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Psychology in United Kingdom

Why Study Psychology in United Kingdom

• Studying Psychology in United Kingdom is a great choice, as there are 83 universities that offer PhD degrees on our portal.
• Over 551,000 international students choose United Kingdom for their studies, which suggests you’ll enjoy a vibrant and culturally diverse learning experience and make friends from all over the world.
• We counted 17 affordable PhD degrees in United Kingdom , allowing you to access quality higher education without breaking the bank. Moreover, there are 327 available scholarships you can apply to.

135  Psychology PhDs in United Kingdom

Study in United Kingdom

Universities in the UK are some of the most highly regarded in the world, and for good reasons. Some of the world's most highly regarded research takes place in British universities, which are regularly featured in international rankings. While studying in the UK, you will be able to develop in a highly multicultural environment with high chances of pursuing lucrative careers after graduation. The teaching in the UK is designed to encourage new idea generation, encouraging individual research and group cooperation, through class discussions and creative assignments.

Is United Kingdom the right place for you?

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Explore your Psychology degree

Psychology degrees teach students about all aspects of how the human mind and psyche work. Psychology degrees offered by top universities and colleges deal with the understanding of individuals and their behaviour within society, considering the human stages of development. Graduates pf Psychology studies find careers in Counselling, Psychotherapy, Organisational Psychology, Special Education, Advertising, and more.

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• Schools & departments

Psychology PhD

Awards: PhD

Funding opportunities

Programme website: Psychology

Discovery Day

Join us online on 21st August to learn more about postgraduate study at Edinburgh.

Find out more and register

Research profile

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 quality and breadth of the research using the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021).

Research in the Developmental Science group examines how different developmental factors interact across the lifespan, from before birth into adolescence and old age. The group comprises a diverse but well-integrated set of researchers, with expertise in:

• cognitive, social and linguistic development
• differential psychology and genetics
• statistical and computational modelling

They use a range of methods from behavioural experiments and brain imaging, to large cohort studies.

This research group comprises academics with a diverse set of research interests spanning cognitive neuroscience.

Areas of research include:

• visual processing
• control of action
• executive functions
• social cognition
• higher-level cognition and reasoning

The group uses traditional experimental psychology and neuropsychology, neuroimaging techniques such as:

• brain stimulation
• eye-tracking
• motion tracking
• computational modelling
• clinical assessment

Staff work with both normally functioning children and adults, and people with neurological disorders.

The Language, Cognition and Communication group is internationally recognised for its work on the psychology of language.

We have wide expertise in such areas as:

• spoken and written comprehension
• bilingualism
• language development
• the cognitive neuroscience of language

Researchers use a range of methods, including behavioural experiments, brain imaging and eye-tracking.

Differential Psychology (individual differences)

Individual differences researchers ask how and why people or other primates differ from one another psychologically and how these differences matter in their lives.

The University of Edinburgh is uniquely positioned to offer PhD training in the area because of its long history of world-class individual differences research and teaching. Our researchers focus on a broad range of topics, including the assessment, causes and consequences of personality traits and intelligence, positive psychology, primate behaviour, paranormal beliefs, development, ageing and psychopathology.

For example, the researchers study the roles of genetics and life experiences and developmental trends in personality traits and intelligence, and how these traits are linked with real-life outcomes in the domains of achievement and health.

The Social Psychology group examines how we think about the self, others, and groups. The research group covers qualitative and quantitative methodologies, spanning processes like identity, relationships, crowds, and inter-group relations. We employ a range of methods such as:

• questionnaires
• social cognitive techniques
• observation
• physiological measures

Training and support

Currently, there are no mandatory courses for PhD students, but we expect students to take part in an informal year-long seminar series on key topics of academic work and research seminars of their research area. Also, many students audit various courses and take part in workshops and other modes of training, within the department and beyond.

We will assign you at least two supervisors who provide expert academic guidance on their research. We expect that at least some of your research will get published in peer-reviewed journals.

Many PhD students gain undergraduate teaching experience, for which we provide training and mentoring and you can gain formal recognition (a teaching certificate).

Psychology houses extensive facilities including:

• several eye-trackers
• EEG recording equipment
• fNIRS recorder
• TMS, celspot recording equipment
• a suite of dedicated computers running experimental software

We work with the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for MRI scanning facilities.

• 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.

Career opportunities

While many of our PhD graduates choose to remain in academia as lecturers and researchers, going onto post-doctoral opportunities or progressing into faculty positions, some pursue employment and careers in other sectors.

Important application information

Find a research opportunity and contact potential supervisors prior to making an application.

We strongly encourage you to get in touch with a potential supervisor, and to include their name in your application. When contacting a potential supervisor, please include a draft proposal and CV as this will provide the starting point for discussion. You can introduce yourself by explaining why their work interests you.

• View our main research interests and staff profiles

Write a research proposal

We will use your research proposal to consider whether the proposed research is feasible and can be supervised by our staff members, so it is important that your theoretical and methodological preparedness for it are clear.

We understand that it can be difficult to formulate research plans well in advance of carrying out the work, but we encourage you to articulate your ideas as clearly as possible. You should draft your proposal several times, and, ideally, seek comments on it from other people (perhaps from your referees or former lecturers) before submitting it.

We recommend that you contact your planned supervisor(s) well in advance of the deadline to identify a suitable topic for your research proposal. You should draft the research proposal independently and then discuss it with your planned supervisor(s), revising it based on their comments and suggestions.

Each PhD thesis contains several theoretical and empirical chapters. Your proposal should focus on the empirical work, laying out plans for at least two empirical studies (further plans can be worked out as you progress). Ideally, each of the studies will be a publishable journal article; students are strongly encouraged to publish their work in collaboration with their supervisors.

Your proposal must not exceed 1000 words; the panel may not read the part of your proposal exceeding the limit. This does not include references.

Your proposal should include:

• A title for the project
• A brief background for the planned research question(s)
• A compelling, brief rationale for the studies, including the specific research questions/hypotheses
• A description of the methodology for addressing these questions/hypotheses, which generally includes:
• Sufficiently large sample(s) of participants (allowing for appropriate statistical power) and measurement/experimental procedures
• If using existing data (for example, data from large cohort studies or biobanks, imaging data sets, etc.), describe the data sets
• Your data analytical approach (for example, suitable statistical models)
• If using qualitative data such as interviews, describe your methods and analytical approach
• Note that the methodology should be realistic, within the resources and time-scales available to you and your supervisor(s), and also allowing for necessary time for writing the thesis
• An indication of how your proposed work fits with and contributes to the research programme of your planned supervisor(s). A PhD thesis typically means teamwork, involving the student and one or two supervisors, and often also other members of the research group(s) of the supervisor(s); a student receives training and help from the team, but can also contribute to the team with their research. Applicants who can show a good fit with supervising team have an advantage.

We may ask for a brief (Zoom or MS Teams) interview with you if we have further questions.

If your application is successful, we expect that your research will develop. It is likely that your supervisor(s) or those reviewing the work will suggest changes or developments to your research as your studies progress. Therefore, you will not be held to the ideas that you explain in your proposal during the course of your research.

• How to write a good PG research proposal

Get ready to apply

In order to ensure full consideration of your application we ask that you submit your complete application including all supporting documentation.

We will ask you to add contact details for your referees. We will email them with information on how to upload their reference directly to your online application. Please allow plenty of time as we can only consider your application once we have received your full application, including your references.

• Find out more about the application process

Consider your funding options

There are a number of funding opportunities both within the University and externally. Funding is highly competitive at PhD level.

• More information on funding

Pre-application Checklist

To receive a pre-arrival checklist to help you with your application, please email the PPLS Postgraduate Office at

• [email protected]

Please complete this checklist to keep track of your application preparations. Please submit the completed checklist as an additional document to your application.

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 a related subject.

Your application will also be considered if you have a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in another subject and a postgraduate masters level degree in Psychology.

Your academic achievements will be assessed by a panel of academics along with the research proposal submitted as part of your application.

(Revised 19 February 2024 to clarify entry requirements and assessment methods.)

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.

Only applications received by the Round 1 deadline will be considered for University of Edinburgh based funding.

You may be able to secure external funding outside of this deadline.

Featured funding

• Scottish Graduate School of Social Science Funding
• [College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Research Awards] ( https://www.ed.ac.uk/ppls/psychology/prospective/postgraduate/psychology-phd-programme/funding-research-students/arts-humanities-soc-sci-research-awards )
• [Edinburgh Doctoral College Scholarships] ( https://www.ed.ac.uk/student-funding/postgraduate/international/other-funding/doctoral-college )

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
• your tuition fee 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

• PPLS Postgraduate Office
• Phone: +44 (0)131 651 5002
• Contact: [email protected]
• Dugald Stewart Building
• 3 Charles Street
• Central Campus
• Programme: Psychology
• 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

Application deadlines

Only applications received by the Round 1 deadline will be considered for University of Edinburgh based funding. You may be able to secure external funding outside of this deadline.

We operate a gathered field approach to PhD applications.

This means that all complete applications which satisfy our minimum entry requirements will be held until the nearest deadline. The admissions panel will meet to consider all applications received together after that date.

Applications are held for processing over two deadlines:

(Revised 12 October 2023 to amend the application deadlines)

• How to apply

Please read through the ‘Important application information’ section on this page before applying.

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

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Department of Psychology

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PhD in Psychology (Course Code BLPC22)

About PhD in Psychology 

The PhD degree is a minimum of three years of full-time research with an individual supervisor followed by an examination of a research thesis in an oral examination. This is the principal research degree offered in the Department of Psychology and the great majority of our students are registered for this degree.

• At the end of their first year of study, students are required to complete a satisfactory First Year Report and Viva . A brief report (without viva) is required at the end of the second year and third year.
• All candidates are expected to take part in the Department’s Postgraduate Education Programme and the Postgraduate School of Life Science’s Skills Training Programme .
• Applications are usually considered in one round - for October entry. This allows applicants to compete for funding and to attend the Postgraduate Induction events held at the beginning of the academic year.
• In some circumstances, it is possible to defer entry to Lent or Easter terms or apply for a January or April start date. However, applicants should contact the Postgraduate Administrator (email)  in advance of submitting their application to discuss whether this option would be available to them.

Eligibility and application

➤  academic requirements.

Candidates who wish to become research students in the Department should usually have a good degree in psychology, neuroscience or in another related subject (for example, physiology, sociology, linguistics, computer science, or engineering), which may provide sufficient background for research in certain areas of psychology. Experience and/or training in psychology is not always a requirement but may be advantageous for some research projects.

graduation-309661_640.png

You are normally expected to hold or to be about to achieve:

- at least a good 2.I honours degree from a UK university or an equivalent standard from an overseas university (on a 4-point GPA, we require a minimum of 3.5 out of 4)

- fluent command of the English language

- completion of any current training or education course

*You are not required to provide GRE scores.

application-keyboad-250x250.jpg

➤  Application

Applications for postgraduate study in the Department of Psychology are made through the University's Postgraduate Admissions . Please note that the course code BLPC22

We recommend that potential applicants take the time to familiarise themselves with the useful material on the  University's Postgraduate Admissions page.

Department application procedure

List of potential phd psychology supervisors, list of available phd projects, ➤ application deadline - to start october 2024.

Applications for October 2024 will open in September 2023.

All deadlines are 12.00 (UK time).

The Department will continue to accept applications up until Wednesday 24   April 2024  for October 2024 start date. Any application submitted after 5 December 2023 will not be considered for the funding round.

Find the answers to frequently asked questions .

Current Postgraduates​ ​​​​​ ​

Introduction, open day 2024, application procedure​, mphil in psychology, phd in psychology, application deadline - to start october 2024.

The Department will continue to accept applications up until Wednesday 24 April 2024 for October 2024 start date. 

Any application submitted after 5 December 2023 will not be considered for the funding round.

Research Councils​

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PhD/MPhil Psychology

Postgraduate research degree

The Psychology PhD/MPhil offers you the chance to develop a substantial and original body of new research involving the discovery of new facts or through the reformulation of existing frameworks.

Research centres and groups

• Clinical, Social and Cognitive Neuroscience
• The ASsuRED Project

Key information

Psychology Postgraduate research degrees PhD/MPhil course Overview

You will join an established department with a history of pioneering research. We have a commitment to the traditions of the discipline and a clear vision of good research practice in Psychology .

We support a vibrant community of researchers and provide expert supervision on a range of specialist subjects. Current strengths include cognitive neuroscience, decision making and behavioural economics. Formal modules in advanced research methods are available if needed to provide you with understanding needed to advance your research.

Our purpose-built facilities include:

• Two state-of-the-art electroencephalography laboratories
• A transcranial magnetic stimulation laboratories
• A baby laboratory
• Behavioural laboratories with access to eye-trackers
• Psychophysiological recording suites
• A psychometrics test library.

You and your research will become an integral part of our dynamic research culture.

About the programme

The PhD programme in Psychology is designed to develop your skills as an independent scholar and give you transferable skills for the years after you finish.

What follows is general indication of a student trajectory. It must be borne in mind that because this is a research degree, each student’s programme will be specific to them and the topic they are researching.

Depending on their existing qualifications and in discussion with their supervisor, in year one students may take one or more MSc level modules to furnish their core research methodological skills (see our Research Methods MSc) and subject-specific knowledge (see our MScs in Organisational Psychology, Behavioural Economics, Health Psychology and Clinical, Social and Cognitive Neuroscience).

The majority of time in Year 1 is spent formulating a research question and writing a literature review. Some students may also have begun data collection.

In year two students will finalise their literature review, finalise the overall shape of their thesis and carry out the bulk of their empirical and analytic work. Some may need to take one of several advanced level training courses that are available to build expertise in subject-specific research methodologies.

In year three students will conclude their empirical work and focus on writing up their thesis. They will also seek to disseminate their work in the form of peer-reviewed publications and/or conference presentations and identify opportunities for the next stage of their career.

We expect the majority of students to complete their write-up within a three-year period. However, a fourth year may be used for the final preparation and submission of the thesis and the completion of any amendments that may be requested.

