IBANS interdisciplinary MSc by research projects
The MSc(RES) degree offers a distinctive one-year research-focused path for advanced study. These postgraduate research degrees are characterised by their interdisciplinary potential and lack of taught components.
Throughout your programme, you'll devote yourself entirely to a research project under the guidance of supervisors from complementary academic fields, culminating in a dissertation.
This intensive research experience serves as either a valuable standalone degree or an ideal foundation for further doctoral studies, allowing you to develop specialised expertise within a supportive research environment.
MSc(RES) Scholarships provide a £1000 research bursary to cover your research expenses throughout your degree. International students with exceptional credentials may qualify for additional funding through Global Merit Awards. All recipients gain membership to the Institute for Behavioural and Neural Sciences (IBANS) with the distinguished title of IBANS Scholar.
- Application deadline: No hard deadline. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
- Degree start date: September 2026
- Fees: Information about tuition fees is available on our dedicated fees page. International applicants may qualify for a Global Merit Award, which provides a £7500 tuition fee discount.
- Contact:
- For questions about the IBANS Scholar scheme, email ibans@st-andrews.ac.uk.
- For admissions inquiries, contact admissions@st-andrews.ac.uk.
- Project-specific questions should be directed to the relevant supervisors.
IBANS MSc(RES) projects involving supervisors from the Business School
Applications are open for the following projects:
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Supervisors
Professor Gerhard Riener (Business School, Department of Economics) and Dr Simon Columbus (School of Psychology and Neuroscience)
Project description
This interdisciplinary MSc(RES) project develops a new approach to measuring subjective beliefs by integrating incentive-compatible elicitation methods from experimental economics with psychometric latent variable models.
Beliefs are central to economic models of decision-making under uncertainty, yet existing elicitation techniques are rarely evaluated as measurement instruments. From a behavioural and cognitive science perspective, belief elicitation can be understood as the measurement of internal probabilistic representations under uncertainty, raising questions about how cognitive processing shapes observed responses.
The project bridges three complementary traditions:
- The Manski approach to probabilistic expectations in surveys
- Incentivised behavioural measures using strictly proper scoring rules
- Psychometrics’ focus on construct validity and measurement invariance
A central question is whether different elicitation mechanisms capture the same latent belief or instead introduce systematic, method-specific distortions driven by incentives, cognitive load, or individual differences. The project integrates economic theory (incentive-compatible measurement), psychometrics (latent-variable modelling and measurement testing), and cognitive science (mental representation of beliefs).
The project has three main components, which may be emphasised depending on the student’s background and interests:
- Develop a theoretical framework for evaluating belief elicitation methods.
- Re-analyse existing economic datasets, focusing on measurement reliability across key subgroups.
- Conduct a multi-method "horse race" experiment comparing alternative belief elicitation mechanisms.
In the main empirical component, the student will implement a preregistered within-subjects experiment in which participants report beliefs about clearly defined probabilistic events using multiple elicitation formats (e.g. unincentivised probability scales and incentivised scoring rules).
The analysis will combine econometric and psychometric modelling to identify method- and subgroup-specific heterogeneity in elicited beliefs. The project is designed to be completed within one academic year. If time permits, open-ended "what comes to mind" responses may be analysed to explore cognitive representations underlying belief formation.
By combining economic theory, experimental design, and latent-variable modelling, the project establishes a psychometrically grounded framework for belief elicitation. This will improve comparability of belief measures across populations and strengthen the foundations of behavioural research and policy-relevant survey measurement.
Skills and requirements
Ideal candidates should hold a bachelor’s degree in economics, psychology, or another quantitative social science, with a strong quantitative background. Experience with a statistical programming language (e.g. R, Python, or Stata) is essential. Prior knowledge of belief elicitation methods or latent variable modelling is advantageous but not required.
Further details and application process
This project has been awarded a ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Business School Research Bursary of £1000 for research expenses.
If you are planning to apply, please contact the supervisors first:
- Professor Gerhard Riener — gr97@st-andrews.ac.uk
- Dr Simon Columbus — sjh40@st-andrews.ac.uk
Applicants should discuss eligibility and obtain approval before submitting a formal application. Once agreement is reached, you may proceed with the application process.
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Supervisors
Dr Tugce Cuhadaroglu (Business School, Department of Economics) and Dr Lizzie Bradford (School of Psychology and Neuroscience)
Project description
Understanding cooperation is a central question across economics, psychology, and the social sciences. In many real-world settings, individuals must decide whether to contribute to collective goals despite incentives to free-ride. Laboratory public goods games provide a controlled environment to study these decisions, and consistently show that cooperation varies widely across individuals and over time.
This project investigates the cognitive mechanisms underlying such variation. It brings together two perspectives that are typically studied separately. The first focuses on social cognition, the ability to infer others’ beliefs, intentions, and likely behaviour, which may shape expectations and strategic responses in repeated interactions. The second focuses on domain-general cognitive processes, particularly executive functions such as working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility, which support strategic reasoning and the regulation of self-interested impulses.
To examine these mechanisms, you will design a behavioural experiment using a repeated public goods game. Participants will make contribution decisions over multiple rounds, allowing measurement of cooperation, belief formation, and conditional cooperation.
