Psychology and Linguistics MA (Hons)

Level: Undergraduate

Subject: Philosophy

Year of entry: 2026

Key facts

UCAS Code

CQ81

Award

MA (Hons)

Duration of study

4 years

Delivery

Full-time

Study location

Central Area

Start date

September 2026

School

School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences

College

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Study abroad

Available

Accreditation

Available

Placement

No

Open days and events

About the degree programme

Through this joint programme you can take a range of courses in psychology and linguistics. 

Psychology

Psychology courses cover the scientific study of the mind, brain, and behaviour. It is an experimental and observational science. It uses evidence from research studies to develop and evaluate theories. 

Psychologists study:

  • how we perceive, think and learn about the world around us
  • the way biological and social factors influence how we behave
  • how interests and abilities differ from person to person
  • how we communicate verbally and non-verbally
  • how and why our mental abilities change across our lives

Psychology is an experimental and observational science. It uses evidence from research studies to develop and evaluate theories. 

Find out more about what we study in Psychology in this video:

Linguistics

Linguistics explores how language works. It describes how we create meaning through:

  • sounds
  • signs
  • words
  • sentences
  • conversations

It also studies:

  • the uses of language in everyday life
  • ways in which language varies across society and evolves over time
  • how language is mastered by children

Find out more about what we study in Linguistics in this video:

How long it takes to complete this degree programme

This programme is studied over 4 years.

A key benefit to studying a 4-year degree programme is that you have the flexibility to study a range of subjects, outside your chosen degree programme, in Year 1 and Year 2.

This allows you the opportunity to study other courses that interest you or enhance your degree. By the end of Year 2, you can decide which of these subject areas you want to focus on in the honours years of your programme.

How long it takes to complete our degree programmes

How a joint degree programme works

A joint programme allows you to gain a well-rounded learning experience. You will have more exposure to different disciplines, allowing you to expand your knowledge and expertise.

Teaching on joint programmes is split across the two subject areas, and teaching will take place in locations associated with both subjects.

You will gain a different perspective through studying more than one subject and have a wider skill set that is highly attractive to future employers.

Programme rankings

  • 4th in the UK and 7th in the world for linguistics (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025).
  • In the world's top 30 universities for psychology (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025).

Programme benefits

  • Most of our joint Psychology degrees at Edinburgh are accredited by the British Psychological Society, allowing you to go on to further professional training.
  • Our Psychology programme focuses on developing skills in research methods and statistical analysis using R programming. This supports our research-led teaching.
  • We have one of the largest concentrations of university language scientists in the UK, with a cohort of over 350 students currently studying linguistics and/or English language.
  • We are a leading centre for the study of language change and historical linguistics.
  • Linguistics has a long history at the University of Edinburgh, and our teaching staff have an excellent reputation for research in this area.
  • Linguistics is a new subject for nearly all undergraduates, so you will not need any prior knowledge at the beginning of the programme.

I chose to study Psychology not only because of the large variation of areas it covers but also because of the opportunities it offers post-degree. Psychology of Edinburgh complimented this choice. Not only that, but the data-analysis course provides a valuable opportunity to learn basic-level coding and transferrable skills.

India Sachdev MA Philosophy and Psychology, graduated 2025.

Find your entry requirements

Use the dropdowns to find out your entry requirements.

  1. Select the country where you are studying or where you studied your qualification.
  2. Select the qualification you are studying or studied.
United Kingdom,

Tuition fees for MA (Hons) Psychology and Linguistics

View the tuition fees for one academic year of MA (Hons) Psychology and Linguistics.

Tuition fees for this programme

Accommodation and living costs

You need to cover your accommodation and living costs for the duration of your programme.

We estimate that a single student can potentially spend a maximum of £920 to £2,257 on living costs each month, depending on your accommodation.

This estimate covers the costs of:

  • accommodation
  • food
  • utility bills
  • travel within Edinburgh
  • health and wellbeing costs

See a breakdown of living costs

Scholarships and funding

Funding information

You can find detailed information on financial support available, based on where you are living, in our funding section.

