Eye Tracking Facilities
The School of Psychology has four in-house eye trackers. The Eyelink 1000 system allows the recording of eye gaze at a sampling rate of 1000 Hz.
Economics and Psychology, MA
Introduction
Economics and Psychology at Aberdeen is a great subject combination which gives you thorough grounding in the global economy and the many factors that influence wealth from a social and financial perspective. This programme offers an in-depth examination of the influence of psychology and how we as humans think and behave. You will gain a set of specialist and transferable skills to open up career options across the spectrum of sectors and roles involving ‘people’.
Study Information
At a Glance
- Learning Mode
- On Campus Learning
- Degree Qualification
- MA
- Duration
- 48 months
- Study Mode
- Full Time
- Start Month
- September
- UCAS Code
- LC18
- Pathway Programme Available
- Undergraduate Foundation Programme
In Economics, you will explore the microeconomics of business and society, macroeconomics of the world economy and economic problems in political, social and historical contexts, with a strong emphasis on applied learning. You will thrive in the dynamic, international environment of our Business School of 45 nationalities and be taught by experts including leading petroleum economist and government adviser Professor Alex Kemp and our health economists whose work influences Scottish and UK policy decisions on public health.
People lie at the heart of any economy and Psychology examines how we think and how we behave, increasing our understanding and explanation of human behaviour and experience, and how these change and develop throughout our lives.
You will gain all the advantages of our long tradition and special strength in Psychology, for which the most recent national assessment of university research placed Aberdeen as third top in the UK, with internationally known researchers leading studies including industrial and workplace psychology of great relevance to this subject combination.
You will graduate with skills appealing especially to employers in psychology-related fields, including human resources, social work, counselling and teaching and business areas benefiting from an understanding of the human mind and behaviour including marketing and advertising.
What You'll Study
- Year 1
-
Compulsory Courses
- The Economics of Business and Society (EC1006)
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15 Credit Points
This course is an introductory course in microeconomics where we study the decision making of individual actors (consumers, employees, firms, governments, etc.) in an economy. Actors must make decisions about behaviours because they face scarce resources, but often they find that trading with other actors in markets can increase the wellbeing of all parties. This course models and examines the nature of these interactions, highlighting when they work well and when they fail to increase wellbeing and what might be the solution to these failures.
- Introductory Psychology I: Concepts and Theory (PS1009)
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15 Credit Points
PS1009 introduces you to major concepts and theories in psychology to provide you with a strong understanding of the human mind and behaviour. You will attend lectures on biological, social and cognitive psychology and participate in workshops where you will work both individually and as part of a team to write about and present topics related to the lecture materials. Studying psychology is beneficial to a range of careers including management, finance and counselling, to name a few. Psychology regularly tops employers' lists of producing the most employable graduates.
- Introductory Psychology I: Methods and Applications (PS1011)
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15 Credit Points
PS1011 is a perfect combination of subject-specific knowledge and transferable skills. In weekly lectures and hands-on practicals, you will learn how various research methods are applied across a range of Psychology sub-fields. In addition, you will learn how to read scientific articles and begin to critique them. You will also be encouraged to develop skills such as giving presentations and writing literature reviews. Apart from acquiring these skills, the course will give you insight into the ‘human factor’ that all sciences necessarily have in common, and as such it will be a valuable addition to any degree.
- The Global Economy (EC1506)
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15 Credit Points
This course is an introductory course in macroeconomics where we study the behaviour of the economy as a whole. Whereas microeconomics focuses on individual markets, macroeconomics addresses the “big issues” such as unemployment, inflation, economic growth, and financial crises. Macroeconomics is a lively subject, full of discussion and debate, as economists and policymakers take different views on macroeconomic issues, their causes and appropriate policy responses. Issues such as: Is the economy growing? What causes unemployment and how can we reduce it? How can we avoid recessions? When is inflation a problem? Are banks lending too much?
- Introductory Psychology II: Concepts and Theory (PS1509)
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15 Credit Points
PS1509 introduces you to major concepts and theories in psychology to provide you with a strong understanding of human mind and behaviour. You will attend lectures on evolution & emotion, lifespan development, and sensation & perception and participate in workshops where you will work both individually and as part of a team to write about and present topics related to the lecture materials. Studying psychology is beneficial to a range of careers such as management, finance and counselling, to name but a few. Psychology regularly tops employers' lists of producing the most employable graduates.