In addition, participants will complete a set of cognitive tasks designed to capture:
- Social cognitive abilities (e.g. inferring intentions and predicting others’ behaviour)
- Executive functions (e.g. working memory, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility)
Skills and requirements
The project will involve:
- Designing and implementing the experiment (using platforms such as z-Tree or Python-based tools)
- Recruiting and testing participants in lab or online settings
- Collecting behavioural, belief, and cognitive data
- Analysing data using advanced statistical methods (e.g. mixed-effects models)
The project provides training in experimental design, behavioural data collection, programming, and quantitative analysis, while offering experience working across economics and cognitive psychology. No prior experience with experimental methods or programming is required, as full training will be provided.
Further details and application process
This project has been awarded a ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Business School Research Bursary of £1000 for research expenses.
If you are planning to apply, please contact the supervisors first:
- Dr Tugce Cuhadaroglu — tc48@st-andrews.ac.uk
- Dr Lizzie Bradford — eefb@st-andrews.ac.uk
Applicants should discuss eligibility and obtain approval before submitting a formal application. Once agreement is reached, you may proceed with the application process.
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Supervisors
Dr Joanne Cecil (School of Medicine), Dr Javier Tello (School of Medicine), and Dr Tugce Cuhadaroglu (Business School, Department of Economics)
Project description
Obesity disproportionately affects women of reproductive age and is associated with menstrual disturbances, subfertility, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. BMI thresholds (typically < 30 kg/m²) restrict access to fertility services, often making weight loss a prerequisite for treatment. GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are increasingly used to support preconception weight loss and may improve reproductive function, but preclinical data raise concerns about potential teratogenicity. Human data on periconceptional use remain limited. Current guidance therefore recommends discontinuing GLP-1 RAs before conception, although adherence to this guidance is variable. As a result, the behavioural, clinical, and economic consequences of GLP-1 RA use in women seeking fertility treatment remain poorly characterised.
This project investigates the behavioural, reproductive, and economic implications of GLP-1 RA use in women with obesity seeking fertility treatment. It frames preconception decision-making as an intertemporal choice problem under uncertainty, where individuals trade off short-term access to fertility treatment against uncertain longer-term risks associated with medication use and pregnancy outcomes, within the constraints of clinical guidelines and access policies.
The project has three research objectives:
- RO1: Synthesise evidence on GLP-1 RA effects on metabolic and ovarian biomarkers, periconceptional use, and pregnancy risks.
- RO2: Identify behavioural determinants of GLP-1 RA uptake and adherence during the periconceptional period among women with obesity, focusing on present bias, risk perceptions, informational constraints, and social norms.
- RO3: Develop a decision-analytic economic model evaluating the cost-effectiveness of GLP-1 RA-assisted weight optimisation prior to fertility treatment compared with BMI-threshold policies.
The student will conduct a structured evidence synthesis to quantify associations between GLP-1 RA use and reproductive biomarkers, and examine evidence on periconceptional use and obstetric outcomes (RO1). Semi-structured interviews with women of reproductive age living with obesity will explore decision-making processes, behaviours, and perceptions (RO2).
These components will feed into a decision-analytic model of pathways into fertility treatment. The model will incorporate heterogeneity in patient characteristics (e.g. BMI, age, reproductive health), endogenous adherence to clinical guidance, and timing decisions regarding GLP-1 RA use and treatment entry. It will evaluate alternative policy regimes, including BMI-based access restrictions, discontinuation guidance, and GLP-1 RA access, assessing implications for efficiency, equity, patient welfare, and clinical outcomes (RO3).
By integrating behavioural evidence, clinical data, and economic modelling, the project provides a comprehensive framework for understanding how emerging weight-loss treatments interact with fertility policies and patient decision-making. The findings will inform clinical guidance and health policy by identifying trade-offs between safety, access, and outcomes, and by demonstrating how behavioural responses shape the effectiveness of preconception interventions.
The student will develop skills in systematic evidence synthesis, qualitative methods, behavioural theory, and health economic modelling. Interdisciplinary supervision will provide exposure to clinical research, behavioural science, and health policy evaluation.
Subject areas and keywords
Obesity, GLP-1 receptor agonists, neurobiology, energy homeostasis, fertility treatment, pregnancy, human behaviour, behavioural economics, health economics, health policy, access to care, economic modelling.
Skills and requirements
We seek a highly motivated candidate with a good bachelor’s degree in psychology, biology, economics, or a related discipline, with an interest in interdisciplinary research at the intersection of behaviour, health, and policy. An interest in decision-making, behavioural economics, and health economic modelling is particularly desirable. Prior experience with quantitative and qualitative methods is welcomed, but comprehensive training will be provided by the supervisors.
Further details and application process
This project has been awarded a ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Business School Research Bursary of £1000 for research expenses.
If you are planning to apply, please contact the supervisors first:
- Dr Joanne Cecil — jc100@st-andrews.ac.uk
- Dr Javier Tello — jt65@st-andrews.ac.uk
- Dr Tugce Cuhadaroglu — tc48@st-andrews.ac.uk
Applicants should discuss eligibility and obtain approval before submitting a formal application. Once agreement is reached, you may proceed with the application process.