Psychology and Behavioural Sciences
What makes the Cambridge course in Psychological & Behavioural Sciences (PBS) so special?
The Psychological and Behavioural Sciences course at Cambridge gives you the opportunity to study cognitive, social, developmental and biological psychology within the broader context of the behavioural sciences. Examples of topics in the course include: language, brain mechanisms, family relationships and influences, personality, mental health and neurodiversity. Research projects also enable you to study in greater depth the topics that interest you most.
Why choose Newnham for PBS?
PBS students at Newnham College enjoy high levels of support from Senior Members of the College. There are currently two Professorial Fellows with a background in Psychology; Prof Claire Hughes (Centre for Family Research, Department of Psychology) and Prof Jenny Gibson (Play, Education, Development & Learning Research Centre, Faculty of Education). In addition, Dr Sarah Lloyd Fox (UKRI Future Leader Fellow, Department of Psychology) has recently joined Newnham, and we have one Psychology Junior Research Fellow: Dr Abigail Bradshaw (Cognition & Brain Sciences Unit).
Support facilities at the College are very good, including a particularly well-stocked library. We are proud of our liberal and independent atmosphere. Newnham has a strong international character, and welcomes both mature students and students with disabilities.
How many students take PBS at Newnham?
We expect to admit three to four students per year.
How is PBS taught at Newnham?
The Psychology department is located on the Downing Site, central in the city of Cambridge; made up of laboratories, a lecture theatre, department library, practical classroom and a social space for students (the Psychology Sanctuary). In addition, the developmental psychologists (including Prof Hughes) are based in the historic Cavendish Building on the New Museum Site.
In response to student feedback, the Psychology Department have recently updated the PBS course so that it now includes three (rather than two) Psychology papers in Year 1, with students choosing their fourth paper from a range of related disciplines. In the second year, students take two Psychology papers and two Optional papers. In the third year, students complete a project-based dissertation and complete three papers, which can either be taken entirely from Psychology or include 1-2 optional papers from other disciplines. The workload varies across papers – some papers include weekly short essays, others include three 2000 word essays per term that require more reading. Students also complete regular practical classes in their first two years.
Can you tell me more about the PBS fellows?
For information on the current teaching staff and Fellows for Psychological and Behavioural Sciences, please visit our teaching webpages.
What jobs will Newnham PBS students go on to do?
The Cambridge PBS course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS). This means that students who successfully graduate (with at least a second class honours) will achieve the ‘graduate recognition’ needed to pursue a career in, for example, clinical psychology or educational psychology.
Many students pursue further study and research, and graduates are eligible for admission to professional courses in clinical, educational, forensic or applied psychology. Many past students of psychology at Cambridge have gone on to prominent positions in psychology and related fields throughout the world. The course also equips you with skills and knowledge applicable in numerous professional sectors. Other recent graduates have entered careers in the media, management, the Civil Service, finance, law and business.
Are there any A-level subjects which are particularly useful?
As the course includes both neuorscience and statistics courses, applicants are required to have studied either Maths or Biology to A Level or equivalent. In addition, the standard conditional offer is A*A*A. We would normally expect one A* to be in Maths or Biology.
Can I take a gap year?
We are happy to offer deferred places to applicants who have plans for a year out. Some students take jobs to build up their financial resources, or work abroad to improve their language skills and experience another culture. Others take a work experience placement or travel. Most gap year students feel they have benefited from the experience, and have no trouble getting back into the swing of academic work once they arrive, although we do suggest some revision is done in the weeks before arriving in Cambridge. If you are considering a gap year, be prepared to discuss this at interview. Although we won’t expect you to have detailed plans, we would like you to have at least some thoughts about your activities during the year. Maintaining some sort of a connection with your subject is always encouraged, even if only through reading.
What can I expect at interview?
Although applicants cannot pre-prepare material for Newnham (or Cambridge) PBS interviews, there are ways in which they can help themselves. Key to this is handling the process before coming to interview: careful thought about the content of the personal statement on the UCAS application. Keeping copies of the personal statement and reading it through before the interview, is advisable. An interviewee should be prepared to explore ideas in more depth, and to have them questioned and challenged; intellectual flexibility is sought as well as interest backed up by evidence of further reading.
Am I required to submit written work?
As part of your application, you will need to submit two pieces of written schoolwork, which should have been marked by a teacher. These should be in an essay format and should be a maximum of 2000 words in total. Pieces do not need to be equal in length. Each piece should be accompanied by a Written Work Cover Sheet. We recommend that you keep copies of this work and re-read them along with your personal statement as they may be referred to at interview. More information regarding written work requirements can be found on our How to Apply webpage.
Is there an Admissions Assessment for PBS?
Yes – applicants for entry in 2025 (or deferred entry in 2026) at Newnham are required to take a written assessment for PBS which will consist of writing an essay in response to one of a choice of prompts relating to questions in Psychology. In 2024, the PBS assessment will take place on Wednesday 20 November. No prior knowledge is expected, but applicants are encouraged to draw on knowledge from their school studies and wider reading. Past essay questions for the PBS Admissions Assessment at Newnham have been:
‘Does memory offer a more perfect world than the universe?’
‘Antisocial behaviour runs in families – Discuss.’
Where can I find out more?
A description of the structure of the Tripos and further useful information for prospective applicants can be found on the University website and there is also information on the prospectus pages.
The Cambridge University Alternative Prospectus website has a good page with a students’ perspective on the PBS course.
Recommended Reading?
- Kevin Durkin (1995): Developmental Social Psychology: From Infancy to Old Age (ISBN: 978-0-631-14829-6)
- Keith E. Stanovich (2013 9th Edition): How To Think Straight About Psychology: Pearson New International Edition (ISBN-13: 978-1292023106)
- Mark F. Bear (Author), Barry Connors (Author), Mike Paradiso (Author) (2015): Neuroscience: Exploring the Brain (International Edition)
