Psychology and Statistics

Psychology and Statistics is a combination that brings together the scientific study of human behaviour and mental processes with one of the most powerful sets of quantitative tools available for making sense of data. Psychology examines how people perceive, think, feel, learn and interact, drawing on experimental methods, observation and theoretical reasoning. Statistics provides the mathematical framework for collecting, analysing and interpreting the data that psychological research generates, as well as for drawing reliable conclusions from evidence in the presence of uncertainty.

Together they develop a profile of exceptional value in an era when the ability to work rigorously with behavioural and social data is in growing demand.

At the University of St Andrews this four-year full-time MA (Hons) introduces you to the broad range of areas studied by psychologists, including perception, cognition, motivation and social behaviour, and grounds you in theoretical foundations and modern developments in the field. Practical classes and research technique training are embedded from the start, developing your ability to design experiments, collect data and apply statistical methods with real competence. The degree includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to develop your studies in an international context.

Graduates from Psychology and Statistics degrees are highly valued across a wide range of sectors. Many go on to postgraduate study in clinical psychology, health psychology, educational psychology, cognitive science or data science. Others find careers directly in research roles, data analysis, user experience research, behavioural economics, health analytics and human factors.

The combination of psychological insight and statistical rigour the degree develops makes graduates attractive to employers across academia, healthcare, government, technology and the private sector. The degree also provides excellent preparation for professional routes in psychological practice, for which postgraduate training is required.