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MPhil/PhD Psychological and Behavioural Science
- Graduate research
- Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science
- Application code L7ZP
- Starting 2024
- Home full-time: Closed
- Overseas full-time: Closed
- Location: Houghton Street, London
This programme offers the chance to undertake a substantial piece of work that is worthy of publication and which makes an original contribution to the field of psychological and behavioural science.
Project specifics are to be developed with academic faculty, and may explore topics in social psychology, health and communities, organisational psychology, evolutionary psychology, communication, and behavioural science. Our research addresses theoretical concerns within psychological and behavioural science, and is applicable in practical contexts (eg, organisations, developing countries, public policy).
You will have the opportunity to undertake fieldwork in many settings including experimental laboratories, organisations and countries outside of the UK. You will be encouraged to present at international conferences and publish in international journals. Part-time positions for research, teaching and editorial assistance are often available, offering you valuable experience and publication opportunities.
Find out more about our PhD programme, read our FAQs and see our current PhD student profiles on the Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science website .
Programme details
For more information about tuition fees and entry requirements, see the fees and funding and assessing your application sections.
Entry requirements
Minimum entry requirements for mphil/phd psychological and behavioural science.
The minimum entry requirement for this programme is an upper second class honours (2:1) bachelor’s degree (or equivalent), plus high merit (65+) in master's degree (or equivalent) in a relevant area.
Competition for places at the School is high. This means that even if you meet our minimum entry requirement, this does not guarantee you an offer of admission. Where an offer of admission is considered, this is always subject to an interview.
If you have studied or are studying outside of the UK then have a look at our Information for International Students to find out the entry requirements that apply to you.
Assessing your application
We welcome applications for research programmes that complement the academic interests of members of staff at the School, and we recommend that you investigate staff research interests and contact potential supervisors before applying.
We carefully consider each application on an individual basis, taking into account all the information presented on your application form, including your:
- academic achievement (including existing and pending qualifications) - statement of academic purpose - references - CV - research proposal - sample of written work.
See further information on supporting documents
You may also have to provide evidence of your English proficiency. You do not need to provide this at the time of your application to LSE, but we recommend that you do. See our English language requirements .
When to apply
The application deadline for this programme is 25 April 2024 . However, to be considered for any LSE funding opportunity, you must have submitted your application and all supporting documents by the funding deadline. See the fees and funding section for more details.
Fees and funding
Every research student is charged a fee in line with the fee structure for their programme.The fee covers registration and examination fees payable to the School, lectures, classes and individual supervision, lectures given at other colleges under intercollegiate arrangements and, under current arrangements, membership of the Students' Union. It does not cover living costs or travel or fieldwork.
Tuition fees 2024/25 for MPhil/PhD Psychological and Behavioural Science
Home students: £4,829 for the first year (provisional) Overseas students: £22,632 for the first year
The fee is likely to rise over subsequent years of the programme. The School charges home research students in line with the level of fee that the Research Councils recommend. The fees for overseas students are likely to rise in line with the assumed percentage increase in pay costs (ie, 4 per cent per annum).
The Table of Fees shows the latest tuition amounts for all programmes offered by the School.
Fee status
The amount of tuition fees you will need to pay, and any financial support you are eligible for, will depend on whether you are classified as a home or overseas student, otherwise known as your fee status. LSE assesses your fee status based on guidelines provided by the Department of Education.
Further information about fee status classification.
Scholarships, studentships and other funding
The School recognises that the cost of living in London may be higher than in your home town or country, and we provide generous scholarships each year to home and overseas students.
This programme is eligible for LSE PhD Studentships . Selection for the PhD Studentships is based on receipt of an application for a place – including all ancillary documents, before the funding deadline. Funding deadline for LSE PhD Studentships: 15 January 2024
In addition to our needs-based awards, LSE also makes available scholarships for students from specific regions of the world and awards for students studying specific subject areas. Find out more about financial support.
External funding
There may be other funding opportunities available through other organisations or governments and we recommend you investigate these options as well.
Further information
Fees and funding opportunities
Information for international students
LSE is an international community, with over 140 nationalities represented amongst its student body. We celebrate this diversity through everything we do.
If you are applying to LSE from outside of the UK then take a look at our Information for International students .
1) Take a note of the UK qualifications we require for your programme of interest (found in the ‘Entry requirements’ section of this page).
2) Go to the International Students section of our website.
3) Select your country.
4) Select ‘Graduate entry requirements’ and scroll until you arrive at the information about your local/national qualification. Compare the stated UK entry requirements listed on this page with the local/national entry requirement listed on your country specific page.
Programme structure and courses
The MPhil/PhD programme can include taught courses on both methodology and theory. The precise courses you may be required to attend will vary and exemptions may apply depending on your prior experience and qualifications. These matters should be discussed and agreed with your supervisor in your first formal supervision meeting.
If you are studying full-time, then after 15 months of studying, you will be upgraded to PhD status if you satisfy certain requirements.
(* denotes a half unit)
Transferable skills courses
Current Research in Psychological and Behavioural Science - Compulsory (not examined) Weekly seminars including plenary and specialist sessions in the Autumn Term, Winter Term and Spring Term.
Training courses
Students are asked to complete 10 hours of research training each year. Courses are agreed with supervisors depending on a student's needs. Taught classes can be accessed within the Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science as well as in departments across LSE, including Methodology. Methodology courses available include Qualitative Research Methods, Survey Methodology, Applied Regression Analysis and Multivariate Analysis and Measurement. Training courses are offered through our PhD academy and with affiliate institutions. Access is subject to agreement with the relevant course convenors (eg according to space considerations).
For the most up-to-date list of optional courses please visit the relevant School Calendar page.
You must note, however, that while care has been taken to ensure that this information is up to date and correct, a change of circumstances since publication may cause the School to change, suspend or withdraw a course or programme of study, or change the fees that apply to it. The School will always notify the affected parties as early as practicably possible and propose any viable and relevant alternative options. Note that the School will neither be liable for information that after publication becomes inaccurate or irrelevant, nor for changing, suspending or withdrawing a course or programme of study due to events outside of its control, which includes but is not limited to a lack of demand for a course or programme of study, industrial action, fire, flood or other environmental or physical damage to premises.
You must also note that places are limited on some courses and/or subject to specific entry requirements. The School cannot therefore guarantee you a place. Please note that changes to programmes and courses can sometimes occur after you have accepted your offer of a place. These changes are normally made in light of developments in the discipline or path-breaking research, or on the basis of student feedback. Changes can take the form of altered course content, teaching formats or assessment modes. Any such changes are intended to enhance the student learning experience. You should visit the School’s Calendar , or contact the relevant academic department, for information on the availability and/or content of courses and programmes of study. Certain substantive changes will be listed on the updated graduate course and programme information page.
Supervision, progression and assessment
Supervision.
The supervisor you work with will be a specialist in your chosen research field, and will guide you through your studies. Prospective applicants should have the support of a potential supervisor before making a formal application to Graduate Admissions, to ensure an alignment of research interests. If contacting faculty, please be selective, and let faculty know if you are in contact with more than one member of staff.
Progression and assessment
Degrees must be completed within a maximum of four years. The time taken to complete any research degree depends on your progress and individual needs and you must remain registered with the School until your thesis has been submitted.
You register for the MPhil in the first instance, and will need to progress satisfactorily to be upgraded to PhD status.
The first year Extended Essay and the second year Upgrade chapters (see below) are examined by a three-person thesis committee, which includes your supervisor, as well as two other academic colleagues. Targets for progress First year: Extended Essay of 6,000 words, submitted on first day of Winter Term. Second year: Upgrade viva. Two draft chapters or papers of 10,000 words each (total of 20,000 words), submitted on first day of Winter Term. These chapters form the basis of an oral examination by a three-person thesis committee, usually four to six weeks after submission. Success in this examination results in upgrade from MPhil to PhD status. Third year: Completed first draft by end of three years.
PhD formats: thesis and series of publishable articles
The Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science allows for two formats of PhD:
Thesis (aka monograph) format
This is the traditional PhD format. It entails candidates in effect producing several chapters examining a single subject in an integrated way. This is akin to the format and structure of a book.
Article format
This format entails candidates producing distinct papers which are combined with integrative material to address a single subject. The defining feature of this format is basically that some of the "chapters" can be articles which either have been published or prepared for publication. This format tends only to be suitable for PhD projects which comprise a series of distinct (but inter-related) empirical studies.
Extra guidelines for article format PhD The thesis should comprise three to six publishable articles framed by an introduction, critical integrating discussion and conclusion. Articles should be co-authored with supervisors (as are all papers written on your PhD topic while being under supervision). Articles and chapters both count as "papers" – the most important part is that they are publishable quality. They do not have to have been submitted, and even if they have been submitted and accepted this does not automatically entail that the Committee will find them suitable within the larger context of the project.
Student support and resources
We’re here to help and support you throughout your time at LSE, whether you need help with your academic studies, support with your welfare and wellbeing or simply to develop on a personal and professional level.
Whatever your query, big or small, there are a range of people you can speak to who will be happy to help.
Department librarians – they will be able to help you navigate the library and maximise its resources during your studies.
Accommodation service – they can offer advice on living in halls and offer guidance on private accommodation related queries.
Class teachers and seminar leaders – they will be able to assist with queries relating to specific courses.
Disability and Wellbeing Service – they are experts in long-term health conditions, sensory impairments, mental health and specific learning difficulties. They offer confidential and free services such as student counselling, a peer support scheme and arranging exam adjustments. They run groups and workshops.
IT help – support is available 24 hours a day to assist with all your technology queries.
LSE Faith Centre – this is home to LSE's diverse religious activities and transformational interfaith leadership programmes, as well as a space for worship, prayer and quiet reflection. It includes Islamic prayer rooms and a main space for worship. It is also a space for wellbeing classes on campus and is open to all students and staff from all faiths and none.
Language Centre – the Centre specialises in offering language courses targeted to the needs of students and practitioners in the social sciences. We offer pre-course English for Academic Purposes programmes; English language support during your studies; modern language courses in nine languages; proofreading, translation and document authentication; and language learning community activities.
LSE Careers – with the help of LSE Careers, you can make the most of the opportunities that London has to offer. Whatever your career plans, LSE Careers will work with you, connecting you to opportunities and experiences from internships and volunteering to networking events and employer and alumni insights.
LSE Library – founded in 1896, the British Library of Political and Economic Science is the major international library of the social sciences. It stays open late, has lots of excellent resources and is a great place to study. As an LSE student, you’ll have access to a number of other academic libraries in Greater London and nationwide.
LSE LIFE – this is where you should go to develop skills you’ll use as a student and beyond. The centre runs talks and workshops on skills you’ll find useful in the classroom; offers one-to-one sessions with study advisers who can help you with reading, making notes, writing, research and exam revision; and provides drop-in sessions for academic and personal support. (See ‘Teaching and assessment’).
LSE Students’ Union (LSESU) – they offer academic, personal and financial advice and funding.
PhD Academy – this is available for PhD students, wherever they are, to take part in interdisciplinary events and other professional development activities and access all the services related to their registration.
Sardinia House Dental Practice – this offers discounted private dental services to LSE students.
St Philips Medical Centre – based in Pethwick-Lawrence House, the Centre provides NHS Primary Care services to registered patients.
Student Services Centre – our staff here can answer general queries and can point you in the direction of other LSE services.
Student advisers – we have a Deputy Head of Student Services (Advice and Policy) and an Adviser to Women Students who can help with academic and pastoral matters.
Student life
As a student at LSE you’ll be based at our central London campus. Find out what our campus and London have to offer you on academic, social and career perspective.
Student societies and activities
Your time at LSE is not just about studying, there are plenty of ways to get involved in extracurricular activities . From joining one of over 200 societies, or starting your own society, to volunteering for a local charity, or attending a public lecture by a world-leading figure, there is a lot to choose from.
The campus
LSE is based on one campus in the centre of London. Despite the busy feel of the surrounding area, many of the streets around campus are pedestrianised, meaning the campus feels like a real community.
Life in London
London is an exciting, vibrant and colourful city. It's also an academic city, with more than 400,000 university students. Whatever your interests or appetite you will find something to suit your palate and pocket in this truly international capital. Make the most of career opportunities and social activities, theatre, museums, music and more.
Want to find out more? Read why we think London is a fantastic student city , find out about key sights, places and experiences for new Londoners . Don't fear, London doesn't have to be super expensive: hear about London on a budget .
Student stories
Apurv chauhan.
MPhil/PhD Social Psychology Sitamarhi, India
If you are a social psychologist, the Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science at LSE is the place you want to be. The Department is a vibrant community of scholars where some of the world leading research in societal psychology unfolds. Not only do academics partake in theoretical advancements, but they also hold a firm commitment towards solving real world problems at the grass root level.
Quick Careers Facts for the Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science
Median salary of our PG students 15 months after graduating: £33,000
Top 5 sectors our students work in:
- Financial and Professional Services
- Education, Teaching and Research
- Consultancy
- Real Estate, Environment and Energy
- Other Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities
The data was collected as part of the Graduate Outcomes survey, which is administered by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). Graduates from 2020-21 were the fourth group to be asked to respond to Graduate Outcomes. Median salaries are calculated for respondents who are paid in UK pounds sterling and who were working in full-time employment.
Students who successfully complete the programme often embark on an academic career.
Further information on graduate destinations for this programme
Support for your career
Many leading organisations give careers presentations at the School during the year, and LSE Careers has a wide range of resources available to assist students in their job search. Find out more about the support available to students through LSE Careers .
Find out more about LSE
Discover more about being an LSE student - meet us in a city near you, visit our campus or experience LSE from home.
Experience LSE from home
Webinars, videos, student blogs and student video diaries will help you gain an insight into what it's like to study at LSE for those that aren't able to make it to our campus. Experience LSE from home .
Come on a guided campus tour, attend an undergraduate open day, drop into our office or go on a self-guided tour. Find out about opportunities to visit LSE .
LSE visits you
Student Marketing, Recruitment and Study Abroad travels throughout the UK and around the world to meet with prospective students. We visit schools, attend education fairs and also hold Destination LSE events: pre-departure events for offer holders. Find details on LSE's upcoming visits .
How to apply
Virtual Graduate Open Day
Register your interest
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Social Science MPhil/PhD
London, Bloomsbury
The MPhil/PhD at the Social Research Institute provides a route for students to carry out their own research project within a multidisciplinary and multi-method environment. Our research students engage with the academic community within UCL and benefit from a comprehensive research training programme. This programme is available to study both face-to-face and online.
UK tuition fees (2024/25)
Overseas tuition fees (2024/25), programme starts, applications accepted.
- Entry requirements
The normal minimum requirement is a Master’s degree from a UK university in a subject appropriate to the programme to be followed, or a qualification of equivalent standard appropriate to the programme to be followed awarded by a university (or educational institution of university rank) outside the UK. The majority of our successful applicants hold a Merit at Master’s level, and may have additional relevant experience.
The English language level for this programme is: Level 4
UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.
Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.
Equivalent qualifications
Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website .
International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.
About this degree
The Social Research Institute is one of the largest multidisciplinary social science research and teaching centres in London. Our staff include sociologists, psychologists, social scientists and economists. We have research-active staff able to supervise research in our key areas of expertise.
Who this course is for
We welcome candidates who have a commitment to social research. They are expected to identify two potential supervisors prior to applying. Overseas applicants also need to satisfy the English Language requirement.