MPhil award

It is important to note that all students on graduate research programmes are initially registered for an MPhil award. Promotion to registration to PhD is not automatic, but contingent on the satisfactory outcome of a formal review process some time in the second year of study.

• For the award of a psychology PHD candidates are required to demonstrate the following:
• a full understanding of previous research literature and current academic and professional thinking
• the ability to undertake sustained, high level research and master the theoretical (and where appropriate, practical) aspects of the subject areas relevant to the research field
• the ability to communicate the subject matter of the research field, and the conclusions of the particular research project, in the accepted academic form of a research thesis

For full details about the City psychology PhD programme structure, please see the Guide for Research Students .

Requirements

Applicants should demonstrate the following:.

• A track record of high academic achievement, demonstrated by a good undergraduate degree with at least a second class (upper division) pass or equivalent
• Good research methodological skills as demonstrated through relevant research experience and/or a good Masters level degree with at least a pass with merit (or equivalent)
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral (see also the section on English language Requirements)
• Excellent planning and time-management skills.

English requirements

For students whose first language is not English, the following qualifications will meet the English language requirement for entry to a postgraduate course of study:

• A first degree from a UK university or from the CNAA.
• A first degree from an overseas institution recognised by City as providing adequate evidence of proficiency in the English language, for example, from institutions in Australia, Canada or the USA.
• GCE O-level/GCSE English language or English literature, grade C minimum.
• Cambridge ESOL CPE (Certificate of Proficiency in English) at grade C or above.
• An overall score of 7 in the English Language Testing System (IELTS) with a minimum of 7.0 in writing.
• Satisfactory standard in the verbal section of the Princeton Test (GMAT).
• US SAT with 500 in verbal performance.
• Warwick English Language Test (WELT) with pass grades of BBC minimum.
• Other evidence of proficiency in the English language which satisfies the Board of Studies concerned.

For more information see our main entry requirements page.

Visa requirements

If you are not from the European Economic Area / Switzerland and you are coming to study in the UK, you may need to apply for a visa or entry clearance to come to the UK to study.

The way that you apply may vary depending on the length of your course. There are different rules for:

• Students on courses of more than six months
• Students on courses of less than six months
• Students on a pre-sessional English language course.

For more information see our main Visa page .

Fees and funding

Full-time Home/UK: £5,000 per year

Part-time Home/UK: £2,500 per year

Full-time International: £13,500 per year

Part-time International: £6,750 per year

Fees for doctoral candidates are charged annually and cover registration, supervision and examination.

Fees are subject to review each year and may vary during your period of registration. Where applicable, fees for City's programmes will be subject to inflationary increases in each academic year of study commencing in September . Our policy for these increases is set out in our terms and conditions of study .

Where eligible, PhD applicants to the department of Psychology may apply for the following fee-waiver studentship:

Who we are looking for:

Applications are invited from exceptional UK, EU, and international graduates wishing to pursue cutting-edge research that will accelerate our understanding of a group of autistic individuals who are currently underrepresented in research. We are keen to receive applications from candidates who have experience with autistic individuals.

How to apply

For more information on how to apply please see the project overview please contact Dr Lúcia Garrido .

Support for PhD study

Prospective students are encouraged to explore doctoral Grants and funding opportunities such as:

• Research Council studentship awards , if available.

Our bursaries are non-repayable sums of money granted by the University, usually based on need.

Our loans are repayable sums of money granted by the University or other body.

Our scholarships are when the University pays towards your Study fees. You may also be eligible for further funding.

Postgraduate Doctoral Loans

The Government has introduced a new Postgraduate Doctoral Loans scheme which can provide a loan of up to £25,000.

This will be over three years to support study for a doctoral degree.

A Postgraduate Doctoral Loan can help with course fees and living costs while you study. It can be used alongside any other forms of support you may be able to receive.

For more information, please see our Postgraduate Doctoral Loans page .

Additional expenses

Some of our degrees may involve additional expenses which are not covered by your tuition fees.  Find out more about additional expenses .

Academic support

City has a well-established structure and processes to support your research .

Supervision

All research students will have a supervisory team of at least two members of academic staff. At least one of them will have experience in seeing research students through to successful completion and both will be actively engaged in an area of research relevant to the student’s field of inquiry.

See here for details about our academic staff and their areas of expertise .

Besides our MSc level courses the department also offers a number of advanced level training workshops for specific research methodological skills. Moreover, wider transferable skills are developed through provisions within the department and through the City Doctoral College .

Current workshops include:

• Health and Safety in Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience A induction on ethical and health and safety issues related to cognitive neuroscience methods. Convenors: Dr. Elliot Freeman, Dr. Kielan Yarrow and Dr. Sebastian Gaigg
• Electroencephalography This full-day workshop in one of the department’s EEG laboratories will teach students how to prepare participants for testing and collecting. This full-day workshop in one of the department’s EEG laboratories will teach students how to prepare participants for testing and collecting. Convenors: Prof. Bettina Forster, Dr. Corinna Haenschel and Dr. Beatriz Calvo-Merino
• Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and Transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) On this full-day workshop students will learn how to prepare participants for testing, how to collect data and how to filter Convenors: Dr. Kielan Yarrow and Dr. Elliot Freeman
• Randomised Controlled Trials Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are used to obtain a reliable evaluation of treatment effectiveness in healthcare interventions. This workshop will provide an introduction to the design, analysis and reporting of RCTs. Convenor: Dr. Katy Tapper
• Discourse Analysis This course will provide training in the use of discourse analytic methods of data analysis which can be used to develop a systematic understanding of the ways in which talk and text are constructed. Convenor: Prof. Carla Willig Dates: Friday in the autumn term
• Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) This workshop will discuss main philosophical and epistemological positions of the methodology together with a brief historical account concluding with a discussion between IPA’s phenomenology and Neurophenomenology. Convenor: Dr. Pavlos Filippopoulos

Transferable Skills

To foster our students’ broader academic and communication skills, they are required to attend a fortnightly research student seminar at which they are expected to present on their work at least once a year.

The seminar takes the format of an oral conference session in which two students typically present for 20 minutes, with 10 minutes allowed for questions and discussion.

Depending on their level of experience, they may help run small-group seminars or contribute to lectures on our undergraduate programme, or they may host stats clinics and run laboratory sessions on statistical analyses. All teaching activities are supervised by a senior member of academic staff.

Applications are now open.

To apply, you should submit the following documents:

• One copy of the Online Research Degree Application Form (full-time) or Online Research Degree Application Form (part-time)
• Your research proposal
• Testimonials from at least two academic referees sent by email from an official work (not private) email account
• Copies of your degree transcripts and certificates (originals or certified copies). If your application is successful we will need to verify the original hard copies before a final offer is made
• Proof of your English language proficiency (if English is not your first language)
• A non-technical summary of the proposed research of no more than 400 words.

See guidance on writing your research proposal .

Please note that we will not consider incomplete applications.

Instructions to referees

Thank you for your contribution to our admissions process, reports from academic referees are a vital part of our information gathering about applicants for Research Degrees. In your testimonial, please focus your report on the following issues:

• Give evidence of the applicant's capacity to undertake high quality research in psychology
• Explain any particular features of the applicant's prior training that you consider to be of particular importance
• Comment on the applicant's determination and motivation for studying for a research degree
• Indicate whether or not the applicant has discussed their research interests with you prior to applying to City
• Comment on the applicant's honesty and integrity.

Select one of the available starting dates to start your application.

• 1 st Oct 2024
• 1 st Feb 2025

For further application enquiries please contact our PGR enquiries team .

Find a supervisor

See our full list of academic staff and potential supervisors in Department of Psychology.

Professor Emmanuel Pothos

Professor of Psychology

• Department of Psychology

Professor Beatriz Calvo Merino

Professor in Cognitive Neuroscience

Professor Dermot Bowler

Dr andreas jarvstad.

Senior Lecturer

Our students

Sonia abad hernando.

Research Student

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Contact details

Shps doctoral enquiries.

+44 (0) 20 7040 5972

[email protected]

City Doctoral College

[email protected]

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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: £4,786 for the first year 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

Related programmes, mphil/phd social policy.

Code(s) L4ZA

MSc Social and Cultural Psychology

Code(s) L7U1

MRes/PhD in Management - Organisational Behaviour

Code(s) N2Z3

MPhil/PhD Gender

Code(s) Y2ZG

MPhil/PhD Sociology

Code(s) L3ZS

Request a prospectus

• Name First name Last name
• Address Address Line 1 Address Line 2 City County Postcode Country

Speak to Admissions

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Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology MPhil/PhD

London, Bloomsbury

We are a world-leading department of clinical and applied psychological science. Our research focuses on issues of local and global importance and has real-world impact on the wellbeing of society. Our staff has extraordinarily diverse expertise across the full range of applied psychology disciplines, and a deep commitment to passing on this knowledge and expertise to new generations of psychological scientists.

UK tuition fees (2024/25)

Overseas tuition fees (2024/25), programme starts, applications accepted.

Applications closed

• Entry requirements

Applicants should have a minimum of a high upper second-class first degree in a relevant subject, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. Applicants should also have a demonstrated commitment to, and ability in, research. All applicants are expected to have met with and discussed their project proposals with a prospective supervisor before applying to the programme.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

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

Students will join ongoing programmes of research led by leading scholars and develop their own original lines of research to complement the department’s strengths.

Following completion of the PhD, students will have the necessary skills and experience to independently design and lead their own research. In addition, students may undertake training courses appropriate to their projects, as well as developing adjacent skills.

There is an extensive range of training courses offered through UCL’s Doctoral School, for example, in statistics, coding and public engagement skills (e.g. media training), allowing students to gain multidisciplinary skills that are highly sought-after in post-doctoral employment.

Who this course is for

If you meet the entry requirements, it is important to check whether we can supervise research in your chosen area. We only take MPhil/PhD students to whom we can offer expert research supervision from one of our academic staff. Therefore, your research question needs to engage with the research interests of one of our staff.

You can learn more about our research themes and the projects within these themes in our Research section .

What this course will give you

In studying within the Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology (CEHP), you will have the opportunity to work directly with leading researchers in mental health, developmental psychopathology, psychometrics, psychopharmacology, educational psychology, clinical psychology and health psychology, amongst other topics.

Our PhD students have excellent networking opportunities across UCL, nationally and internationally. On graduating, they progress to postdoctoral positions at home and abroad, work in industry or as clinical, health and educational professionals.

The foundation of your career

UCL’s Psychology department is an internationally leading research environment and a graduate research degree from the department allows entry into a number of academic and non-academic career roles.

Recent doctoral graduates have typically been offered employment in the UK and internationally in academic posts, postdoctoral research, health services, industry (e.g. Med-tech or consulting) and third sector (voluntary) organisations.

Employability

The majority of PhD students go on to postdoctoral positions and academic careers at institutions in the UK, EU and USA.

The department has research collaborations with many institutions both nationally and internationally.

There are regular seminars within the research department and across Psychology and Language Sciences, including the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience.

We regularly invite leading researchers from other institutions and professionals working for health and private sector services to give talks to our students about active research and career opportunities.

Within your research group, you are likely to have regular lab meetings and there is a student-led CEHP graduate research group who organise regular social and discussion meetings for CEHP students.

Teaching and learning

Students will complete taught modules via examination or audit within their first year, particularly for training in research methods and statistics. The requirement for examination is determined by prior qualifications and individual training needs. All students will complete training in research ethics.

Students undergo an ‘upgrade’ assessment between 12 and 18 months after initial registration for full-time students and between 15 and 30 months for part-time students. The upgrade involves an oral presentation and a report outlining a substantial piece of work conducted since initial registration. This interim assessment is intended to ensure that students are on track to complete their PhD within a reasonable timeframe. At the end of their PhD, each student submits a thesis of 100,000 words or less. This is examined in a viva voce examination with one internal examiner (usually a member of UCL staff who has had no involvement in the submitted work) and one external examiner (from another university).

A typical full-time PhD student is expected to spend an average of approximately 36.5 hours per week working on their PhD, although this will vary, with some periods of more intensive research.

The contact time that a student spends with their supervisory team, thesis committee members and training courses will vary from student to student depending on need throughout their PhD.

Initially we recommend that supervisors meet with students on a weekly basis, but this frequency is likely to reduce subsequently. There are four required meetings of your thesis committee, one of which coincides with your upgrade-to-PhD viva. Part-time student hours are pro-rata.

Research areas and structure

• Business Psychology
• Clinical Psychopharmacology
• Developmental Psychopathology
• Developmental Risk and Resilience
• Eating Disorders
• Behaviour change
• Personality and Psychometrics
• Psychology of Risk
• Psychological treatments

Research environment

The research department is a vibrant environment for both taught courses and research, with extensive connections to other departments and institutions at UCL.

The department’s strengths lie in autism, business psychology, dementia, developmental psychopathology, developmental risk and resilience, eating disorders, personality and psychometrics, psychopharmacology, psychology of risk and psychological treatments.

We have close links with schools and clinical services throughout London, ensuring that our research is closely tied to national priorities on well-being.

The department has access to exceptional resources, including state-of-the-art fMRI, fNIRS, EEG, TMS and eye-tracking facilities.

The full-time PhD is typically three years, including the time registered as an MPhil student, and if the thesis is not submitted within this time then students may register as Completing Research Students for one additional year.

Part-time students are normally required to be registered for five years, with two additional years in Continuing Research Status if needed.

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

There are no additional costs for this programme.

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 website .

To be considered for competitive funding awarded by UCL, applications must arrive by 3 January. Applications must be complete with references, so please allow time for references to be submitted. Before applying, it is essential that applicants discuss their PhD project ideas with a member of staff and ensure that the member of staff is able to supervise the project. Applications are rated by academic staff members; suitable candidates present their research proposal at an interview. Offers are normally made within one month of the interview. If other sources of funding are being considered, it is still in your interest to apply by the early January deadline. 

Part-time PhD applications are considered in a single annual round: applications complete with references must be submitted by 30 June, for a September start date. Interviews for places not funded by UCL may take place at any time until late summer.

