.<br/><br/>**Psychology**<br/><br/>In psychology, you will study:<br/><br/><br/>* how we perceive, think and learn about the world around us<br/><br/><br/>* the way biological and social factors influence how we behave<br/><br/><br/>* how interests and abilities differ from person to person<br/><br/><br/>* how we communicate verbally and non-verbally<br/><br/><br/>* how and why our mental abilities change across our lives<br/><br/><br/>Psychology is an experimental and observational science. It uses evidence from research studies to develop and evaluate theories.<br/><br/>Our programme focuses on developing skills in research methods and statistical analysis using R programming. This supports our research-led teaching.<br/><br/>**Sociology**<br/><br/>Sociology examines how individual choices are affected by wider social forces and how they can be understood by placing them in their social context. <br/><br/>You will study:<br/><br/><br/>* the relationship between individuals and groups<br/><br/><br/>* issues of belonging and identity<br/><br/><br/>* the social causes of cooperation and conflict<br/><br/><br/>* the way societies and social institutions are formed and how they change over time<br/><br/><br/>* You will also learn to compare different national contexts, and understand contemporary social issues from a global perspective.<br/><br/><br/>**Programme benefits**<br/><br/><br/>* Our commitment to teaching and student support is seen in the wins and nominations we have achieved over the years at the Edinburgh University Students Association Teaching Awards.<br/><br/><br/>* Our single honours psychology degree and most of our joint degrees at Edinburgh are accredited by the British Psychological Society, allowing you to go on to further professional training.<br/><br/><br/>* One of the great strengths of studying sociology with us is the breadth and diversity of topics covered.<br/><br/><br/>* We offer opportunities to study abroad in Year 3.<br/><br/><br/>* You will have access to state-of-the-art facilities, including laboratories for: cognitive neuroscience and developmental science, human movement, individual differences and general experimental psychology<br/><br/><br/>Our Psychology programme focuses on developing skills in research methods and statistical analysis, including programming in R, to support our research-led teaching.