Why study this course?
The BSc (Hons) in Neuroscience explores the interface between psychology and neurobiology and how the brain and the rest of the nervous system work in both health and disease. In your studies, you will be introduced to:
- molecular, cellular and physiological processes
- cellular and applied neurobiology
- pharmacology and neurochemistry
- cognitive and behavioural neuroscience
- clinical psychology
During your degree, you will receive first-hand research experience in state-of-the-art neuroscience teaching facilities. You will be encouraged to explore a number of different research topics from neurological disorders to motor control to learning processes.
Course details
The BSc (Hons) in Neuroscience is a four-year course run by both the School of Psychology and Neuroscience and the School of Biology. Your first two years of study provide an introduction to a variety of subjects which make up contemporary neuroscience, psychology and biology, including the relations between brain and behaviour, gene transcription, predator/prey interactions, and cell systems. Alongside biology and psychology, in the first year of your studies, you will be required to study an additional subject. In the second year, you will carry on with biology and psychology and take a dedicated neuroscience module. Find out more about how academic years are organised.
The skills you gain in statistical analysis, research and presentation will prepare you for your final two years, during which you will have the opportunity to specialise in a wide range of advanced subjects. Potential subjects include (but are not limited to):
- neuropharmacology
- neurological disorders
- neuroethology
- clinical psychology
During your final year, you will also have the opportunity to carry out a research project on a topic chosen in consultation with staff from the School.
The University of St Andrews operates on a flexible modular degree system by which degrees are obtained through the accumulation of credits.
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“ My favourite aspect of the degree structure is how wide your learning can be. I have been able to choose a range of topics and pick a diverse collection of modules both in Neuroscience and other subjects. It is a very international university – people come from all around the world, with different cultures, different heritages and different opinions, which is a definite benefit.”
- Edinburgh, Scotland
How it's taught
Teaching
Neuroscience is taught using a wide variety of methods including traditional lectures, seminars, practicals, tutorials and individual supervision. At sub-honours level, class sizes range from 60 to 350 students in lectures and 20 to 80 students for practical labs, down to only 8 to 10 students for small-group tutorials.
At Honours level, much of the teaching is in smaller groups and there is a considerable amount of one-on-one contact with staff. Class sizes typically range from about 10 to 150 students for lectures (with a maximum of 24 students in a laboratory group), down to individual supervision.
When not attending lectures, tutorials and labs, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically, this will involve:
- working on individual and group projects
- undertaking research in the library
- preparing coursework assignments and presentations
- preparing for examinations
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Neuroscience, psychology and biology sub-honours modules are assessed by a combination of coursework and examinations.
At Honours level, modules are either entirely assessed by coursework, by examination, or by a mixture of the two.
Examinations are held at the end of each semester during a dedicated exam diet with revision time provided beforehand.
The Schools aim to provide feedback on every assessment within four weeks to help you improve on future assessments.
Undergraduates at the University of St Andrews must achieve at least 7.0 on the St Andrews 20-point grade scale to pass a module. To gain access to Honours-level modules, students must achieve the relevant requisites as specified in the policy on entry to Honours and in the relevant programme requirements. To find out the classification equivalent of points, please see the common reporting scale.
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You will be taught by an experienced teaching team with expertise and knowledge of neuroscience. Postgraduate research students who have undertaken teacher training may also contribute to the teaching of laboratory classes and seminars under the supervision of the module leader.
You can find contact information for all neuroscience staff on the School of Psychology and Neuroscience website.
The University's services and support teams can help students with additional needs resulting from disabilities, long-term medical conditions or learning disabilities, as well as many other difficulties and challenges students might face while studying.
Modules
In the first two years of your degree (known as sub-honours) you will take the required modules in neuroscience, psychology and biology alongside modules in at least one other subject.
Typically, you will take two to three neuroscience, psychology and biology modules per semester during your first two years, and four to five per semester during your third and fourth year (known as Honours).
Course information may change. Module information and course content, teaching and assessment may change each year and after you have accepted your offer to study at the University of St Andrews. We display the most up-to-date information possible, but this could be from a previous academic year. For the latest module information, see the module catalogue.
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Students will take the following compulsory first-year modules:
- Fundamentals of Psychology 1: Introduces the theoretical foundations, historical perspectives and modern developments of psychology, and provides a thorough grounding in the empirical basis of psychology.
- Fundamentals of Psychology 2: expands upon the topics discussed during Fundamentals of Psychology 1 and continues to introduce the variety of subjects which make up contemporary psychology.
- Biology 1: This module provides an introduction to molecular and cellular biology. It covers cell diversity and the origins of life, evolution, cellular structures and fundamental processes.
- Biology 2: This module provides an introduction to the diversity of life on Earth and addresses key elements of organismal, behavioural and ecological aspects of life.
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Students will take the following compulsory second-year modules:
- Neuroscience: this module introduces fundamental concepts and skills in neuroscience
- Cell Biology: introduces the concept of ‘a cell’, moving on to discuss different types of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell.
- Advanced Principles of Psychology 1: pN2001 and PN2002 builds upon PN1001/PN1002, preparing students for Honours psychology modules. We will cover brain-behaviour relations, social psychology, clinical psychology and research methods.
- Advanced Principles of Psychology 2: pN2001 and PN2002 builds upon PN1001/PN1002, preparing students for Honours psychology modules. We will cover cognition, perception, comparative psychology and research methods.