What this course will give you
IOE is a world-leading centre for research in education and related social science. We host the UK's largest doctoral cohort in these areas. We are home to many prestigious research centres and projects. In the QS World University Rankings by Subject (2023), the Institute was ranked first for education for the tenth year running, ahead of Harvard, Stanford, Oxford and Cambridge. In the UK's recent Research Excellence Framework (2021), we were ranked first for research strength and research power in Education, according to the Elsevier REF 2021 Results Analysis Tool. We attract extensive research funding each year and host many prestigious research centres and projects.
Doctoral students at IOE have access to the wider UCL community as well as the education cluster constituting the ESRC UBEL Doctoral Training Partnership . The Institute's programme has been designed to provide comprehensive and broadly based research training and to meet the requirements of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and the UK Researcher Development Framework.
The foundation of your career
Students develop general and specialist skills in research methodology, academic writing and presentation, as well as experience of engaging with a wide range of practitioners across different social science sectors.
Employability
Social Science doctoral graduates are found in a variety of occupational fields and a wide range of career paths including social research, media research, marketing research, human resources, government, health, policy development, charities, education, NGOs, youth work and managerial posts in business and retail.
The Social Research Institute has a wide range of research seminars where students can join discussion of our ongoing projects, and IOE is the base for national and international conferences. The Centre for Doctoral Education holds two annual conferences for doctoral students. There are also opportunities for students to offer specialist reading groups and workshops and to act as facilitators on courses within the research training programme.
Teaching and learning
Our PhD students work closely with a principal supervisor and subsidiary supervisors. At SRI, we have expertise on a wide range of topics. Students will have opportunities to engage in research activities and seminars. In addition, the UCL Doctoral School also offers a range of skills development courses for PhD students.
In addition to UCL's Doctoral Skills Development Programme, IOE's Centre for Doctoral Education provides a comprehensive Research Training Programme.
The Core Course aims to meets the needs of early stage doctoral students.
There is also a wide range of introductory, advanced methods, advanced theoretical, and generic academic skills courses, as well as student-led workshops and reading groups.
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) consists of a piece of supervised research, normally undertaken over a period of three years full-time or five years part-time. Assessment is by means of a thesis, which should demonstrate your capacity to pursue original research based upon a good understanding of the research techniques and concepts appropriate to the discipline. It must also represent a distinct and significant contribution to the subject, whether through the discovery of new knowledge, the connection of previously unrelated facts, the development of new theory, or the revision of older views. It should reflect the exercise of critical judgement with regard to both your own work and that of other scholars in the field.
For those who decide not to pursue the full PhD, or are unable to do so, the degree of Master of Philosophy (MPhil) consists of a piece of supervised research, normally undertaken over a period of three years full-time or five years part-time. Assessment is by means of a thesis, which should represent a contribution to the subject, either through a record of your original work or a critical and ordered exposition of existing knowledge.
You must ensure you have adequate time to devote to this research, at least six hours a day (2-3 days a week part time).
Research areas and structure
Our expertise at the Social Research Institute covers the following specialising fields:
- Children’s rights and advocacy; childhood studies; child development; children in care; maternal and child health; reproductive health; health behaviours; health promotion
- Families; family formation; parenting; work and family life; fatherhood; motherhood; food practices
- Gender; sexualities and intimate lives
- Longitudinal analysis; cohort studies cross-cohort and international comparisons
- Lifecourse transitions; intergenerational studies; demography; youth and young adulthood
- Social inequalities; intergenerational and intragenerational social mobility
- Education; skills and employment; labour market behaviour
- Migration; transnational families; sociology of religion; culture and ethnicity
- Cultural and social psychology
- Political sociology and the study of social movements
- Advanced qualitative and quantitative methods; mixed methods and visual methods
- Systematic reviews of research evidence; study of how research evidence is used in policy, practice and decision making
- Time use research; time use data to study social life, gender, work/family balance, family and economics
Research environment
The Social Research Institute (SRI) is one of the leading centres in the UK for multidisciplinary teaching and research in the social sciences. With more than 180 academic, research and professional staff, we work to advance knowledge and inform policy in areas including gender, families, education, employment, migration, inequalities, public health, health and child/adult wellbeing. At SRI, our postgraduate research students from all over the world work alongside supervisory teams, staff and current students. Students work closely with their supervisor(s) to develop each stage of research; supervisors also help put together a programme of additional courses and activities to support progress towards completion of the final thesis. We offer a wide range of seminars and teaching opportunities. As research students, you will have opportunities to organise your own reading groups, workshops, and seminars, working with other research students in other departments in IOE and UCL.
In addition to the campus-based mode, we offer the option to study online in a distance-learning mode. Choosing the distance-learning mode means that there are no residency requirements and it is not necessary to attend during doctoral study, the viva examination take place in-person at UCL or online. However, you are welcome to visit and use campus facilities including the library, attend seminars etc. In the first year of full-time study (and first two years of part-time study), distance learners take a series of compulsory research methods modules that are studied online. This typically involves provision of materials (articles, eBooks, videos etc.), forums to facilitate discussion of various tasks, and synchronous sessions to discuss the activities. Alongside these you will work with your supervisors on your research (e.g., using Teams/Zoom and email). In addition, there are other resources and training opportunities to support distance-learning students, e.g., sessions to develop generic skills.
The length of registration for the research degree programmes is 3 years for full-time.
You are required to register initially for the MPhil degree with the expectation of transfer to PhD after successful completion of an upgrade viva 9-18 months after initial registration.
The Centre for Doctoral Education at IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society provides an extensive Research Training Programme. A mandatory core course is provided that aims to meet the needs of early-stage doctoral students. There is also a wide range of introductory, advanced methods, advanced theoretical, and generic non-credit bearing academic skills courses, as well as student led workshops and reading groups which you can attend.
Full-time MPhil/PhD students are required to fulfil minimum 20 ‘points’ of training activity in their first year, and are encouraged to fulfil the same in their subsequent years of study. This training can be selected from the UCL Doctoral Skills Development Programme, IOE faculty’s Research Training Programme, the multi-institutional Bloomsbury Postgraduate Skills Network, and from other sources. Each point is worth approximately a half-day of face-to-face training, or an online equivalent. Other activities such as attending and presenting at conferences also count towards research training. Students may undertake additional training beyond these minima, as relevant to their research and/or as agreed with their supervisors.
You are expected to upgrade from MPhil to PhD status towards the end of your first year of study if full-time. Students whose performance is satisfactory will transfer from MPhil to PhD status.
Processes aimed at assisting you during your course of study include the Research Student Log (an online project management tool), and periodic reviews of students’ progress.
Upon successful completion of your approved period of registration you may, if necessary, register as a completing research status (CRS) student while you finish writing your thesis.
The length of registration for the research degree programmes is 5 years for part-time.
IOE Centre for Doctoral Education provides an extensive Research Training Programme. A mandatory core course is provided that aims to meet the needs of early-stage doctoral students. There is also a wide range of introductory, advanced methods, advanced theoretical, and generic non-credit bearing academic skills courses, as well as student led workshops and reading groups which you can attend.
Part-time students are required to fulfil minimum 12 ‘points’ of training activity in each year of study. This training can be selected from the UCL Doctoral Skills Development Programme, IOE faculty’s Research Training Programme, the multi-institutional Bloomsbury Postgraduate Skills Network, and from other sources. Each point is worth approximately a half-day of face-to-face training, or an online equivalent. Other activities such as attending and presenting at conferences also count towards research training. Students may undertake additional training beyond these minima, as relevant to their research and/or as agreed with their supervisors.
You are expected to upgrade from MPhil to PhD status at around 18 months if part-time. Students whose performance is satisfactory will transfer from MPhil to PhD status.
Accessibility
Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk . Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing team .
Fees and funding
Fees for this course.
The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees .
Additional costs
Students should take into account any travel, accommodation and expenses involved in their thesis.
For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs .
Funding your studies
For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding webpage: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/scholarships/funding-students-postgraduate-research-courses
UCL's Research Excellence Scholarships (RES) are available annually to prospective and existing UCL research students from any country: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/scholarships/research-excellence-scholarship . The UCL, Bloomsbury and East London Doctoral Training Partnership offers studentships annually. More information is found here: https://ubel-dtp.ac.uk/
UBEL, RES and other funding programmes are not available to online and non-resident students.
For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website .
Applications for this programme are accepted throughout the year. It is highly recommended that students start their programme at the beginning of the academic year (usually the end of September-beginning of October). Two supervisors must be identified and agreed upon prior to submitting a formal application. To identify potential supervisors, check the areas of research interest of staff from the departmental staff lists https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/departments-and-centres/departments/ucl-social-research-institute/
Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.
Choose your programme
Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.
Year of entry: 2024-2025
Got questions get in touch.
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What are you looking for?
- Psychological and Sociological studies MPhil/PhD/PhD by Published works
- Courses by subject
Postgraduate PG
MPhil: Full time 12 months - 3 years, Part time 30 months - 5 years PhD: Full time 2 years - 4 years, Part time 3 years - 6 years PhD by Published Works: 1 - 2 years
October, March
Get in touch
For questions regarding study and admissions please contact us:
UK/EU Students enquiries
[email protected] 0300 303 2772
International Students enquiries
[email protected] +44 (0)1604 893981
All of the Academic Divisions in the Faculty of Health, Education and Society invite Research applications from graduates in Sociology, Psychology, or similar disciplines. This MPhil/ PhD / PhD by Published Works programme offers an excellent route to expand your knowledge and research skills. Undertaking a Research degree is an exciting opportunity but can also be quite daunting as there are lots of stages to think about including application, arrival, admission, expectations, and progression to name but a few. At the University of Northampton, we believe it is important that, although our research students are working on individual projects, they are not working in isolation. We offer a range of opportunities for training and developing skills. Also, you will be supported by a team of supervisors and ongoing peer support. Successful defence of the final thesis will provide you with the highest level of degree that any UK university can award; a PhD qualification is respected around the world and can offer an excellent opportunity for career progression in a range of fields.
Application deadlines: October intake is 1 August and March intake is 11 December
Updated 12/04/2024
- Our research students work on individual projects.
- Research degree candidates engage in original research, conducting studies that contribute to knowledge.
- Students have the freedom to explore their research questions, design methodologies, collect and analyse data, and draw meaningful conclusions. This hands-on research experience is a hallmark of a Ph.D. program.
- Research degree programs foster intellectual stimulation through engaging fieldwork, seminars, and discussions with faculty and peers. Students are exposed to a diverse range of theories, research methods, and empirical studies, challenging their thinking and broadening their perspectives.
Course Content
In this subject area, we particularly welcome applicants who wish to focus their research on the following:
- Exceptional experience and consciousness studies
- Identity and communities in a diverse society (social psychology and sociology)
- Health Education and behavioural change
Research degrees allow you to specialise while also improving your technical abilities. They allow you to specialise in a specific area of interest within your subject, allowing for in-depth investigation and comprehension. Candidates for a research degree perform original research, undertaking investigations that add to our current knowledge. You will get general, discipline-based, and project-specific training while creating and establishing research projects, allowing you to conduct your research work successfully and autonomously. We will help you network with respected academics, researchers, and professionals in your sector. Conferences, seminars, and workshops provide opportunities to meet like-minded people, possible collaborators, and future mentors.
All students are supported by a supervisory staff chosen for their competence and experience. Wherever feasible, your team will be involved in your growth from recruitment through graduation, providing you with stability and consistency as your study progresses. Our Waterside campus provides postgraduate research hot-desking office space for you to utilise while on campus, as well as a substantial library resources.
You’re normally expected to have a first or upper second-class honours degree or Masters Degree from a UK university or international equivalent.
Your qualification should be in a subject area relevant to your chosen area of research. You may also be considered for the degree if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
Individual consideration will be given to students with lower-level degrees or qualifications in a different subject area, but relevant experience is required.
As part of the selection process, all qualified candidates will be expected to attend an interview.
English Language Requirements
IELTS (Academic): 7.0 overall, including at least 6.5 in each component including writing. We will also consider equivalent English language qualifications.
We are unable to consider applications with IELTS lower than 5.5 in all components from a test taken within the last two years
All offers of a place on the programme are subject to:
- successful interview outcome.
- availability of suitable Research Supervision Support.
If you are applying for Research study, you will need to write a research proposal. Find out how to write a research proposal.
More detailed information about the research degrees is available on our Graduate school page .
If you’d like to join us as a research student, then please review the webpages below:
- browse our potential supervisors and propose your own research project.
- Find out how to apply for a MPhil/ PhD/ PhD by Published Works at the University of Northampton .
2024/25 Tuition Fees
Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 24/25 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.
Doctor Of Philosophy Degrees
- UK – Full Time: £5,500
- UK – Part Time: £2,775
- International – Full Time: £15,950
- International – Part Time: £7,450
Doctor of Philosophy Degrees by means of Published Works.
Including: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) by means of published works.
- UK – Part Time: £3,500
- International – Part Time: £7,650
Please visit the funding page for more details on how to fund your study.
2023/24 Tuition Fees
Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 23/24 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.
- UK – Full Time: £5,340
- UK – Part Time: £2,695
- International – Full Time: £15,480
- International – Part Time: £7,245
- UK – Part Time: £3,400
- International – Part Time: £7,460
For more information about possible funding options, please visit our Fees and Funding pages.
Michelle Pyer
Associate Professor in Child & Family Wellbeing
Faculty of Health, Education and Society
Related Courses
Doctor of Professional Practice in Health and Social Care
This course offers senior managers and advanced practitioners the opportunity to develop their academic and research skills.
Is this course for you?
- University of Bradford
- Postgraduate
PhD (School of Social Sciences)
Suitable for applications.
All of the Academic Divisions in the School of Social Sciences invite PhD applications.
The research areas are only broadly indicative, and our staff place great store by creative and innovative approaches to issues whether they are novel or familiar – and to intellectual analysis, both established and path-breaking.
Subjects we supervise include the following areas:
Development Studies
Peace Studies
Sociology and Criminology
Social Work and Social Care
Undertaking a PhD is an exciting opportunity but can also be quite daunting as there are lots of stages to think about including application, arrival, admission, expectations, and progression to name but a few. At the School of Social Sciences, we believe it is important that, although our research students are working on individual projects, they are not working in isolation. We offer a range of opportunities for training, developing skills, regular supervision sessions and ongoing peer support.
Entry requirements
For the degrees of Doctor of Philosophy
- First or upper-second class degree of Bachelor at an approved university or institution
- A higher degree at an approved university or institution
- Exceptionally, candidates with lower than above but with experience and training as suitable preparation
Candidates for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy now register directly on the Doctor of Philosophy award.
For the degree of Master of Philosophy
- Degree of Bachelor at an approved university or institution
- Professional qualification approved by the Faculty Research Postgraduate Degrees Sub-Committee and suitable general education and training
- Exceptionally, candidates with less than above but able to give satisfactory evidence of having obtained adequate standard of knowledge may be accepted by the Faculty Postgraduate Research Degrees Sub-Committee
English language requirements
Applicants who do not have English as a first language must obtain at least a 6.5 in their IELTS scores, or have completed a degree in which the language of instruction is English.
If you do not meet the IELTS requirement, and you have a UKVI approved IELTS, you can take a University of Bradford pre-sessional English course. See the Language Centre for more details . For further information on English Language requirements please see the dedicated international entry requirements page .
What you will study
A research degree gives you the opportunity to determine your own field of study. Your supervisor(s) will help formulate your research topic and ensure you are on schedule to complete your research on time. Research projects are, almost by definition, unique. It is not easy to describe a typical project. However, certain common features apply to all.