- Introductory Psychology II: Methods and Applications (PS1511)
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15 Credit Points
PS1511 builds on PS1011. You will learn more about research methods in Psychology through lectures, practicals, and taking part in experiment-demonstrations. You will also learn how to set up and conduct a Psychology experiment yourself. Part of the lectures will focus on statistics, to equip you with the skills to analyze and interpret your own data, culminating in a written research report, in which your critical thinking skills will be encouraged. You will also learn about the role of ethics in research. This course will enable you to spot the difference between ‘pop-science’ and genuine science.
- Academic Writing for Business (AW1003)
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This compulsory evaluation is designed to find out if your academic writing is of a sufficient standard to enable you to succeed at university and, if you need it, to provide support to improve. It is completed on-line via MyAberdeen with clear instructions to guide you through it. If you pass the evaluation at the first assessment it will not take much of your time. If you do not, you will be provided with resources to help you improve. This evaluation does not carry credits but if you do not complete it this will be recorded on your degree transcript.
- Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen (PD1002)
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This course, which is prescribed for level 1 undergraduate students (and articulating students who are in their first year at the University), is studied entirely online, takes approximately 5-6 hours to complete and can be taken in one sitting, or spread across a number of weeks.
Topics include orientation overview, equality and diversity, health, safety and cyber security and how to make the most of your time at university in relation to careers and employability.
Successful completion of this course will be recorded on your Enhanced Transcript as ‘Achieved’.
Optional Courses
Plus further credit points from courses of choice to gain a total of 120 credits.
- Year 2
-
Compulsory Courses
- Intermediate Microeconomics (EC2003)
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30 Credit Points
This course builds on and is a natural extension of EC 1006. By examining in a more rigorous way concepts introduced in EC 1006 students will develop further their analytical skills and they will obtain a better understanding of consumers and producers behaviour, market structure as well as the effectiveness of economic policy. The course is designed to appeal to all students interested in economics. This includes students who may wish not to enter into any further studies of economics, as well as students who may wish to continue studying economics at the honours level.
- Advanced Psychology A - Concepts and Theory (PS2017)
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15 Credit Points
The course builds on the material covered in the 1st-year courses expanding on psychology’s concepts and theories. The course covers three core areas of psychology: cognition & language, personality & social psychology, and perception. Social Psychology will cover topics such as leadership and group processes. The perception part of the course will examine the visual and intentional systems.
- Advanced Psychology 1 - Methods and Applications (PS2018)
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15 Credit Points
This course introduces students to fundamental concepts and methods in psychological research and data analysis. Lectures cover distributions and probability, null hypothesis significance testing, t-tests, chi-square tests, and correlations. Practical classes involve the application of these methods to research examples from different areas of psychology, using the statistical software package SPSS.
- Intermediate Macroeconomics (EC2503)
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30 Credit Points
This course focuses on macroeconomic policy in a global economy. The first part builds an open-economy Keynesian model to investigate what determines the effectiveness of fiscal and monetary policies, and how exchange rate regimes and capital mobility impact on policy effectiveness. The second part investigates what determines the level of macroeconomic activity and its growth over time. The final part looks at what determines inflation and unemployment. This intermediate level course uses live lectures to develop your analytical skills evaluating economic policy in a rigorous and technical way to equip you with the skills needed for honours level study.
- Advanced Psychology B - Concepts and Theory (PS2517)
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15 Credit Points
This course builds on the material covered in the 1st-year courses, expanding on psychology’s concepts and theories. The course covers four core areas of psychology: organisational & clinical, behavioural neuroscience and developmental psychology. The first strand covers organizational culture, occupational stress, motivation, leadership and team work. The clinical psychology section of the course will give you grounding in the key ideas within current Clinical Psychology practice and is taught by a practicing Clinical Psychologist. The third strand within this course is focused on Neuroscience, and will cover topics such as localisation of brain function and the neuroscience of emotion.
- Advanced Psychology 2 - Methods and Applications (PS2518)
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15 Credit Points
This course covers a broad range of data collection and analysis methods used in psychological research. Lectures cover survey and observational methods, regression analysis, ANOVA, and qualitative research methods. Practical classes involve the application of these methods to research examples from different areas of psychology.
- Year 3
-
Compulsory Courses
- Psychological Assessment (PS3011)
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15 Credit Points
Psychological assessment is used by chartered psychologists in a number of areas, including clinical, occupational and forensic applications. The aim of this course is to introduce students to psychometric theory, real life applications of psychological assessment and the legal and ethical issues surrounding test administration.
