Department of Psychology

We are delighted to maintain our position as one of the TOP 100 psychology departments in the world, a distinction we have proudly held since 2022.

The 2026 rankings assess over 55 subjects from over 5,200 institutions across the world, based on academic and employer reputation, citations per academic paper, impact and quality of research and international research collaboration factors.

Recent research carried out by colleagues in our department includes work on fetal taste perception, promoting sustainable diets, children’s body image, and neuromodulation therapy for depression and much more.

Durham is a world-leading university. Our academic excellence and impact is reflected in our global rankings and this is a true credit to the outstanding teaching and research carried out at our University.

Undergraduate Study

You will receive a genuinely research-led education. As well as learning the core principles of psychology, you will participate in research through seminars, conferences and research assistantship schemes. You will also have access to our world-leading clinical and experimental facilities, including motion capture, eye tracking and biophysical recording laboratories.

Postgraduate Study

We offer both taught postgraduate and postgraduate research degree programmes. Our MSc programmes provide students with core skills, ideal for continuing on to complete a PhD, taking a research position, or entering the workplace. Our postgraduate students are supervised by academics with expertise in their fields and have the opportunity to engage with the local vibrant research community.