In order to confirm progress on your PhD a recommendation must be made by a Progression Panel proposed by your supervisor. If you opt nevertheless to submit for an MPhil then your remaining work should be accomplished in the following year.
The second year of your PhD programme may well be taken up with actual data collection. Towards the end of the year it should be possible to attempt an initial analysis of your results.
In the third year you may conduct detailed collation and analysis of your results, and organise them into a logical and persuasive thesis.
During your fourth year, your supervisor may confirm that you are ready to submit your thesis for examination. Following submission, your thesis will be read by two examiners and you will be required to attend an oral examination, at which you will be expected to answer questions on your thesis.
Learning and assessment
In order to confirm your progression, a recommendation must be made to the Faculty Research Degrees Committee. The student is required to produce detailed documentation with a timetable of further work to completion and attend a progress meeting. This is sometimes called a progression or transfer panel and is a compulsory university requirement.
Students will be required to go through this process between the 12 and 13 month mark of their registration. The documents required for the meeting are as follows:
- a three-page overview report on your study, that reflects on your progress to date and raises anything that you would particularly like feedback on;
- a substantive chapter of your thesis;
- a research proposal;
- a thesis planner.
These documents must be submitted 14 days in advance of the meeting.
A further monitoring meeting can be held at any time following the Progression meeting, if the supervisor thinks it is necessary. This would again take the form of a panel of academics reviewing written work, but the number of academics and the type of written work that will be reviewed is up to the supervisor to decide. Often a third monitoring meeting is held towards the end of the programme of study, and takes the form of a review of the first draft of the thesis or a mock viva.
Fees, finance and scholarships
Tuition fee 2023.
Please see the tuition fees website for the relevant tuition and writing up fees:
- Home students
- International students
Additional costs
There may be additional costs that you may incur as a student. Though these are not essential to your programme of study you need to be aware of them as a student of the University. A list of the sort of costs you might expect can be found on our fees and finance section.
Financial support
See our fees and financial support section.
Scholarships
Every year we award numerous non-repayable scholarships to UK, EU and international students on the basis of academic excellence, personal circumstances or economic hardship. For full details, visit our scholarships section.
Available PhD projects
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Career prospects
One of the University of Bradford's goals is to equip all our students with the attributes and capabilities to be confident and capable in their life beyond university.
Career support
The University is committed to helping students develop and enhance employability and this is an integral part of many programmes. Specialist support is available throughout the course from the Career and Employability Services , including help to find part-time work while studying, placements, vacation work and graduate vacancies. Students are encouraged to access this support at an early stage and utilise their extensive resources.
Designed specifically for doctoral researchers, there is extensive training and development opportunities included in our unique and flexible Postgraduate Research Framework . This bespoke offering tailored for research students, provides training opportunities to support your future employability and your development as an independent researcher.
Study support
All new PhD students can expect an Induction Programme to welcome you to the Unviersity and the Faculty, where you will meet the Director of PG Research and other relevant academic staff. The Faculty Induction also includes a small tour of the campus with current students and an opportunity to meet your supervisors.
The University Induction Programme is currently delivered three times per academic year for Year 1 students. The Faculty and University induction sessions are a requirement for all new PGR students across the University, whether part-time or full-time.
Supervision
Students are allocated a principal supervisor and an associate, with whom you work with throughout your studies. The supervisor(s) has a duty to monitor progress, and to do this in a way that is both searching and supportive. But remember, one of the selection criteria for applicants is an ability to conduct research independently and with a degree of autonomy.
Students are required to attend meetings with their supervisors. These should be held monthly for full-time students less frequent for part-time. Supervision reports must be completed following each meeting by the student/supervisor(s), and sent to the relevant email address. The forms and email can be found on Canvas, our virtual learning environment.
Seminars and events
We organise regular seminars for our PhD students covering a range of subjects including Preparation for Fieldwork. Students are also encouraged to attend Faculty-wide seminars.
You are also encouraged to identify appropriate development opportunities, internally and externally, that will support your journey through your PhD.
Development Studies emphasises the applied and policy-relevant approaches to research, and this is reflected in the consultancy work which staff have undertaken for a number of governments and international organisations.
The Division's areas of research include foreign direct investment, trade liberalisation, the operations of multinational corporations, issues arising from resource-based economies, sustainable livelihoods, human rights and capabilities, social justice, water research, regional development challenges within the UK, accountability mechanisms, poverty, inequality, and democracy.
Under these broad headings, a very considerable variety of doctoral research projects find an accommodating and stimulating intellectual environment.
The culture of research in Peace Studies is unique and interdisciplinary, involving field-based, theoretical and applied knowledge creation. While issues-based work remains important, theoretical research is no less valued – indeed we regard it as essential to the continuing work of trying to address some of the most vexed and troubling problems of our time.
Key focuses include Disarmament (from small arms and light weapons to WMD and biological arms control); innovative work in Participation Studies including research on social class, ethnicity, gender and human rights; research undertaken within the John and Elnora Ferguson Centre for African Studies (JEFCAS); research on development in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America on democratisation and gender and development; research from the pioneering Centre for Conflict Resolution on conflict analysis, peace-building from below and humanitarian intervention.
Other Regions in Conflict studied include east-central Europe, the Middle East, South Asia and Central America.
Peace Studies is multi-disciplinary and we invite applications from suitably qualified and motivated individuals, whatever their disciplinary background.
The Psychology Division encompasses a range of theoretical and applied researchers.
The Division has a particularly strong focus in the areas of health psychology and behaviour change.
The Applied Health and Social Psychology Group has an increasing national and international reputation receiving Economic and Social Research Council and NHS funding for research. The Group’s work is inclusive of research on gender and health, motherhood, eating behaviour, health behaviours, alcohol and drug misuse, community development and practice, inequalities in health and mental health, neuropsychological disorders, diversity in prisons, identity, creativity, sustainable societies, PTSD research and social media, suicide and social media, online disinhibition, attribution research, cognitive psychology and cognitive neuroscience, cognitive ageing research and dementia.
Members of the Bradford Cognition and Brain Group in the Division of Psychology work collaboratively with colleagues from the Faculty of Life Sciences to explore cognitive development and neuropsychological functioning.
Government deliberation and public debate over social policy has never seemed more topical – and in some particulars, never more urgent.
Our vibrant Social Policy Division engages both the practical and theoretical aspects of contemporary social policy at the international, national and local levels across a wide range of issues.
These include criminal justice studies, policing, hate crime, racism in prisons, human trafficking, youth offending, families, ethnicities and identities, transnational identities, anti-Muslim racism/Islamophobia, ethnicity and religion, gender and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, violence against women, work-life balance in Britain and Europe, individualisation and new families, parenting and partnering, children and young people’s participation, identity and self, contested sexualities, and the economics of personal behaviour.
In addition to collaborations with Social Policy and Psychology, the Social Work Division undertakes important and timely work on a range of Social care issues.
Social care is a vital social function, and social work is one of the major means by which the state intervenes in personal welfare, yet both are often both underplayed and under-researched.
Research in this area seeks to redress the balance, when the importance of social care is re-emerging as traditional forms of working and living decay while the content and form of social work has changed dramatically over the last decade.
Current research addresses this agenda in the following linked strands
- understanding policy and practice with children and families in the context of gender, culture and life experience, such as family support, mothering and fathering, child welfare policy and practice, adults who were in care as children, men as sexual offenders, child sexual abuse among Asian communities, and adoption and divorce
- religion and spirituality in social work, including the needs, strengths and difficulties that arise in practice from the religious, spiritual and other beliefs both service users and practitioners
- the experiences of service users, including the family carers of dementia sufferers
- the wellbeing and autonomy of older people in care
- the organisation and management of social work, such as interprofessional working
- ‘new managerialism’ in social work, and service organisation
How to apply
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Psychology PhD
Key information.
- Top 20 in the UK for our research overall in Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience in REF 2021 (Times Higher Education)
From crowd behaviour to perception and studies of the brain – you’ll work with experts who will guide and support you through your research project.
Sussex is one of the largest and most diverse centres for the study of psychology in the UK. You’ll work in an intellectually stimulating and supportive environment, within a community of postgraduate students, postdoctoral researchers and field-leading faculty.
Our research spans the full spectrum of psychology and has significant societal impact through our close engagement with policymakers and practitioners .” Robin Banerjee Head of the School of Psychology
Find out more about research in the School of Psychology
We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision. We’ll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities described in this prospectus. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to government or regulatory requirements, or unanticipated staff changes, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.
Masters and P h D events
Meet us on campus or online
Book your place
Entry requirements
- UK requirements
- International requirements
Please select your country from the list.
Philippines
Saudi arabia, south africa, south korea, switzerland, united arab emirates, my country is not listed.
If your country is not listed, you need to contact us and find out the qualification level you should have for this course. Contact us
English language requirements
Ielts (academic).
Advanced level (7.0 overall, including at least 6.5 in each component).
IELTS scores are valid for two years from the test date. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about IELTS
We accept IELTS One Skills Retake.
We do not accept IELTS Online.
Check full details of our English Language requirements and find out more about some of the alternative English language qualifications listed below
Alternative English language qualifications
Proficiency tests, cambridge advanced certificate in english (cae).
176 overall, including at least 169 in each skill.
We would normally expect the CAE test to have been taken within two years before the start of your course.
You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Find out more about Cambridge English: Advanced
Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)
We would normally expect the CPE test to have been taken within two years before the start of your course.
You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Find out more about Cambridge English: Proficiency
LanguageCert International ESOL SELT
Advanced level (International ESOL SELT C1 with a minimum of 33 in each component)
LanguageCert International ESOL scores are valid for two years from the test date. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about LanguageCert SELT
We only accept LanguageCert when taken at SELT Test Centres. We do not accept the online version.
Pearson PTE Academic
Advanced level (67 overall, including at least 62 in all four skills)
PTE (Academic) scores are valid for two years from the test date. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about Pearson (PTE Academic)
We do not accept the PTE Academic Online test.
TOEFL (iBT)
Advanced level 95 overall, including at least 22 in Listening, 23 in Reading, 23 in Speaking, 24 in Writing.
TOEFL (iBT) scores are valid for two years from the test date. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about TOEFL (iBT)
We do not accept TOEFL (iBT) Home Edition.
The TOEFL Institution Code for the University of Sussex is 9166.
English language qualifications
As/a-level (gce).
Grade C or above in English Language.
Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE)/ AS or A Level: grade C or above in Use of English.
GCE O-level
Grade C or above in English.
Brunei/Cambridge GCE O-level in English: grades 1-6.
Singapore/Cambridge GCE O-level in English: grades 1-6.
GCSE or IGCSE
Grade C or above in English as a First Language (Grade 4 or above in GCSE from 2017).
Grade B or above in English as a Second Language.
Ghana Senior Secondary School Certificate
If awarded before 1993: grades 1-6 in English language.
If awarded between 1993 and 2005: grades A-D in English language
Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE)
Level 4, including at least 3 in each component in English Language.
Indian School Certificate (Standard XII)
The Indian School Certificate is accepted at the grades below when awarded by the following examination boards:
Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) – English Core only: 70%
Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) - English: 70%
International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB)
English A or English B at grade 5 or above.
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education
Grades A - C in English language
Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM) 1119/GCE O-level
If taken before the end of 2008: grades 1-6 in English Language.
If taken from 2009 onwards: grade C or above in English Language.
The qualification must be jointly awarded by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES).
West African Senior School Certificate
Grades A1-C6 (1-6) in English language when awarded by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) or the National Examinations Council (NECO).
Country exceptions
Select to see the list of exempt english-speaking countries.
If you are a national of one of the countries below, or if you have recently completed a qualification equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree or higher in one of these countries, you will normally meet our English requirement. Note that qualifications obtained by distance learning or awarded by studying outside these countries cannot be accepted for English language purposes.
You will normally be expected to have completed the qualification within two years before starting your course at Sussex. If the qualification was obtained earlier than this, we would expect you to be able to demonstrate that you have maintained a good level of English, for example by living in an English-speaking country or working in an occupation that required you to use English regularly and to a high level.
Please note that this list is determined by the UK’s Home Office, not by the University of Sussex.
List of exempt countries:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- New Zealand
- St Kitts and Nevis
- St Vincent and the Grenadines
- The British Overseas Territories
- Trinidad and Tobago
- United Kingdom
** Canada: you must be a national of Canada; other nationals not on this list who have a degree from a Canadian institution will not normally be exempt from needing to provide evidence of English.
English language support
If you don’t meet the English language requirements for your degree, you may be able to take a pre-sessional course
- Visas and immigration
Admissions information for applicants
If your qualifications aren’t listed or you have a question about entry requirements, contact us
- How to apply
If you’d like to join us as a research student, there are two main routes:
- browse funded projects in this subject area
- browse our potential supervisors and propose your own research project.
Find out how to apply for a PhD at Sussex
Full-time and part-time study
Choose to work on your research full time or part time, to fit around your work and personal life. For details about part-time study, contact us at [email protected]
PhD or MPhil?
You can choose to study for a PhD or an MPhil. PhD and MPhil degrees differ in duration and in the extent of your research work.
- For a PhD, your research work makes a substantial original contribution to knowledge or understanding in your chosen field.
- For an MPhil, your work is an independent piece of research but in less depth than for a PhD. You’ll graduate with the degree title Master of Philosophy. You might be able to change to a PhD while you study for an MPhil.
Sussex PhD student Becky Heaver talks about her experiences of research in Psychology
Our supervisors
I’m passionate about engaging the public in my work and have taken part in ‘soapbox science’ events, given many interviews on TV and radio programmes, and hosted talks at festivals.” Gilly Forrester Professor of Comparative Cognition Read Gilly’s story
Explore our research interests and find potential supervisors.
This research group has interests in:
- neurobiology of learning
- social learning and cognition
- decision-making
- effects of drugs on human cognition
- ageing and dementia
- appetite and obesity.
Dr Daniel Campbell-Meiklejohn
Senior Lecturer in Psychology
View profile of Daniel Campbell-Meiklejohn
Prof Pete Clifton
Professor of Psychology
View profile of Pete Clifton
Prof Hans Crombag
Professor of Behavioural Neuroscience
View profile of Hans Crombag
Prof Dora Duka
Emeritus Professor
View profile of Dora Duka
Prof Gillian Forrester
Professor of Comparative Cognition
View profile of Gillian Forrester
Prof Catherine Hall
Professor of Neurovascular Stuff
View profile of Catherine Hall
Dr Sarah King
Reader in Behavioural Neuroscience
View profile of Sarah King
Dr Eisuke Koya
Reader in Psychology
View profile of Eisuke Koya
Dr Liat Levita
Reader in Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience
View profile of Liat Levita
Dr Emiliano Merlo
Lecturer in Psychology
View profile of Emiliano Merlo
Dr Alexa Morcom
Senior Lecturer in Cognitive Neuroscience
View profile of Alexa Morcom
Dr Charlotte Rae
View profile of Charlotte Rae
Dr Bryan Singer
View profile of Bryan Singer
Prof Martin Yeomans
Professor of Experimental Psychology
View profile of Martin Yeomans
This research group has interests in:
- attention, visual perception and cognition
- synesthesia
- language and communication
- learning, memory, and consciousness
- mammal vocal communication and cognition
- multimodal perception
- decision-making, problem-solving, creativity, insight and expertise .