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.

Got questions? Get in touch

Division of Psychology and Language Sciences

[email protected]

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PhD Clinical Psychology / Programme details

Year of entry: 2024

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Programme description

Our PhD/MPhil Clinical Psychology programme enables you to undertake a research project that will improve understanding of Clinical Psychology.

Research within clinical psychology spans the spectrum of key research themes integral to improving our understanding of psychological disorders. These include:

• the integration of psychological explanation to derive understanding and intervention;
• interpersonal and family environments;

Research training within clinical psychology provides a flexible platform for career development while offering structured progression to ensure study objectives are met.

You will join a research group and quickly be immersed in the current research activity being conducted. With your supervisory team, you will follow an intense induction, including agreeing on the key objectives of the study, resources available, relevant seminars and opportunities for personal development.

Within the wider research group, you will have the opportunity to discuss your research with fellow students, post-doctoral candidates and academics. Divisional seminars and research group journal clubs will provide background to recent developments within the discipline and there will be ample opportunity to share personal research findings, contribute to publications and attend/present at prominent conferences. Most academics are clinical academics and as such have clinical posts within local NHS Trusts, helping to ensure that research ideas and findings are grounded in clinical practice. NIHR (National Institute for Health Research) is also an important funder for clinical psychology PhDs.

All research students are encouraged to attend course units from within the programme that are relevant to their research topic.

Typical units include:

• Practical Issues in Psychological Research;
• Advanced General Methods in Psychology;
• Structured Approaches to Qualitative Data in Psychology;
• Philosophical and Conceptual Issues in Psychology;
• Using Advanced Statistics in Psychology;

If you intend to pursue doctoral study in clinical psychology (i.e. a three-year programme of academic and clinical training) then please note that the entry route for this is different to that for a PhD; please click here for information on the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (ClinPsyD).

Special features

Training and development

All of our postgraduate researchers attend the Doctoral Academy Training Programme delivered by the Researcher Development team . The programme provides key transferable skills and equips our postgraduate researchers with the tools to progress beyond their research degree into influential positions within academia, industry and consultancy. The emphasis is on enhancing skills critical to developing early-stage researchers and professionals, whether they relate to effective communication, disseminating research findings and project management skills.

Teaching and learning

Applicants are specifically matched with a Primary Supervisor and individual project based on their research interests and background.

International applicants interested in this research area can also consider our PhD programme with integrated teaching certificate .

This unique programme will enable you to gain a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning, whilst also carrying out independent research on your chosen project.

Scholarships and bursaries

Funded programmes and projects are promoted throughout the year. Funding is available through UK Research Councils, charities and industry. We also have other internal awards and scholarships for the most outstanding applicants from within the UK and overseas.

For more information on available the types of funding we have available, please visit the  funded programmes  and  funding opportunities  pages.

What our students say

Disability support.

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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 Academic SELT

Advanced level (75 overall, including at least 70 in each component).

LanguageCert Academic SELT 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 Academic SELT

We only accept LanguageCert when taken at SELT Test Centres.

We do not accept the online version.  We also do not accept the non-SELT version.

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

[email protected]

View profile of Daniel Campbell-Meiklejohn

Prof Pete Clifton

Professor of Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of Pete Clifton

Prof Hans Crombag

Professor of Behavioural Neuroscience

[email protected]

View profile of Hans Crombag

Prof Dora Duka

Emeritus Professor

[email protected]

View profile of Dora Duka

Prof Gillian Forrester

Professor of Comparative Cognition

[email protected]

View profile of Gillian Forrester

Prof Catherine Hall

Professor of Neurovascular Stuff

[email protected]

View profile of Catherine Hall

Dr Sarah King

Reader in Behavioural Neuroscience

[email protected]

View profile of Sarah King

Dr Eisuke Koya

Reader in Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of Eisuke Koya

Dr Liat Levita

Reader in Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience

[email protected]

View profile of Liat Levita

Dr Emiliano Merlo

Lecturer in Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of Emiliano Merlo

Dr Alexa Morcom

Senior Lecturer in Cognitive Neuroscience

[email protected]

View profile of Alexa Morcom

Dr Charlotte Rae

[email protected]

View profile of Charlotte Rae

Dr Bryan Singer

[email protected]

View profile of Bryan Singer

Prof Martin Yeomans

Professor of Experimental Psychology

[email protected]

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

[email protected]

View profile of Sam Berens

Prof Chris Bird

Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience

[email protected]

View profile of Chris Bird

Dr Jenny Bosten

[email protected]

View profile of Jenny Bosten

Prof Zoltan Dienes

Professor in Experimental Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of Zoltan Dienes

Dr Sophie Forster

Reader in Psychology and Cognitive Neuro

[email protected]

View profile of Sophie Forster

Prof Anna Franklin

Professor of Visual Perception and Cognition

[email protected]

View profile of Anna Franklin

Prof Alan Garnham

[email protected]

View profile of Alan Garnham

Dr Graham Hole

Honorary Senior Lecturer

[email protected]

View profile of Graham Hole

Dr Theodoros Karapanagiotidis

[email protected]

View profile of Theodoros Karapanagiotidis

Dr John Maule

[email protected]

View profile of John Maule

Prof Karen Mccomb

Emeritus Professor (Animal Behaviour & Cognition)

[email protected]

View profile of Karen Mccomb

Prof Jane Oakhill

[email protected]

View profile of Jane Oakhill

Prof Thomas Ormerod

[email protected]

View profile of Thomas Ormerod

Dr Giulia Poerio

[email protected]

View profile of Giulia Poerio

Dr Ryan Scott

[email protected]

View profile of Ryan Scott

Prof Julia Simner

[email protected]

View profile of Julia Simner

Dr Ediz Sohoglu

[email protected]

View profile of Ediz Sohoglu

Prof Jamie Ward

[email protected]

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

[email protected]

View profile of Robin Banerjee

Prof Samantha Cartwright-Hatton

Professor of Clinical Child Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of Samantha Cartwright-Hatton

Prof Kate Cavanagh

Professor of Clinical Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of Kate Cavanagh

Prof Andy Field

Professor of Quantitative Methods

[email protected]

View profile of Andy Field

Dr Elian Fink

[email protected]

View profile of Elian Fink

Prof David Fowler

[email protected]

View profile of David Fowler

Dr Darya Gaysina

Reader in Mental Health Science

[email protected]

View profile of Darya Gaysina

Prof Kathryn Greenwood

[email protected]

View profile of Kathryn Greenwood

Prof Mark Hayward

[email protected]

View profile of Mark Hayward

Prof Jessica Horst

Professor of Developmental Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of Jessica Horst

Dr Emma Howarth

Reader in Child and Family Mental Health

[email protected]

View profile of Emma Howarth

Dr David Leavens

Reader in Comparative Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of David Leavens

Dr Kathryn Lester

[email protected]

View profile of Kathryn Lester

Dr Faith Matcham

[email protected]

View profile of Faith Matcham

Dr Frances Meeten

Visiting Clinical Senior Lecturer

[email protected]

View profile of Frances Meeten

Dr Raquel Nogueira Arjona

[email protected]

View profile of Raquel Nogueira Arjona

Dr Faith Orchard

[email protected]

View profile of Faith Orchard

Prof Alison Pike

Interim Head of School Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of Alison Pike

Dr Adhip Rawal

[email protected]

View profile of Adhip Rawal

Dr Pablo Romero Sanchiz

[email protected]

View profile of Pablo Romero Sanchiz

Prof Clara Strauss

[email protected]

View profile of Clara Strauss

Miss Heather Taylor

Lecturer in Psychology (Teaching Focused)

[email protected]

View profile of Heather Taylor

Dr Ellen Thompson

[email protected]

View profile of Ellen Thompson

Prof Nicola Yuill

[email protected]

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

[email protected]

View profile of Richard De Visser

Prof John Drury

Professor of Social Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of John Drury

Dr Matthew Easterbrook

Reader in Social Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of Matthew Easterbrook

Dr Tom Farsides

Lecturer in Social Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of Tom Farsides

Dr Sean Figgins

[email protected]

View profile of Sean Figgins

Dr Matthias Gobel

[email protected]

View profile of Matthias Gobel

Dr Donna Jessop

Senior Lecturer in Health Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of Donna Jessop

Dr Karen Long

[email protected]

View profile of Karen Long

Dr Eleanor Miles

[email protected]

View profile of Eleanor Miles

Dr Anna Rabinovich

Reader in Social Psychology and Sustainability

[email protected]

View profile of Anna Rabinovich

Dr Rim Saab

[email protected]

View profile of Rim Saab

Dr Ozden Melis Ulug

[email protected]

View profile of Ozden Melis Ulug

Prof Ayse Uskul

Professor of Social and Cultural Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of Ayse Uskul

Prof Vivian Vignoles

[email protected]

View profile of Vivian Vignoles

Dr Mariko Visserman

[email protected]

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.

• Living costs

Find out typical living costs for studying at Sussex

Find out about our terms and conditions

Explore our campus

Experience Sussex life in our virtual tour.

Start your virtual tour

PhD Information Sessions

Visit campus and chat to staff and students. Book your place

Online PhD Sessions

Join a live webchat. Book your place

International

Meet us in your country

Course enquiries

+44 (0)1273 876787

Send us a message

Admissions enquiries

If you haven’t applied yet:

+44 (0)1273 876638 psychologyphd-enquiries@​sussex.ac.uk

Find out about the School of Psychology

After you’ve applied:

+44 (0)1273 877773 [email protected]

Find out how to apply

Quick links

• Guide to PhD study
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What do you want to do next?

• Courses Browse our courses by subject area
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Psychology PhD/ MSc (Research)

£4,778 FT (UK students) £23,520 FT (International Students) More detail

• Visit an Open Day
• Request a prospectus
• Course details
• Entry Requirements
• Employability

Our Psychology PhD offers excellent research opportunities across a breadth of Psychological themes, supported by links with local and international institutions, hospitals, schools, nurseries, industry and governmental departments.

We offer excellent research opportunities, supported by our links with local hospitals and clinics, local schools and nurseries, other University departments, industrial companies and departments of local and national government, both in this country and overseas.

There are facilities for Erasmus exchanges with the Universities of Leuven (Belgium), Nijmegen (Netherlands), Copenhagen, Paris and Padova (Italy).

For details of research opportunities see the programme overview section below. Also see  FindaPhD for opportunities.

We offer excellent research opportunities, supported by our links with local hospitals and clinics, local schools and nurseries, other University departments, industrial companies and departments of local and national government, both in this country and overseas. There are facilities for Erasmus exchanges with the Universities of Leuven (Belgium), Nijmegen (Netherlands), Copenhagen, Paris and Padova (Italy).

You can study for a PhD on campus or by Distance Learning .

Fees for 2024/25

• Code 0326: UK students £4,778 FT
• Code 0327: UK students £2,389 PT
• Code 0326: International students £23,520 FT only
• Code 9265: UK students £4,778 FT MSc
• Code 9256: UK students £2,389 PT MSc
• Code 9265: International students £23,520 FT only MSc

Learn more about fees and funding .

Are you an international applicant?

Find out more about the deposit >> .

Scholarships and studentships

There will be studentships available for applicants across the college of Life and Environmental Sciences for excellent home/EU students. Up to 120 hours work per year as a paid teaching assistant is available to most research students. For more information contact the School’s Postgraduate Admissions Team. Email: [email protected] .

Alternative contact: For further information contact the School directly or get in touch with the Funding, Graduation & Awards via the online enquiries system . .

How To Apply

• How to apply

To apply for a postgraduate research programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online. We have put together some helpful information on the research programme application process and supporting documents on our how to apply page . Please read this information carefully before completing your application.

Our Standard Requirements

You should have a good Honours degree in Psychology or a related discipline appropriate to your intended studies. For MSc by Research we require at least a lower second-class Honours degree; for PhD we require at least an upper second-class Honours degree or a Masters qualification.

International Requirements

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 14/20 from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of the Licenciado or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Argentinian university, with a promedio of at least 7.5, may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Applicants for PhD degrees will normally have a Maestria or equivalent

Applicants who hold a Masters degree will be considered for admission to PhD study.

Holders of a good four-year Diplomstudium/Magister or a Masters degree from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 2.5 will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students with a good 5-year Specialist Diploma or 4-year Bachelor degree from a recognised higher education institution in Azerbaijan, with a minimum GPA of 4/5 or 80% will be considered for entry to postgraduate taught programmes at the University of Birmingham.

For postgraduate research programmes applicants should have a good 5-year Specialist Diploma (completed after 1991), with a minimum grade point average of 4/5 or 80%, from a recognised higher education institution or a Masters or “Magistr Diplomu” or “Kandidat Nauk” from a recognised higher education institution in Azerbaijan.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 75% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with a CGPA of 3.0-3.3/4.0 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Students who hold a Masters degree from the University of Botswana with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 (70%/B/'very good') will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Please note 4-year bachelor degrees from the University of Botswana are considered equivalent to a Diploma of Higher Education. 5-year bachelor degrees from the University of Botswana are considered equivalent to a British Bachelor (Ordinary) degree.

Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

A Licenciatura or Bacharelado degree from a recognised Brazilian university:

• A grade of 7.5/10 for entry to programmes with a 2:1 requirement
• A grade of 6.5/10for entry to programmes with a 2:2 requirement

Holders of a good Bachelors degree with honours (4 to 6 years) from a recognised university with a upper second class grade or higher will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.  Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good post-2001 Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students with a minimum average of 14 out of 20 (or 70%) on a 4-year Licence, Bachelor degree or Diplôme d'Etudes Superieures de Commerce (DESC) or Diplôme d'Ingénieur or a Maîtrise will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Holders of a bachelor degree with honours from a recognised Canadian university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. A GPA of 3.0/4, 7.0/9 or 75% is usually equivalent to a UK 2.1.

Holders of the Licenciado or equivalent Professional Title from a recognised Chilean university will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Applicants for PhD study will preferably hold a Magister degree or equivalent.

