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This course is designed to equip you with a comprehensive understanding of psychological and sociological perspectives in both theory and practice. Combining psychology’s focus on the individual with sociology’s focus on the social, the course provides you with valuable interdisciplinary insight into topics, issues and debates surrounding human behaviour and society. Our interdisciplinary approach encourages you to connect the dots between psychological phenomena and sociological patterns, fostering a holistic understanding of the human experience.

You will also engage with debates about the practical, theoretical and ethical issues in relation to conducting research and analysing data from the perspective of both disciplines, as well as explore how research can be used to better understand and find solutions to address social issues relevant to different communities and social groups.

The course will help you to develop your graduate identity – a clear sense of your transferrable skills and competencies and how you can apply these within today’s labour market – through a combination of discipline-specific teaching and experiential, work-based learning which will foreground transferrable skills that employers are looking for. Our graduates have gone into a wide variety of fields, including business, health, media, education, social care and management.

On this course you will:

• reflect upon the ways in which psychological and sociological knowledge can effect real change in people’s everyday lives;
• learn to use social scientific research methods and evidence to make sense of human behaviour;
• learn how to think and write critically, giving you skills that can be valuable in many professional fields; and
• apply your skills and knowledge in a real-world context through experiential and work-based learning opportunities.

Structure

All students enroll onto the honours degree, but you can choose to exit with an ordinary degree after three years.

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Teaching, learning and assessment

You will be taught in lectures, seminars, practical workshops and laboratories as well as engage in work-based learning opportunities. ÌýOutside these timetabled sessions you will be expected to continue learning through self-study. Your work will be assessed using a number of techniques, including essay writing, presentations, podcasts, report writing, critical reflections and examinations.

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Exchange opportunities

Studying abroad through our exchange programme can be one of the most exciting and rewarding challenges for a student to experience. The opportunity to travel and live in another country, learn different customs and traditions, meet new people and consider future career draws many students into the exchange programme. In Year Three you have the opportunity (subject to availability) to study for one semester at a university overseas. Please visit theÌýExchanges and Study Abroad pages for more information.

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Teaching staff, class sizes and timetables

You can read more about the teaching staff on this course at the bottom of this page. Please note that teaching staff is subject to change.

For more information, please also visit ‘How we teach and how you’ll learn’.

Year One

You will:Ìý

• start to gain a thorough grounding in the key concepts, theories and schools of thought in psychology and sociology;
• develop a sound understanding of the historical development and contemporary applications of psychological and sociological knowledge as well as explore the very latest debates in both disciplines; and
• focus on enhancing a wide range of essential transferable skills, paying particular attention to improving your interpersonal and presentation skills, effective reading and writing, analytical thinking and critical reflection, as well as your research skills.

You will study the following modules:

• Introduction to Sociology
• Classic & Contemporary Sociology
• Foundations of Psychology
• Psychology in Practice
• Methods of Social Enquiry
• Developing your Academic Voice Ìý Ìý

Year Two

You will:Ìý

• gain basic quantitative and qualitative research skills in psychology and sociology;
• develop skills to critically engage with and evaluate competing psychological and sociological approaches to substantive issues;
• begin to learn how to synthesize relevant evidence to develop coherent and systematic arguments;
• start to develop an interdisciplinary mind-set by drawing on relevant insights from sociology, psychology and education to understand the complexities of contemporary local and global issues; and
• undertake work-based learning and reflect on this experience drawing on relevant knowledge from sociology, psychology and education.

You will study the following modules:

• Exploring Research
• Self & Identity
• Responding to the World
• Professional Challenge
• Culture & Society Ìý
• Biological & Cognitive Psychology OR Developmental and Social Psychology

Year Three

You will:Ìý

• develop skills to critically evaluate a range of epistemological and methodological perspectives in psychology and sociology;
• employ evidence-based, comparative reasoning and to critically examine practical, theoretical and ethical issues associated with the use of different quantitative and qualitative methodologies, paradigms and methods of analysis in psychological and sociological research;
• reflect critically on ethical issues in psychological and sociological research and current codes of ethics and conduct;
• develop your competence in the presentation and interpretation of qualitative and quantitative data;
• have the opportunity to undertake an optional placement; and
• have the opportunity (subject to availability) to study for one semester at a university overseas. For more information, visit our Exchanges and Study Abroad pages.

