English Studies and Psychology, BA (Hons)

Texts are all around us – from books and magazines to TV, email and the internet. The ability to analyse them and their often subtle meanings is a skill that can open doors in a wide range of professional fields. English Studies at the University of Stirling offers you the perfect chance to dedicate yourself to reading and enjoying a range of great novels, plays and poems from across the world. Your own creative writing can form part of this degree, too – as we believe it aids your understanding of literary style and technique and develops your imagination. You’ll also have the opportunity to take a range of language-based courses which will inform your understanding and appreciation of literary texts. These are just some of the factors that make our BA a little different from other English courses. You’ll study literary works from the medieval period to the present day, as well as learn about linguistics, creative writing and the history of the English language. Along the way, you’ll benefit from top-rated teaching, visits from outside experts and the annual staging of the Booker Prize Initiative on campus – giving you the opportunity to meet world-renowned contemporary authors and discuss their work. You also have the freedom to take English Studies with other courses and earn a combined honours degree tailored to your unique ambitions.Why do we behave the way we do, and what drives our behaviour? If you’re interested in the mind, and in human (as well as animal) behaviour, then Psychology is for you. Our award-winning Psychology course sits at the cutting edge of inter-disciplinary scientific research. We focus on important societal problems such as detection of criminals and improvement of health outcomes. After introducing Psychology to you as a biological and social science, we’ll cover topics as diverse as brain functioning, child development, and social behaviour. You’ll get hands-on experience designing and conducting experiments, working in high-end specialist labs and in our on-site kindergarten, the only such facility in the UK. You’ll develop a deep knowledge and understanding of mind and behaviour, coupled with excellent practical skills, all of which will offer you a wide and diverse choice of careers. The course is delivered by what the British Psychological Society (BPS) commended as a proactive, approachable and engaged programme team. The BPS also recognised our innovative, student-led teaching initiatives, which help students’ personal and professional development, and our personalised system of student support and feedback, which helps to nurture a close-knit academic community.