Stephanie McKenna

Stephanie McKenna, BSc (Hons) Psychology

Stephanie McKenna (22) graduated with BSc (Hons) Psychology in September 2022 and was the first student from a Scottish university to the win the Jonathan Sime Award, a national prize for the best dissertation on nature and psychology. She found the degree to be flexible, professionally run, well informed and provided a qualification that can be applied to any career. 

Stephanie said: “I wanted to study remotely rather than go to a brick uni so I could keep doing the things I love; biking, walking and swimming. UHI inverness enabled me to study a subject I was excited by and live and work in Fort William. 

“I liked how it was easy to fit the coursework around work and life, that helped me stay engaged and interested over the four years. I also thought the structure of two main assessment times over the semesters worked great as you could prepare well in advance and work towards a clear goal with materials available. The lecturers were very supportive and Brightspace was great for clear communication - it was easy to ask for clarity or a quick question. I felt that Covid barely affected the way the course ran which was fantastic to have that consistency in a very turbulent time. 

“The psychology course was right for me because it enabled me to learn about a subject I found interesting and important whilst continuing to do the things I love outdoors. The course also provided me with valuable research and communicative skills that I can transfer to any career. It also helped me to understand how I can best engage people with nature to benefit their wellbeing and the environment- something I am deeply passionate about.”

A highlight of her course was the dissertation. 

“I loved how deep I could delve into my chosen topic and had the freedom to explore and present it. My supervisor Mairi was incredibly supportive and helped me to create something I am extremely proud of,” she said.