MSc in Evolutionary and Comparative Psychology: The Origins of the Mind

The modules published below are examples of what has been taught in previous academic years and may be subject to change before you start your program.

Compulsory

• Empirical Approaches to the Evolution of Communication: explores the evolution of human language and animal communication through the comparative study of communication in humans and other animals
• Methods of Data Analysis in Psychology: offers advanced training in research design, statistical analyses and qualitative methods
• Origins of Human Cognition: links together the evolution and development of different human cognitive abilities with a focus on empirical comparative research
• Principal Approaches to the Origins of Mind: introduces distinct ways of studying the origins of mind within a comparative Tinbergian framework, emphasising both functional and mechanistic accounts.

Optional

Students choose two optional modules.

Here is a sample of optional modules that may be offered.

• Animal Models in Psychology and Neuroscience: focuses on the animals frequently used in psychology and neuroscience research; discussing key physiological and behavioural characteristics of the animals, why these characteristics make them good or bad models for given areas of research, and how these behavioural and physiological characteristics must be accounted for when designing experiments
• Topics in Social Cognition: Developmental and Comparative Perspectives: traces the evolution and development of aspects of social intelligence such as imitation and theory of mind, and technical intelligence such as tool use and understanding of causality
• Evolution of Human Behaviour and Culture: focuses on four modern evolutionary approaches to the study of human behaviour: human behavioural ecology, evolutionary psychology, cultural evolution, and gene-culture co-evolution
• Generic Research and Professional Skills in Psychology and Neuroscience: introduces students to the various skills and issues that are important to academic psychologists and neuroscientists irrespective of their particular area of research
• Mechanisms of Behaviour: Integrating Psychological and Neuroscience Perspectives: explores many physiological and neural systems that modulate patterns of behaviour in a range of species, including humans
• Methodologies for Psychology and Neuroscience: provides practical experience in many laboratory techniques and research methodologies as employed by the principal investigators in the School of Psychology and Neuroscience
• Theory of Mind in Development, evolution and autism: offers a comparative approach to the emergence of the ability to understand mental states in children and non-human primates, and its alteration in autism
• The Impact of Science: invites students to develop an evidence-based evaluation of the impact of research findings on science and society, while offering advanced writing training.

Research project

Students will undertake a significant piece of independent research as part of their final assessment. In the past, students have had the opportunity to conduct research on humans and other animals at:

• Budongo Conservation Field Station in Uganda
• Budongo Research Unit in Edinburgh Zoo
• Baby and Child Lab in St Andrews
• Dundee Science Centre in Dundee
• Jeeves Human Experimental Laboratories in St Andrews
• Living Links Centre in Edinburgh Zoo.

In past years, research projects have included topics such as:

• Conceptual thought and causal knowledge in primates and children
• Development of social cognition, for example, imitation, joint attention, pre-verbal communication, prosocial behaviour and group membership in children
• Evolution of communication, for example, gesture and multimodal communication in primates
• Evolutionary and psychological origins of cooperation in primates, rats and children
• Intentionality in primates and human infants
• Moral reasoning and inequity aversion, for example, cross-cultural studies in children
• Sex differences in behavioural development in rodents and primates
• Sex differences in human social behaviour, for example, aggression, impulsivity, confidence and conformity
• Social and physical problem-solving in children, primates and birds
• Theory of mind in primates and children.

The research projects will be supervised by members of the teaching staff, who will advise on the choice of study subject and dissertation topic. In addition, they will guide the research process. The completed dissertation of not more than 15,000 words must be submitted by a specific date in mid-August.

Teaching

Teaching format

The programme consists of two taught semesters followed by an independent research project, which is examined via a 15,000-word dissertation. The research project takes place during the entire year with a particular focus during the last three months (May to August).

The modules are taught through lectures, seminars, practical classes, and personal supervision, which are designed to support learning, enhance confidence, and promote employability.

Assessment

The types of assessment might include coursework essays, research proposals, lab reports, statistical analyses, and written exams, in addition to the research project dissertation.

Support

The MSc normally admits only a small number of students each year and focuses on research-led teaching and individualised support.

Many postgraduates from this course have gained academic positions in universities across the world while others have pursued careers in academic publishing, management services, and wildlife conservation.

Further study

Many Psychology graduates continue their education by enrolling in Ph.D. programs at St Andrews or elsewhere.