Dr Sam Berens
View profile of Sam Berens
Prof Chris Bird
Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience
View profile of Chris Bird
Dr Jenny Bosten
View profile of Jenny Bosten
Prof Zoltan Dienes
Professor in Experimental Psychology
View profile of Zoltan Dienes
Dr Sophie Forster
Reader in Psychology and Cognitive Neuro
View profile of Sophie Forster
Prof Anna Franklin
Professor of Visual Perception and Cognition
View profile of Anna Franklin
Prof Alan Garnham
View profile of Alan Garnham
Dr Graham Hole
Honorary Senior Lecturer
View profile of Graham Hole
Dr Theodoros Karapanagiotidis
View profile of Theodoros Karapanagiotidis
Dr John Maule
View profile of John Maule
Prof Karen Mccomb
Emeritus Professor (Animal Behaviour & Cognition)
View profile of Karen Mccomb
Prof Jane Oakhill
View profile of Jane Oakhill
Prof Thomas Ormerod
View profile of Thomas Ormerod
Dr Giulia Poerio
View profile of Giulia Poerio
Dr Ryan Scott
View profile of Ryan Scott
Prof Julia Simner
View profile of Julia Simner
Dr Ediz Sohoglu
View profile of Ediz Sohoglu
Prof Jamie Ward
View profile of Jamie Ward
- social, cognitive and emotional development
- mental health through the lifespan
- cognition during psychosis
- mental health interventions
- social and emotional development
- behavioural genetics
Prof Robin Banerjee
Pro-Vice-Chancellor Global and Civic Eng
View profile of Robin Banerjee
Prof Samantha Cartwright-Hatton
Professor of Clinical Child Psychology
View profile of Samantha Cartwright-Hatton
Prof Kate Cavanagh
Professor of Clinical Psychology
View profile of Kate Cavanagh
Prof Andy Field
Professor of Quantitative Methods
View profile of Andy Field
Dr Elian Fink
View profile of Elian Fink
Prof David Fowler
View profile of David Fowler
Dr Darya Gaysina
Reader in Mental Health Science
View profile of Darya Gaysina
Prof Kathryn Greenwood
View profile of Kathryn Greenwood
Prof Mark Hayward
View profile of Mark Hayward
Prof Jessica Horst
Professor of Developmental Psychology
View profile of Jessica Horst
Dr Emma Howarth
Reader in Child and Family Mental Health
View profile of Emma Howarth
Dr David Leavens
Reader in Comparative Psychology
View profile of David Leavens
Dr Kathryn Lester
View profile of Kathryn Lester
Dr Faith Matcham
View profile of Faith Matcham
Dr Frances Meeten
Visiting Clinical Senior Lecturer
View profile of Frances Meeten
Dr Raquel Nogueira Arjona
View profile of Raquel Nogueira Arjona
Dr Faith Orchard
View profile of Faith Orchard
Prof Alison Pike
Interim Head of School Psychology
View profile of Alison Pike
Dr Adhip Rawal
View profile of Adhip Rawal
Dr Pablo Romero Sanchiz
View profile of Pablo Romero Sanchiz
Prof Clara Strauss
View profile of Clara Strauss
Miss Heather Taylor
Lecturer in Psychology (Teaching Focused)
View profile of Heather Taylor
Dr Ellen Thompson
View profile of Ellen Thompson
Prof Nicola Yuill
View profile of Nicola Yuill
Our work is concerned with theory development, testing and application in four main areas:
- health psychology and behaviour change
- identity, culture and well-being
- intergroup relations, group processes and collective behaviour
- pro-social and moral engagement.
Prof Richard De Visser
Professor of Health Psychology
View profile of Richard De Visser
Prof John Drury
Professor of Social Psychology
View profile of John Drury
Dr Matthew Easterbrook
Reader in Social Psychology
View profile of Matthew Easterbrook
Dr Tom Farsides
Lecturer in Social Psychology
View profile of Tom Farsides
Dr Sean Figgins
View profile of Sean Figgins
Dr Matthias Gobel
View profile of Matthias Gobel
Dr Donna Jessop
Senior Lecturer in Health Psychology
View profile of Donna Jessop
Dr Karen Long
View profile of Karen Long
Dr Eleanor Miles
View profile of Eleanor Miles
Dr Anna Rabinovich
Reader in Social Psychology and Sustainability
View profile of Anna Rabinovich
Dr Rim Saab
View profile of Rim Saab
Dr Ozden Melis Ulug
View profile of Ozden Melis Ulug
Prof Ayse Uskul
Professor of Social and Cultural Psychology
View profile of Ayse Uskul
Prof Vivian Vignoles
View profile of Vivian Vignoles
Dr Mariko Visserman
View profile of Mariko Visserman
Funding and fees
How can i fund my course, funded projects and scholarships.
Our aim is to ensure that every student who wants to study with us is able to despite financial barriers, so that we continue to attract talented and unique individuals. Don’t miss out on scholarships – check the specific application deadlines for funding opportunities. Note that funded projects aren’t available for all our PhDs.
£3,000 scholarships available to environmental influencers bringing about real-world behaviour change
Find out more
£800 scholarship available to reward talented organ player studying on any course at Sussex.
Scholarships of £800 are available to reward talented musicians studying on any course at Sussex
Cash scholarships available for students who have demonstrated sporting excellence
Applying for USA Federal Student Aid?
If any part of your funding, at any time, is through USA federal Direct Loan funds, you will be registered on a separate version of this degree which does not include the possibility of distance learning which is prohibited under USA federal regulations. Find out more about American Student Loans and Federal Student Aid .
Part-time work
We advertise around 2,500 part-time jobs a year so you can make money and gain work experience. We have a special scheme to employ students on campus, wherever possible.
Find out more about careers and employability
How much does it cost?
Fees for self-funding students.
Home students: £4,786 per year for full-time students
Channel Islands and Isle of Man students: £4,786 per year for full-time students
International students: £25,000 per year for full-time students
Home PhD student fees are set at the level recommended by United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) annually, rising in line with inflation. Overseas fees are subject to an annual increase - see details on our tuition fees page
Additional costs
Note about additional costs.
Please note that all costs are best estimates based on current market values. Activities may be subject to unavoidable change in response to Government advice. We’ll let you know at the earliest opportunity. We review estimates every year and they may vary with inflation. Find out how to budget for student life .
Empirical research costs
On top of your PhD fees and living costs, you may also need to cover some research and training costs, relevant to your research project. These costs will depend on your research topic and training needs, but may include: - travel (to archives, collections or scientific facilities) - a laptop - overseas fieldwork costs (travel and accommodation, and language training) - conference costs (travel, registration fees and accommodation) - laboratory consumables and workshop materials - participant costs - transcription or translation costs - open-access publication costs. If you been awarded a scholarship from one of the UK Research Councils, from the University of Sussex, or from another source, this will typically cover these types of costs. You’ll receive details of how to claim this additional funding. If you're self funded, or if your scholarship doesn’t cover these costs, check with the Research and Enterprise Co-ordinator in your School for details of School or Doctoral School funding that may be available.
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PhD by research
This PhD psychology doctorate is a pure research programme, normally completed within 3-4 years of full-time work, or up to 7 years of part-time study.
Introducing your degree
The PhD by research in Psychology gives you an opportunity to engage in world class research at the University of Southampton. Students will, with the help of a supervisory team, develop and conduct novel research in Psychology. We have a number of excellent laboratories across the different disciplines in Psychology; your work might make use of our fMRI or ERP facilities, VR labs, or our other cutting-edge research tools. Visit our facilities page to find out more.
Below, you’ll find key information regarding the course. Read through our typical entry requirements, and our opportunities for funding through School of Psychology studentships and the new South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership.
If you still have questions, please get in touch and we’ll be happy to answer any enquiries. Visit our contact us page for our telephone, email and address information.
Programme Overview
Unlike our other doctoral-level programmes, this PhD psychology by research is not tied to a particular area of professional practice, but can lead to a broad range of careers in academia and industry.
You might be funded by a UK research council, an overseas government, or the University itself.
View the doctoral programme profile for this course
Application for the PhD psychology doctorate is through the University of Southampton online system . You are strongly advised to explore both a potential area of study, and funding arrangements, before submitting your application.
Please visit the Fees & Funding section for the current fee charges for the PhD programme.
We offer two funding routes specific to the PhD programme; both options cover your tuition fees and offer you a stipend for living expenses.
- School of Psychology Studentships - 4 years full time for MSc/PhD, 3 years full time PhD (if applicant has a MSc)
Applicants for our MSc/PhD funding scheme should have, or will be expected to obtain, a First or a good Upper Second class honours degree in Psychology (or a related discipline). Applicants for only PhD funding typically have, or will be expected to obtain, a merit at masters level in Psychology (or a related discipline). (Note that applicants who want to be considered for PhD funding and who only have an undergraduate degree would usually be expected to demonstrate additional and significant research experience.) Further details can be obtained from the Programme Director
- South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership
The new South Coast DTP is a beacon of excellence, innovation and imagination in the training of the next generation of social scientists. Through an exciting new collaboration between the Universities of Southampton, Brighton and Portsmouth, the South Coast DTP aims to deliver the latest developments in training in research methods and skills to produce highly qualified and rounded social scientists, equipped to meet contemporary economic and social challenges. Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, the South Coast DTP awards 38 studentships per year to social scientists carrying out PhD studies, or Masters + PhD studies at its three partner institutions. Our first intake of funded students was for the 2017/18 Academic Year
Director of Doctoral Programme: Professor Tim Wildschut +44 (0)23 8059 2639
Our PG community is a lively, engaging and friendly group, within which scholarship and intellectual discovery are encouraged. We are comprised of 4 research centres:
- Centre for Vision and Cognition (CVC)
- Centre for Innovation in Mental Health (CiMH)
- Centre for Research on Self and Identity (CRSI)
- Centre for Clinical and Community Applications of Health Psychology (CCCAHP)
Related Staff Member
Professor Tim Wildschut PhD
Tim Wildschut is Professor of Social and Personality Psychology at the University of Southampton.
Entry Requirements
Typical entry requirements.
For the PhD by research, we expect you to have successfully completed a Bachelor's degree (at least a 2.1 or international equivalent) in Psychology or related discipline. Having already completed a Master’s degree is considered desirable but not necessary.
Selection process
Applications for our PhD programme are made using the University’s online application form here . Before applying for the PhD psychology doctorate you should identify your area of research interest and potential supervisor. You can find details of the specialist research areas in the School of Psychology here . Additional supporting documentation to be submitted as part of the PhD psychology doctorate application process. These can be uploaded with the online application form. This will include the following: * Research proposal (two single-spaced pages - approximately 1000 words) * Curriculum Vitae * Degree certificate/s (& translated version if necessary) * Degree transcript/s (& translated version if necessary) * English Language Qualification (if applicable) * Two academic references
This page contains specific entry requirements for this course. Find out about equivalent entry requirements and qualifications for your country.
Programme Structure
Typical course content.
The PhD by Research programme is an entirely research-oriented programme in which students conduct original research under the guidance of their supervisors.
Fees & funding
Tuition fees.
Fees for postgraduate research degrees vary across the University. All fees are listed for UK, EU and international full-time and part-time students alphabetically by course name.
Scholarships, bursaries, sponsorships or grants may be available to support you through your course. Funding opportunities available to you are linked to your subject area and/or your country of origin. These can be from the University of Southampton or other sources.
Learning & Teaching
You will have opportunities for training in various research methods in psychology during your registration on this PhD psychology doctorate, plus access to our wide range of generic skills and specialist instructional workshops, such as writing, presentation skills and computer programming.
Study locations
Highfield Campus
Some of the Foundation Year subjects will be taught on the Highfield C... Find out more
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- MSc Research Methods in Psychology (1 year)
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Psychosocial Studies
Application options include:
Course Overview
An MPhil/PhD is an advanced postgraduate research degree that requires original research and the submission of a substantial dissertation of 60,000 to 100,000 words. At Birkbeck, you are initially registered on an MPhil and you upgrade to a PhD after satisfactory progress in the first year or two. You need to find a suitable academic supervisor at Birkbeck, who can offer the requisite expertise to guide and support you through your research. Find out more about undertaking a research degree at Birkbeck .
Birkbeck's psychosocial studies team brings together scholars who have backgrounds in a variety of areas of academic enquiry, including anthropology; sociology; gender and sexuality; cultural and postcolonial studies; education studies; critical psychology; psychoanalysis and psychotherapy. We have a strongly interdisciplinary focus and can offer supervision in areas including violence, state violence and war; intimacy, parenting, care, friendship and love; ‘race’, racism and diaspora; human rights, citizenship and social movements; education and learning; embodiment; communities and collective life; gender and sexuality.
Our programme aims to provide an excellent forum for students to carry out theoretical or applied research in the broad area of psychosocial studies, focusing particularly on innovative interdisciplinary work.
Key information
Psychosocial studies mphil/phd: 7 years part-time, on campus, starting 2024-25, psychosocial studies mphil/phd: 4 years full-time, on campus, starting 2024-25.
Find another course:
- Birkbeck has an active and vibrant research culture in psychosocial studies. This includes regular workshops, many visiting speakers, and numerous collaborative projects both within London, and at national and international levels.
- The MPhil/PhD programme provides an excellent forum for you to develop and enhance your specialist, as well as more general, transferable, research skills. The programme allows you to gain insight into different research methods and acquire valuable experience both in carrying out large-scale research projects and teaching.
- Birkbeck’s research excellence was confirmed in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework with 83% of our research rated world-leading or internationally excellent.
Entry Requirements
A good Master’s degree in a relevant subject in the humanities or social sciences, although we will consider an application from someone who has a first- or good second-class honours degree in one of these subjects.
You will also need to submit a detailed outline of your research proposal, specifying its significance and originality.
English language requirements
If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests.
If you don't meet the minimum IELTS requirement, we offer pre-sessional English courses, foundation programmes and language support services to help you improve your English language skills and get your place at Birkbeck.
Visit the International section of our website to find out more about our English language entry requirements and relevant requirements by country .
Visa and funding requirements
If you are not from the UK and you do not already have residency here, you may need to apply for a visa.
The visa you apply for varies according to the length of your course:
- Courses of more than six months' duration: Student visa
- Courses of less than six months' duration: Standard Visitor visa
International students who require a Student visa should apply for our full-time courses as these qualify for Student visa sponsorship. If you are living in the UK on a Student visa, you will not be eligible to enrol as a student on Birkbeck's part-time courses (with the exception of some modules).
For full information, read our visa information for international students page .
Please also visit the international section of our website to find out more about relevant visa and funding requirements by country .
Please note students receiving US Federal Aid are only able to apply for in-person, on-campus programmes which will have no elements of online study.
Psychosocial Studies MPhil/PhD: 7 years part-time or 4 years full-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2024-25
Academic year 2024–25, starting october 2024.
Part-time home students: £2,539 per year Full-time home students: £4,786 per year Part-time international students : £7,525 per year Full-time international students: £14,885 per year
Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing on their course in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases. For more information, please see the College Fees Policy .
If you’ve studied at Birkbeck before and successfully completed an award with us, take advantage of our Lifelong Learning Guarantee to gain a discount on the tuition fee of this course.
Fees and finance
PhD students resident in England can apply for government loans of over £26,000 to cover the cost of tuition fees, maintenance and other study-related costs.
Flexible finance: pay your fees in monthly instalments at no extra cost . Enrol early to spread your costs and reduce your monthly payments.
