About our School
The School's staff and students tackle global and local issues afecting health, society and the environment, and we offer the necessary expertise to understand your requirements and develop appropriate solutions, whether it's through:
- Research
- Applied Study
- Industry Partnerships
Research
Through our research we aim to make a substantial positive impact on health, the environment and society in Scotland and across the world.
The School has more than 100 active research staff, who work across research themes in:
- Animal and plant science
- Biomedical sciences
- Microbiology
- Psychology
- Social Sciences and Criminology
- Sport and Exercise Science
It is also home to the Scottish Institute for Policing Research and the Mobility and Migration Research Network.
Through our research we aim to make a substantial positive impact, both nationally and internationally, on health, the environment and society.
Our excellent research facilities provide students and commercial partners with the best tools, which is a key attraction for our taught PG and research PG students on campus.
We provide access to the latest skills, knowledge and insight; which in turn helps our commercial partners to grow and succeed.
Regardless of your field, we have the expertise to understand your requirements and develop solutions. Please get in touch via rio@napier.ac.uk to discuss how we can bring together a team of experts to work on your problem.
Research Integrity
All funded and non-funded research involving human participants, material or data within the School of Applied Sciences (SAS) must apply for ethical approval by the School Research Integrity Committee.
Scrutiny of applications by the School Research Integrity Committees aims to ensure that:
- research is 'ethical' – participants will not experience physical and/or psychological harm, and the research design is sufficiently robust to ensure that participation is worthwhile.
- governance issues are addressed – research is designed and conducted in a way that will enhance, and certainly not damage, the reputation of Edinburgh Napier University.
- applications meet the requirements of the University Code of Practice for Research Integrity
These pages contain information on the application process, and links to key documents. Please read the guidance carefully.
Contact Details
Jill Meek, Clerk, School of Applied Sciences Research Integrity Committee, Edinburgh Napier University, Sighthill Campus, Edinburgh EH11 4BN
ethics.sas@napier.ac.uk
Dr Rory MacLean, Convenor, School of Applied Sciences Research Integrity Committee, Edinburgh Napier University, Sighthill Campus, Edinburgh, EH11 4BN
r.maclean@napier.ac.uk
Applied Study
Our undergraduate and Postgraduate courses are organised under five subject groups. All are renowned for meeting the needs of employers and society.
Biosciences
All our Biosciences courses are taught in an applied way, giving students the most-up-to-date skills in their chosen area, whether it’s field or lab work. Underpinned by a core understanding as they discover what they enjoy most, students can then specialise in specific areas supported by research-active staff.
Criminology
We are the top UK Modern University for Criminology in The Good University Guide 2020, published by The Times/Sunday Times and are the only university in Scotland to offer a degree in Policing & Criminology, which was developed with input from Police Scotland.
Psychology and Social Sciences
Staff teach and research across numerous areas of psychology including forensic, occupational, counselling, cognitive, and social psychology.
Sport and Exercise Science
We are a top 25 UK University for Sport and Exercise Science, partnering with Scottish Cricket, Scottish Gymnastics, the Scottish Rugby Union, and we joined with public sector bodies to set up a new mountain biking centre at Glentress in the Scottish Borders which acts as a focal point for training, research and support for commercial opportunities in mountain biking.
We’re committed to designing and delivering interventions that make a difference in sport performance or public health. Whether you want to train elite athletes or help sufferers of long-term illnesses to keep moving, we have courses to suit anyone passionate about the subject.
Edinburgh Napier University is recognised as a Centre of Excellence for Developing Athletes and is also the only university in Scotland to be accredited by TASS (the Talented Athletes Scholarship Scheme).
Teaching
Our new Professional Diploma in Education (PGDE) was launched in August 2019, offering the unique opportunity for STEM graduates to train to become a secondary school teacher in Biology, Chemistry, Maths or Physics within a School of Applied Science.
Each programme is fully accredited by the GTCS and students are automatically enrolled on the STEM Ambassador programme to build their network and confidence.
Vet Nursing
Our internationally-recognised course provides an excellent grounding in all of the professional skills required for registration as a Veterinary Nurse with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons: 100% of our graduates from 2017 were in work/study within six months of graduation.
Accreditations
Further recognition of our forward thinking and problem solving approach includes:
- We are the biomechanics partner for the R&A, the governing body of golf for most of the world.
- In 2019 we became the first university in Scotland to be accredited by tass.gov.uk, the Talented Athletes Scholarship Scheme.
- Our Centre for Developing Athletes can help talented athletes develop, and we facilitate study while competing for qualifying athletes through our Dual Careers programme
- We are the home to the Scottish Institute for Policing Research.
- In 2019 we became the first University in Scotland to provide scientists with the opportunity to qualify as science teachers (PgDE), studying within a School of Applied Sciences.
- Our Microplacements programme with employers (previously known as ‘Getting Inside’) is growing year-by-year, to help students gain applied experience in the workplace during their studies.
Industry partnerships
As you will expect, with the applied nature of our degree programmes, our partnerships with industry are many and varied.
As well as links to dozens of bioscience companies across Scotland, we have institutional links with the Royal Society of Biology, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland - Edinburgh Zoo, the Moredun Research Institute, The National Biofilms Innovation Centre, the Scottish Consortium of Rural Research and The Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland. We are also a member of the Scottish Universities Life Science Alliance (SULSA)
We also collaborate with many conservation charities and agencies, including The National Trust for Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage, and work in partnership with the College of Animal Welfare (CAW) to place Veterinary Nursing students in practical placements across Scotland.
Across all subject groups, we review and develop courses in partnership with industry. For example, we launched the first degree in Scotland in Policing and Criminology, in 2018, developed through discussions with Police Scotland.
Our new interdisciplinary MSc in Applied Criminology and Forensic Psychology features sought-after work placements with Police Scotland, HMIC, and other organisations linked to criminal justice. A similar example is our MSc in Drug Design & Biomedical Science, which is a unique offering within Europe.