Students with a bachelor’s degree (4 years minimum) may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. However please note that we will only consider students who meet the entry guidance below.  Please note: for the subject areas below we use the Shanghai Ranking 2022 (full table)  ,  Shanghai Ranking 2023 (full table) , and Shanghai Ranking of Chinese Art Universities 2023 .

需要具备学士学位（4年制）的申请人可申请研究生课程。请根据所申请的课程查看相应的入学要求。 请注意，中国院校名单参考 软科中国大学排名2022（总榜） ，  软科中国大学排名2023（总榜） ，以及 软科中国艺术类高校名单2023 。  

Business School    - MSc programmes (excluding MBA)  

商学院硕士课程（MBA除外）入学要求

School of Computer Science – all MSc programmes 计算机学院硕士课程入学要求

College of Social Sciences – courses listed below 社会科学 学院部分硕士课程入学要求 MA Education  (including all pathways) MSc TESOL Education MSc Public Management MA Global Public Policy MA Social Policy MA Sociology Department of Political Science and International Studies  全部硕士课程 International Development Department  全部硕士课程

  All other programmes (including MBA)   所有其他 硕士课程（包括 MBA）入学要求

Please note:

• Borderline cases: We may consider students with lower average score (within 5%) on a case-by-case basis if you have a relevant degree and very excellent grades in relevant subjects and/or relevant work experience. 如申请人均分低于相应录取要求（5%以内），但具有出色学术背景，优异的专业成绩，以及（或）相关的工作经验，部分课程将有可能单独酌情考虑。
• Please contact the China Recruitment Team for any questions on the above entry requirements. 如果您对录取要求有疑问，请联系伯明翰大学中国办公室   [email protected]

Holders of the Licenciado/Professional Title from a recognised Colombian university will be considered for our Postgraduate Diploma and Masters degrees. Applicants for PhD degrees will normally have a Maestria or equivalent.

Holders of a good bachelor degree with honours (4 to 6 years) from a recognised university with a upper second class grade or higher will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.  Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Bacclaureus (Bachelors) from a recognised Croatian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 4.0 out of 5.0, vrlo dobar ‘very good’, or a Masters degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a Bachelors degree(from the University of the West Indies or the University of Technology) may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. A Class II Upper Division degree is usually equivalent to a UK 2.1. For further details on particular institutions please refer to the list below.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Masters degree or Mphil from the University of the West Indies.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised institution with a minimum overall grade of 6.5 out of 10, or a GPA of 3 out of 4, and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Bakalár from a recognised Czech Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 1.5, B, velmi dobre ‘very good’ (post-2004) or 2, velmi dobre ‘good’ (pre-2004), or a good post-2002 Magistr (Masters), will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised institution with a minimum overall grade of 7-10 out of 12 (or 8 out of 13) or higher for 2:1 equivalence and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters/ Magisterkonfereus/Magister Artium degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of the Licenciado or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Ecuadorian university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Grades of 70% or higher can be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Magister/Masterado or equivalent qualification, but holders of the Licenciado with excellent grades can be considered.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 75% from a recognised institution. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Bakalaurusekraad from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 4/5 or B, or a good one- or two-year Magistrikraad from a recognised university, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree with very good grades (grade B, 3.5/4 GPA or 85%) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. 

Holders of a good Kandidaatti / Kandidat (old system), a professional title such as Ekonomi, Diplomi-insinööri, Arkkitehti, Lisensiaatti (in Medicine, Dentistry and Vetinary Medicine), or a Maisteri / Magister (new system), Lisensiaatti / Licenciat, Oikeustieteen Kandidaatti / Juris Kandidat (new system) or Proviisori / Provisor from a recognised Finnish Higher Education institution, with a minimum overall grade of 2/3 or 4/5, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters/Maîtrise with a minimum overall grade of 13 out of 20, or a Magistère / Diplôme d'Etudes Approfondies / Diplôme d'Etudes Supérieures Specialisées / Mastère Specialis, from a recognised French university or Grande École to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a Magister Artium, a Diplom or an Erstes Staatsexamen from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 2.5, or a good two-year Lizentiat / Aufbaustudium / Zweites Staatsexamen or a Masters degree from a recognised university, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good four-year Ptychio (Bachelor degree) with a minimum overall grade of 6.5 out of 10, from a recognised Greek university (AEI), and will usually be required to have completed a good Metaptychiako Diploma Eidikefsis (Masters degree) from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

4-year Licenciado is deemed equivalent to a UK bachelors degree. A score of 75 or higher from Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (USAC) can be considered comparable to a UK 2.1, 60 is comparable to a UK 2.2.  Private universities have a higher pass mark, so 80 or higher should be considered comparable to a UK 2.1, 70 is comparable to a UK 2.2

The Hong Kong Bachelor degree is considered comparable to British Bachelor degree standard. Students with bachelor degrees awarded by universities in Hong Kong may be considered for entry to one of our postgraduate degree programmes.

Students with Masters degrees may be considered for PhD study.

Holders of a good Alapfokozat / Alapképzés or Egyetemi Oklevel from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 3.5, or a good Mesterfokozat (Masters degree) or Egyetemi Doktor (university doctorate), will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with a 60% or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of the 4 year Sarjana (S1) from a recognised Indonesian institution will be considered for postgraduate study. Entry requirements vary with a minimum requirement of a GPA of 2.8.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a score of 14/20 or 70% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution, with 100 out of 110 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Students who hold the Maitrise, Diplome d'Etude Approfondies, Diplome d'Etude Superieures or Diplome d'Etude Superieures Specialisees will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees (14-15/20 or Bien from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 12-13/20 or Assez Bien is considered comparable to a UK 2.2).

Students with a Bachelor degree from a recognised university in Japan will be considered for entry to a postgraduate Masters degree provided they achieve a sufficiently high overall score in their first (Bachelor) degree. A GPA of 3.0/4.0 or a B average from a good Japanese university is usually considered equivalent to a UK 2:1.

Students with a Masters degree from a recognised university in Japan will be considered for PhD study. A high overall grade will be necessary to be considered.

Students who have completed their Specialist Diploma Мамаң дипломы/Диплом специалиста) or "Magistr" (Магистр дипломы/Диплом магистра) degree (completed after 1991) from a recognised higher education institution, with a minimum GPA of 2.67/4.00 for courses requiring a UK lower second and 3.00/4.00 for courses requiring a UK upper second class degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate Masters degrees and, occasionally, directly for PhD degrees.  Holders of a Bachelor "Bakalavr" degree (Бакалавр дипломы/Диплом бакалавра) from a recognised higher education institution, with a minimum GPA of  2.67/4.00 for courses requiring a UK lower second and 3.00/4.00 for courses requiring a UK upper second class degree, may also be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/50

Holders of a good Postgraduate Diploma (professional programme) from a recognised university or institution of Higher Education, with a minimum overall grade of 7.5 out of 10, or a post-2000 Magistrs, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a score of 16/20 or 80% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in Libya will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of a Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved score of 70% for 2:1 equivalency or 65% for 2:2 equivalency. Alternatively students will require a minimum of 3.0/4.0 or BB to be considered.

Holders of a good pre-2001 Magistras from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 8 out of 10, or a good post-2001 Magistras, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes

Holders of a good Bachelors degree from a recognised Luxembourgish Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 16 out of 20, or a Diplôme d'Études Supérieures Spécialisées (comparable to a UK PGDip) or Masters degree from a recognised Luxembourgish Higher Education institution will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees (70-74% or A or Marginal Distinction from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 60-69% or B or Bare Distinction/Credit is considered comparable to a UK 2.2).

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised Malaysian institution (usually achieved with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average minimum of 3.0) will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a good Bachelors degree from the University of Malta with a minimum grade of 2:1 (Hons), and/or a Masters degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree (Honours) from a recognised institution (including the University of Mauritius) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2:1).

Students who hold the Licenciado/Professional Titulo from a recognised Mexican university with a promedio of at least 8 will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Students who have completed a Maestria from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree, licence or Maîtrise and a Masters degree, with a score of 14/20 or 70% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Students with a good four year honours degree from a recognised university will be considered for postgraduate study at the University of Birmingham. PhD applications will be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with 60-74% or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Doctoraal from a recognised Dutch university with a minimum overall grade of 7 out of 10, and/or a good Masters degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree (minimum 4 years and/or level 400) from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised institution with a minimum GPA of B/Very Good or 1.6-2.5 for a 2.1 equivalency, and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters, Mastergrad, Magister. Artium, Sivilingeniør, Candidatus realium or Candidatus philologiae degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with a CGPA of 3.0/4 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in the Palestinian Territories will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3/4 or 80% for 2:1 equivalency or a GPA of 2.5/4 or 70% for 2:2 equivalency.    

Holders of the Título de Licenciado /Título de (4-6 years) or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Paraguayan university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Grades of 4/5 or higher can be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent.  The Título Intermedio is a 2-3 year degree and is equivalent to a HNC, it is not suitable for postgraduate entry but holders of this award could be considered for second year undergraduate entry or pre-Masters.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Título de Maestría / Magister or equivalent qualification, but holders of the Título/Grado de Licenciado/a with excellent grades can be considered.

Holders of the Licenciado, with at least 13/20 may be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent. The Grado de Bachiller is equivalent to an ordinary degree, so grades of 15+/20 are required.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Título de Maestría or equivalent qualification.

Holders of a good pre-2001 Magister from a recognised Polish university with a minimum overall grade of 4 out of 5, dobry ‘good’, and/or a good Swiadectwo Ukonczenia Studiów Podyplomowych (Certificate of Postgraduate Study) or post-2001 Magister from a recognised Polish university with a minimum overall grade of 4.5/4+ out of 5, dobry plus 'better than good', will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Licenciado from a recognised university, or a Diploma de Estudos Superiores Especializados (DESE) from a recognised Polytechnic Institution, with a minimum overall grade of 16 out of 20, and/or a good Mestrado / Mestre (Masters) from a recognised university, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised Romanian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 8 out of 10, and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree/Diploma de Master/Diploma de Studii Academice Postuniversitare (Postgraduate Diploma - Academic Studies) or Diploma de Studii Postuniversitare de Specializare (Postgraduate Diploma - Specialised Studies) to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Диплом Специалиста (Specialist Diploma) or Диплом Магистра (Magistr) degree from recognised universities in Russia (minimum GPA of 4.0) will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes/PhD study.

Students who hold a 4-year Bachelor degree with at least 16/20 or 70% will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.   

Students who hold a Maitrise, Diplome d'Etude Approfondies,Diplome d'Etude Superieures or Diplome d'Etude Superieures Specialisees will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. A score of 14-15/20 or Bien from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 12-13/20 or Assez Bien is considered comparable to a UK 2.2

Students who hold a Bachelor (Honours) degree from a recognised institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 (or a score of 60-69% or B+) from a well ranked institution will be considered for most our Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees with a 2:1 requirement.

Students holding a good Bachelors Honours degree will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a good three-year Bakalár or pre-2002 Magister from a recognised Slovakian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 1.5, B, Vel’mi dobrý ‘very good’, and/or a good Inžinier or a post-2002 Magister from a recognised Slovakian Higher Education institution will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Diploma o pridobljeni univerzitetni izobrazbi (Bachelors degree), Diplomant (Professionally oriented first degree), Univerzitetni diplomant (Academically oriented first degree) or Visoko Obrazovanja (until 1999) from a recognised Slovenian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 8.0 out of 10, and/or a good Diploma specializacija (Postgraduate Diploma) or Magister (Masters) will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor Honours degree (also known as Baccalaureus Honores / Baccalaureus Cum Honoribus) from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most Masters programmes will require a second class upper (70%) or a distinction (75%).

Holders of a Masters degree will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a Bachelor degree from a recognised South Korean institution (usually with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average 3.0/4.0 or 3.2/4.5) will be considered for Masters programmes.

Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with 7 out of 10 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with 60-74% or a CGPA 3.30/4.0 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Kandidatexamen (Bachelors degree) or Yrkesexamen (Professional Bachelors degree) from a recognised Swedish Higher Education institution with the majority of subjects with a grade of VG (Val godkänd), and/or a good Magisterexamen (Masters degree), International Masters degree or Licentiatexamen (comparable to a UK Mphil), will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good "PostGraduate Certificate" or "PostGraduate Diploma" or a Masters degree from a recognised Swiss higher education institution (with a minimum GPA of 5/6 or 8/10 or 2/5 (gut-bien-bene/good) for a 2.1 equivalence) may be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 3.0/4.0, 3.5/5 or 75% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Bachelor degree (from 75% to 85% depending upon the university in Taiwan) from a recognised institution will be considered for postgraduate Masters study. Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for entry to our postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Masters degree or Mphil from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students with a Bachelors degree from the following universities may be considered for entry to postgraduate programmes:

• Ateneo de Manila University - Quezon City
• De La Salle University - Manila
• University of Santo Tomas
• University of the Philippines - Diliman

Students from all other institutions with a Bachelors and a Masters degree or relevant work experience may be considered for postgraduate programmes.

Grading Schemes

1-5 where 1 is the highest 2.1 = 1.75 2.2 = 2.25 

Out of 4.0 where 4 is the highest 2.1 = 3.0 2.2 = 2.5

Letter grades and percentages 2.1 = B / 3.00 / 83% 2.2 = C+ / 2.5 / 77%

Holders of a postdoctoral qualification from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.  Students may be considered for PhD study if they have a Masters from one of the above listed universities.

Holders of a Lisans Diplomasi with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0/4.0 from a recognised university will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a Yuksek Diplomasi from a recognised university will be considered for PhD study.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most Masters programmes will require a second class upper (2.1) or GPA of 3.5/5.0

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree / Диплом бакалавра (Dyplom Bakalavra), Диплом спеціаліста (Specialist Diploma) or a Dyplom Magistra from a recognised Ukrainian higher education institution with a minimum GPA of 4.0/5.0, 3.5/4, 8/12 or 80% or higher for 2:1 equivalence and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

The University will consider students who hold an Honours degree from a recognised institution in the USA with a GPA of:

• 2.8 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for entry to programmes with a 2:2 requirement 
• 3.2 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for entry to programmes with a 2:1 requirement 

Please note that some subjects which are studied at postgraduate level in the USA, eg. Medicine and Law, are traditionally studied at undergraduate level in the UK.

