MSc Psychology
Why choose Herts?
Professional Accreditation: Successful graduates are eligible for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society. This is your first step to pursue a professional career as a chartered psychologist.
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 into various areas of psychology such as autism, psychosis, spatial memory, behaviour change, cyber psychology, and the psychology of luck.
Alumni Stories
Seren Turner
Meet Seren. Seren completed an undergraduate and postgraduate course at Herts, with ambitions to help rehabilitate offenders and victims of crime.
| Current job role | Looking for employment |
|---|---|
| Year of graduation | 2021, 2022 |
| Course of study | BA (Hons) Criminal Justice and Criminology, MSc Psychology |
‘I want to help people’
The BA (Hons) Criminal Justice and Criminology course appealed to Seren because she wanted to understand why crime occurs and she has ambitions to work alongside offenders to help prevent it. Herts was also close to her home.
After visiting campus for an Open Day, Seren decided Herts was the right place for her. She says, ‘The campus had a welcoming and friendly environment – it was perfect for me.’
Seren completed her undergraduate degree and decided to study MSc Psychology at Herts too, with hopes of using what she learnt completing both courses to help rehabilitate offenders or support victims. She says, ‘I was able to continue working part-time whilst completing my master’s. But now that I have graduated, I have started looking for full-time work. I want to help people, and that’s what I’m looking forward to doing in my career.’
Fond memories
Some of Seren’s fondest memories of her time at Herts were making friends and the experiences they shared along the way. She says, ‘I remember laughing in the library when we were meant to be doing coursework, grabbing a coffee with them before lectures started, and even taking the park and ride early in the morning. I made friends at uni that will be in my life forever, and I wouldn’t have met them if it wasn’t for Herts.’
Her plans and advice
Seren is getting ready to find a job, using her time to update her CV, write cover letters, and explore job search websites. She says, ‘I don’t want to rush anything. I want to know that when I find a job, it is the right one for me.’
Seren’s advice to current and future Herts students is to ‘not beat yourself up’, particularly as you settle in during first year. She says, ‘University is different to other forms of education. It takes time to get things right and there is a learning curve. Come to Herts as a blank slate and be willing to learn. You’ll need to understand how the grading system works, how to write an essay, and what to do to get the grades you’re aiming for.’
Professional Accreditations
Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society.
About the course
The Masters in Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire is typically for individuals who have degrees in other (non-psychology) subjects, but who wish to obtain Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) British Psychological Society. 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, cognitive and biological psychology. This will be contextualised by historical issues in psychology along with research methods and statistical 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 Psychology
- Educational Psychology
- Sports Psychology
- Cognitive Neuropsychology
Why choose this course?
This course provides an intensive route into gaining a psychology qualification recognised by the British Psychological Society, allowing you to pursue a professional career in psychology.
Psychology ranked joint first nationally for research impact, obtaining 100% outstanding rating (Research Excellence Framework, 2021).
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.
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.
Key staff
Dr Nicholas Shipp
Programme Lead
Find out more about Dr Nicholas Shipp
Further course information
| Course fact sheets | |
|---|---|
| MSc Psychology | Download |
| MSc Psychology | Download |
| Programme specifications | |
|---|---|
| MSc Psychology | Download |
| MSc Psychology | Download |
| Additional information | |
|---|---|
Sandwich placement or study abroad year |
n/a |
Applications open to international and EU students |
Yes |