Topics covered on this lecture based course include: IQ and mood assessment; clinical neuropsychological tests of cognitive dysfunction and memory; assessment of dementia and forensic aspects of assessment (legal malingering).
An ideal course for students intending to secure a career in applied psychology.
- Methodology A (PS3015)
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15 Credit Points
The main aim of this course is to help students prepare, evaluate and run their own Psychological research. As such this is a ‘hands-on’ course, where students will have the opportunity to conduct a small research project and practice using SPSS for a variety of statistical analyses. The course also provides a thorough grounding in qualitative and quantitative research methods through a lecture series. Specific topics covered in this course include: verification and falsification of results; ANOVA and qualitative research strategies. This course also features workshops on employability, providing students with information on career planning, networking etc.
- Developmental Psychology (PS3518)
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15 Credit Points
The aim of this course is to consolidate and extend students’ knowledge of a number of core areas of developmental psychology, focusing on the age range of young children (3 years) to adolescence. This course will examine both historical and contemporary issues and findings in (1) cognitive development and (2) social-emotional development. In one half of the course students will evaluate how some main types of memory undergo developmental changes, and how cognitive plasticity develops. In the other half students will evaluate the development of aggression and its risk factors, and gain a deeper understanding of the role of play in typical and atypical development of social interaction with a focus on autism. There will also be opportunity to learn about some intervention programmes aimed at improving cognitive and socio-emotional skills in childhood. The broad range of developmental topics makes this an ideal course for anyone with interest in working with children.
- Social Psychology (PS3520)
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15 Credit Points
Social Psychologists explore the psychological factors that influence individual behaviours within social situations. As such, the aim of this course is to provide students with an introduction to the range of topics within experimental social psychology, with a defined focus on social cognition.
Topics covered within this lecture based course include: Stereotypes; social perception and action; self-control; consciousness and mimicry.
This course provides a scientific explanation for social phenomena, making it ideal for students with an interest in individual and group behaviour.
Optional Courses
Select a further 60 credit points from level 3 courses in Economics.
Students are required to have exactly 240 credits at levels 3 and 4, at least 210 of which must be EC or PS coded, and normally no more than 120 credits from either discipline. At least 90 credits must be at level 4.
- Year 4
-
Compulsory Courses
- Advances in Biological Psychology (PS4033)
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15 Credit Points
This course aims to provide students with a good understanding of the biological basis of behaviour and cognition. The course is split into two sections, each featuring 5 lectures. Section 1 focuses on psychopharmacology, which is the investigation of the effect of medication on normal and abnormal brain function. Section 2 focuses on neuropsychology, examining what can be learnt about psychological processes from studying patients with brain damage.
Specific topics that will be covered include: neurotransmitters; drug effects; psychedelic drugs; impaired object and face recognition; amnesia; and disorders of motor control.
- Perceptual Processes (PS4037)
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15 Credit Points
Interaction with the world around us involves perceptual processing using our three main senses: visual (seeing), auditory (hearing) and haptic (touch). The aim of this course is to consider a range of approaches to human perception, from historical beginnings to recent innovative research.
Topics covered include: colour perception; face recognition; perception of pain and age related changes in perception. Students will also engage in guided debate with their peers regarding media portrayal of recent research findings.
This course is intended for students completing joint honours degrees in Behavioural Studies or Psychology.
- Psychology Joint Honours Thesis (PS4038)
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15 Credit Points
This course constitutes the final year thesis for any joint honours Psychology degree. The thesis is an empirical based one, where the student collects and analyse a body of data in answer to a research question. The thesis begins in September and must be submitted at the end of Term 2. The School has an International Level research culture and the final year projects offer the students an opportunity to be involved in that culture. A number of the student projects have contributed towards research publications.
- Memory and Language Processes (PS4532)
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15 Credit Points
The memory component of this course aims to introduce students to the main theoretical components of memory (working and autobiographical memory). Psychological theories of forgetting and eyewitness memory will also be discussed.
The second component of the course, language, will introduce students to the key issues in psycholinguistics. This will include assessment of sentence processing, analysis of the processes underlying language production and factors that influence communication in different settings.
This course is intended for students completing joint honours degrees in Behavioural Studies or Psychology.
Optional Courses
Select a further 60 credit points from level 4 courses in Economics.
Students are required to have exactly 240 credits at levels 3 and 4, at least 210 of which must be EC or PS coded, and normally no more than 120 credits from either discipline. At least 90 credits must be at level 4.
