School of Psychology

Professor Abigail Locke, Head of the School of Psychology

Welcome to the School of Psychology at Keele University. My name is Professor Abigail Locke and I am the Head of School of Psychology as well as being an expert in Critical Social and Health Psychology. I am proud to lead our School, a learning community of more than 50 years standing.

The School of Psychology offers a thriving and dynamic research-based learning environment. Our excellent facilities enable a vibrant education and research environment, particularly our extensive laboratory provision including our new Virtual Reality lab. We have a strong portfolio of courses in psychology at undergraduate and postgraduate level, with clear progression routes all the way from undergraduate study to Postgraduate Masters provision, and beyond to PhD study. All our undergraduate courses benefit from British Psychological Society (BPS) accreditation. We also provide opportunities for placements and the opportunity to study abroad for one semester or an entire year. Our postgraduate courses are designed to consolidate your interests and experience in the field and give you cutting edge research experience working alongside our expert, research active staff. Keele Psychology prides itself on its excellence in both education and research.

As a School we have demonstrable research excellence across many areas of psychology, including social psychology, health, wellbeing and behaviour change, cognitive psychology/neuroscience, and forensic/criminal psychology. Our expertise in research is reflected in both the importance of the work that we deliver and its impactful nature, making a difference to society. Our research is funded by governmental research councils and industry on a range of topics aiming to give insight into understanding the fundamental nature of people and behaviour, developing practical insightful applications from advanced psychological theory. We also appreciate the practical side of Psychology and provide educational provision in Business Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Forensic Psychology and Sports and Exercise Psychology. Our understanding of the centrality of research and practice to the discipline of Psychology motivates our providing numerous opportunities for our students to get involved in our ongoing research projects. It’s a great way to learn.

Our courses provide an excellent foundation for employment, whether you are considering a career in science or the arts, business, education, health, helping professions or many other work destinations. We very much look forward to welcoming you to our School in the new academic year.