Holders of the Magistr Diplomi (Master's degree) or Diplomi (Specialist Diploma), awarded by prestigious universities, who have attained high grades in their studies will be considered for postgraduate study.  Holders of the Fanlari Nomzodi (Candidate of Science), where appropriate, will be considered for PhD study.

Holders of the Licenciatura/Título or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Venezuelan university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Scales of 1-5, 1-10 and 1-20 are used, an overall score of 70% or equivalent can be considered equivalent to a UK 2.1.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Maestria or equivalent qualification

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised Vietnamese institution (usually achieved with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average minimum GPA of 7.0 and above) will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.  Holders of a Masters degree (thac si) will be considered for entry to PhD programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree with a minimum GPA of 3.5/5.0 or a mark of 2.0/2.5 (A) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.   

Students who hold a good Bachelor Honours degree will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. 

International Students

English language requirements You can satisfy our English language requirements in two ways: by holding an English language qualification to the right level by taking and successfully completing one of our English courses for international students

View all available PhD projects being advertised by staff on the School of Psychology FindAPhD page .

We offer excellent research opportunities, supported by our links with local hospitals and clinics, local schools and nurseries, other University departments, industrial companies and departments of local and national government, both in this country and overseas. This PhD will equip you to work in organisations such as these.

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Study Postgraduate

Mphil/phd in psychology (2024 entry).

Course code

30 September 2024

3-4 years full-time; Up to 7 years part-time

Qualification

University of Warwick

Find out more about our Psychology MPhil/PhD.

The Department of Psychology offers high quality doctoral training and supervision experience in the fields of Behavioural Science, Language and Learning, and Lifespan Health and Wellbeing. Under the guidance of enthusiastic and motivated academic staff, our MPhil/PhD students undertake exciting research in their chosen fields of study and complete a tailored programme of training courses and professional development opportunities.

Course overview

Our MPhil/PhD degree in Psychology is awarded for a thesis reporting original research by a student under the supervision of, typically, two members of staff. Very occasionally, the department is also able to take on a student undertaking a PhD by Published Work.

PhD students are initially registered for an MPhil (PhD Track) with the expectation that their registration will be upgraded to the full PhD contingent upon satisfactory progress. Such upgrades normally take place at the first annual review 9-12 months into your studies (18–24 months for part-time students).

Our MPhil/PhD programme can enable postgraduate training for a career as an academic researcher, but also serves as excellent preparation for a career as a professional psychologist (e.g., clinical, organisational, or school psychologist), or as a consultant or professional in different fields of industry.

In addition to subject-related knowledge, our MPhil/PhD degree provides valuable transferable skills in data analysis and management, written and oral communication, teamwork and time management.

Teaching and learning

All our MPhil/PhD students are strongly encouraged to engage with the Departmental and University-wide advanced training offered. Such training opportunities will be discussed with supervisors and will form part of the annual review process.

Our MPhil/PhD students are also offered an opportunity to gain teaching and marking experience during the course of their doctoral studies.

General entry requirements

Minimum requirements.

2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in Psychology or a related subject.

English language requirements

You can find out more about our English language requirements Link opens in a new window . This course requires the following:

• IELTS overall score of 7.0, minimum component scores of two at 6.0/6.5 and the rest at 7.0 or above.

International qualifications

We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications.

For more information, please visit the international entry requirements page Link opens in a new window .

Additional requirements

There are no additional entry requirements for this course.

Our research

Behavioural Science

• Economic and consumer psychology; judgement, risk and decision-making
• Psychology and the law
• Computational modelling of human behaviour
• Big Data and Network Science in Psychology
• Attention, visual processing and emotional processing
• Economics, income inequality, and behavioural political science

Language and Learning

• Reading; word recognition
• Computational approaches to language processing
• Historical language change
• Structure of the lexicon across life-span
• Big Data research on language
• Language and gesture development in infants and children
• Second language learning
• Language learning and change
• Gesture and non-verbal communication in adults and children
• Development of social cognition
• Animal (e.g., orangutangs, chimpanzees, birds) communication and cognition
• Language evolution
• Sleep and language learning
• Language development and socio-economic status
• The role of prediction in language processing and learning
• The role of surprise and curiosity in second language learning
• Experimental approaches to the study of turn-taking and dialogue
• Pre-linguistic communication
• Intervention to support language development

Lifespan Health and Wellbeing

• Longitudinal epidemiology
• Resilience and protection after preterm birth
• Experimental psychology and clinical studies, with common interests in the factors that determine and/or the mechanisms that underlie healthy living
• Child and adolescent development and mental and physical ageing
• Mental health, sleep and pain
• Disaster recovery
• Culture, relationships, beliefs, personality, and well-being

Full details of our research interests are listed on the Psychology web pages Link opens in a new window .

You can also read our general University research proposal guidance. Link opens in a new window

Find a supervisor

Find your supervisor using the link below and discuss with them the area you'd like to research.

Explore our Psychology Research Directory where you will be able to filter by research group.

You can also see our general University guidance about finding a supervisor.

Tuition fees

Tuition fees are payable for each year of your course at the start of the academic year, or at the start of your course, if later. Academic fees cover the cost of tuition, examinations and registration and some student amenities.

Find your research course fees

Fee Status Guidance

We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Students will be classified as Home or Overseas fee status. Your fee status determines tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available. If you receive an offer, your fee status will be clearly stated alongside the tuition fee information.

Do you need your fee classification to be reviewed?

If you believe that your fee status has been classified incorrectly, you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire. Please follow the instructions in your offer information and provide the documents needed to reassess your status.

Find out more about how universities assess fee status

Additional course costs

As well as tuition fees and living expenses, some courses may require you to cover the cost of field trips or costs associated with travel abroad.

For departmental specific costs, please see the Modules tab on the course web page for the list of core and optional core modules with hyperlinks to our  Module Catalogue  (please visit the Department’s website if the Module Catalogue hyperlinks are not provided).

Associated costs can be found on the Study tab for each module listed in the Module Catalogue (please note most of the module content applies to 2022/23 year of study). Information about module department specific costs should be considered in conjunction with the more general costs below:

• Core text books
• Printer credits
• Dissertation binding
• Robe hire for your degree ceremony

Scholarships and bursaries

Scholarships and financial support

Find out about the different funding routes available, including; postgraduate loans, scholarships, fee awards and academic department bursaries.

Living costs

Find out more about the cost of living as a postgraduate student at the University of Warwick.

Psychology at Warwick

A playground for the mind

Our research-driven department can offer you the kind of physical and intellectual environment that’ll inspire you to succeed. We pride ourselves on being a friendly, inclusive academic community offering a stimulating, intellectual environment to students and staff. We’re large enough to provide excellent resources and education, but also small enough to know who you are and provide one-to-one support.

Find out more about us on our website. Link opens in a new window

Our Postgraduate courses

• Behavioural and Data Science (MSc)
• Behavioural and Economic Science (MSc)
• Clinical Applications of Psychology (MSc)
• Mental Health and Wellbeing (MSc)
• Psychological Research (MSc)
• Psychology (MSc by Research)
• Psychology (MPhil/PhD)

How to apply

The application process for courses that start in September and October 2024 will open on 2 October 2023.

For research courses that start in September and October 2024 the application deadline for students who require a visa to study in the UK is 2 August 2024. This should allow sufficient time to complete the admissions process and to obtain a visa to study in the UK.

How to apply for a postgraduate research course  

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About the information on this page

This information is applicable for 2024 entry. Given the interval between the publication of courses and enrolment, some of the information may change. It is important to check our website before you apply. Please read our terms and conditions to find out more.

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

You may also be interested in

• MSc Research Methods in Psychology (1 year)

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Course closed:

Psychology is no longer accepting new applications.

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is the Department's principal research degree for postgraduate students and the majority of our students are registered for this degree. The PhD is intellectually demanding and applicants will need to have a high level of attainment and motivation to pursue this programme of advanced study and research. 

Completion normally requires three to four years of full-time study, including a probationary period. Students will normally be required to be resident in Cambridge during that time.

The examination involves the submission of a 60,000-word thesis and subsequent oral examination.

The PhD represents a significant and original contribution to the understanding of Psychology. This may be through the discovery of something new, the connection of previously unrelated facts, or the development of a new theory, taking into account all previously published work on the subject.

The Postgraduate Virtual Open Day usually takes place at the end of October. It’s a great opportunity to ask questions to admissions staff and academics, explore the Colleges virtually, and to find out more about courses, the application process and funding opportunities. Visit the  Postgraduate Open Day  page for more details.

See further the  Postgraduate Admissions Events  pages for other events relating to Postgraduate study, including study fairs, visits and international events.

Key Information

3-4 years full-time, 4-7 years part-time, study mode : research, doctor of philosophy, department of psychology, course - related enquiries, application - related enquiries, course on department website, dates and deadlines:, michaelmas 2024 (closed).

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Funding Deadlines

These deadlines apply to applications for courses starting in Michaelmas 2024, Lent 2025 and Easter 2025.

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King's College London

Doctorate in clinical psychology dclinpsy.

Key information

The three-year, full-time Doctorate in Clinical Psychology is based within the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN). Trainees spend three days a week on supervised clinical practice placements and two days a week are dedicated to teaching, study and research.

Aims & philosophy

To benefit service users, carers and wider society by training clinical psychologists who:

• are skilled in evidence-based psychological assessment and intervention
• produce applied research of the highest quality and impact
• progress to become leaders within the NHS, clinical academia and beyond

The training programme values the reflective scientist-practitioner model as a basis for clinical psychology. There is a strong emphasis on integration of theory, research and practice in all aspects of the programme.

The biopsychosocial framework underpinning the Programme identifies biological, psychological and social factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of psychological difficulties and mental disorders across the lifespan. Our understanding of the framework is that it is linked to a continuum view of psychological difficulty. Thus, the programme seeks to understand these difficulties from an assumption of commonality of experience and human potential to support wellness and resilience.

The programme takes cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) as its primary therapeutic modality, reflecting the world-leading research expertise within the IoPPN and its evidence base. Family therapy/systemic practice is the second therapeutic modality.

The Programme is based predominantly within King's Health Partners (an Academic Health Sciences Centre) which comprise King's College London and three of the highest rated NHS Foundation Trusts in the country: South London and Maudsley, King's College Hospital, and Guy's and St Thomas'. A particular strength of the programme is the cohesive and comprehensive range of local and national specialist placement opportunities across these trusts and other placement services. In line with the goals of the NHS long term plan, placements offer trainees opportunities to work in local clinical pathways improving access to services for people from our diverse local communities.

The IoPPN DClinPsy Training Programme is committed to the principle of equality of opportunity for all trainees and staff. The Programme values and positively promotes equality, inclusion and diversity. At the IoPPN and local Trusts, there is much expertise relating to Culture, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) in clinical, research, and teaching activities.

Additional information

The programme meets the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) education and training standards – the statutory regulator for practitioner psychologists in the UK, and has full accreditation from the British Psychological Society (BPS).

The course is also accredited by the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) – Level 1 (for all trainees) and Level 2 (for a subset of trainees), alongside the Association of Family Therapy and Systemic Practice (AFT) – Foundation Level (for all trainees).

On successful completion of the programme trainees are awarded the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. The award confers eligibility to apply for registration with the HCPC to practise as a clinical psychologist in the UK, and graduates are able to apply for full membership of the Division of Clinical Psychology from the BPS.

Trainees are full-time professionals in the NHS, registered students at King's College London and key stakeholders whilst training. Throughout the training programme, trainees are encouraged to synthesise and reflect on different aspects of their learning and work as part of their professional development and integration of their personal and professional aspects. Key contributors to this process are the use of clinical supervision, discussions in teaching workshops, meetings with personal tutors and appraisers, and reflections in their logbook and clinical assessments.

Trainees help to shape the Programme's development and evolution through representation and participation in the majority of the Programme committees. There are also a number of opportunities for trainees to begin working as partners and leaders whilst training via involvement in working parties and groups focused on priorities within clinical psychology training.

The Programme has a number of support systems in place to help ensure that trainees are well supported and to create a stimulating and rewarding environment for trainees to develop personally and professionally during their training.

• Before joining the Programme, each new trainee is contacted by their ‘buddy’ (one of the current first year trainees) to facilitate their transition onto the Programme.
• Trainees will be line managed by a Clinical Director on the Programme
• Each trainee is allocated a personal support tutor and mentor – a qualified clinical psychologist available for confidential advice and support who is available to meet at least once per term throughout training. The personal support tutor, where possible, is matched to trainee career interests to allow for mentoring alongside pastoral support.
• Each trainee is also allocated a clinical tutor who will visit them on placement throughout the three years to maximise continuity, support and development.
• Each trainee is allocated an appraiser from within the Programme team to support progression across all aspects of the Programme.
• Each trainee is allocated a research tutor from the Programme team to support them with any questions or concerns about any aspect of their research.
• Reflective practice groups and themed reflective case discussions run throughout training, which provide an opportunity for trainees to reflect on training and the impact of clinical work.
• Dedicated reflective spaces are offered to trainees from racially and ethnically minoritised (REM) backgrounds. These spaces aim to offer support in a safe environment.
• Trainees’ identifying as White will be invited to attend a dedicated reflective space to consider the impact of their identity in training.
• A support group is available for trainees with childcare responsibilities, which includes drop-in meetings with clinical tutors.
• Orientation meetings are scheduled in the timetable to facilitate transition into the following year of study. At the end of the final year there is an exit meeting to allow trainees to reflect with the Programme Team about their experiences of the training programme.
• Trainees with disability support needs can book a confidential appointment with a Disability Adviser at King’s College London Disability Support . This will help develop an Inclusion Plan which summaries aspects your disability and provides recommendations of support strategies to ensure we can best support you throughout your training experience.

