Psychological and Behavioural Sciences
UCAS Code
C800 BA/PBS
Typical Offers Require
Typical offers for the course are A*A*A at A Level, or 41–42 points out of 45 with 776 at Higher Level in the International Baccalaureate. Equivalent qualifications are also considered. Given the scientific nature of core PBS papers, candidates applying to study PBS should have the equivalent of Maths and/or Biology at A level. Knowledge of Psychology A-level material is not a prerequisite for performing well in admissions interviews.
Psychological and Behavioural Sciences at Cambridge give you the opportunity to study cognitive, social, developmental, and biological psychology within the broader context of the behavioural sciences.
The course covers, for example, cognitive psychology, psychopathology, language, brain mechanisms, gender, family relationships and influences, personality, and group social behaviour. Research projects and a dissertation also enable you to study in greater depth the topics that interest you most.
In the Department of Psychology, you're taught by lecturers and researchers of international excellence. Subject societies and seminar programmes offer regular talks from guest speakers too. In addition to this academic expertise, you have access to libraries in both departments, which together hold around 50,000 books and over 150 periodicals along with other resources and computing facilities.
The accreditation of the University's teaching by the British Psychological Society (BPS) is expected to continue with this new course. 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 psychology. Many students pursue further study and research, and graduates are eligible for admission to professional courses in clinical, educational, forensic or applied psychology.
Subject Requirements
Essential: A* in A Level Biology and/or A* in A Level Mathematics / 7 in IB Higher Level Biology and/or 7 in IB Higher Level Mathematics
Desirable: evidence of strong performance in the Sciences to GCSE level (or its equivalent, as demonstrated in a high school transcript).
Please also see Psychological and Behavioural Sciences entry requirements on the university website.
Written Work
Applicants are asked to submit one school essay (with teacher's original comments). We do not mind what subject your work comes from but it should be from an essay-based subject, written in English. If you have not written essays in English, please contact the Admissions Office for guidance about what to submit.
Admission Assessments
No assessment required
Director of Studies
Updated April 2024