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MSc Psychology

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Why choose Herts?

Professional Accreditation: You will become a professional psychologist eligible for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society.

Teaching Excellence: You will be taught by expert teaching staff currently engaged in cutting-edge research. See key staff section.

Industry-Focused Course Content: Research projects include investigations relating to autism, psychosis, spatial memory, behaviour change, cyber psychology, and the psychology of luck

This course is up for periodic review
This course is due to be renewed at a Periodic Review event which will be held on February 2021.

We anticipate that there will be further enhancements made to the course as a result of the Review.

Our website and printed literature will be updated following completion of the Periodic Review in order to provide applicants with further confirmed details on the following:
- module titles
- whether the modules are core or optional
- the expected contact hours
- how the course will be assessed
- staff teaching on the course

All successful applicants must normally:

(a) Have a good honours degree (normally a 2.1) from a UK institution, or an equivalent overseas qualification. However, in exceptional circumstances, we will consider students with a lower second class (2.2). Exceptionally highly motivated students may be accepted if they can demonstrate appropriate academic competencies.

(b) We welcome applications from UK, EU, and international students. For country specific international qualifications please check here. International students should have an IELTS of 6.5If you do not have the required level of English for entry, our academic English courses can help you to achieve this level.


Institution code	H36
School of study	School of Life and Medical Sciences
Course length	Full Time, 1 Years Part Time, 2 Years
Location	University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield

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Employability

Careers

This course provides Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society, which is the first necessary step towards becoming a professional psychologist. Having obtained GBC, students can then pursue a career in specialist area such as Clinical, Forensic, Health, Occupational, Counselling, Sport and Exercise, or Educational and Child Psychology with a view to becoming a Chartered Clinical, Forensic, Health, Occupational, or Counselling Psychologist.

Professional Accreditations

Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) [formerly known as Graduate Basis for Registration (GBR)] with the British Psychological Society.

About the course

The Masters in Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire is for people who have degrees in other subjects, but who wish to obtain Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) [formerly known as Graduate Basis for Registration (GBR) with the British Psychological Society, which is the first necessary step towards becoming a professional psychologist.

On successfully completing the course, you will:

Have demonstrated sufficient knowledge of psychological theories and literature to be eligible for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society;
Have developed a more detailed knowledge of the literature, theories, and issues relevant to your career ambitions;
Be able to design, carry out, and evaluate psychological research using a variety of methodologies, including the ability to conduct an advanced research project;
Be able to conduct ethically sensitive research.

Students enrolled on the MSc programme will study core modules covering the broader psychological principles of developmental, social and cognitive psychology and the biological basis of psychology. This will be contextualised by historical issues in psychology and individual research methods and analysis.

The MSc programme is flexible enough to allow individual tailoring to particular interests or career aspirations. Masters students have to study two additional modules, selected from the following modules (subject to availability):

Forensic Psychology
Clinical Psychology
Occupational and Work Psychology
Educational Psychology
Sports Psychology

Why choose this course?

This course provides an intensive route into gaining a psychology qualification recognised by the British Psychological Society, allowing to pursue a professional career in psychology.

To find out more about this course you can come to one of our Postgraduate Open events.

We also have a thriving research community of staff and students alike.

View course leaflet for MSc Psychology Conversion Course MSc,

What will I study?

Teaching and learning methods include lectures, seminars and tutorials. Students will develop the ability to design, carry out and evaluate psychological research, using a variety of methodologies, including the ability to conduct a research project and ethically sensitive research. Assessment for the programme is by examination, coursework, demonstration of a series of competencies and completion of the research project.

