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MSc Psychology

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.

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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

Entry requirements

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.

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):

Cognitive Neuropsychology.
Advanced Topics in Memory.
Forensic Psychology.
Clinical Psychology
Occupational and Work 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 or listen to a course talk online at our webinar (online meeting).

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.
Occupational and Work 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.
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.
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.
Advanced Topics in Memory	15 Credits	Optional
This module examines latest research into several important memory phenomena and their role in successful everyday memory functioning. Laboratory and naturalistic approaches will be compared and discussed. Specific topics may include autobiographical memory (e.g., involuntary memories, flashbulb memories), prospective memory (e.g., remembering to call the bank or send a message), survival memory and testing effects. Students will be asked to review and evaluate current published research, and encouraged to link and/or apply the material learned to their everyday experiences. For example, learning about the testing effect may help students to better organise their revision strategies to enhance their exam performance. Throughout the course, there will be several seminars and mock exam revision sessions to enhance students' understanding of the assessment criteria involved in marking the exam scripts. In addition to gaining a deeper insight into the marking process, these sessions also reduce students' exam anxiety.

Professional Accreditations

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

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.

Key staff

Dr Lucy Annett
Programme Tutor
Find out more about Dr Lucy Annett
Fees and funding
Fees 2020
UK/EU Students

Full time
- £8925 for the 2020/2021 academic year
Part time
- £745 per 15 credits for the 2020/2021 academic year
International Students

Full time
- £13500 for the 2020/2021 academic year
Part time
- £1125 per 15 credits for the 2020/2021 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

Read more about additional fees in the course fact sheet

Other financial support

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

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

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

International applicants

Apply through our international application portal

Home and EU applicants

Apply using the links below:

2020

Start Date	End Date	Link
28/09/2020	25/09/2021	Apply online (Full Time)
28/09/2020	20/05/2021	Apply online (Part Time)

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)

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

About the course

Why choose this course?

What will I study?

Professional Accreditations

Careers

Fees 2020

UK/EU Students

Full time

Part time

International Students