As a course, we care about the psychological well-being of our trainees and aim to ensure we can best support trainees who may be experiencing difficulties or have additional support needs. We recognise that whilst training you are likely to experience periods of increased stress given the various pressures that need to be managed across different components of the course, as well as any additional stressors including physical and mental health concerns, or other personal factors that may impact on well-being. We have a number of sources of support available to our trainees as well as resources and signposting of services.

• How to apply
• Fees or Funding

UK tuition fees

Home applicants who meet the above entry requirements criteria are eligible for an NHS funded place and are not required to pay tuition fees.

International tuition fees 2023/24

Full time tuition fees: £31,260 per year

International tuition fees 2024/25

Full time tuition fees: £33,450 per year

These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.

If you receive an offer for this programme, you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure your place. Deposit payments are credited towards the total tuition fee payment.

The International deposit is £2000.

• If you receive an offer before March, payment is due by 20 March.
• If you receive an offer between 1 March and 20 May, payment is due within one month of receiving the offer.
• If you receive an offer between 21 May and 15 July, payment is due within two weeks of receiving the offer.
• If you receive an offer between 16 July and 15 August, payment is due within one week of receiving the offer.
• If you receive an offer from 16 August onwards, payment is due within three days of receiving the offer.

If you are a current King’s student in receipt of the King's Living Bursary you are not required to pay a deposit to secure your place on the programme. Please note, this will not change the total fees payable for your chosen programme.

Please visit our web pages on fees and funding for more information.

• Study environment

Base campus

Denmark Hill Campus

Home to the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience

The Doctorate is intensive, running for three years full-time. The programme consists of academic, clinical and research components, and trainees are required to pass in all areas..

Academic teaching, research supervision and clinical supervision are mainly carried out by members of the Department of Psychology or other departments within the Institute of Psychiatry, or by clinical psychologists working within King's Health Partners, giving the programme an overall cohesion and sense of community. The Programme also receives specialist contributions to its academic teaching from invited outside speakers and experts.

For departmental and Institute research interests visit the IoPPN webpages.

In each year, trainees spend three days per week on supervised clinical placements (Tuesdays to Thursdays, 9:00 – 17:00) with Mondays and Fridays dedicated to teaching and research. Trainees undertake six 6-month placements. The four ‘core’ areas of the programme are Adult and Child Mental Health, (year 1) and Older Adults and Intellectual Disability (year 2). The third year comprises two specialist or supplementary placements.

Attendance at all course components is mandatory. Trainees are also expected to undertake their own independent learning.

The length of the Programme cannot be reduced through the accreditation of prior learning or experience. All trainees are required to complete the full Programme of training in order to qualify and while on the Programme, all trainees take annual holiday entitlement within set time periods to fit in with teaching and placement attendance requirements.

Academic curriculum

The curriculum comprises of teaching streams that are led by academic clinicians and NHS service-based specialist clinicians. This curriculum is revised through consultation processes with NHS specialists, trainees, service users and NHS commissioners. A foundational theme that sits across all the teaching streams is that of culture, diversity, equality, and inclusion. The specific teaching streams fall under the following headings:

• CBT Fundamentals
• Adult General
• Adult Addictions
• Adult Anxiety
• Adult Forensic
• Adult Psychosis
• Clinical Health Psychology
• Clinical Skills
• Clinical Neuropsychology
• Culture, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
• Family Therapy
• Intellectual Disability & Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• Additional Therapy Approaches
• Professional Issues
• Reflective Practice & Reflective Case Discussions
• Research, Assessment and Methodology
• Supervision

The programme delivers teaching based on research, theoretical literature, practice-based experience and lived experience (expert by experience and carer input). Teaching is provided in lectures, workshops, seminars and tutorials. Methods of delivery include, discussions, polls, case examples, role-plays, video displays, and didactic teaching. This is designed according to the material to be covered and the stage of training. Trainees are encouraged to contribute to the process; significant aspects of learning and development will come from each other.

Clinical practice placements

Trainees undertake six 6-month placements. The four ‘core' areas of the programme are Adult and Child mental health (year 1) and Older adults and Intellectual disability (year 2); the third year comprises two specialist or supplementary placements. The majority of placements are located within South London and are accessible via public transport links. Trainees prior experience and future career preferences are taken into consideration in placement allocation.

The third year comprises two specialist or supplementary placements. There is a wide, exciting range of specialist placement opportunities for trainees to choose from, at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM), King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (KCH), Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (GSTT) and in other organisations. SLaM provides the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK.

Placements are offered in a variety of specialisms and settings, including primary care, secondary care, inpatient, secure settings and non-statutory organisations. We are fortunate to have many national services across the Trusts, meaning that trainees have access to a number of specialist placements. Placements may be based in the community or hospital settings.

By May of the final year, trainees are required to submit a doctoral level research thesis of between 25,000 to 55,000 words.

The thesis is comprised of:

• Service-Related Project
• Empirical Project
• Systematic Review

The Service-Related Project is completed in the first year, supervised by a clinical placement supervisor. Trainees gain experience of conducting an NHS-related project that will inform service development. Recent projects have directly investigated issues of equality and diversity in service provision.

The Empirical Project and Systematic Literature Review are completed in the second and third year, supervised by a main and second supervisor. Staff in the Department of Psychology and wider Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience offer research expertise and supervision in a wide range of clinical topics. Most trainees are able to choose their research topic based on their interests and learning needs, and to co-create a research project with their supervisors. Trainee research is supported by the rich research environment at King’s, including close links with the department of Biostatistics & Health Informatics.

A developmental, competency-based approach is taken to assessment, combining formative and summative assessment methods. Please note that a number of the summative assessments undertaken by trainees in the third of training will be dependent on their pathway (either BABCP Level 2 or AFT Intermediate).

The failure of two placements, or of an examination resit, or resubmitted/resat case studies, case conferences or assessments of clinical competence, or the viva examination, will constitute a Programme failure. No lesser exit award is available under the Programme.

Summative Assessments (all trainees)

• Qualifying examinations are held in June of the first year. The pass mark is 50% and trainees who fail are allowed to re-sit on one occasion in August.
• Case Conferences : In the first year of training, trainees are asked to present a case that demonstrates their CBT knowledge and skills. In the second year of training, trainees are asked to present a case where they have worked with more than one person in the room, and to offer a systemic formulation and treatment plan to assess their knowledge and skills in systemic practice.
• Case Studies : Early in the second year of training, trainees will need to submit a CBT case study that will demonstrate theory practice links and reflection on their learning and development as CBT therapists.
• All six practice placements are graded Pass/Fail by placement supervisors.
• The research thesis is assessed at a viva by two external examiners.
• Research Progress Report trainees submit a report on their research progress every 6 months, which is formally reviewed by their supervisor and a panel of research tutors; a satisfactory outcome of the review is required for progression.

Head of group/division

Professor Katharine Rimes

Contact for information

Kayleigh Rawlings, Programme Coordinator

[email protected]

Important Information:

Before contacting the programme, please note we are unable to offer individual advice on how to create a successful application or advise on what route applicants should take. There are many different routes onto the Doctorate, therefore the pathway undertaken should be the applicant’s choice, based on their interests and career aims.

Contact email

Further resources:

• DClinPsy Clearing House Profile
• KCL-DClinPsy information about applying (padlet.org)
• Twitter: @KingsDClinPsy
• Entry requirements

Find a supervisor

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Psychology PhD

• Full-time: Up to 4 years
• Part-time: Up to 8 years
• Start date: Multiple available
• UK fees: £5,350
• International fees: £30,750

Research overview

Psychology at Nottingham is dedicated to the study of the psychological and biological basis of behaviour. Our research spans many sub-disciplines in psychology. These range from personality to neuroscience, to developmental psychology.

Our research is organised into different themes as listed below. However, PhD projects can involve collaborations across these or with different faculties.

Research groups:

• Behavioural Neuroscience
• Cognition and Language
• Computational Neuroscience
• Human Learning and Development
• Perception and Action
• People and society
• Visual Neuroscience

 Example project areas include:

• investigating theoretical and applied aspects of language comprehension
• public perceptions of climate change and energy futures
• the psychology of driving
• understanding the causes and treatment of schizophrenia
• effects of errors on memory performance
• when does overcoming adversity, challenge or failure lead to personal growth?
• understanding the basic mechanisms of sensory perception
• hippocampo-prefrontal-subcortical circuit in cognition and behaviour

Course content

Your PhD will be in an area of research you have chosen. Alongside this, you will do research training modules. The school and the Researcher Academy deliver these.

The school core compulsory training consists of one 20-credit module in Professional Skills in Behavioural Science. This is taken in the first year of your PhD. The module focuses on skills that are useful for your PhD and your future career and include a series of workshops covering topics such as research ethics, time management, presentation skills, and the publication process. In addition, you are required to write reports about six of the external seminars.

The School requires you to undertake mandatory Research Integrity training. Training for Research Integrity at Nottingham exists to educate and protect individual researchers, the participants in research activities, and the University of Nottingham, as well as guiding and contributing to the quality of the work.

The research programme aims to provide you with skills and knowledge relating to your PhD topic, and beyond this to your needs as a future academic or researcher. Training modules can be tailored to your needs.

You will complete a written thesis of up to 100,000 words, with expert support and advice from your academic supervisor(s). You will also take a verbal examination called a viva voce where you explain your project in-depth to an examination panel.

Entry requirements

All candidates are considered on an individual basis and we accept a broad range of qualifications. The entrance requirements below apply to 2025 entry.

Meeting our English language requirements

If you need support to meet the required level, you may be able to attend a presessional English course. Presessional courses teach you academic skills in addition to English language. Our  Centre for English Language Education is accredited by the British Council for the teaching of English in the UK.

If you successfully complete your presessional course to the required level, you can then progress to your degree course. This means that you won't need to retake IELTS or equivalent.

For on-campus presessional English courses, you must take IELTS for UKVI to meet visa regulations. For online presessional courses, see our CELE webpages for guidance.

Visa restrictions

International students must have valid UK immigration permissions for any courses or study period where teaching takes place in the UK. Student route visas can be issued for eligible students studying full-time courses. The University of Nottingham does not sponsor a student visa for students studying part-time courses. The Standard Visitor visa route is not appropriate in all cases. Please contact the university’s Visa and Immigration team if you need advice about your visa options.

We recognise that applicants have a variety of experiences and follow different pathways to postgraduate study.

We treat all applicants with alternative qualifications on an individual basis. We may also consider relevant work experience.

If you are unsure whether your qualifications or work experience are relevant, contact us .

Use our  research webpages  and  find a supervisor search  to find a research topic that we work on. You should contact a potential supervisor before applying.

Supervisors are often happy to discuss alternative projects within their area of expertise.

If you are not applying for a specific project, you need to provide a proposal. The proposal (typically between 1,000 and 2,000 words) should describe the field of research in which you are interested, include one or more examples of specific research questions on the topic, and an indication of how these questions would be addressed. You should discuss this with your potential supervisor who can help you develop the proposal.

Our step-by-step guide contains everything you need to know about applying for postgraduate research.

Additional information for international students

If you are a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you may be asked to complete a fee status questionnaire and your answers will be assessed using guidance issued by the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) .

These fees are for full-time study. If you are studying part-time, you will be charged a proportion of this fee each year (subject to inflation).

Additional costs

All students will need at least one device to approve security access requests via Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). We also recommend students have a suitable laptop to work both on and off-campus. For more information, please check the equipment advice .

As a student on this course, we do not anticipate any extra significant costs, alongside your tuition fees and living expenses. Where available, a research training grant can be used to cover printing, travel and conference costs. 

UK students

Some of the funded projects we offer are advertised on the  University's studentships page . 

We recommend that you discuss funding with your supervisor. 

UK/European students

Centres for doctoral training and doctoral training programmes (cdts/dtps).

These are the current CDTs and DTPs at Nottingham that have projects related to Psychology:

• Midlands Graduate School ESRC DTP  . Candidates need to apply to the MGS directly but must have the agreement of supervisors in the School of Psychology before they make an application
• BBSRC DTP  . Candidates need to apply to the DTP directly. Projects are selected during the first year
• MRC IMPACT  . Candidates apply to advertised projects
• EPSRC Horizon CDT – My Life in Data . Candidates need to apply to the CDT directly
• CDT in Artificial Intelligence (School of Computer Science) 

International students

We recommend that you discuss funding options with your supervisor before applying if you are not self-funding. International students can now apply directly to several of the CDTs/DTP directly for funding support (e.g MGS and BBSRC both accept international applications).

There are many ways to fund your research degree, from scholarships to government loans.

Check our guide to find out more about funding your postgraduate degree.

We hold a weekly research seminar series where external speakers and researchers from Nottingham are invited to speak, including PhD students. There are extra research seminars and reading groups arranged by individual research groups too.

Other events we hold include:

• a postgraduate conference in the first year where you'll present a poster
• a postgraduate conference in the second year where you'll give a 10-15 minute talk
• the school’s internal research seminar series where you'll give a 30 minute talk about your research findings

Where available, a research training grant can assist you financially to present your research at national and international conferences over the course of your studies.

There is a requirement for (at least) monthly documented meetings with your supervisor for full-time PGRs (every two months for part-time PGRs).  

Researcher training and development

The Researcher Academy is the network for researchers, and staff who support them. We work together to promote a healthy research culture, to cultivate researcher excellence, and develop creative partnerships that enable researchers to flourish.

Postgraduate researchers at Nottingham have access to our online Members’ area, which includes a wealth of resources, access to training courses and award-winning postgraduate placements.

Student support

You will have access to a range of support services , including:

• academic and disability support
• childcare services
• counselling service
• faith support
• financial support
• mental health and wellbeing support
• visa and immigration advice
• welfare support

Students' Union

Our Students' Union represents all students. You can join the Postgraduate Students’ Network or contact the dedicated Postgraduate Officer .

There are also a range of support networks, including groups for:

• international students
• black and minority ethnic students
• students who identify as women
• students with disabilities
• LGBT+ students

SU Advice provides free, independent and confidential advice on issues such as accommodation, financial and academic difficulties.