We will endeavour to make all course options available. However, these may be subject to change - see our Student Terms and Conditions page.
How You'll Study
Learning Methods
- Individual Projects
- Lectures
- Research
- Tutorials
Assessment Methods
Students are assessed by any combination of three assessment methods:
- Coursework such as essays and reports completed throughout the course.
- Practical assessments of the skills and competencies they learn on the course.
- Written examinations at the end of each course.
The exact mix of these methods differs between subject areas, years of study and individual courses.
Honours projects are typically assessed on the basis of a written dissertation.
Why Study Economics and Psychology?
Why Economics
- An excellent teaching environment, committed to the needs of industry, which integrates research in to teaching, grows transferable skills and develops intellectual skills on a range of contemporary economic problems.
- A thriving Economics Society, organising annual trips to international economic institutions including the European Union in Brussels, the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris.
- Enterprise Campus, a new initiative to nurture entrepreneurial skills and support students wanting to progress their own business ideas.
- ACREEF (the Aberdeen Centre for Research in Energy Economics and Finance) headed by leading international petroleum economist and author Professor Alex Kemp, adviser to the Scottish Government.
- Home to CELMR (the Centre for European Labour Market Research) which leads research in education, skills and labour markets so topical today.
- The spectacular, award-winning Sir Duncan Rice Library, with brilliant study facilities, state-of-the-art learning technology, and an extensive collection of reference books, journals and other media for economics and business studies.
- A packed campus programme of student, public and business events, and the annual May Festival attracting internationally acclaimed public figures, business leaders, authors and broadcasters to debate critical challenges in the world today.
- Experience the Bloomberg Terminal, a software platform that provides real-time and historical data, market-moving news and analytics to help leading business and financial professional make better informed investment decisions.
Why Psychology
- You will be introduced to state-of-the-art concepts and theories taught by award-winning teachers and world-class researchers, exposing you to the latest thinking in the field.
- You will benefit from the key strengths within the School of social psychology, neuroscience, language, perception and industrial psychology.
- We have a wide range of course options available in 4th Year to allow you to specialise in areas such as clinical, forensic, language and developmental psychology.
- You will have the opportunity to gain experience using specialised laboratories and equipment including those for brain imaging analysis, eye movement recording, movement analysis and visual neuroscience.
- To help you get a job we have an employability programme for our students which includes: internship opportunities, online resources, career talks and networking events.
- Psychology graduates are eligible for membership of the British Psychological Society, this is a first step towards becoming a professional Psychologist.
- In the final year students have the opportunity to do a unique research project to a professional level. A number of final year projects have gone on to be published in internationally renowned journals.
Aberdeen Global Scholarship
The University of Aberdeen is delighted to offer eligible self-funded international on-campus undergraduate students a £6,000 scholarship for every year of their programme.
View the Aberdeen Global ScholarshipEntry Requirements
Qualifications
The information below is provided as a guide only and does not guarantee entry to the University of Aberdeen.
General Entry Requirements
- 2024 Entry
-
SQA Highers
Standard: AABB
Applicants who have achieved AABB (or better), are encouraged to apply and will be considered. Good performance in additional Highers/ Advanced Highers may be required.
Minimum: BBB
Applicants who have achieved BBB (or are on course to achieve this by the end of S5) are encouraged to apply and will be considered. Good performance in additional Highers/Advanced Highers will normally be required.
Adjusted: BB
Applicants who achieve BB over S4 and S5 and who meet one of the widening access criteria are guaranteed a conditional offer. Good performance in additional Highers/Advanced Highers will be required.
More information on our definition of Standard, Minimum and Adjusted entry qualifications.
A LEVELS
Standard: BBB
Minimum: BBC
Adjusted: CCC
More information on our definition of Standard, Minimum and Adjusted entry qualifications.
International Baccalaureate
32 points, including 5, 5, 5 at HL.
Irish Leaving Certificate
5H with 3 at H2 AND 2 at H3.
PLEASE NOTE: National 5/ Standard Grade/ GCSE (or equivalent) in Mathematics (or Applications of Mathematics) is required in addition to the requirements noted above.
- 2025 Entry
-
SQA Highers
Standard: BBBB
Applicants who have achieved BBBB (or better), are encouraged to apply and will be considered. Good performance in additional Highers/ Advanced Highers may be required.
Minimum: BBC
Applicants who have achieved BBC at Higher and meet one of the widening participation criteria above are encouraged to apply and are guaranteed an unconditional offer for MA, BSc and BEng degrees.
