Faculty of Creative Arts, Business and Social Sciences
Department of Law, Psychology and Social Sciences
Fixed Term: 12 months (2x posts)
"This role may be eligible for visa sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route. If requiring visa sponsorship, the successful applicant will also need to meet a range of individual criteria to satisfy Home Office requirements. If the role is offered on a part-time basis, this might also affect eligibility.
Applicants are encouraged to individually assess whether they may be eligible for visa sponsorship prior to applying. More information on eligibility can be found on the Government website."
THE POST – REQ000606 - Lecturer in Psychology
The Faculty of Creative Arts, Business and Social Sciences (CABSS) is seeking to appoint two par time (.5) Lecturers in Psychology on a fixed-term basis for 1 year. The successful candidate will hold an undergraduate degree in Psychology and be qualified to doctoral level (or nearing completion). A postgraduate qualification in learning and teaching and recognition as an Advance HE Fellow are highly desirable.
We welcome applications from candidates across the broad discipline of Psychology. Applicants with expertise relevant to Criminal Psychology, including those whose teaching and research spans Psychology and Criminology, are particularly encouraged to apply. The successful candidate will play a key role in delivering an excellent, research-informed student experience and will contribute to the delivery and continued development of our Psychology and Criminology and Psychology provision.
You will contribute to curriculum design, learning and teaching, and assessment, demonstrating strong knowledge of contemporary pedagogies, including co-creation, active learning and digital education. You will be confident working across both on-campus and online learning environments and committed to delivering an engaging and inclusive student experience.
The role includes designing and delivering high-quality teaching aligned with relevant professional body requirements (e.g. the British Psychological Society), assessing and supporting student progress, contributing to programme development, and engaging in quality enhancement activities. The successful candidate will also be expected to undertake and publish high-quality research, contribute to external funding applications, supervise research students, and engage in interdisciplinary collaboration across the Faculty. The ability to contribute to interdisciplinary teaching and research in areas such as Criminal Psychology, Criminology, forensic or investigative psychology, offender behaviour, policing, victimisation, or the psychological dimensions of crime and justice would be particularly welcome.
The successful candidate should have the following:
An undergraduate qualification in Psychology that is eligible for Graduate Membership of the British Psychological Society (BPS).
- A PhD in Psychology or a closely related discipline (or be close to completion).
- Evidence of experience of learning, teaching and assessment in higher education.
- Evidence of knowledge and understanding of contemporary pedagogies.
- Evidence of a published research profile commensurate with career stage, including internationally recognised (3*/4*) research outputs.
- Evidence of experience in module and/or programme administration.
- Evidence of experience in designing and delivering co-creative and active approaches to learning and assessment.
- Evidence of familiarity with online learning environments and the principles of digital education.
- The ability to contribute to teaching in Criminology and Psychology.
- Experience of interdisciplinary teaching or research involving Psychology and Criminology, Criminal Justice or related disciplines. (Desirable.)
ABOUT US
University of the West of Scotland is one of Scotland’s largest and most dynamic modern University of the West of Scotland is a placemaking institution that is proud to be an integral part of its local communities, with a national and international reach: the University has four campuses in Scotland in Ayr, Dumfries, Lanarkshire and Paisley, as well as a campus in London Docklands. UWS has almost 100 international partnerships and its student community comprises more than 100 nationalities.
UWS is committed to providing education opportunities for all, empowering individuals to reach their full potential. The University creates meaningful impact locally, nationally and globally through innovative learning and teaching, pioneering research, and transformative partnerships. UWS is committed to the UNSDGs and was ranked joint 1st in Scotland and joint 4th in the UK for quality education (SDG4); and 1st in the UK and 39th globally for our contribution to decent work and economic growth (SDG8) in the Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026.
90% of UWS research was classed as world-leading, internationally excellent, or recognised internationally in the REF (Research Excellence Framework) 2021.
The Faculty of Creative Arts, Business and Social Sciences at UWS combines sector-leading education provision with strong expertise in social science teaching and research in the west of Scotland and beyond. You will join a supportive and committed team, playing a crucial role in the Faculty’s commitment to social justice and making a difference locally, nationally and internationally. Our students benefit from innovative, practice-focused and research-informed courses, and deep-rooted partnerships with leading organisations across the world.
We offer our staff a caring and supportive environment, across five campuses, and a competitive benefits package which includes:
- 35 days of annual leave, plus a further 12 days for public/university holidays
- An additional days leave on your birthday
- Defined benefit contribution pension scheme (including death in service benefits upon joining the scheme
- A flexible approach to working pattern and work-life balance
- Employee discount scheme across 3,500 retailers
- Fitness facilities across our campuses
- Access to a range of health and wellbeing resources, including occupational health, physiotherapy and access to our Employee Assistance Programme
- Professional, career and research development opportunities.
Closing Date: Wednesday 19th August 2026
Interview Date: Week commencing 31st August 2026
Please note that the appointment will be made on the first point of the salary scale (unless by exception, where evidence would need to be provided)
The University reserves the right to shorten/extend the closing date of any position where a high/low volume of suitable applications are received. Therefore, if you are interested in this role, an early application would be encouraged.
You can find out more about how the University uses your personal data as part of the recruitment process by looking at the UWS HR Applicant Privacy Notice at www.uws.ac.uk
UWS are committed signatories to the Armed Forces Covenant.
UWS is committed to equality and diversity and welcomes applications from underrepresented groups.
UWS is a “Disability Confident” employer.
University of the West of Scotland is a registered Scottish charity, no. SC002520.