We offer a range of studentships and funding options to support your research.
Discover the financial support available to you to help with your studies at Birkbeck.
International scholarships
We provide a range of scholarships for eligible international students, including our Global Future Scholarship. Discover if you are eligible for a scholarship .
Our research culture
Birkbeck is at the geographical centre of London’s research library complex, a short distance from the British Library, the University of London Library, the Warburg Institute, the Institute of Historical Research and the Wellcome Institute. All our research students are supported by close individual supervision, occurring once a month, supplemented by research seminars in which all psychosocial studies doctoral students are invited to participate.
We currently offer two doctoral seminars, one run by Professor Lynne Segal (PhD Research Seminar) and one by Dr Margarita Palacios (Critical Theory Doctoral Seminar).
In addition, you are encouraged to attend training in research methodologies organised by the Birkbeck Institute for Social Research (BISR). Our provision and that of the BISR is complemented by the work of Birkbeck Gender and Sexuality (BiGS), the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities , the Centre for Law and the Humanities and the London Critical Theory Summer School .
Overall, with its long and successful experience in the supervision of both full-time and part-time research students, Birkbeck remains an outstanding choice for doctoral research.
We actively promote interactive graduate life, with multiple resources for fostering a rich postgraduate community at Birkbeck.
Read more about our vibrant research culture .
Follow these steps to apply to an MPhil/PhD research degree at Birkbeck:
1. Check that you meet the entry requirements, including English language requirements, as described on this page.
2. Find a potential supervisor for your MPhil/PhD research. You can look at the Find a Supervisor area on this page for an overview, or search our Experts’ Database or browse our staff pages for more in-depth information.
3. Contact the academic member of staff - or the department they teach in - for an informal discussion about your research interests and to establish if they are willing and able to supervise your research. They may ask you for a 200-word summary of your proposed research project. (Please note: finding a potential supervisor does not guarantee admission to the research degree, as this decision is made using your whole application.) Find out more about the supervisory relationship and how your supervisor will support your research .
If you cannot find an appropriate academic, then email the programme director, Silvia Posocco , for advice and help. You may find it helpful anyway to make contact with Silvia before you submit your application.
4. Draft a research proposal. This needs to demonstrate your knowledge of the field, the specific research questions you wish to pursue, and how your ideas will lead to the creation of new knowledge and understanding. Find out more about writing a research proposal .
5. Apply directly to Birkbeck, using the online application link on this page. All research students are initially registered on an MPhil and then upgrade to a PhD after making sufficient progress.
Find out more about the application process, writing a research proposal and the timeframe .
Application deadlines and interviews
You must submit a detailed outline of your research proposal, specifying its significance and originality.
You can apply at any time during the year. Entry for the programme is October of each year.
If you wish to apply for funding, you will need to apply by certain deadlines. Consult the websites of relevant bodies for details.
Recent research topics.
Recent research topics include:
- Dimensions of Belonging: Rethinking Retention for Mature Part-time Undergraduates in English Higher Education
- Unpalatable Truths: How Does Society Cope?
- Moments of Russianness: Locating National Identification in Discourse
- Negotiating Gay Chinese Subjectivities - Shame, Dilemmas and Conflicts
- The Dead Mother Complex and Addiction
- Homonationalism, (Critical) Whiteness, and Neoliberal Multiculturalism in Britain
- Towards a Theory of the Psychodynamics of Literary Reading
- Dream Construction, Deconstruction: What a Re-reading of Freud on Dreams Can Tell Us About the Structure of the Unconscious and its Relationship to Deconstruction
- Psychosis, Writing and the Social Bond: Psychopathography as Social Critique
- The Phallus and its Discontents
- Constitutive Ambiguities: Collective Memory and Subjectivity in Trabzon, Turkey
- On Sideways Beyond a Communist Future: On Adorno, the Communist Utopia and Post-Communist Art in Poland
- Just-Is: Contingency, Desire and Temporality
- Doctor Who and Gay Identity
- The Queer Act of Breastfeeding: A Psychosocial Inquiry into Meaning-Making in the Representations of Breastfeeding in Visual Culture
- Women and Gender Violence in Italy
- The Monster Within: Between the Onset and Resolution of the Oedipal Crisis
- From Indignation to Collective Action: Subjectivity, Critique and Resistance in a Greek Context
- Cannibalism and Colonialism in Psychoanalysis
- The Notion of Time in Jacques Lacan's Theory.
Apply for your course
Apply for your course using the apply now button in the key information section .
Finding a supervisor
A critical factor when applying for postgraduate study in psychosocial studies is the correlation between the applicant’s intellectual and research interests and those of one or more potential supervisors. Find out more about the research interests of our academic staff:
- Margarita Aragon, PhD : sociological theorising of racism and its imbrications with gender and disability.
- Professor Lisa Baraitser, BSc, MA, PhD : psychoanalytic and psychosocial theory; feminist theory; affect theory; motherhood and the maternal; ethics of care; philosophy of time.
- Professor Claire Callender, BSc, PhD : higher education policy; student finances and funding; student debt; part-time undergraduates.
- Ben Gidley, BA, MA, PhD : urban ethnography, lived experience of diversity, comparative urbanism, diasporic belonding; antisemitism, particularly in relation to other forms of racialisation; Anglo-Jewish history and sociology, Jewish/non-Jewish relations; urban social movements; fascism and anti-fascism; South and East London.
- Kerry Harman, BA, MCom, PhD : learning in and through everyday/night work practices; democratic academic research practices; sensory ways of knowing.
- Amber Jacobs, BA, MA, PhD : feminist theories, psychoanalysis, gender and sexualities, the post-human, film and visual culture, digital technologies, feminist philosophy; post-Lacanian feminist and Queer theorists; ancient Greek myth and tragedy literature, culture and theory; writing and sexual difference; theories and constructions of the maternal.
- Brendan McGeever, BA, PgD, MSc, PhD : racism and racialization; antisemitism; nationalism; class; Marxism; the former Soviet Union; contemporary Russia.
- Yasmeen Narayan, BA, MA, PhD : histories of 'race' and racism; postcoloniality and psychoanalysis; urban multiculture; criminalisation and imprisonment, addiction, 'sexuality' and ethnography.
- Margarita Palacios, PhD : politics, culture and psychoanalytic theory; social theory and continental philosophy; studies on violence and 'otherness'; language, power and knowledge; cultural sociology and social change; Latin America.
- Ian Sanjay Patel, MPhil, PhD : human rights; political theory; international history; the history of decolonisation; diplomatic histories; transitional justice; the British empire; South Asia and its diasporas.
- Silvia Posocco, BA, MSc, PhD : transnational gender and sexuality studies and theories; social anthropology, social theory and cultural analysis; violence and conflict; the state and the law; secrecy, sociality, subjectivity; transnational adoption circuits, documents and archives; ethnography; Latin America, Guatemala, London.
- Professor Irene Bruna Seu, MA, PhD : psychosocial inquiry into moral apathy in response to human rights abuses; psychoanalytic and social psychological contributions to the understanding of oppression, race, discrimination, identity and helping behaviour; social constructions of femininity and gender; discourse analysis and social constructionism.
Related courses
- Sociology (MPhil/PhD)
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Psychology PhD
Key information, full-time - 4 years, part-time - 8 years.
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Why choose this programme
- Benefit from our expertise in a breadth of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies using both subjective and biological assessments.
- Put theory into practice in our state-of-the-art facilities.
- Join a team of researchers who collaborate with research councils including the Economic and Social Research Council and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, as well as both EU and UK governmental departments.
What you will study
In your first year you’ll complete four compulsory training courses, covering quantitative and qualitative research methods, professional academic skills, and teaching and training. You’ll also familiarise yourself with relevant literature, create a research plan, develop your methodological and analytic skills, and complete your first study.
Throughout your studies, you’ll gain a solid grounding in research methods and improve your communication skills to effectively convey your findings. You’ll collect and analyse data, complete a detailed literature review and then write your PhD thesis. Depending on your research project, data collection can take place in schools, hospitals, laboratories or online.
Current students are researching topics including:
- Deficits in flexible thought in stroke aphasic patients
- How the natural environment, or representations of it, can be of benefit to individuals with mental health issues
- The role of positive and negative social support in weight loss maintenance
- Every day decision making and the role of heuristics
- If the pronouns ‘they/them’ can be used as genderless pronouns and what impact these may have on STEM subjects.
Your final assessment will be based on the presentation of your research in a written thesis, which will be discussed in a viva examination with at least two examiners. You have the option of preparing your thesis as a monograph (one large volume in chapter form) or in publication format (including chapters written for publication), subject to the approval of your supervisors.
You’ll have a confirmation assessment to formally review your project. If you're a full-time student, this will take place around 12-15 months into your studies or 24-30 months if you’re studying part-time. You’ll be required to submit a written report and successfully complete an oral examination.
Conferences
Each year we run a postgraduate research conference where you’ll be able to present your work and network with fellow researchers. You can also attend external conferences that are relevant to your area of research.
Research support
The professional development of postgraduate researchers is supported by the Doctoral College , which provides training in essential skills through its Researcher Development Programme of workshops, mentoring and coaching. A dedicated postgraduate careers and employability team will help you prepare for a successful career after the completion of your PhD.
Progress reviews
In addition to the confirmation process you’ll have six-monthly progress reviews with your supervisors. These meetings are an opportunity to reflect on your progress, discuss successes and challenges and set targets for the next six months. These reviews will be monitored by postgraduate research directors and recorded on your student record.
You’ll also have one formal meeting with your supervisors every month and can expect to have more frequent meetings between these. The regularity of these will depend on the nature and stage of your project.
Studentships
Quantitative genetics of neurodevelopment.
Research themes
The School of Psychology’s research investigates:
- The brain and behaviour , including changes across the lifespan, learning, training and rehabilitation, and the effects of modulators of plasticity.
- Cognition , including the contribution of language, reason and decision making, and asymmetries in our thinking processes.
- Development and learning , including attention and behaviour, emotional development in childhood, and neurodevelopmental disorders such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We also focus on colour perception and cognition across developments in infants and children.
- The environment , including when and how people interact with different types of environments and how these interactions affect both the quality of that environment and people’s own wellbeing.
- Food and consumer behaviour , including attitudes towards healthy eating, the effect of claims and symbols on packaging, and the impact of food allergies when eating out.
- Health psychology , including chronic conditions like heart disease and obesity, symptom perception, health behaviours such as diet and exercise, and pain and stress.
- Social psychology , including discourse and language, interpersonal dynamics, self-identity, sexuality, and social interference and judgement.
Our academic staff
Throughout your studies you’ll have at least two supervisors from the School of Psychology.
Your supervisors will have expertise relevant to your research project, and will give you academic guidance and tuition, helping you develop your skills in experimental design, conduct and analysis. They’ll also give you pastoral support and advice, referring you to more specialist services where necessary.
Supervisors may include:
- Dr Kathrin Cohen Kadosh - an expert on the effects of the gut biome on the brain
- Dr Harriet Tenenbaum - an expert on the social development of children
- Dr Ellie Ratcliffe - an expert on the impact of the natural world.
Research centres, groups and labs
Research facilities.
Our psychology facilities will give you access to the latest equipment, including a six-room virtual reality suite to simulate real-life scenarios, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, where you can perform neuroimaging and observe the brain in action, and two observation laboratories.
With our equipment you can conduct experiments using electroencephalography (EEG), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). You'll also be able to monitor eye tracking and physiological measures such as earlobe temperature, heart rate and galvanic skin response, in our laboratories and remotely, using mobile data loggers.
Francesca Trevisan
My project looks at inequality in higher education, specifically how students interpret university rankings and how these can favour the support of a hierarchical society.
Claire Gregory
The thing I enjoy the most about my PhD is getting to really dive deeply into topics that interest me. I love having the freedom to choose what areas I research, and that there are always people around interested in discussing new discoveries with me.
Entry requirements
Applicants are expected to hold a minimum of an upper second-class (2:1) UK degree (65 per cent or above) in psychology (or a related discipline) and a masters degree in a relevant subject with a pass of 65 per cent or above.
International entry requirements by country
English language requirements.
IELTS Academic: 6.5 or above (or equivalent) with 6 in each individual category.
These are the English language qualifications and levels that we can accept.
If you do not currently meet the level required for your programme, we offer intensive pre-sessional English language courses , designed to take you to the level of English ability and skill required for your studies here.
Application requirements
Applicants are advised to contact potential supervisors before they submit an application via the website. Please refer to section two of our application guidance .
After registration
Students are initially registered for a PhD with probationary status and, subject to satisfactory progress, subsequently confirmed as having PhD status.
Selection process
Selection is based on applicants:
- Meeting the expected entry requirements
- Being shortlisted through the application screening process
- Completing a successful interview
- Providing suitable references.
Student life
At Surrey we offer the best of both worlds – a friendly campus university, set in beautiful countryside with the convenience and social life of Guildford on your doorstep.
Start date: October 2024
Start date: January 2025
Start date: April 2025
Start date: July 2025
- Annual fees will increase by 4% for each year of study, rounded up to the nearest £100 (subject to legal requirements).
- Any start date other than September will attract a pro-rata fee for that year of entry (75 per cent for January, 50 per cent for April and 25 per cent for July).
View the list of fees for all postgraduate research courses.
Additional costs
There are additional costs that you can expect to incur when studying at Surrey.
A Postgraduate Doctoral Loan can help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate doctoral course.
Apply online
If you are applying for a studentship to work on a particular project, please provide details of the project instead of a research proposal.
Read our application guidance for further information on applying.
To apply online first select the course you'd like to apply for then log in.
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Code of practice for research degrees
Surrey’s postgraduate research code of practice sets out the University's policy and procedural framework relating to research degrees. The code defines a set of standard procedures and specific responsibilities covering the academic supervision, administration and assessment of research degrees for all faculties within the University.
Download the code of practice for research degrees (PDF) .
Terms and conditions
When you accept an offer to study at the University of Surrey, you are agreeing to follow our policies and procedures , student regulations , and terms and conditions .
We provide these terms and conditions in two stages:
- First when we make an offer.
- Second when students accept their offer and register to study with us (registration terms and conditions will vary depending on your course and academic year).
View our generic registration terms and conditions (PDF) for the 2023/24 academic year, as a guide on what to expect.
This online prospectus has been published in advance of the academic year to which it applies.
Whilst we have done everything possible to ensure this information is accurate, some changes may happen between publishing and the start of the course.
It is important to check this website for any updates before you apply for a course with us. Read our full disclaimer .
Course location and contact details
Campus location
Stag Hill is the University's main campus and where the majority of our courses are taught.
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University of Surrey Guildford Surrey GU2 7XH
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PhD/MPhil Psychology / Overview
Year of entry: 2024
- View full page
We require applicants to hold, or be about to obtain, an Upper Second class Honours degree, or the equivalent qualification gained outside the UK, in a related subject area for entry to a PhD programme. A Lower Second class Honours degree may be considered if applicants also hold a Master's degree with a Merit classification.
Full entry requirements
For potential projects please get in touch with the division Senior Tutor to discuss.
See full guidance on how to choose a project and submit an application on our website . You should then complete the online admissions application form to apply for this programme. Ensure you include all required supporting documents at the time of submission, or this may delay the processing of your application.
Application deadline
You must submit your application for a postgraduate research programme before the relevant deadline to be considered. You will not be able to apply after these deadlines have passed.