Funding

What you will study

Psychology

We focus on research methods and statistical analysis in this programme. You will:

  • be trained in basic concepts in research methods and statistics
  • learn how to programme in the R language
  • have a practical introduction to laboratory-based psychology research

Through lectures and tutorials, you will complete a general introduction to psychology, covering: 

  • cognitive psychology
  • developmental psychology
  • differential psychology
  • biological psychology
  • social psychology
Linguistics

You will take two semester-long introductory courses:

  • Linguistics and English Language 1A offers a brief introduction to the study of language in general and of English in particular
  • Linguistics and English Language 1B will help you develop the tools and knowledge needed to investigate different subsystems of language

In this year, you will also study:

  • regional and social variations of language in general (especially in the English language)
  • semantics and pragmatics 
Option courses

You will also choose from a range of option courses outside your primary subject.

Find Year 1 courses (2024-2025 academic year)

Psychology

To prepare you for Year 3, you will complete a year-long, intensive grounding in:

  • research methods
  • statistics
  • R programming

You will continue to study core areas of psychology, developing an understanding of topics such as: 

  • cognitive psychology
  • developmental psychology
  • differential psychology
  • biological psychology
  • social psychology

You will practise and develop your professional and study skills, such as:

  • reviewing scientific literature
  • report writing
  • ethical awareness
Linguistics

You will take Linguistic Theory and the Structure of English. In this, you will learn detailed aspects of modern English structure. 

You will take another linguistics course in either Cross Linguistic Variation or Phonetic Analysis and Empirical Methods.

Find Year 2 courses (2024-2025 academic year)

Psychology

You will choose advanced courses in psychology. These will expand on and combine the core areas required for British Psychological Society (BPS) accreditation. 

To support your research work, you will use R in courses on research methods.

Linguistics

You will also take a selection of courses in linguistics. These may include:

  • Speech Production and Perception
  • Origins and Evolution of Language
  • Sociolinguistics
  • Pragmatics
Find Year 3 courses (2024-2025 academic year)

Dissertation

You will complete an honours dissertation in either psychology or linguistics.

Course options

You will continue to choose advanced option courses based on your interests. These courses are research-led. They will teach you about cutting-edge topics from psychology sub-disciplines. 

Course options change each year depending on new topics, staff availability and student demand.

Psychology course options

Examples of courses offered include:

  • Social Psychology of Groups
  • Emotions: social and neuroscience perspectives
  • Big Data and Psychological Science
  • The Psychology of Conversation
  • Developmental Psychopathology
Linguistics

In linguistics, course options might be:

  • Language Variation and Change
  • Language Pathology
  • Psycholinguistics
  • First Language Acquisition
Find Year 4 courses (2024-2025 academic year)

Study abroad

There are opportunities to study abroad through international exchange programmes. 

What are my options for going abroad?

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

Courses are taught through a mix of:
•    lectures
•    seminars
•    tutorials

In Year 1 and 2, philosophy courses are taught through lectures and tutorials.

In Year 3 and 4, philosophy courses are taught through seminars and tutorials.

Assessment

You will be assessed through coursework and exams.

In Year 4, you will also complete either:
•    an independent dissertation on a topic of your choice
•    a coursework dissertation through two extended essays

Support for your studies

You will have access to a range of support services if you need them throughout your degree.

We will assign you to a student adviser, and this should be the first person to contact if you need help. They can guide you to other University service teams depending on what support you need.

Support for your studies

Where you will study

Study location

Teaching will take place at the Psychology building at George Square, and at other locations in the University's Central Area.

Academic facilities

You will have access to:

  • specialised laboratories
  • the School's own dedicated library
  • the University's Main Library and computer facilities

You will also have access to laboratories for:

  • cognitive neuroscience and developmental science
  • human movement
  • individual differences
  • general experimental psychology

Virtual tour

You can take a closer look at the Psychology building and explore our facilities and campus on the University's Virtual Visit site.

Take a virtual tour of the Psychology building

Accreditation

It may be possible to obtain accreditation by the British Psychological Society (BPS).

This programme is accredited when you:

  • cover the core BPS areas:
    • Cognitive Psychology
    • Biological Psychology
    • Social Psychology
    • Developmental Psychology
    • Differential Psychology
  • complete a dissertation in Year 4
  • achieve a 2.2 or above in your overall degree classification

Most students graduate with British Psychological Society (BPS) accreditation. However, if you fail to meet the accreditation criteria, you can still graduate with an alternative degree in Psychology.