You will also choose twoâ¯additional biology modulesâ¯from the following selection:
- Animal Behaviour: covers the four ways in which we explain behaviour in a range of animals, including examples from all major taxa and from all habitats.
- Biochemistry: a number of central metabolic pathways and their control are studied in detail, alongside examples of their importance in disease and recent metabolomic studies.
- Cell Systems: explores how cells interact with one another to form complex tissues and organisms.
- Ecology: introduces essential concepts in population and community ecology and how they relate to biodiversity.
- Evolutionary Biology: gives an overview of the history and major principles of modern evolutionary biology.
- Invertebrate Zoology: surveys the major invertebrate groups, emphasising the diversity of body plans while demonstrating how the common functional requirements such as feeding, reproduction, respiration and excretion are achieved.
- Vertebrate Zoology: explores the diversity of vertebrate animals, providing a detailed look at the defining characteristics of the body plans and lifestyles of the key vertebrate group
- Molecular Biology: provides an introduction to modern molecular biology, covering fundamental biological processes such as transcription, translation, and DNA replication and repair.
- Research Methods in Biology: this module develops essential academic and transferable skills, with major emphasis on quantitative skills and problem solving. This is achieved through a combination of interactive lectures, independent data-handling workshops and group work on a mini research project.
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If you decide to take Neuroscience in your third and fourth years, you choose from a wide variety of advanced options.
In third year, you will take three compulsory modules in advanced principles of neuroscience, neuropharmacology and data handling. Over the course of your Honours studies, you will have the option of studying a wide range of modules ranging from clinical and developmental psychology to molecular and cellular neuroscience, with further options in the School of Biology.
Here is a sample of Senior Honours modules which have been offered in previous years:
- Animal Models in Neuroscience and Psychology
- Behavioural Neuroscience
- Clinical Neuropsychology
- Mechanisms of Behaviour: Integrating Psychological and Neuroscience Perspectives
- Neuroethology
- Research Methods in Cognitive Neuroscience
- Synaptic Transmission in Health and Disease
In fourth year, students can conduct a research project which will involve extensive laboratory or field research to investigate a problem broadly within neuroscience or psychology. The project will culminate in the production of a high-quality report that demonstrates a deep understanding of the chosen area of research.
Fees and funding
- Scotland: Tuition fees are yet to be confirmed by the Scottish Government.
- England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands, Isle of Man: £9,535 (yet to be confirmed by the UK Government)
- EU and overseas: £33,250
More information on tuition fees can be found on the undergraduate fees and funding page.
Accommodation fees
Find out about accommodation fees for University accommodation.
Funding and scholarships
The University of St Andrews offers a number of scholarships and support packages to undergraduate students each year.
Entry requirements
The University offers different entry requirements, depending on your background. Find out more about Standard, Minimum and Gateway entry requirements using academic entry explained and see which entry requirements you need to look at using the entry requirements indicator.
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- Standard entry grades:
- AAAB, including B in two of the following subjects: Biology (or Human Biology), Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics.
- Minimum entry grades:
- AABB, including B in two of the following subjects: Biology (or Human Biology), Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics.
- Gateway entry grades:
- Applicants who have narrowly missed the minimum entry grades, but meet the University's contextual criteria, may be interested in one of the University’s Gateway programmes.
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- Standard entry grades:
- AAB, including B in two of the following subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics.
- Minimum entry grades:
- ABB, including B in two of the following subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics.
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- Standard entry grades:
- 36 (HL 6,6,5), including HL5 in two of the following subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics.
- Minimum entry grades:
- 36 (HL 6,5,5), including HL5 in two of the following subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics.
General entry requirements
All applicants must have attained the following qualifications, or equivalent, in addition to the specific entry requirements for individual programmes.
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SQA National 5 (B) in English and one SQA National 5 (B) from the following:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Computing science
- Geography
- Applications of Mathematics
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Psychology.
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GCSE (5) in English language or English literature, and one GCSE (5) from the following:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Computing Science
- Geography
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Psychology.
Other qualifications
We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry on to our programmes. Please see our entry requirements for more information.
More information on how to apply via other entry routes or accreditation of prior learning and experience can be found on the University's entry requirements web page.
Do I need to have studied this subject before?
No previous knowledge of neuroscience is required.
Alternative study options
Study abroad
Neuroscience students can apply to participate in the University-wide St Andrews Abroad programme. You may also have the opportunity to participate in the School Abroad exchange programme. For information about study abroad options, please see the study abroad site.
International applicants
If English is not your first language, you will need to provide an English language test score to evidence your English language ability. Find out more about approved English language tests and scores for this course.
Careers
Neuroscience is a wide and varied field of study, encompassing the workings of the brain and the nervous system. Graduates of neuroscience degrees go into a range of career areas, including:
- biotechnology
- clinical sciences
- management consultancy
- medical devices industry
- medicine, dentistry and midwifery
- neuro-marketing and advertising
- pharmaceutical industry
- regulatory affairs, policy and research administration
- research in industry or universities
- science communication (publishing and media)
- teaching in schools and universities
The Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students as well as a programme of events to assist students to build their employability skills.
What to do next
Online information events
Join us for one of our information events where you can find out about different levels of study and specific courses we run. There are also sessions available for parents and college counsellors.
Undergraduate visiting days
We encourage all students who are thinking of applying to the University to attend one of our online or in-person visiting days.
Contact us
- Phone
- +44 (0)1334 46 2157
- psych@st-andrews.ac.uk
- Address
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience
St Mary's Quad
South Street
St Andrews
KY16 9JP
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