Level 7

Module	Credits	Compulsory/optional
Advanced Psychology Project	60 Credits	Compulsory
There are no formal lectures. Guidance is given in workshops on literature searching and preparing an ethics application. Students will develop, under the supervision of an appropriate member of staff, a research question which they will operationalise. Relevant data collection and analysis guidance will be provided. Students are expected to demonstrate a high level of critical awareness of contemporary literature an in-depth statistical analysis. This module is only appropriate for students with suitable advanced background knowledge and skills.
Development, Social and Cognitive Psychology	30 Credits	Compulsory
The module reviews basic issues and addresses current developments in developmental, social and cognitive psychology and develops students' ability to critically review pertinent literature. This is a double module where Developmental, Social and Cognitive psychology are taught over both Semesters A and B in 7-week blocks. Typically the course starts off with 7 weeks of Developmental Psychology, followed by 7 weeks of Cognitive Psychology lectures, and then 7 weeks of Social Psychology lectures. In Developmental Psychology the emphasis is on early childhood development of language and play. Cognitive Psychology considers memory systems, intelligence, reasoning, judgment and decision making, and language. Questions considered in the Social Psychology section include why we tend to use stereotypes when assigning characteristics to members of a group, why conflict may occur between members of distinct social groups, and what we think causes other people to behave as they do.
The Biological Basis of Psychology	15 Credits	Compulsory
The course provides a critical introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience. Aspects of the organisation and function of the brain systems will be considered. A contemporary and integrated perspective will be offered on the possible relationships between brain and selected aspects of cognitive activity.
Individual Differences and Conceptual/Historical Issues in Psychology	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module introduces students to a critical analysis of the historical background of many current areas of investigation in psychology. Influential personalities and theories will be presented and discussed. A particular focus will be placed on the area of individual differences.
Using Data to Address Research Questions	15 Credits	Compulsory
The aim of this module is to introduce and develop those skills that are core to using data in psychology. The module will focus on developing students' capacity to use a range of statistical methods from descriptive to inferential and advanced statistics using SPSS.
Methods of Collecting Data in Psychology	15 Credits	Compulsory
The module aims to develop students' skills in formulating, executing, and reporting results of well designed investigations of psychological phenomena. Investigations will be based on psychological theory, employ a range of well established methods and will require the skilled execution of practical techniques and data presentation. Students will be expected to master the theory of basic experimental design. Ethical considerations relevant to the conduct of investigations with human participants will be emphasised.
Forensic Psychology	15 Credits	Optional
Forensic Psychology concerns the application of psychological theory and principles to the understanding of crime, crime control and the legal process. This module is designed to give students an understanding of how forensic psychology can be applied to legal and criminal issues, where it stands in relation to other disciplines, and make clear the paths and routes to becoming a Forensic Psychologist. The module will equip students with an overview of current and historical psychological theory as applied to forensic topics. Particular attention will be paid to the psychology of judicial proceedings, eyewitness testimony, false confessions, offender profiling, investigation of the causes of offending behaviour and methods of tackling crime and offender behaviour. In addition, students will study the role the media play in the construction of ideas about crime, fear of crime and policy in relation to crime.
Clinical Psychology	15 Credits	Optional
The course addresses substantive and methodological issues relating to mental illness from a cognitive perspective. Each week's lecture presents a topic within the field of psychopathology. Most weeks' topics centre on a diagnosis - for example depression, schizophrenia - or a particular topical issue, for example, the role of childhood events for future mental health. The topics are examined from a range of perspectives but emphasis is placed on the cognitive components of mental health problems and the cognitive perspective on specific issues. The course is supported by the use of video material as a way of demonstrating specific diagnoses and highlighting topical questions.
Educational Psychology	15 Credits	Optional
The module will deal with the main areas of the discipline of Educational Psychology. This course will cover the contexts in which educational psychologists operate. It will outline the professional routes towards practice within this discipline, and the legislative and policy guidance within which practitioners operate. The module will cover conceptual issues of social educational needs, inclusion and diversity in learners. It will present material on a range of assessment practices, and their limitations within the context of different learning settings. The course will also deal with special intervention work with specific populations such as young people with a range of social and emotional difficulties and vulnerable adolescents. The ethical dimension of the Educational Psychologists work will be looked at, covering questions such as “who is the client” (school, family, parent, child, society?), and whether diagnosis and formulation can have disadvantages. Finally the course will examine psychological approaches to group work with teachers and pupils as well as the application of theory in helping transform aspects of schools and other organisations.
Sports Psychology	15 Credits	Optional
Students will be introduced to the sub discipline of sports psychology, exploring the application of cognitive and biological psychology in order to gain a better understanding of their impact upon performance in sport. This lecture based module will typically include coverage of professional routes for becoming a Sports Psychologists, performance profiling, goal-setting, imagery and mental rehearsal, self-confidence, stress and anxiety, concentration and the integration of psychological theory to the planning and implementation of interventions designed to improve athletic performance.
Occupational Psychology	15 Credits	Optional
This module will provide an introduction to some of the key topics relating to people's behaviour in the workplace. Topics will include stress; relationships in the workplace; error and accidents; leadership and career development as well as other relevant aspects of organisational behaviour.
Cognitive Neuropsychology	15 Credits	Optional
The course attempts to show how a variety of disorders of perception, language and memory can provide a critical source of evidence through which to understand normal cognitive function. The course will focus on current models of cognition, through the relationship between cognitive function and neuropsychological systems will also be considered. The aim of the course is to provide students with a thorough grounding in understanding higher mental processes.

