Welcome to the School of Psychology
The School of Psychology at Liverpool is one of the liveliest and fastest-growing departments in the UK. We are a department with a strong history and reputation for excellence, owing our origins to Nobel Laureate, Sir Charles Sherrington, who founded a laboratory at the University in 1895 to study behaviour. The School of Psychology was formally instituted in 1947 and has been associated with such eminent scholars as R.S. Woodworth, H.J. Hyatt and Sir Cyril Burt.
Undergraduate teaching
Our sense of tradition is balanced by innovation and responsiveness to emerging trends in the field. In our most recent Teaching Quality Assessment, our teaching activities were rated as ‘Excellent’. The undergraduate student community in the School of Psychology is an active, enthusiastic one and we have approximately 500 full-time equivalent students spread over the undergraduate programmes that we run.
Postgraduate teaching
In response to trends in the field, we have recently added to our range of taught postgraduate programmes by creating a new MSc in Research Methods in Psychology. This innovative programme will provide the methodological skills required to carry out advanced research in psychology and can help secure postgraduate research funding from research councils. Our other Masters programmes in Investigative Psychology, Forensic Behavioural Science, Addictive Behaviours and Cognitive & Affective Neuroscience continue to provide exceptional postgraduate training in sub-fields of increasing national importance.
Research
We continue to stretch the boundaries of psychological inquiry with innovative research activity. The School is home to the Centre for Investigative Psychology and the Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, two research groups with an international reputation for excellence. Staff in the department are leading authorities in their research fields and in the most recent Research Assessment Exercise, our research activities were rated 4. Our research projects are supported by awards from Research Councils (ESRC, BBSRC, EPSRC), charities (e.g. Wellcome and Leverhulme Trusts), the NHS, the Home Office, industry and commerce.
Postgraduate Research School
The School provides outstanding research facilities and accommodation for its thriving group of research students, and staff in the Department have substantial experience in research supervision and guidance. The quality of the research facilities, and level of research support provided by the department, can be seen in the excellent completion rate of our research postgraduate students. Between 1998 and 2002, approximately 35 postgraduate students in the department completed the PhD and there are over 30 students currently in the department on PhD research programmes. The School of Psychology has been approved by the ESRC as an outlet for research studentships under their ‘1+3’ funding scheme.
Accommodation & Staff
The School of Psychology moved into its present purpose-built accommodation in the Eleanor Rathbone Building in 1973. 1999-2000 saw the beginning of a major expansion, refurbishment and re-equipment program to provide impressive new teaching facilities (the Hearnshaw Lecture Theatre, Bromley IT laboratory, Mayes IT laboratory), fully equipped research laboratories (e.g. EEG, vision, neuropsychology, developmental, human ingestive behaviour, neuro-rehabilitation) and new staff office accommodation. New animal laboratory facilities have been opened in the Medical School.
In 2002-2003, there are seven professorial posts, four readers, nineteen senior lecturers and lecturers, and four demonstrators. The Departmental Administrator and the Departmental Superintendent head a team of fourteen secretarial and technical support staff.
I am confident that the following pages will tell you a great deal more about an energetic, developing and friendly department.
I hope you will visit us and join us.
Professor Ian Donald
Head of Department