Career paths

You will develop skills in:

  • research
  • statistics
  • information technology
  • report-writing

These skills are valued by employers in various sectors.

Psychology

Many psychology graduates have gone on to work in:

  • healthcare and social services
  • charitable organisations
  • human resources
  • management
  • business and finance
  • consulting
  • media and advertising

Some students continue their studies to enter into a research or teaching career. Others go on to train as a professional psychologist in a field such as:

  • clinical psychology
  • educational psychology
  • forensic psychology
  • health psychology
  • organisational psychology

Linguistics

Linguistics graduates work in a wide range of fields, including:

  • journalism
  • international relations
  • translation
  • marketing
  • social research

Recent graduates have taken up funded places on MSc programmes, or have found employment in speech technology research. 

A linguistics qualification is also good for careers in professions such as:

  • speech and language therapy
  • adult literacy
  • teaching English as a foreign language

Careers Service

Our Careers Service can help you to fully develop your potential and achieve your future goals.

The Careers Service supports you not only while you are studying at the University, but also for up to two years after you finish your studies.

With the Careers Service, you can:

  • access digital resources to help you understand your skills and strengths
  • try different types of experiences and reflect on how and what you develop
  • get help finding work, including part-time jobs, vacation work, internships and graduate jobs
  • attend careers events and practice interviews
  • get information and advice to help you make informed decisions

Visit the Careers Service website

Further study

After you complete your programme, you may want to go onto further study at Edinburgh or a different university. You could progress to:

  • a masters degree
  • a postgraduate diploma or certificate
  • a PhD
  • a second undergraduate degree

Find out about options for further study

How to apply

You must submit a full application through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) before the relevant deadline.

Guidance on applying through UCAS

What you need to apply

As part of your application, you will need:

  • your academic qualifications
  • a personal statement
  • evidence of your English language skills (with relevant qualifications)
  • a reference

How we select

If you have met, or are predicted to meet, all our entry requirements by the relevant deadline, then your application will go into our selection process.

As part of this selection process, we will review all the information you submit in your UCAS application when we decide who to select for this degree programme.

How we select applicants

When to apply

  • 2026 entry UCAS deadline: 14 January 2026 (6:00pm GMT)

This is the deadline for all UK, EU and international applicants to non-medicine and veterinary medicine programmes.

To find out if any degree programmes have spaces after 14 January 2026, search the University of Edinburgh on the UCAS website.

Search degrees that are open on the UCAS website

Key application dates and deadlines

After you apply

After you have applied for your degree programme, we suggest you have a look at the following information to help you prepare for university:

Applying as an international student

As an international student, you apply for this degree programme through UCAS.  

Find out more about applying through UCAS  

Visas and immigration 

If you do not have the right to live in the UK, you will need to apply for and secure a Student visa before the start date of your degree programme.  

Our Student Immigration Service can help you with the Student visa application process. 

Applying for a visa  

Agents  

An education agent is someone who can help you with the application process as an international student. 

We work with education agents around the world and have a list of local offices you can contact.  

Find contact details for an education agent

Accommodation

We guarantee an offer of University accommodation for all new, single undergraduate students from outside Edinburgh. To be eligible, you need to meet all criteria and apply for accommodation by 16 August in the year of your entry to the University.

University accommodation website

Accommodation guarantee criteria

If you prefer to live elsewhere, we can offer you advice on finding accommodation in Edinburgh.

Accommodation information from the Edinburgh University Students' Association Advice Place

Societies and clubs

Our societies and sports clubs will help you develop your interests, meet like-minded people, find a new hobby or simply socialise.

Societies

Sports clubs

The city of Edinburgh

Scotland's inspiring capital will form the background to your studies — a city with an irresistible blend of history, natural beauty and modern city life.

Find out more about living in Edinburgh

Health and wellbeing support

You will have access to free health and wellbeing services throughout your time at university if you need them.

The support services we offer include:

  • a student counselling service
  • a health centre (doctor's surgery)
  • support if you're living in University accommodation
  • dedicated help and support if you have a disability or need adjustment

Health and wellbeing support services

Contact us

Contact us through our enquiry team if you have any questions about this programme.

Open days, events and visits

Find out when our next open days will be taking place

Open days, events and visits

Chat to our students on Unibuddy

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