Where you will learn

School of psychology.

We have excellent research facilities to support a broad range of projects. These include a comprehensive psychological test library, driving simulator(s), anechoic chamber, EEG and eye-tracking suites, virtual reality headsets and brain stimulation equipment. Many researchers in the School access human and animal MRI and MEG facilities located nearby as well as high-performance computing

University Park Campus

University Park Campus  covers 300 acres, with green spaces, wildlife, period buildings and modern facilities. It is one of the UK's most beautiful and sustainable campuses, winning a national Green Flag award every year since 2003.

Most schools and departments are based here. You will have access to libraries, shops, cafes, the Students’ Union, sports village and a health centre.

You can walk or cycle around campus. Free hopper buses connect you to our other campuses. Nottingham city centre is 15 minutes away by public bus or tram.

Whether you are considering a career in academia, industry or haven't yet decided, we’re here to support you every step of the way.

Expert staff will work with you to explore PhD career options and apply for vacancies, develop your interview skills and meet employers. You can book a one-to-one appointment, take an online course or attend a workshop.

International students who complete an eligible degree programme in the UK on a student visa can apply to stay and work in the UK after their course under the Graduate immigration route . Eligible courses at the University of Nottingham include bachelors, masters and research degrees, and PGCE courses.

There are so many careers you can go into with a psychology PhD. You may choose to continue with an academic career. It is common for graduates to work as a postdoctoral researcher or get a teaching fellowship as their first roles. 

 Outside of academia, the knowledge and transferable skills you've gained can be used in:

• industrial research
• data science

Related courses

Psychology (applied educational psychology doctorate) dappedpsy, research excellence framework.

The University of Nottingham is ranked 7th in the UK for research power, according to analysis by Times Higher Education. The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is a national assessment of the quality of research in UK higher education institutions.

• The School of Psychology is ranked top 10 in the UK for research power
• 90%* of our research is classed as 'world-leading' (4*) or 'internationally excellent' (3*)
• 100%* of our research is recognised internationally
• 51% of our research is assessed as 'world-leading' (4*) for its impact**

*According to analysis by Times Higher Education ** According to our own analysis.

This content was last updated on 01 July 2024 . Every effort has been made to ensure that this information is accurate, but changes are likely to occur between the date of publishing and course start date. It is therefore very important to check this website for any updates before you apply.

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Site search, key information.

Duration: 4 years full time

Institution code: R72

Campus: Egham

UK fees * : £4,786

International/EU fees ** : £23,400

The Department of Psychology is a dynamic and varied research community covering the cognitive and neural underpinnings of social interaction, learning, memory, and language, through to more applied research topics in forensic, health, and developmental psychology.

Our academic staff work at the forefront of their field, across psychological science and neuroscience, with an active, thriving postgraduate research community.

The Department of Psychology at Royal Holloway has been placed joint third in the country by The Times Higher Education following the publication of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 results. 

In the REF 2021 results overall, 67% of Psychology's research was classified as 4* world leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour, highlighting the exceptional quality of the department’s research outputs, impact and environment.

The department received a top score for its research impact, with 100% judged to be 4* which is the highest standard of excellence. This outstanding result for research impact reinforces the importance and value of the department’s research to society and the economy. 

We are located on a beautiful campus in Surrey, close to London and we have a wide range of research-dedicated facilities.

The department has earned a Silver Athena SWAN award for best practice in equal opportunities and our inclusive environment.

We invite candidates to discuss possible research topics with a potential supervisor before submitting a formal application. You can find out more about our staff and their areas of expertise here .

From time to time, we make changes to our courses to improve the student and learning experience, and this is particularly the case as we continue to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. If we make a significant change to your chosen course, we’ll let you know as soon as we can.

Research facilities and environment

Principal Investigators and their lab groups are supported by state-of-the-art facilities (fMRI, EEG, TMS, tDCS, VR, and eye-tracking as well as labs dedicated to sleep, vestibular-multisensory integration, psychophysiology, psycholinguistics, and infant cognition), and the department provides a supportive environment for the scientific training of doctoral students through one-on-one mentoring, regular training events, student-led seminars, and journal clubs.

Research in the department falls broadly into the following groupings:

• Health and Well-Being
• Language, Memory and Attention
• Perception, Action and Decision Making
• Social and Affective Processes

Each of the groupings have regularly held seminars where external researchers present the latest research and provide a rich opportunity for postgraduate research students to meet and discuss research with leaders in their fields. More information about the research groups is here .

Students who are admitted to this programme are initially registered on a MPhil programme. Before their second year of studies they will have an upgrade meeting, if successful, they will become registered on the PhD Psychology programme.

To be awarded a PhD Psychology degree, students must submit their thesis, and pass their viva examination with one internal and one external examiner.

Entry requirements

Applicants should have the equivalent of a 2.1 honours in Psychology, or a related discipline, and meet Royal Holloway’s requirements for English (for international students).

English language requirements

All teaching at Royal Holloway is in English. You will therefore need to have good enough written and spoken English to cope with your studies right from the start.

The scores we require

• IELTS: 6.5 overall. Writing 7.0. No other subscore lower than 5.5.
• Pearson Test of English: 61 overall. Writing 69. No other subscore lower than 51.
• Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English (ISE): ISE III.
• Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) grade C.
• TOEFL ib: 88 overall, with Reading 18 Listening 17 Speaking 20 Writing 26.

Country-specific requirements

For more information about country-specific entry requirements for your country please see  here .

Our PGR students often continue in careers in academia (Post-doctoral work, Teaching Fellow, Lecturer) or onto research in business and industry. Our former PGR students have moved into academia, into industry as statisticians, into marketing and neuromarketing, government (eg, Office for National Statistics), policy, cybersecurity, and have become founders of Tech start ups and charities.

Fees & funding

Home (UK) students tuition fee per year*: £4,786

EU and international students tuition fee per year**: £23,400

Other essential costs***: There are no single associated costs greater than £50 per item on this course

…How do I pay for it? Find out more about   funding options,   including loans, grants,   scholarships   and bursaries. 

* and ** These tuition fees apply to students enrolled on a full-time basis in the academic year 2024/25.

* Please note that for research courses, we adopt the minimum fee level recommended by the UK Research Councils for the Home   tuition fee. Each year, the fee level is adjusted in line with inflation (currently, the measure used is the Treasury GDP deflator). Fees displayed here are therefore subject to change and are usually confirmed in the spring of the year of entry.   For more information on the Research Council Indicative Fee please see the   UKRI website.

** This figure is the fee for EU and international students starting a degree in the academic year 2024/25.   

Royal Holloway reserves the right to increase all postgraduate tuition fees annually, based on the UK’s Retail Price Index (RPI). Please therefore be aware that tuition fees can rise during your degree (if longer than one year’s duration), and that this also means that the overall cost of studying the course part-time will be slightly higher than studying it full-time in one year. For further information, please see our  terms and conditions .

***   These estimated costs relate to studying this particular degree at Royal Holloway during the 2024/25 academic year and are included as a guide. Costs, such as accommodation, food, books and other learning materials and printing, have not been included. 

Explore Royal Holloway

Scholarships

Get help paying for your studies at Royal Holloway through a range of scholarships and bursaries.

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There are lots of exciting ways to get involved at Royal Holloway. Discover new interests and enjoy existing ones.

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Whether you need support with your health or practical advice on budgeting or finding part-time work, we can help.

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Research Excellence Framework

Find out why Royal Holloway is in the top 25% of UK universities for research rated ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’.

Challenge-led research themes

Royal Holloway is a research intensive university and our academics collaborate across disciplines to achieve excellence.

Discover world-class research at Royal Holloway.

Discover more about who we are today, and our vision for the future.

Royal Holloway began as two pioneering colleges for the education of women in the 19th century, and their spirit lives on today.

We’ve played a role in thousands of careers, some of them particularly remarkable.

Find about our decision-making processes and the people who lead and manage Royal Holloway today.

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We're here to support you, every step of the way.

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In 2024 UEL celebrates a Year of Science

• All results

Psychology MPhil PhD

This course is in clearing with spaces available

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Studying for a PhD with UEL's School of Psychology will push you to the limit - and you'll be supported all the way by our world-class academic staff.

The School of Psychology has a thriving research community, with a strong tradition of theoretical and applied research. Our research integrates cross-disciplinary expertise from experimental, developmental, health, clinical and social psychology.

Current research is grouped into six clusters: cognition and neuroscience, developmental psychology, drugs and addictive behaviours, health promotion and behaviour, psychology and social change, and the psychology of education.

Find out more

• Book for an open day
• Apply for accommodation
• Order a prospectus
• Make an enquiry Close

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For our Open Day Our from 6pm - 7pm, we will showcase our facilities and give you an opportunity to ask questions of staff

Course options

• September 2024
• November 2024

PhD via MPhil

Entry Requirements

Academic requirements, accepted qualifications.

Bachelor's degree with minimum Upper Second Class (2:1) or equivalent in a related subject from a recognised institution.

International Qualifications

We accept a wide range of European and international qualifications in addition to A-levels, the International Baccalaureate and BTEC qualifications. Please visit our International page for full details.

English Language requirements

• Overall Academic IELTS 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in Writing and Speaking; minimum 6.5 in Reading and Listening (or recognised equivalent).

If you do not meet the academic English language requirements for your course, you may be eligible to enrol onto a pre-sessional English course . The length of the course will depend on your current level of English and the requirements for your degree programme. We offer a 5-week and an 10-week pre-sessional course.

An interview is required with a member of the academic teaching team. Further information will be provide on receipt of an application.

Mature applicants and those without formal qualifications

As an inclusive university, we recognise those who have been out of education for some time may not have the formal qualifications usually required. We welcome applications from those who can demonstrate their enthusiasm and commitment to study and have the relevant life/work experience that equips them to succeed on the course. We will assess this from the information provided in your application or may request additional information such as a CV or attendance at an interview. Please note that some courses require applicants to meet the entry requirements outlined.

Admissions policy / Terms of Admittance

We are committed to fair admissions and access by recruiting students regardless of their social, cultural or economic background. Our admissions policy sets out the principles and procedures we use to admit new students for all courses offered by the university and its partners.

Further advice and guidance

You can speak to a member of our Applicant Enquiries team on +44 (0)20 8223 3333, Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. Alternatively, you can visit our Information, Advice and Guidance centre.

MPhil PhD Psychology

Mphil phd psychology, home applicant, full time.

• Home Applicant
• 5740 write-up fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000 Pound 5740 write-up fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000

MPhil PhD Psychology, home applicant, part time

• 2870 write-up fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000 Pound 2870 write-up fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000

MPhil PhD Psychology, international applicant, full time

• International Applicant
• 15340 write-up fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000 Pound 15340 write-up fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000

MPhil PhD Psychology, international applicant, part time

• 7670 write-up fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000 Pound 7670 write-up fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000
• 6020 write-up fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000 Pound 6020 write-up fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000
• 3010 write-up fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000 Pound 3010 write-up fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000
• 16100 write-up fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000 Pound 16100 write-up fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000
• 8050 write-up fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000 Pound 8050 write-up fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000

Fees, funding and additional costs

EU, EEA and Swiss Nationals starting a course from September 2021, will no longer be eligible for Home fees. However, such nationals benefitting from Settled Status or Citizens' Rights may become eligible for Home fees as and when the UK Government confirms any new fee regulations. Further information can be found at UKCISA .

Tuition fees are subject to annual change. Fees for future years will be published in due course.

Home students

Postgraduate loans scheme.

£10,280 to fund your Masters Programme under the Postgraduate Loans (PGL) scheme

Postgraduate Loans (PGL)

The Postgraduate Loan (PGL) provide non-means-tested loans of up to £10,906 to taught and research masters students.  It will be paid to students as a contribution towards tuition fees, living costs and other course costs. Applications are made directly through  Student Finance England  

Eligibility

Whether you qualify depends on: •    if you've studied a postgraduate course before •    your course •    your age •    your nationality or residency status

Full eligibility can be found on the Government's Postgraduate Loan webpage .

Please take a look at the  Postgraduate Loans  for an overview of the new funding.

Postgraduate Scholarship

Apply for a 50 per cent discount on your tuition fees! You can get a 50 per cent discount on course fees through a UEL Postgraduate Scholarship. The scholarship is open to full-time and part-time UK and EU students of taught postgraduate courses. *Exclusions apply.

Find out more about full eligibility criteria and how to apply .

Terms and conditions apply.

Our scholarships and bursaries can help you

How we can help you

Did you know that with a postgraduate qualification, you can expect to earn more than someone who only holds an undergraduate degree?

If you want to build new skills, change career paths, or further your career prospects, a postgraduate degree can help you. Our range of scholarships and bursaries will make financing your education that much easier. Below is some of the funding available to support you in your studies:

• Alumni Discount   - up to 15% fee waiver *exclusions apply. Please see the Alumni Discount page  for information.
• Early Payment Discount  - 5% fee waiver
• Asylum Seekers scholarship   - 100% fee waiver
• Civic Engagement - £1,000
• Hardship Bursary - up to £2,000
• Sport Scholarships   - Up to £6,000

How to pay your fees

There are a number of ways you can pay your fees to UEL

• Online payment facilities
• By telephone
• In person at our Docklands or Stratford campus
• Bank transfer

Full information on making payments can be found  on our Finance page .

If you wish to discuss payments to the University, please contact our Income Team on 020 8223 2974 or you can email  [email protected]

Ideas for funding your postgraduate study

Below are some ideas on how to fund your postgraduate study:

•     Apply for a  Postgraduate Loan  
•     Take advantage of  UEL scholarships and bursaries
•     Ask your employer to sponsor your study
•     Study part-time so you can work at the same time (applicable to courses that have a part-time mode)
•     Look at  UK Research and Innovation funding options

The Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) are here to help you navigate your finances while you're a student at the University of East London. We can give you advice, information and guidance on government and university funds so that you receive your full funding entitlement. Live chat: Click the live chat icon in the bottom left of the screen Phone: 020 8223 4444

International students

Living costs for international students.