- January entry: 15 October (of the year prior entry)
- April entry: 15 January (year of entry)
- September entry: 15 June (year of entry)
Programme options
Programme overview.
- Learn from some of Europe's leading researchers while undertaking your own project.
- Access some of the best research facilities in the world at both the University and in hospitals around Greater Manchester.
- Undergo training in transferable skills critical to developing early-stage researchers and professionals through the Doctoral Academy's training programme.
- Conduct research at a university ranked 6th in the UK (QS World University Rankings 2023).
For entry in the academic year beginning September 2024, the tuition fees are as follows:
- PhD (full-time) UK students (per annum): Standard £4,786, Low £11,000, Medium £17,500, High £23,000 International, including EU, students (per annum): Standard £27,000, Low £28,500, Medium £34,500, High £40,500
- PhD (part-time) UK students (per annum): Standard £2393, Low £5,500, Medium £8,750, High £11,500 International, including EU, students (per annum): Standard £13,500, Low £14,250, Medium £17,250, High £20,250
- PhD (full-time distance learning) UK students (per annum): Standard £4,786, Low £11,000, Medium £17,500, High £23,000 International, including EU, students (per annum): Standard £27,000, Low £28,500, Medium £34,500, High £40,500
- PhD (part-time distance learning) UK students (per annum): Standard £2393, Low £5,500, Medium £8,750, High £11,500 International, including EU, students (per annum): Standard £13,500, Low £14,250, Medium £17,250, High £20,250
Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.
Contact details
Programmes in related subject areas.
Use the links below to view lists of programmes in related subject areas.
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The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website .
You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website .
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Social Psychology
What are the key motives that affect people’s reactions to the social world? Develop critical, analytical and problem-solving skills while analysing the social psychological aspects of problems in a range of applied contexts.
Key information
- Duration 1 year full-time
- Start date September
- Location Canterbury
Immerse yourself in modules exploring the psychology of intergroup behaviour, social cognition and attitudes and persuasion, relating this social psychological research to social problems. Taught by world-leading experts, in a leading centre for social psychology, developing you into an independent thinker ready to continue onto a doctorate or train as a psychologist.
Reasons to study MSc Social Psychology at Kent
- In the recent Research Excellence Framework (REF), 80% of our Psychology research was classified as 'world-leading' or 'internationally excellent', showing the impact of our research.
- You’ll be part of a Master’s (MSc) programme that has been recognised by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) as meeting the nationally recognised criteria for preparation training for PhD research
- You’ll benefit from ongoing support in your studies through our peer mentoring scheme, including tailored support for statistics, as well as dedicated academic advisors
- Be part of the School that is highly regarded as a leading European centre for postgraduate research
- You’ll benefit from a dedicated MSc common room, equip with computers up to date with the software you will require
- We have a strong track record of attracting ESRC research studentship funding
- You can test out your own theories and hypotheses in our excellent facilities, including brain stimulation and virtual reality laboratories
What you’ll learn
Build on existing knowledge, abilities and skills by developing both in basic and advanced contemporary statistical and methodological issues in psychology. With the chance to further specialise in cognitive, developmental and political psychology, this degree will prepare you for doctoral study, an academic career or a job in the NHS as a psychologist.
Watch an additional video about Taught MSc Degrees in the School of Psychology and find out about the excellent support we give to our students.
About the School of Psychology
As a student within the School of Psychology at Kent, you benefit from our supportive, dynamic and diverse environment for creative research and learning.
All of our taught Master’s (MSc) programmes have been recognised by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) as meeting the nationally recognised criteria for preparation training for PhD research.
Conducting both basic and applied research in several areas, Psychology at Kent is highly regarded as a leading European centre for postgraduate research. Our long-established international reputation in social psychology is complemented by our strengths in cognitive, developmental and forensic psychology. We attract excellent visiting scholars and postgraduate students from both within the UK and overseas.
Some of our PhD students are self-funded, and others are funded by grants or awards either from the School, UK or their countries of origin. Some are also paid to undertake part-time teaching within the School. We have a strong track record of attracting ESRC research studentship funding, which involves partnerships with external organisations such as Age UK and the Equality and Human Rights Commission and collaborative studentships with partners such as People United.
Everything you need to know about our Social Psychology course
Entry requirements, course structure, how you'll study, a bachelor’s or master’s degree with:, a. adequate level of academic achievement.
A first or second class honours degree in a relevant subject or equivalent.
All applications are considered on an individual basis and additional qualifications, professional qualifications and relevant experience may also be taken into account when considering applications.
b. Statistics and research methods training in the social sciences
This programme includes a one-year statistics sequence which you must normally pass in order to receive your award. The teaching assumes that you are familiar with the following topics:
- Means and standard deviations
- Distributions, hypothesis testing and statistical significance
- Correlation coefficients
- Variables and measurement
Therefore, your existing degree transcript should note that you have taken and passed a minimum of one term each in statistics and social science research methods courses (or two terms of a joint statistics and research methods course). A British Psychological Society-accredited degree will likely meet this requirement. Applicants with other degrees may be asked to provide additional evidence of training in statistics.
All applicants are considered on an individual basis and additional qualifications, professional qualifications and relevant experience may also be taken into account when considering applications.
Please see our International Student website for entry requirements by country and other relevant information. Due to visa restrictions, students who require a student visa to study cannot study part-time unless undertaking a distance or blended-learning programme with no on-campus provision.
English language entry requirements
This course requires a Good level of English language, equivalent to B2 on CEFR.
Details on how to meet this requirement can be found on our English Language requirements webpage .
Examples:
IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component
PTE Academic 63 with a minimum of 59 in each sub-test
A degree from a UK university
A degree from a Majority English Speaking Country
Need help with English?
Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes through Kent International Pathways .
The modules below are indicative of those offered on this programme. This list is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation. Advanced Topics in Intergroup Relations (PSYC8130) is a recommended module for Social Psychology students, although you may be permitted to take others, at the discretion of the MSc Director and the specific module convenor.
Research Methods and Essential Statistics
This module provides a postgraduate-level orientation to essential contemporary statistical and methodological issues. Students will learn techniques typically used for research in psychology and other disciplines that use sampling statistics. The methodological issues considered include qualitative research methodologies; experimental, quasi-experimental, and correlational research designs in the laboratory and field; and issues surrounding the replicability and reporting of research. The statistical techniques taught include univariate and multivariate descriptive and inferential statistics; ANOVA as a form of general linear model; correlation and linear multiple regression; and nonparametric tests such as chi-square.
Find out more
Psychometrics
This module provides a postgraduate-level foundational course in Psychometrics, also known as 'test theory' or 'theory of psychological tests and measurements'. It is intended primarily for students of psychology and any other field of social science where test are constructed or used, but also for students with a mathematics/statistics background interested in psychometric testing. The module introduces students to the main quantitative concepts, methods, and computational techniques needed for the informed use, development, evaluation, and application of tests in the behavioural/social sciences, including educational tests. The course begins with describing fundamental properties and levels of measurement, and some models and methods for 'scaling' an attribute. Fundamental concepts of Classical Test Theory such as 'true score' and 'error of measurement' are considered, and key techniques needed for evaluating reliability and validity of test scores are studied. Factor analysis is studied in depth as a fundamental technique to evaluate the number and structure of attributes the test measures. Factor analytic methods are extended to binary and ordinal test items, and Item Response Theory methods are introduced including Rasch scaling. With these foundations, psychometric applications from various fields of behavioural studies are considered, and it is demonstrated how the choice of scaling method can have implications for substantive conclusions.
Social Psychology: Theoretical approaches and current debates
The module aims to provide students with an advanced knowledge of the core theories, approaches, and research in contemporary social psychology. It deals with the major theoretical models and perspectives in social psychology including social cognition, stereotyping, group and interpersonal processes and intergroup relations, focusing on the role of critical thinking in evaluating social psychological research.
Social Psychology: Understanding and addressing social problems
In this module students will learn a framework for applying social psychology, and will develop an advanced understanding of how to apply social psychology theory and research to understanding, addressing and evaluating social and practical problems. The module invites practitioners to showcase how they use and apply social psychology theories in their field of work to help shape their understanding of human behaviour and develop effective interventions and solutions. It deals with the application of social psychology concepts and methods to significant real-world problems and issues.
Advanced Research Project: Proposal Development
This module provides students with an understanding of academic research and an ability to identify and utilise appropriate strategies and techniques for the purpose of individual investigation, research and practice within a subject specific area of their course route. The module guides students through appropriate research and/or data collection to ensure that they have the source material required to write their dissertation. This module will prepare students to undertake the dissertation module in Stage 2 of their course, including matching students with supervisors and ensuring that their proposal is satisfactory to reach the required level of independent thought in their dissertation project.
Advanced Topics in Regression and Linear Modelling
This module provides a postgraduate-level orientation to advanced statistical issues in predictive models with a one-variable outcome. Students will learn techniques typically used for research in psychology and other disciplines that use sampling statistics, which ultimately depend on a common basis of linear modelling that follows a complex evolution into multiple specific applications. These may include: moderation with interactions involving ordinal variables; mediation models using regression; connections between linear models and traditional ANOVA approaches; factorial ANOVA, ANCOVA, repeated and mixed ANOVA; and multilevel modelling. The teaching assumes recent experience with basic statistical concepts, software, and tests which will be provided by a prerequisite module.
Multivariate Modelling
This module provides a postgraduate-level foundational course in multivariate modelling, with a particular focus on applications in psychology, public health and education. It is intended primarily for students of psychology and any other field of social science where relationships between multiple observations on humans and other subjects are of interest, but also for students with a mathematics/statistics background interested in such applications. With foundations taught in the pre-requisite module, PSYC8013 Psychometrics, 'measurement by modelling' is formally introduced using a Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) framework. Within this framework, specific techniques such as path analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, basic longitudinal analysis and multiple-group analysis are taught. Data analysis applications from various fields of psychological studies are considered, and it is demonstrated how to model/test statistically complex phenomena such as spurious and indirect effects, growth and change, measurement invariance, and others.
Advanced Topics in Intergroup Relations
This module provides an opportunity to study at an advanced level the literature on intergroup relations. It will stress how social-psychological and personality theories in combination can explain intergroup processes. Emphasis will be placed on applying theoretical models and empirical findings to the analysis of real-world problems. Topics that will be addressed include social identity and social categorization, social inequality, prejudice, intergroup conflict and innervations to improve intergroup relations. The module relies primarily on research in social and personality psychology, but we will also consider perspectives from other fields, such as political science and sociology. This module relies heavily on student presentation, participation and student discussion.
Groups, Teams and Organisations
This module provides an opportunity to study the literature on group processes at an advanced level and familiarises students with current theorising and research on the psychology of groups and teams in organisations. The module introduces theoretical and empirical background, and uses these to help students develop ideas for further research and practice.
The module builds upon knowledge of social psychology gained at undergraduate level and draws primarily on small group research in social and organisational psychology, but perspectives from other fields such as moral psychology and economics will also be considered. Seminar topics include social identity, group cohesion, status and leadership, creativity, social dilemmas, trust/distrust, as well as moral judgment and behaviour. The module involves a great deal of student presentation, participation and discussion.
Advanced Topics in Cognitive Development
This module explores the typical development of key cognitive functions and the psychological methods employed to study these developments. The aim of the module is to explore these topics at an advanced level, allowing students to evaluate critically pieces of research in terms of their findings, conceptual underpinnings, and/or methodological approaches. Lecture topics may include: Research methods in developmental psychology; Critical periods and plasticity; Introduction to theories of word learning; The critical period for language learning; Social learning and imitation; Thinking about the minds of others; Understanding knowledge; Metacognition
Developmental Psychology in Professional Practice
The focus of this module is on developing students' understanding of how developmental psychology can be applied in professional settings. This module will provide students with an insight into how developmental psychology theory and methods are used in Professional settings e.g. education, healthcare, clinical.
Students will receive lectures from professionals working in Clinical psychology, Educational psychology and Speech and Language development. These contributors will explain, first-hand, current issues/problems in professional settings where developmental psychology is or could potentially provide insights/solutions the extent. The speakers will consider the role of developmental psychology in their professional settings, outline major theories that inform practice and critically evaluate the role of developmental psychology in their setting. Students will have an opportunity to hear about specific instances where theories and methods from developmental psychology can be applied to a particular problem or issue in a professional setting, referred to as 'Case Studies'.
Advanced Topics in Developmental Psychopathology
This module investigates common forms of neurodevelopmental disorder. The goal of the module is to help students understand the behavioural manifestations of these disorders, as well as their possible psychological/cognitive, neurobiological, and/or etiological (genetic/environmental) causes. Moreover, the module will explore some characteristic approaches that clinicians take when attempting to support people with these disorders and remediate the difficulties that these people experience. Finally, students will learn to evaluate critically pieces of research on developmental psychopathology in terms of study findings, conceptual underpinnings, and/or methodological approaches.
Advanced Research Project in Psychology
All students undertake a supervised empirical research project relevant to their chosen MSc programme, and submit it as a typed dissertation of approximately 8,000 words.
For Cognitive Psychology/Neuropsychology, Developmental Psychology, and Social Psychology dissertations, the project should be grounded in the area of psychology.
For Organisational and Business Psychology dissertations, the project should include an examination of an identifiable organisational or business issue or problem within the context of relevant psychological theory, such as social, organisational or business psychology.
The aim of the dissertation is to test the student's ability to plan, execute, analyse, and report a piece of independent research in the relevant setting. The dissertation requires detailed theoretical knowledge of the relevant discipline (or disciplines), an appreciation of the ways in which that knowledge has been applied in previous research and practice, and the methodological and statistical skills to set up a scientific investigation. Supervision is provided by the principal teaching staff and by other appropriate staff with research interests in a student's chosen area. Students are advised to read the School's Ethics pages for information on submitting applications for ethical approval to the School and to relevant outside bodies.
Teaching and assessment
Assessment is mainly by coursework assignment (4-6,000-word essays), examination (for the Advanced Statistics and Methodology module only), plus the dissertation.
Programme aims
This programme aims to:
- foster your intellectual development of postgraduate students by providing you with a specialised knowledge of a range of theoretical approaches to social and applied psychology and statistical and methodological expertise in order that you should be well equipped to make your own original contribution to psychological knowledge
- provide teaching that is informed by current research and scholarship and that requires you to engage with aspects of work at the frontiers of knowledge
- help you to develop research skills and transferable skills in preparation for entering academic or other careers as psychologists
- satisfy the academic requirements of the knowledge base specified by the British Psychological Society
- enable you to manage your own learning and to carry out independent research
- help you to develop general critical, analytic and problem-solving skills that can be applied in a wide range of settings.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding.
You will gain knowledge and understanding of:
- a range of general, historical, theoretical and philosophical issues underlying the disciplines of social and applied psychology
- the major analytic techniques and research methodologies employed by cognitive psychologists and neuropsychologists
- specialist knowledge and systematic understanding of the key issues in social and applied psychology.
Intellectual skills
You develop intellectual skills in:
- the ability to critically reflect on key themes
- the ability to produce sustained work
- discussion skills
- written analysis and interpretation of relevant material
- a critical awareness of both cognitive and neuropsychological approaches to the nature of mind/body.
Subject-specific skills
You gain subject-specific skills in:
- how to identify, locate and use material available in the library and online resources
- the major analytic techniques employed by cognitive psychologists/neuropsychologists
- how to evaluate and select appropriate methods for researching questions in social and applied psychology.
