The Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) is a global leader in teaching and research in the sciences relevant to mental health. Our work encompasses almost the entire range of disciplines required to understand the causes of mental disorders, to develop new treatments, and to evaluate their implementation at patient level, as well as at the level of services and national health and social care policies.
As the UK's largest organisation studying mental health and neurological disorders, it is critical we provide a fair and positive workplace and learning environments for our staff and students. Aspects of peoples' identity - such as sex, race, sexual orientation, age and disability - play an important role relating to risk of disorders, access to treatment and experience of services. As such, to have an impact on people we will ultimately serve, we must model the same kind of anti-discriminatory practices.
As a student at the IoPPN, you will be immersed in a vibrant, interdisciplinary research culture. You will mix with staff and fellow students working in complementary fields on a day-to-day basis, in seminars, lectures and, informally, in places like the IoPPN Canteen. We have strong connections to the South London and Maudsley Foundation NHS Trust; many of our academics are involved daily in the care of patients and we consult patient representatives about planning and design of research.
Our education programmes consist of a broad portfolio of courses with undergraduate BSc Psychology, BSc Neuroscience & Psychology and BSc Psychology & Criminology to over 30 post-graduate courses. Our programmes are informed by the latest research discoveries. In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework 90% of the IoPPN’s research outputs were deemed to be ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’, with 92% rated as delivering ‘outstanding’ impact and a 100% rating for our research environment.
The IoPPN offers a rich environment in which close contact occurs between staff and students throughout the programmes and enables students to become part of the dialogue of their chosen discipline. Teaching by staff with research and clinical expertise allows students to gain specialist knowledge and thus to develop their careers as clinicians, therapists, researchers and educators.
The IoPPN is divided into 13 academic departments across three schools. Each school has a ‘School Education Lead’ who has oversight of all courses within that school. You can find out which programmes sit under each School on the relevant website links below.
Each school embraces research, education, and clinical translation to further understand and improve mental health, to treat disorders of the brain, and to train the next generation of researchers and practitioners, as well as informing the wider community. The faculty enables a unique level of collaboration between its schools, allowing our research and teaching to be carried out in the wider context of mental health as a whole, supported by our Centre for Education Development & Research (CEDAR). CEDAR is dedicated to supporting and celebrating the significant educational activities within the IoPPN.
In order to continue serving society and address the most pressing mental health and nervous system health challenges into the future, the IoPPN is undergoing an exciting transformation programme. The faculty is renewing its strategic vision and direction in line with these challenges, creating a shared sharper focus on the priorities identified around research, delivery of our education to students and contributions to culture.