Key staff

Dr Nicholas Shipp
Programme Lead
Find out more about Dr Nicholas Shipp

Further course information

Course fact sheets
MSc Psychology	Download

Programme specifications
MSc Psychology	Download

Additional information
Sandwich placement or study abroad year	n/a
Applications open to international and EU students	Yes

Student experience

At the University of Hertfordshire, we want to make sure your time studying with us is as stress-free and rewarding as possible. We offer a range of support services including; student wellbeing, academic support, accommodation and childcare to ensure that you make the most of your time at Herts and can focus on studying and having fun.

Find out about how we support our students

You can also read our student blogs to find out about life at Herts.

Funding and fees
Other financial support

Find out more about other financial support available to UK and EU students

Fees 2021
UK Students

Full time
- £9450 for the 2021/2022 academic year
Part time
- £790 per 15 credits for the 2021/2022 academic year
EU Students

Full time
- £13950 for the 2021/2022 academic year
Part time
- £1160 per 15 credits for the 2021/2022 academic year
International Students

Full time
- £13950 for the 2021/2022 academic year
Part time
- £1160 per 15 credits for the 2021/2022 academic year
*Tuition fees are charged annually. The fees quoted above are for the specified year(s) only. Fees may be higher in future years, for both new and continuing students. Please see the University's Fees and Finance Policy (and in particular the section headed "When tuition fees change"), for further information about when and by how much the University may increase its fees for future years.

View detailed information about tuition fees

Living costs / accommodation

The University of Hertfordshire offers a great choice of student accommodation, on campus or nearby in the local area, to suit every student budget.

View detailed information about our accommodation

Read more about additional fees in the course fact sheet

International/EU applicants without pre-settled status in the UK

Apply through our international/EU application portal

Home and EU applicants with pre-settled/settled status in the UK

2021

Start Date	End Date	Link
28/09/2021	25/09/2022	Apply online (Full Time)
28/09/2021	20/05/2022	Apply online (Part Time)

2022

Start Date	End Date	Link
28/09/2022	25/09/2023	Apply online (Full Time)
28/09/2022	20/05/2023	Apply online (Part Time)

2023

Start Date	End Date	Link
28/09/2023	25/09/2024	Apply online (Full Time)
28/09/2023	20/05/2024	Apply online (Part Time)

Due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, examinations may be replaced by an alternative form of assessment during the academic year 2020/2021. Please refer to the Programme Specification on these pages for further details.

Please note that some of the images and videos on our course pages may have been taken before social distancing rules in the UK came into force.

MSc Psychology

Why choose Herts?

Careers

Professional Accreditations

About the course

Why choose this course?

What will I study?

Key staff

Further course information

Student experience

Other financial support

Fees 2021

UK Students

Full time

Part time

EU Students

Full time

Part time

International Students

Full time

Part time

Living costs / accommodation

International/EU applicants without pre-settled status in the UK

Home and EU applicants with pre-settled/settled status in the UK

2021

2022

2023