You will study the following modules:

• Placement Module OR Sociology of Work & Organization
• Quantitative Research Methods
• Social Psychology & Social Justice OR Cognitive Psychology
• Interaction & Social Order
• Developmental Psychology OR Psychobiology in Context
• Qualitative Research Methods in Psychology OR Qualitative Research Methods in Sociology
• Dissertation Prep (0 credit module)

Year Four

You will:

• develop specialisms in psychology and sociology;
• demonstrate detailed and contemporary knowledge and understanding in relation to chosen specialisms;
• through independent scholarly activity, synthesise and critically evaluate a wide range of psychological; and sociological theories, theorists, concepts and practices;
• conduct independent research appropriate to sociology or psychology; and
• articulate your emergent ‘graduate identity’.Ìý

You will study the following modules:

• Dissertation (Psychology or Sociology focused dissertation)
  Articulating your Graduate Identity
• Three Option Modules

Module optionsÌý

Sociology options may include the following:

• Sociology Now
• Current Debates
• Sociology of Scotland
• Inequality, Poverty and Social Policy in Comparative Perspective
• Queer Sociology
• Gender Justice – Feminist ApproachesÌý

Psychology options may include the following:

• Cognitive Science of Belief
• Critical Engagement with the History of Psychology
• Evolutionary Psychology in the Modern World
• Sport and Exercise Psychology
• Peer Relations in Childhood & Adolescence
• Disability and Individuals in a Contemporary Society

These modules are indicative and may be subject to change year on year.

NB This course is due for re-validation in April 2025 and the modules listed here are those that we wish to offer but may differ slightly to those eventually offered in 2025. Please check back here for any updates.

A degree in Psychology and Sociology opens up a wide range of career opportunities, having equipped you with highly sought-after knowledge and skills that are transferable to many fields. Examples of transferable skills you will develop throughout your degree include: critical thinking and analysis, communication skills, problem-solving skills, research skills, data analysis and interpretation skills, teamwork and collaboration.

Our alumni are pursuing careers in social and community work, consumer and social research, public policy development, journalism, teaching, academia, marketing, media and human resource management. These are just a few examples, and the versatility of a joint degree in Psychology and Sociology allows graduates to adapt their skills to various fields and industries, making them well prepared for the evolving demands of the workforce.

 Successful completion of this degree does not confer Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) which enables access to professional training as a Chartered Psychologis

Entry requirements

Scottish Higher: Standard – BBBB, Minimum – BCCC

A Level: BCC

Irish Leaving Certificate: H2 H2 H3 H3

International Baccalaureate: 28 points

International: IELTS of 6.0 with no element lower than 5.5

Required subjects: English required at Nat 5/GCSE at grade C/4 or above. Maths preferred at Nat 5/ GCSE at grade C/4 or above or National 5 Application of Maths/Lifeskills at the same grade.

Am I a Widening Access student?: We apply the minimum entry criteria to applicants who meet one or more contextual factor. To see if this would apply to you, please refer to the access and application page.

Mature/Access: We welcome applications from mature students with relevant qualifications and/or experience. Visit our College Leavers and Mature Students Advice page for more information. 

Direct Entry:

Year Two

• HNC in a related subject with B in the graded unit
• Scottish Higher: BC at Advanced Higher in relevant subjects plus BB at Higher
• A Level: BBB in relevant subjects

Year Three

• HND in a related subject with CB in the graded units

For details of related HNC and HND courses, visit our College Leavers and Mature Students Advice page. 

Other requirements

A satisfactory criminal records check from the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme may be required if you chose to engage in work experience/community engagement opportunities.

Other costs

• The cost of the PVG check is the responsibility of the student. For more information on this, visit the 

Disability/health conditions

If you have a disability, long-term physical or mental health condition, or learning disability, it should not stand in the way of your studying at QMU. However, if you are not sure whether your disability might be a barrier in your studies or in relation to the professional standards, please contact the disability service who will be able to have a conversation with you about reasonable adjustments and supports available to you.

How to apply

Application for this course should be made through . More application information is available in the 'Start your Application' box at the top right of this page.

You can study this course as an associate student, completing the first year at Newbattle Abbey College or West Lothian College.

Read more about the Associate Student Scheme.Ìý

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Email Admissions

• The delivery of this course is subject to the terms and conditions set out in our 2025/26 Entry Terms and Conditions (Undergraduate).
  
• This course is due for re-validation in April 2025 and the information listed here is how we wish the course to be for 2025 entry but may differ slightly. Please check back here for any updates.