About us

Psychology at Exeter is committed to providing an excellent learning experience for all students, generating high quality academic research across the disciplines of psychology and animal behaviour, and advancing clinical practice in psychology.

A leading research-intensive department

• Leading centre of psychological research, ranking 11th in the UK for world leading research¹. We ranked 10th in the UK for Psychology in The Sunday Times University Guide 2012 and achieved over 90% for Overall Satisfaction in the National Student Survey 2011².
• Each year we attract around £1.5 million in external research funding from UK Research Councils and charities. Our research is supported by links with government organisations (including the MET office, NHS, and the armed forces) and the commercial sector (including IBM, Microsoft, and CIPD).
• Our researchers work to ensure that new knowledge and expertise is quickly and effectively applied, helping to shape social and economic policy, enhance business practice or improve the health and well-being of the population.
• The University recognises the global importance of scientific research and multi-million pound investment is currently underway to support five themes of interdisciplinary research tackling some of the biggest global problems of the 21st century. Researchers within Psychology are involved in two of these themes: Translational Medicine, Personalised Healthcare and Public Health, and Climate Change and Sustainable Futures.

Dedication to students’ academic experience

• We place students at the heart of our activities, valuing their enthusiastic contribution to enhancing our shared understanding of our discipline and pushing back the frontiers of knowledge.
• Our diverse undergraduate teaching portfolio provides opportunities to specialise in Psychology or Applied Psychology (Clinical) or explore interesting areas of interdisciplinary study through programme choice and optional modules.
• Research-led teaching is embedded across all levels of study, exemplified by the third year undergraduate seminar modules and postgraduate research apprenticeships.

Working to advance clinical practice

• Exeter is rapidly emerging as a centre of excellence for psychological therapy training and research.
• Training in mindfulness based cognitive therapies and approaches is enhanced by collaborative teaching from experienced Buddhist teachers and experts at Gaia House.
• Low intensity and high intensity psychological therapies programmes provide clinical professionals with intensive skills training as outlined in the Department of Health curriculum and in accordance with British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies (BABCP) guidelines for good practice.
• Our academics have played a key role in providing guidance on the treatment and management of depression in adults. Professor Willem Kuyken was a member of the panel that drew up the new NICE guidance on depression, while Dr Paul Farrand and Professor David Richards contributed to the internationally ground-breaking publication The Oxford Guide to Low Intensity CBT Interventions.

Working to improve public health and welfare

• Our researchers are active in studies to improve health and well being; from depression, anxiety, addiction and the health benefits of social groups, to working with regional care providers to bring about organisational change that will improve the lives of people in care.
• We work closely with local zoos and wildlife facilities to find ways of improving the lives of animals in captivity for conservation reasons and to increase the chances of success in reintroduction programmes.
• The Clinical research group works to advance theoretical knowledge and clinical practice through applied research. In partnership with the National Health Service, the group focuses on mood disorders, providing assessment and treatment for patients with depression through the Mood Disorders Centre.