Transferable skills
You will gain the following transferable skills:
- numeracy: the ability to analyse data and make sense of statistical materials, integrate numerical and non-numerical information, understand the limits and potentialities of arguments based on quantitative information.
- communication: the ability to organise information clearly, write coherently and concisely about your chosen research area and other areas of social and applied psychology, and give oral presentations about your work.
- working with others: the ability to review the work of others, work co-operatively in groups, understand ethical principles and the procedures for gaining ethics approval for research
- improving your own learning: the ability to explore your personal strengths and weaknesses, develop the skills of time management, review the student-staff relationship, develop specialist learning skills, develop autonomy in learning
- information technology: use computers for data analysis, word processing, graphical display of data for analysis and presentation, bibliographical research, documentation and email
- problem-solving: the ability to identify and define problems, explore alternative solutions and discriminate between them
- teaching and learning: we will provide lecture workshops on computing, drop-in computing surgeries, training in making oral presentations of research material, lecture-seminars on writing critical reviews of literature, carrying out literature searches, lecture-workshops on career development, media training and training in the dissemination of research findings
- you will also sit computing tests and unseen examinations and write coursework essays.
Study support
Postgraduate resources.
The School has excellent facilities for both laboratory and field research, including advanced laboratory and teaching facilities. Resources include:
- three fully equipped colour video laboratories for face-to-face group research, together with ten satellite laboratories connected via remote-control CCTV and two-way audio links
- 58 research laboratories, all containing networked computers
- a further 80 PCs available exclusively to Psychology students, including a designated MSc computer-networked room providing full email and internet access
- shared offices and a personal, networked computer for research students
- a full range of computer-based experiment generators and productivity software installed on all the School’s systems
- an upgraded laboratory suite with equipment for digital sound and vision recording
- 4 Brain Vision EEG labs (including one for simultaneous TMS & EEG, and one portable EEG system)
- 2 Trans-cranial direct current electrical stimulators (GVS, Magstim)
- Neuroconn tDCS/tACS electrical stimulator with facilities for simultaneous EEG
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) PowerMAG Research 100 High Frequency Stimulator
- 2 Tobii eye-trackers (Tobii X120 & Tobii T60 XL portable)
- 1 Arrington eye-tracker
- a suite equipped with Bio-Pac recorders to allow for a range of physiological measures to be taken during stressful and other tasks
- specialist laboratories equipped for face processing and vision research
- CRS ColorCal II Colorimeter/Photometer
- CRS Audiofile for synchronized audio-visual presentation
- numerous PC and Mac labs to run behavioural experiments
- Mirror Stereoscopes for dichoptic presentation and stereo vision research
- immersive virtual reality lab (including integrated eye-tracker)
- a social cognition laboratory
- creation in 2010 of the Kent Child Development Unit and research team focusing on how children learn about their world, about other people and about the language they hear around them.
Dynamic publishing culture
Staff publish regularly and widely in journals, conference proceedings and books. Among others, they have recently contributed to: Journal of Experimental Social Psychology; Journal of Personality and Social Psychology; Child Development; Clinical Psychology Review. Details of recently published books can be found within the staff research interests .
Global Skills Award
All students registered for a taught Master's programme are eligible to apply for a place on our Global Skills Award Programme . The programme is designed to broaden your understanding of global issues and current affairs as well as to develop personal skills which will enhance your employability.
Research themes
The School of Psychology is highly regarded as a leading European centre for postgraduate research, with an international reputation for excellence in social psychology (including group processes and intergroup relations); cognition and neuroscience; developmental psychology; and forensic psychology. We have staff who can supervise research degrees in all of these areas. The research environment is designed to sustain a strong, vibrant research culture, encourage collaboration, and unite staff and students with shared research interests. Our themes ensure critical mass and create a highly energetic and stimulating intellectual climate.
Research activity is supported by:
- centrally co-ordinated provision and use of laboratories and technical support
- selection of speakers for our weekly departmental research colloquia
- weekly research meetings within each theme
- to develop, report and analyse research, and host our many visiting scholars
- several monthly small meeting series on specific areas of cross-cutting research (such as forensic, social development, emotion, social cognition and health).
Much of our social psychology research is co-ordinated through the Centre for the Study of Group Processes (CSGP), the largest research group in this area in Europe. The Centre attracts a stream of major international social psychology researchers, who regularly visit to work with our staff and are officially affiliated to the Centre. The Social Psychology group also includes the co-editor of Group Processes and Intergroup Relations (Abrams).
Social psychology research at Kent is funded by a variety of British and international sources, currently and recently including ESRC, British Academy, Leverhulme, Age Concern, European Commission, European Science Foundation, Home Office, Equality and Human Rights Commission, Nuffield, and Joseph Rowntree Foundation, as well as government departments such as the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Department for Work and Pensions.
The Social Psychology group includes the following themes:
Prejudice, intergroup contact and social categorisation
This research is carried out in our social psychology laboratories, at schools and in business organisations. For example, research within this topic focuses on questions such as: how contact between members of different social groups is represented psychologically, how intergroup contact affects prejudice, when outgroups are seen as less human, when and why children show prejudice, and why organisational mergers sometimes fail.
Social inequality and cohesion
Research on this topic combines theory-driven research and engagement with policy. It is conducted in real-life settings such as the workplace, and involves national and international surveys. For example, the research focuses on the well-being of elderly people in Britain, work participation and motherhood, and discrimination against different groups in society.
Group dynamics and social influence
Laboratory studies and community-based research are conducted on this topic. For example, research focuses on co-operation in small groups, group decision-making, perception and influence of leaders, social communication and language, subjective group dynamics in adults and children, the dynamics of prison gang activity, and the impact of alcohol on group processes.
Personality and social motivation
Much of this research is carried out in laboratories, through surveys and in clinical or other applied settings. For example, research has examined aggression, the adaptive functions of perfectionism, and consequences of mortality salience.
Cognition and Neuroscience
Research under this theme has an international reputation in the topic areas of Visual Cognition, Attention and Memory, and Language and Communication. Some of this research activity occurs in the Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems, a strategic partnership between the Schools of Psychology and Computing.
Visual cognition, attention and memory
Research on this topic focuses primarily on the role of vision and visual perception in human performance. The fundamental aim of this work is to identify the cognitive processes and neurological mechanisms underlying various visual tasks. Studies involving neurologically healthy volunteers examine issues such as face recognition and identification, eyewitness testimony, person detection, emotion processing, episodic memory and pattern and motion recognition.
Language and communication
Research in this group examines various aspects of semantic, pragmatic and syntactic understanding. Research questions on healthy populations include the role of executive functions in successful language use and communication, how language influences attentional processes and perspective taking, anomaly detection, and the effect of interruptions on reading. Work on developmental populations examines issues such as how children learn to understand and produce sentences in their own language, and how they learn conversational conventions and self-repair. Research also examines developmental disorders of communication, including autism spectrum disorders and dyslexia. This research group has links with researchers in the School of European Culture and Languages, as part of the Centre for Language and Linguistic Studies.
Forensic Psychology
Forensic Psychology research at Kent and all forensic-related teaching operates through our newly constituted Centre of Research and Education in Forensic Psychology (CORE-FP). Current research is focused on bullying in prisons, prison gang behaviour, jury decision-making, child sexual offending, rape, rape proclivity, female sexual offending, theories of offender rehabilitation, firesetting, sexual harassment, violence, aggression and alcohol, and the infrahumanisation of offenders. Other areas of research include social cognition, social and moral emotion, and group process theory, all of which are applied to the study of offending behaviour or court process issues.
Forensic psychology research at Kent is funded by various national and international sources, which include: The British Academy, Economic and Social Research Council, Home Office, Leverhulme, Ministry of Justice and the Nuffield Foundation.
Research may be carried out with staff or offenders/ex-offenders in a variety of settings, including prisons, youth offender institutions, secure mental health units and probation offices. Alternatively, research may take place with students or members of the community in our newly equipped laboratories.
Developmental Psychology
Much of the research conducted by members of the Developmental Psychology group is conducted with neurotypical infants, children, and adolescents. However, we also take a lifespan approach to the study of development and conduct research with older adults. Moreover, a key focus of our research is on neuro-developmental disorders. Central research topics include:
Social development
Developmental group members are particularly interested in the expression and control of ethnic and gender prejudice, social ostracism and inclusion, conversational norms and group identity in children. We also conduct research on social aspects of older adulthood, in particular self-stereotyping and prejudice against elderly people.
Cognitive development
Cognitive development is a major focus of many of our developmental psychologists. In particular, members of the Developmental Psychology group actively research topics such as the development of social cognition and theory of mind, language, information and sensory processing, and conversation and pragmatic skills.
Forensic research
Our developmental research also focuses on adolescence, as well as infancy, childhood and older adulthood. In particular, we are interested in the emergence of gang activity and antisocial behaviour during this period of development.
Developmental psychopathology
We also conduct cutting-edge research into neuro-developmental disorders, such as autism and language impairment, with a view to understanding the nature and basis of, and best ways to treat, these disorders.
The School of Psychology currently includes two formally constituted research centres, representing areas of concentration and excellence in research.
Centre for the Study of Group Processes
The Centre for the Study of Group Processes (CSGP) was set up in 1990 to consolidate the School’s excellent international reputation for social psychological research into group processes and intergroup relations. CSGP is now a thriving international research community, including 15 full-time academic staff and a large number of research fellows and PhD students. The Centre also attracts a stream of major international group researchers who are officially affiliated to it and regularly visit to work with our staff. The Centre also edits an international journal, Group Processes and Intergroup Relations .
Centre of Research and Education in Forensic Psychology
The main aim of the Centre of Research and Education in Forensic Psychology is to conduct high-impact psychological research to further understand key forensic issues of social significance, and to lead to cutting-edge teaching and research opportunities for postgraduate students. Forensic psychology is an extremely popular and rapidly developing branch of psychology that seeks to understand the psychological processes underlying offending behaviour (including group processes), the reduction and supervision of offending behaviour (ie rehabilitation, treatment and management of community risk), victim responses to offending, the mechanisms underlying the criminal justice system more generally (ie jury decision-making and the courts), and attitudes to offenders and offender reintegration in society.
Staff research interests
Full details of staff research interests can be found on the School's website .
Our postgraduate students commonly go into the fields of health, teaching or further education. For instance, many of our graduates take up roles as assistant psychologists in the NHS with a view to becoming a professional clinical or forensic psychologist. Upon completing our Master’s courses, graduates have also pursued doctoral study and academic careers at higher education institutions.
The programmes we offer help you to develop general critical, analytic and problem-solving skills that can be applied in a wide range of settings.
Professional recognition
The 2024/25 annual tuition fees for this course are:
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide .
For students continuing on this programme fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.* If you are uncertain about your fee status please contact [email protected] .
Your fee status
The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.
General information
For students continuing on this programme, fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.*
Additional costs
General additional costs.
Find out more about general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.
Search our scholarships finder for possible funding opportunities. You may find it helpful to look at both:
- University and external funds
- Scholarships specific to the academic school delivering this programme.
We have a range of subject-specific awards and scholarships for academic, sporting and musical achievement.
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Learn more about the application process or begin your application by clicking on a link below.
You will be able to choose your preferred year of entry once you have started your application. You can also save and return to your application at any time.
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Kent has risen 11 places in THE’s REF 2021 ranking, confirming us as a leading research university.
It’s easy to study on or off campus at Kent – discover what is right for you.
- Schools & departments
Social Psychology MSc
Awards: MSc
Study modes: Full-time, Part-time
Funding opportunities
Upcoming Introduction to Postgraduate Study and Research events
Join us online on the 19th June or 26th June to learn more about studying and researching at Edinburgh.
Choose your event and register
Programme description
This programme provides an opportunity for intensive advanced training in social psychology. It will teach you how to think as a social psychologist, how to answer questions about social phenomena, and advance your knowledge of the theories, concepts, and research that make up social psychology’s distinctive perspective.
Key research areas
Building on the research methods training, you will take topical courses in the core research areas of our department including theoretical and methodological aspects of social psychology.
Your MSc culminates in a research dissertation in a core research area: an original, publication-quality piece of research, undertaken in close collaboration with researchers in the relevant group.
The staff involved in teaching and supervision include internationally recognised researchers from our Social Psychology group. Staff expertise covers a range of topics including:
- perceptions of animals
- collective action
- romantic relationships
- crowd behaviour
- culture and identity
- discourse and identities
Staff use a variety of research methods to address their research interests, including both quantitative and qualitative approaches.
- Social Psychology Research Group
Psychology at Edinburgh is rated 3rd in the UK by Times Higher Education for the quality and breadth of the research using the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021).
What will I learn?
You will take courses on the theoretical and methodological aspects of social psychology and conduct an original research dissertation in your area of interest.
You will receive thorough training in advanced academic skills and research methods within psychology, including a comprehensive coverage of statistical modelling and research design using the R statistical language and qualitative methods.
Is this MSc for me?
This programme teaches you core research methods and specialist techniques, and you can flexibly choose optional courses to customise your learning in areas you are most passionate about.
It provides an excellent preparation for further research, whether you choose to pursue this in a professional setting or as part of a PhD programme. Whether you want to continue in academic research or move into professional training in social psychology, this programme is for you.
Reputation, relevance and employability
The University of Edinburgh has a long tradition of research expertise in social psychology. Our large Psychology department is home to academics leading research in the field.
You will benefit from the breadth and strength of the interdisciplinary academic community at Edinburgh, having the opportunity to select option courses and attend research seminars across different disciplines.
Our students’ research projects are often published in academic or professional journals.
Our programme has an excellent reputation amongst employers and further research opportunities. Many of our graduates have gone onto PhD training, academic careers and advanced professional training in psychology.
We maintain close contacts with professional organisations such as British Psychological Society (BPS).
- Find out more about our community
The School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences is home to a large, supportive and active student community, hosting events and activities throughout the year which you can join.
As a postgraduate student you will have access to a range of research resources, state-of-the-art facilities research seminars and reading groups.
Programme structure
This programme contains two semesters of taught core courses and optional courses, followed by a dissertation.
The taught courses and their assessments take place between September and December (Semester 1) and between January and April (Semester 2). Planning for the dissertation will take place until April and it will be carried out between April and August.
Core courses
The core courses include topics specific to social psychology, and cover advanced academic skills and research methodology, including research design and statistical modelling. The core courses are:
- Current Approaches in Social Psychology
- Problem-based Social Psychological Research
- Psychological Research Skills - General advanced research methodology
- Univariate Statistics and Methodology using R - Introduction to R and statistical models
- Multivariate Statistics and Methodology using R - Advanced statistical modelling
Optional courses
The optional course can be selected to tailor the programme to your interests. If you wish, you may choose the optional course from an associated area, such as individual differences, informatics, psycholinguistics, and developmental or social psychology.
Examples of optional courses are:
- Qualitative Methodologies in Psychological Research
- Brain Imaging in Cognitive Neuroscience
- Clinical Neuropsychology
- Neuroscience of Language
- Applied Psychometrics
- any other course open to MSc students subject to approval from the programme director
Dissertation
The dissertation involves conducting an empirical research project in close collaboration with an expert supervisor, sometimes also working with fellow MSc students.
You will produce a written report, similar to an academic journal article. Indeed, some dissertations are published as journal articles.
The empirical work and writing takes place between April and August and it is due in August.
The dissertation can be based on data collected by the student or existing datasets (e.g. from large cohort studies, biobanks or other projects.)
