MSc in Research Methods in Psychology

This programme will provide you with a theoretical and practical grounding in psychological research techniques, thus equipping you to go on to a PhD programme in Experimental Psychology or related disciplines. Completion of this programme can also lead to the application of psychological knowledge and research skills in other fields, such as industry or education.

The core of this programme comprises a set of units that teach the practicalities of carrying out research. The aim is to provide experience using a broad range of techniques. In particular, in the autumn term, valuable experience is obtained in the unit 'Apprenticeship in Psychological Research'.

You will be placed in an established research group or laboratory, and gain practical experience working on an ongoing research project, attending meetings, collecting data, and assisting with day-to-day activities in a research-intensive environment.

The programme also covers a broader set of research skills, including oral presentations, writing, and analysis. In the Spring Term, you complete an intensive unit in the latest imaging techniques.

Assessment is by coursework and examinations, the latter taking place at the beginning of the Summer Term. If you successfully complete the taught component of the programme, you will go on to carry out original research that is supervised by an expert in the field.

The following units constitute the usual content of the programme but may change due to both demand and availability of lecturing staff.

Core units

Autumn Term

• Functional Neuroanatomy and Neuroscience Methods
• General and Generic Research Skills 1
• Psychological Statistics
• Research Methods: Quantitative and Qualitative
• Apprenticeship in Psychological Research

Spring Term

• Advanced Psychological Statistics
• General and Generic Research Skills 2
• Issues in Psychology
• Language, Memory and Development
• Imaging Spring School

Summer Term (until September)

• Research Dissertation