BSc Psychology and Anthropology

3 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Durham University

Program Overview

The BSc Psychology and Anthropology at Durham University explores human behaviour by combining scientific psychology with the cultural and evolutionary perspectives of anthropology. It’s a great choice if you want to understand how biology, culture, and society shape the way people think, behave, and interact across different contexts.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1

In the first year, you build a foundation across both psychology and anthropology. You study modules such as Doing Anthropological Research, Human Evolution and Diversity, and Introduction to Psychological Research, learning how humans evolved, how cultures shape behaviour, and how psychologists investigate mental processes. Optional choices such as People and Cultures or introductory psychology modules allow you to broaden your understanding of cognition and social behaviour.

Year 2

The second year brings the two disciplines together in more depth. Modules such as Conceptual Issues in Psychology and Anthropology, Research Project Design, Social and Developmental Psychology, and Mind and Culture explore how biological, social, and cultural influences interact. You also strengthen research design skills and learn to evaluate evidence from both scientific and ethnographic perspectives.

Year 3

In the final year, you specialise and complete an independent Dissertation alongside advanced modules such as Differential and Clinical Psychology. Optional topics may include Clinical Neuropsychology, Current Issues in Mental Health, and Psychology of Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity, allowing you to tailor the degree to your interests. This stage prepares you for professional roles or postgraduate study with advanced analytical and research experience.

Focus Areas

Human evolution and diversity, cognitive psychology, social and developmental psychology, cross-cultural behaviour, biological anthropology, research methods, mind and culture, individual differences

Learning Outcomes

Understand human behaviour across cultures and societies, apply psychological and anthropological theories, design and conduct qualitative and quantitative research, analyse behavioural and cultural data, evaluate scientific evidence, and communicate interdisciplinary insights effectively

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

The psychology component of the degree is accredited by the British Psychological Society, providing Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership and supporting progression into professional psychology training.

Reputation (Employability & Rankings)

Durham University is a Russell Group institution with strong subject rankings in both psychology and anthropology. Graduates benefit from research-led teaching, interdisciplinary training, and strong employability outcomes across psychology, research, and social science careers.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

On the BSc Psychology and Anthropology at Durham University, you gain practical experience through a mix of laboratory work, field-based learning, and hands-on research with real collections. The programme brings together experimental psychology methods with anthropological fieldwork and biological research, allowing you to explore human behaviour from multiple perspectives. You’ll work with specialist labs, research collections, and field opportunities, and apply these skills in collaborative projects and your final-year dissertation:

Access to anthropology material culture collections with thousands of artefacts used for teaching and student research
Durham Infancy and Sleep Centre with video observation and physiological monitoring for behavioural studies
Physical Activity Lab using accelerometers and GPS devices to study movement and behaviour in real-world settings
Ecology and Endocrinology Laboratory for analysing biological samples such as saliva and hormone data
Bilsborough Laboratory with fossil hominin casts and primate skeletal material for evolutionary anthropology learning
Residential anthropology field course and access to the department’s field station in South Africa for research experience
Psychology laboratories equipped with eye-tracking, motion capture, and psychophysics tools for experimental work
Controlled experimental testing environments for cognitive and behavioural research
Independent research dissertation using laboratory, fieldwork, or collection-based methods
Collaborative group research projects combining psychology and anthropology approaches
Access to university libraries, digital research databases, and specialist anthropology learning resource.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates from the BSc Psychology and Anthropology at Durham University leave with a strong combination of scientific, cultural, and analytical skills. Many move into roles such as research assistant, human resources officer, community development worker, or marketing analyst, while others continue toward professional psychology or social science careers. This interdisciplinary background makes you well suited to careers that require understanding behaviour across cultures and contexts:

Support from Durham’s Careers, Employability and Enterprise team, including one-to-one guidance, CV support, interview preparation, and employer networking events
Department-led employability sessions, careers workshops, and academic advisor support throughout the degree
British Psychological Society accreditation (with a 2:1 or First), providing Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership and a pathway into professional psychology training
Graduates progressing into careers across health, education, research, community development, heritage, consultancy, marketing, and human resources
Strong graduate outcomes with many Durham graduates entering employment or further study shortly after graduation
Opportunities to connect with employers through careers fairs, alumni networks, and recruitment events
Interdisciplinary skills valued by organisations working in international development, policy, and research-focused roles

Further Academic Progression:
After completing this programme, you can progress into postgraduate study in psychology, anthropology, or related interdisciplinary areas. Many graduates pursue master’s degrees in behavioural science, medical anthropology, global health, or intercultural communication, while others move into professional psychology training. The degree also provides a strong foundation for research degrees such as MSc by Research, MPhil, or PhD.