Past examples of dissertation topics include:
- The Psychology of Eating Animals
- Discursive Approaches to Understanding Political Movements
- Effective Altruism
How will I learn?
Most courses are taught by a combination of live and pre-recorded lectures, seminars/tutorials and practical sessions. The number of contact hours and the teaching format will depend to some extent on the option courses chosen.
After classes finish in April, you will spend all your time working independently on coursework, exam revision and on your dissertation. When you carry out your supervised dissertation research, you will receive guidance from your supervisor through one-to-one meetings, comments on written work and email communication.
Learning outcomes
This programme provides you with a range of knowledge and skills to prepare you for a variety of career paths. On successful completion of this programme, you will have gained:
- specialist knowledge within the field of social psychology and integrated areas of study, in addition to training in psychological research methods and practical applications
- an understanding of social psychological research and methods (both quantitative and qualitative)
- an understanding of the basic and advanced principles of research design and application
- competency in applying a range of methods and research tools, including statistical models, programming, and qualitative approaches
- skills in research management, including managing data and conducting and disseminating research in ways consistent with both professional practice and the normal principles of research ethics
- a critical understanding of the challenges of researching individuals embedded in their social worlds
- an understanding of key theories and concepts in social psychology and how to apply them to address specific questions
- the skills to design and carry out rigorous problem-focused research in social psychology
- the ability to evaluate published research in social psychology
- the knowledge to make well-informed contributions to discussions about social issues.
- transferable skills in written and verbal communication, group and teamwork, computing, programming and numeracy, time and project management
- the ability to work as an independent researcher and as part of a team
Career opportunities
The programme is primarily designed for students who:
- aspire to pursue a research-oriented career in social psychology
- are interested in a wide variety of careers where it is valuable to be able to conduct sound social research, or to develop and evaluate practices and policies relating to social behaviour and thinking
The programme also teaches a broad range of transferable skills applicable to a wide range of modern jobs, such as:
- research design
- data management and processing
- statistical modelling and interpretation
- synthesis and communication of complex literature.
Our graduates
In addition to a number of our graduates going onto further academic research opportunities, some recent roles they have progressed to are working with government, non-government organisations, charities, and businesses.
- Careers Service
Our award-winning Careers Service plays an essential part in your wider student experience at the University, providing:
- tailored advice
- individual guidance and personal assistance
- internships and networking opportunities (with employers from local organisations to top multinationals)
- access to the experience of our worldwide alumni network
We invest in your future beyond the end of your degree. Studying at the University of Edinburgh will lay the foundations for your future success, whatever shape that takes.
Important application information
Your application and personal statement allow us to make sure that you and your chosen MSc are good matches for each other, and that you will have a productive and successful year at Edinburgh.
We strongly recommend you apply as early as possible. You should avoid applying to more than one degree. Applicants who can demonstrate their understanding and commitment to a specific programme are preferred. If you plan to apply to more than one programme, you should discuss your choices with us before you submit your application.
Personal statements
When applying you should include a personal statement detailing your academic abilities and your reasons for applying for the programme.
The personal statement helps us decide whether you are right for the MSc programme you have selected, but just as importantly, it helps us decide whether the MSc programme is right for you.
Your personal statement should include:
- What makes this particular MSc programme interesting for you?
- What are the most important things you want to gain from the MSc programme?
- the key (psychology) courses you have taken and that are relevant for this specific programme
- your experience with collecting empirical data (e.g., preparing and carrying out experiments, surveys or interviews)
- your experience with statistical analysis and programming or qualitative research methods
- your experience with writing empirical research reports (including any that have been published)
- any other information which you feel will help us ensure that you are a good match to your intended MSc programme
A good personal statement can make a big difference to the admissions process as it may be the only opportunity to explain why you are an ideal candidate for the programme.
You will be asked to add contact details for your referees. We will email them with information on how to upload their reference directly to your online application. Alternatively, they can email their comments to:
Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:
- How to apply
Psychology at Edinburgh
Entry requirements.
These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2024.
A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in psychology or in a related discipline, with at least one advanced course in psychology studied.
Students from China
This degree is Band C.
- Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China
International qualifications
Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:
- Entry requirements by country
- English language requirements
Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.
English language tests
We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:
- IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
- TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
- C1 Advanced ( CAE ) / C2 Proficiency ( CPE ): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
- Trinity ISE : ISE III with passes in all four components.
- PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 62 in each component.
Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS , TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE , in which case it must be no more than two years old.
Degrees taught and assessed in English
We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:
- UKVI list of majority English speaking countries
We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).
- Approved universities in non-MESC
If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old* at the beginning of your programme of study. (*Revised 05 March 2024 to extend degree validity to five years.)
Find out more about our language requirements:
Fees and costs
Tuition fees, scholarships and funding.
There are a number of highly competitive scholarships and funding options available to MSc students.
Deadlines for funding applications vary for each funding source. Please make sure to check the specific deadlines for the funding opportunities you wish to apply for and make sure that you submit your application in good time.
UK government postgraduate loans
If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.
The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on your programme, the duration of your studies, and your residency status.
Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.
- UK government and other external funding
Other funding opportunities
Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:
- Search for funding
Further information
- Postgraduate Admissions Officer
- Phone: +44 (0)131 651 5002
- Contact: [email protected]
- Programme Director, Dr Rahul Sambaraju
- Phone: +44 (0)131 650 4521
- Contact: [email protected]
- PPLS Postgraduate Office
- Dugald Stewart Building
- 3 Charles Street
- Central Campus
- School: Philosophy, Psychology & Language Sciences
- College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
This programme is not currently accepting applications. Applications for the next intake usually open in October.
Start date: September
Awards: MSc (12-12 mth FT, 24-24 mth PT)
Application deadlines
Applications are held for processing over three deadlines:
We operate a gathered field approach to applications for MSc Social Psychology. This means that all complete applications that satisfy our minimum entry requirements will be held until the nearest deadline and the admissions panel will meet to consider all applications received together after that date. To be considered as having met the deadline, your application must include transcripts and an academic reference.
Applications must be complete with all supporting documentation to be passed on for consideration, this includes references. Please ensure that you inform referees of any deadline you wish to meet.
Please read through the ‘Important application information’ section on this page before applying.
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Social & Affective Psychology
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Social Psychology - MSc
University of kent.
What are the key motives that affect people’s reactions to the social world Develop critical, analytical and problem-solving skills while Read more...
- 1 year Full time degree: £9,800 per year (UK)
- 2 years Part time degree: £4,900 per year (UK)
Psychosocial Studies PhD
Birkbeck, university of london.
An PhD is an advanced postgraduate research degree that requires original research and the submission of a substantial dissertation of Read more...
- 4 years Full time degree
- 7 years Part time degree
Applied Social Psychology MSc
Royal holloway, university of london.
The course The broad spectrum of psychology examines the ways in which human beings think, feel, behave and interact. Study Applied Social Read more...
- 1 year Full time degree: £10,600 per year (UK)
- 2 years Part time degree: £5,300 per year (UK)
PhD Psychosocial Studies
University of essex.
We offer research supervision in the following fields trauma, memory, and the unconscious fantasies of the social, myths of the Read more...
- 4 years Full time degree: £9,375 per year (UK)
- 7 years Part time degree: £2,356 per year (UK)
Social Psychology MSc
University of surrey.
Studythescience of how we think, feel and behave in social contexts, on a curriculum designed toimmerse you in theories, methods and Read more...
- 1 year Full time degree: £10,500 per year (UK)
- 2 years Part time degree: £5,250 per year (UK)
Social Psychology - PhD
Study psychology at postgraduate level and you become part of a diverse, dynamic and supportive community in which to research and learn. Read more...
- 3 years Full time degree: £4,712 per year (UK)
- 5 years Part time degree: £2,356 per year (UK)
Psychosocial Studies MA
Psychosocial studies holds that conventional distinctions found in many areas of sociology and psychology between the 'psychological' and Read more...
- 1 year Full time degree: £10,800 per year (UK)
- 2 years Part time evening degree: £5,400 per year (UK)
MA Ideology and Discourse Analysis
Questions concerning the impact of ideological and symbolic processes on the formation of political discourses, identities and communities Read more...
- 1 year Full time degree: £10,000 per year (UK)
- 2 years Part time degree: £5,000 per year (UK)
Psychosocial Studies Graduate Certificate
Our Graduate Certificate in Psychosocial Studies introduces you to substantial strands of psychosocial theory theory that proposes Read more...
- 1 year Part time evening degree: £3,600 per year (UK)
Social Research and Psychosocial Studies MRes
Our MRes Social Research and Psychosocial Studies is an interdisciplinary social science training programme designed to prepare you for Read more...
The University of Edinburgh
Programme description This programme provides an opportunity for intensive advanced training in social psychology. The staff involved in Read more...
- 12 months Full time degree: £13,000 per year (UK)
- 24 months Part time degree: £6,500 per year (UK)
MSc Organisational and Social Psychology
London school of economics and political science, university of london.
Our MSc Organisational and Social Psychology (OSP) is a world leading master's degree programme. It addresses, at its core, the interface Read more...
- 1 year Full time degree: £27,480 per year (UK)
- 2 years Part time degree: £13,740 per year (UK)
MSc Mental Health and Psychosocial Support
Queen margaret university, edinburgh.
Do you want to make a difference to the health of people in low-resource settings Are you passionate about social justice or looking for a Read more...
- 1 year Full time degree: £7,200 per year (UK)
- 2 years Part time degree
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Edge Hill University
THE World Ranking: 1001
University of East London
University of surrey.
THE World Ranking: 251
University of Kent
THE World Ranking: 401
University of York
THE World Ranking: 147
University of East Anglia UEA
Lancaster University
THE World Ranking: 155
University of Warwick
THE World Ranking: 106
Royal Holloway, University of London
THE World Ranking: 301
Birkbeck, University of London
Leeds Beckett University
THE World Ranking: 801
University of Essex
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MPhil/PhD Social Psychology Sitamarhi, India . If you are a social psychologist, the Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science at LSE is the place you want to be. The Department is a vibrant community of scholars where some of the world leading research in societal psychology unfolds.
The MPhil/PhD at the Social Research Institute provides a route for students to carry out their own research project within a multidisciplinary and multi-method environment. Our research students engage with the academic community within UCL and benefit from a comprehensive research training programme. This programme is available to study both face-to-face and online.
The School of Psychology. Kent's School of Psychology conducts both basic and applied research in several areas, and we are highly regarded as a leading European centre for postgraduate research. We have a strong international reputation in cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, forensic psychology and social psychology.
Social Psychology research at Edinburgh is concerned with the way in which the social world has an impact on people. The group focuses on this theme both at the individual level and by studying interactions at the inter-individual, intra-group, inter-group and socio-cultural levels. In keeping with this broad range of interests, the group ...
PhD Social Psychology in England. 3 degrees at 3 universities in England. NEW SEARCH. PhD Psychology Social Psychology England. COURSE LOCATION UNIVERSITY CLEAR ... (UK) 7 years Part time degree: £2,356 per year (UK) Apply now Visit website Request info Book event. Compare. Social Psychology - PhD. University of Kent (4.1)
Staff within the Department of Psychology carries out and supervises world-class research in a range of areas. We host five major research groups: Developmental Science. Human Cognitive Neuroscience. Language, Cognition and Communication. Differential Psychology. Social Psychology. Psychology is rated 3rd in the UK by Times Higher Education for ...
The Joint PhD in programme in Psychology and Social Neuroscience is designed to develop your skills as an independent scholar. The PhD programme is structured as follows: Year 1. In year one students are assigned a tutor, who will supervise their work, supporting the student's growth throughout.
Identity and communities in a diverse society (social psychology and sociology) Health Education and behavioural change; Research degrees allow you to specialise while also improving your technical abilities. They allow you to specialise in a specific area of interest within your subject, allowing for in-depth investigation and comprehension.
Psychology; Sociology and Criminology; Social Work and Social Care; Undertaking a PhD is an exciting opportunity but can also be quite daunting as there are lots of stages to think about including application, arrival, admission, expectations, and progression to name but a few.
Psychology at Edinburgh brings together world-class researchers approaching the scientific study of mind and behaviour through a range of topics - from language development to dementia, personality to paranormal beliefs. The department benefits from a vibrant postgraduate community and strong interdisciplinary links with colleagues in medicine ...
Sussex is one of the largest and most diverse centres for the study of psychology in the UK. You'll work in an intellectually stimulating and supportive environment, within a community of postgraduate students, postdoctoral researchers and field-leading faculty. Our research spans the full spectrum of psychology and has significant societal ...
PhD in Psychology. UEA's postgraduate degree programme (PhD) in the School of Psychology is centred around Cognitive Neuroscience, Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Science, and Social Psychology. Read more. Funded PhD Programme (Students Worldwide) Social Sciences Research Programme. More Details.
Key facts. This PhD psychology doctorate is a pure research programme, normally completed within 3-4 years of full-time work, or up to 7 years of part-time study. Our PG community is a lively, engaging and friendly group, within which scholarship and intellectual discovery are encouraged. We are comprised of 4 research centres:
Professor Simone Schnall. Professor of Experimental Social Psychology. Fellow and Director of Studies in Psychology, Jesus College. ss877 [at]cam.ac.uk. Topics include the study of cross-cultural variations in parental behaviour; parent-child relationships in new family types; social cognition; embodied cognition; prosociality and well-being ...
Birkbeck has an active and vibrant research culture in psychosocial studies. This includes regular workshops, many visiting speakers, and numerous collaborative projects both within London, and at national and international levels. The MPhil/PhD programme provides an excellent forum for you to develop and enhance your specialist, as well as ...
Our Psychology PhD programme will explore cognitive neuroscience, social, developmental and health psychology, and much more. Cookies. We use cookies to help our site work, to understand how it is used, and to tailor ads that are more relevant to you and your interests. ... UK To be confirmed Overseas £23,600. Part-time. UK To be confirmed ...
For entry in the academic year beginning September 2024, the tuition fees are as follows: PhD (full-time) UK students (per annum): Standard £4,786, Low £11,000, Medium £17,500, High £23,000. International, including EU, students (per annum): Standard £27,000, Low £28,500, Medium £34,500, High £40,500. PhD (part-time)
Our long-established international reputation in social psychology is complemented by our strengths in cognitive, developmental and forensic psychology. We attract excellent visiting scholars and postgraduate students from both within the UK and overseas. Some of our PhD students are self-funded, and others are funded by grants or awards either ...
Building on the research methods training, you will take topical courses in the core research areas of our department including theoretical and methodological aspects of social psychology. Your MSc culminates in a research dissertation in a core research area: an original, publication-quality piece of research, undertaken in close collaboration ...
Social & Affective Psychology; Publications; TOPIC Research Group. Co-Space Study: Supporting Parents, Adolescents and Children during Epidemics; Research Groups; ... DPhil (PhD) in Experimental Psychology - Part-time; MSc by Research in Experimental Psychology - Part-time; Graduate Career Destinations; Student Profiles. Stefano Belli;
Royal Holloway, University of London. (4.1) The course The broad spectrum of psychology examines the ways in which human beings think, feel, behave and interact. Study Applied Social Read more... 1 year Full time degree: £10,600 per year (UK) 2 years Part time degree: £5,300 per year (UK) Apply now Visit website Request info. Compare.
University of Essex. UK. THE World Ranking: 301. English courses available. View 8 Social Psychology courses. Option to study for a qualification from UK. 20739. Views. 660.