Adjusted: BB
Applicants who have achieved BB at Higher, and who meet one of the widening participation criteria above are encouraged to apply and are guaranteed an adjusted conditional offer for MA, BSc and BEng degrees.
We would expect to issue a conditional offer asking for one additional C grade at Higher.
Foundation Apprenticeship: One FA is equivalent to a Higher at A. It cannot replace any required subjects.
More information on our definition of Standard, Minimum and Adjusted entry qualifications.
A LEVELS
Standard: BBC
Minimum: BCC
Adjusted: CCC
More information on our definition of Standard, Minimum and Adjusted entry qualifications.
International Baccalaureate
32 points, including 5, 5, 5 at HL.
Irish Leaving Certificate
5H with 3 at H2 AND 2 at H3.
PLEASE NOTE: National 5/ Standard Grade/ GCSE (or equivalent) in Mathematics (or Applications of Mathematics) is required in addition to the requirements noted above.
Entry from College
Advanced entry to this degree may be possible from some HNC/HND qualifications, please see www.abdn.ac.uk/study/articulation for more details.
The information displayed in this section shows a shortened summary of our entry requirements. For more information, or for full entry requirements for Arts and Social Sciences degrees, see our detailed entry requirements section.
English Language Requirements
To study for an Undergraduate degree at the University of Aberdeen it is essential that you can speak, understand, read, and write English fluently. The minimum requirements for this degree are as follows:
IELTS Academic:
OVERALL - 6.0 with: Listening - 5.5; Reading - 5.5; Speaking - 5.5; Writing - 6.0
TOEFL iBT:
OVERALL - 78 with: Listening - 17; Reading - 18; Speaking - 20; Writing - 21
PTE Academic:
OVERALL - 59 with: Listening - 59; Reading - 59; Speaking - 59; Writing - 59
Cambridge English B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency:
OVERALL - 169 with: Listening - 162; Reading - 162; Speaking - 162; Writing - 169
Read more about specific English Language requirements here.
International Applicants who do not meet the Entry Requirements
The University of Aberdeen International Study Centre offers preparation programmes for international students who do not meet the direct entry requirements for undergraduate study. Discover your foundation pathway here.
Fees and Funding
You will be classified as one of the fee categories below.
| Fee category | Cost |
|---|---|
| RUK | £9,250 |
| Tuition Fees for 2025/26 Academic Year | |
| EU / International students | £20,800 |
| Tuition Fees for 2025/26 Academic Year | |
| Home Students | £1,820 |
| Tuition Fees for 2025/26 Academic Year |
Additional Fees
- In exceptional circumstances there may be additional fees associated with specialist courses, for example field trips. Any additional fees for a course can be found in our Catalogue of Courses.
- For more information about tuition fees for this programme, including payment plans and our refund policy, please visit our Tuition Fees page.
Scholarships and Funding
UK Scholarship
Students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland, who pay tuition fees may be eligible for specific scholarships allowing them to receive additional funding. These are designed to provide assistance to help students support themselves during their time at Aberdeen.
Aberdeen Global Scholarship
The University of Aberdeen is delighted to offer eligible self-funded international on-campus undergraduate students a £6,000 scholarship for every year of their programme. More about this funding opportunity.Funding Database
View all funding options in our Funding Database.
Careers
There are many opportunities at the University of Aberdeen to develop your knowledge, gain experience and build a competitive set of skills to enhance your employability. This is essential for your future career success. The Careers and Employability Service can help you to plan your career and support your choices throughout your time with us, from first to final year – and beyond.
- More information on employability at the University of Aberdeen
- More information on the Careers and Employability Service
Accreditation
This degree holds accreditation from
Our Experts
Information About Staff Changes
You will be taught by a range of experts including professors, lecturers, teaching fellows and postgraduate tutors. However, these may be subject to change - see our Student Terms and Conditions page.
Facilities
Psychophysiology Centre
This facility consists of several spacious rooms that house electroencephalographic (EEG) equipment and sound-attenuated, shielded testing booths.
Sir Duncan Rice Library
The University’s award winning Sir Duncan Rice Library is listed in the “Top 20 spellbinding University libraries in the World”. It contains over a million volumes, more than 300,000 e-books and 21,000 journals.
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Get in Touch
Contact Details
- Address
-
Student Recruitment & Admissions
University of Aberdeen
University Office
Regent Walk
Aberdeen
AB24 3FX