As elsewhere in the UK, a PhD at St Andrews is expected to be completed in 3 years. Fees and maintenance awards are available for the best qualified students. Psychology at St Andrews is one of the UK’s top-rated (‘5*’) research departments, with a full and active postgraduate research community; competition for PhD places can be keen. Successful applicants will have a UK First Class Honours Degree or Upper Second, or international equivalent, plus evidence of research potential. In the case of primate fieldwork, such evidence may include prior experience of field study, other appropriate research experience, and/or travel. For work with captive primates or other animals, relevant experience is also an advantage.

Applications are encouraged in developmental and/or evolutionary psychology, particularly concerning aspects of social cognition covered in my recent publications. Applicants should have read one or more of these before making further enquiries! Specific topics of particular current interest include imitation, other social learning processes and the transmission of culture. These subjects may be pursued with non-human primates (either in captivity or in the wild) or children, or both. In recent years my students and research staff have worked mostly in primate research institutes overseas, (particularly in the USA) and in ape sanctuaries in Africa. From 2008, there will be local primate research opportunities in the ‘Living Links to Human Evolution’ Research Centre in Edinburgh Zoo. In addition to these areas of work, I would be keen to supervise an appropriately experienced student working on child development in a hunter-gatherer community.

For further information and application procedures, see: -

• Phd.Studentships
• School of Psychology
• University of St. Andrews
• Scottish Primate Research Group

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