As part of the Tier 4 student visa requirements, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) estimate that you will need £1,265* per month to cover your living costs. It includes expenses for accommodation, food and drink, travel within London, textbooks, entertainment, clothing, toiletries and laundry. Most Tier 4 students are required to show they have sufficient funds to cover the first nine months of the course before they start - a total of £11,385 - in addition to the tuition fees. You can find more information about the specific requirements of the Tier 4 student visa. The amount that you will spend can vary depending on your lifestyle. The UKCISA International Student Calculator can help you plan and manage your money.

* Please note the Immigration Rules are subject to change and this figure is likely to be increased by UKVI year on year. Please therefore check our ISA page for more information at the time of preparing your visa application.

How to pay your fees - international students

Deposits and paying by instalments International students are required to pay a  deposit  before being issued a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). Your remaining balance will be paid in five monthly instalments over your first term. The first of these instalments must be paid when completing your enrolment on arrival at UEL. Please follow the payment instructions on our Make a Payment page . After the required payment has been made, you will be asked to complete the online International Student Reply Form to confirm your acceptance of our offer and of our terms of admittance and fee policy.

Our International team at UEL are available for advice and guidance on studying in London, fees, scholarships and visa requirements. Email:  [email protected]

Additional costs

Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessment and operating University facilities such as the library, IT equipment and other support services. Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees. 

Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. You may prefer to, or be required to, buy your own copy of key textbooks.

Computer equipment

There are open-access networked computers available across the University, plus laptops available to loan. You may find it useful to have your own PC, laptop or tablet which you can use around campus and in halls of residences.

Free WiFi is available on each of our campuses.

In the majority of cases, coursework can be submitted online. There may be instances when you will be required to submit work in a printed format. Printing and photocopying costs are not included in your tuition fees.

Travel costs are not included but we do have a free intersite bus service which links the campuses and halls of residence.

For this course, you will be:

• involved in processes of making, as a means of exploration, experimentation, and understanding your practice, by using a diverse range of media and materials
• required to purchase your own copy of books, for required reading
• required to produce physical artefacts for assessment 
• able to participate in optional study visits and/or field trips

However, over and above this you may incur extra costs associated with your studies, which you will need to plan for. 

To help you budget, the information below indicates what activities and materials are not covered by your tuition fees:

• personal laptops and other personal devices 
• personal copies of books 
• optional study visits and field trips (and any associated visa costs)
• printing costs
• your own chosen materials and equipment
• costs of participating in external events, exhibitions, performances etc.

The costs vary every year and with every student, according to the intentions for the type of work they wish to do. Attainment at assessment is not dependent upon the costs of materials chosen.

Learn about applying

Important information about your application, uk full-time starting sept.

How to apply Apply directly to UEL by clicking on the apply button. For further information read our  Guide to Applying . When to apply Places on many courses are limited and allocated on a first-come first-served basis. We advise you to apply as early as possible to give yourself the best chance of receiving an offer. Advice and guidance Our  Information, Advice and Guidance team  provide impartial advice on courses, entry requirements, pre-entry and access programmes in person and via the telephone. +44 (0)20 8223 4354 Already applied? You can track the progress of your application by contacting our Applicant Engagement team on +44 (0)20 8223 3333 (Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm). Read our  guide to applying  for further information. Need help? Contact our Applicant Engagement team (Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm) +44 (0)20 8223 3333

UK Part-time starting Sept

How to apply Apply directly to UEL by clicking on the apply button. For further information read our  Guide to Applying . When to apply Places on many courses are limited and allocated on a first-come first-served basis. We advise you to apply as early as possible to give yourself the best chance of receiving an offer. Advice and guidance Our  Information, Advice and Guidance team  provide impartial advice on courses, entry requirements, pre-entry and access programmes in person and via the telephone. +44 (0)20 8223 4354 Already applied? You can track the progress of your application by contacting our Applicant Engagement team on +44 (0)20 8223 3333 (Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm). Read our  guide to applying  for further information. Need help? Contact our applicant engagement team (Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm) +44 (0)20 8223 3333

International Full-time starting Sept

Submitting your application please read and consider the entry and visa requirements for this course before you submit your application. for more information please visit our  international student advice pages .  .

How to Apply We accept direct applications for international students. The easiest way to apply is directly to UEL by clicking on the red apply button. Please be sure to  watch our videos  on the application process.

When to Apply Please ensure that you refer to the international admissions deadline . We advise you to apply as early as possible to give yourself the best chance of receiving an offer.

International students who reside overseas Please ensure that you have read and considered the entry requirements for this course before you submit your application. Our enquiries team can provide advice if you are unsure if you are qualified for entry or have any other questions. Please be sure to read about the  Tier 4 visa requirements .

Advice and guidance Our  Information, Advice and Guidance team  provide impartial advice on courses, entry requirements, pre-entry and access programmes in person and via the telephone.

+44 (0)20 8223 4354 Need help? Contact our applicant engagement team (Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm)

+44 (0)20 8223 3333

About our foundation years

Our Foundation Year courses are perfect for you if you... 

• are returning to education after a long time, or you don't have the qualifications for direct entry into our degree programmes
• are thinking of re-training and would like an introduction to the area
• are an international student wanting an additional year to adapt to the UK academic system
• are still evaluating which degree pathway at UEL is the right one for you

Please note: Foundation years can only be studied full-time. However, you can transfer to part-time delivery once you have completed your foundation year. Please apply to the full-time option if you wish to study in this way.

What makes this course different

Research excellence

92 per cent research world-leading, internationally excellent or internationally recognised.

82% of students felt their research skills developed during their course

Postgraduate students score our academic staff highly in terms of support and the quality of their teaching.

50 years of experience

We're one of the oldest and largest psychology departments in the country, with over 50 years' experience of teaching.

Accreditation

Course modules, independent research core module.

PhD candidates will be undertaking their own research in communication with their supervisor.

NOTE: Modules are subject to change. For those studying part time courses the modules may vary.

Your future career

Explore the different career options you can pursue with this degree and see the median salaries of the sector on our  Career Coach portal .

How we support your career ambitions

We offer dedicated careers support, and further opportunities to thrive, such as volunteering and industry networking. Our courses are created in collaboration with employers and industry to ensure they accurately reflect the real-life practices of your future career and provide you with the essential skills needed. You can focus on building interpersonal skills through group work and benefit from our investment in the latest cutting-edge technologies and facilities.

Career Zone

Our dedicated and award-winning team provide you with careers and employability resources, including:

• Online jobs board for internships, placements, graduate opportunities, flexible part-time work.
• Mentoring programmes for insight with industry experts 
• 1-2-1 career coaching services 
• Careers workshops and employer events 
• Learning pathways to gain new skills and industry insight

Mental Wealth programme

Our Professional Fitness and Mental Wealth programme which issues you with a Careers Passport to track the skills you’ve mastered. Some of these are externally validated by corporations like Amazon and Microsoft.

We are careers first

Our teaching methods and geographical location put us right up top

• Enterprise and entrepreneurship support 
• We are ranked 6th for graduate start-ups 
• Networking and visits to leading organisations 
• Support in starting a new business, freelancing and self-employment 
• London on our doorstep

What you'll learn

UEL offers two main research degrees: Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).

The most popular course is the PhD via MPhil. A PhD is an original and distinct contribution to the knowledge of the field of study. It is often essential for those wishing to follow an academic or research career in industry or commerce. PhD research can be carried out in all subject areas. All postgraduate research students are supervised by at least two research-active staff. Your supervisors will support your programme of research through regular meetings and reviews. The PhD via MPhil course normally takes a minimum of 36 months (full-time) 60 months (part-time) to complete. Students enrolled in full-time mode of study will transfer from the MPhil to a PhD usually at the two year stage or equivalent for part-time study.

The Masters of Philosophy (MPhil) is a Master's level research degree programme which takes a minimum of 24 months (full-time) 48 months (part-time) to complete. All postgraduate research students are supervised by at least two research-active staff. Your supervisors will support your programme of research through regular meetings and reviews.

PhD direct 

A PhD direct is aimed at postgraduate students who already have an MPhil (Masters of Philosophy) or MRes (Masters by Research) qualification, and takes a minimum of 36 months (full-time) 60 months (part-time) to complete. All postgraduate research students are supervised by at least two research-active staff. Your supervisors will support your programme of research through regular meetings and reviews.

How you'll learn

Research proposal.

Research proposals give us a better understanding of the area you want to study for an MPhil, PhD via MPhil or PhD  Direct course.

Before you write your research proposal you should contact a potential Director of Studies (DoS) for your PhD. Details of  potential supervisors are found under our research group listings . You should involve your potential DoS in writing your proposal, and make sure that you name your  potential DoS in the application.  

To find out more about how to write your research proposal, see our research proposal guidance . Your proposal must contain clearly defined research  objectives, hypotheses and methodology. You should also include a literature review to describe how your research will  advance knowledge in this area and a timescale for your research. Your proposed Director of Studies will also be  involved in evaluating your research proposal.

How you will be assessed

At the end of your PhD, you will be required to submit an 80,000-word thesis, summarising your research. You will then have to undergo an oral examination (a viva) on your thesis.

At the end of your MPhil, you will be required to submit a 40,000 word thesis which outlines your research findings. You will then have to undergo an oral examination (a viva) on your thesis.

Campus and facilities

Our campus and the surrounding area.

Our historic Stratford campus is located in one of the best-connected areas of London: close to Stratford's thriving town centre, the 2012 Olympic Park, and just 15 minutes from London's West End.   Stratford’s facilities include a state-of-the-art library and learning centre, the majestic great hall and specialist laboratories and computing services. The School of Education and Communities, and Centre for Clinical Education in Podiatry, Physiotherapy and Sports Science are housed in new buildings. There is also a campus restaurant and bookshop, and a Students' Union café-bar.   Westfield Stratford City - Europe's largest indoor shopping mall - is just one of Stratford's attractions, alongside many other shops, cafés, bars and restaurants. There are two multiscreen cinemas, a theatre, an arts centre and much more.

Who teaches this course

This course is delivered by School of Psychology

The teaching team includes qualified academics, practitioners and industry experts as guest speakers. Full details of the academics will be provided in the student handbook and module guides.

Angie Voela

Related courses

This course is part of the Psychology subject area.

PhD Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology

Studying for a PhD with UEL's School of Psychology means you will be part of a thriving research community and our world-class academic staff will support you.

Prof Doc Counselling Psychology

Study counselling psychology and get professional training to become a clinician in the NHS, the voluntary sector or in private practice.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS Modal

Terms of Admittance to the University of East London

The Terms of Admittance govern your contractual relationship with the University of East London ("UEL"). A contract between you, the Student, and us, UEL, is entered into once you accept an offer of a place on a programme at UEL and this contract is subject to consumer protection legislation. You are entitled to cancel this contract within 14 days of enrolment onto your programme.

1) Student enrolment

Enrolment at UEL is the process whereby you officially become a UEL student. The enrolment process requires you to:

• Ensure that we are holding the correct personal details for you
• Agree to abide by our regulations and policies
• Pay your tuition fees/confirm who is paying your tuition fees

You are expected to enrol by the first day of your academic year (click on "Discover") which will be notified to you in your enrolment instructions. Failure to enrol by the deadline contained in our Fees Policy (for most students by the end of the second week of teaching) may lead to the cancellation of student status and all rights attached to that status, including attendance and use of UEL's facilities. If you do not complete the formal process of enrolment but, by your actions, are deemed to be undertaking activities compatible with the status of an enrolled student, UEL will formally enrol you and charge the relevant tuition fee. Such activities would include attendance in classes, use of online learning materials, submission of work and frequent use of a student ID card to gain access to university buildings and facilities. Late enrolment charges may be applied if you do not complete your enrolment by the relevant deadline.

2) Tuition fees

Your tuition fee is determined by:

• the programme you are studying;
• if you are studying full or part-time;
• whether you are a UK/EU or International student; and when you started your studies with us.

We will tell you the tuition fee that you are due to pay when we send you an offer as well as confirm any additional costs that will be incurred, such as bench fees or exceptional overseas study trips. Unregulated tuition fees (where the UK government has not set a maximum fee to be charged) are generally charged annually and may increase each year you are on the programme. Any annual increase will be limited to a maximum of 5% of the previous year's fee. Regulated tuition fees (where the UK government has set a maximum fee to be charged) may also be subject to an annual increase. Any annual increase will be in line with the increase determined by the UK government. You will be notified of any increases in tuition fees at re-enrolment in the programme. Further information on tuition fees and payment options is contained in our Fees Policy .

3) Student ID Cards

To produce an ID card, we need a recent photograph of you that is not obscured and is a true likeness. We will either ask you to send us/upload a photograph in advance of enrolment or take one of you at the point of enrolment. The photograph will be held on our student records system for identification purposes by administrative, academic and security/reception staff. By accepting these Terms of Admittance you are confirming that you agree to your photograph being used in this way. If you object to your photograph being used in this way please contact the University Secretary via email at gov&[email protected] . You are required to provide proof of your identity at initial enrolment and prior to the issue of your UEL student ID card. This is usually a full and valid passport but instead of this you may bring two of the following:

• A (full or provisional) driving licence showing current address
• An international driving licence
• An original birth certificate (in English)
• A debit or credit card (one only)
• A benefit book or benefit award letter (dated within the last 3 months)
• An Armed Forces Identity card
• A police warrant card

You are required to carry and display your student ID card whilst on UEL premises and must keep it safe so that it is not misused by others.

4) Proof of qualifications

You are required to produce evidence of having satisfied the entry requirements for your programme. Such evidence must be in the form of the original certificates or certified notification of results from the examining body. All qualifications must be in English or supported by an official certified translation. If you fail to provide evidence of having satisfied the requirements for the programme you are liable to be withdrawn from the programme.

5) Non-academic entry requirements

You may need to demonstrate that you have met non-academic entry requirements prior to enrolment by providing additional information to UEL. For example, if you:-

• are under 18 years of age at the time of initial enrolment,
• are applying to a programme that requires health clearance for study as stated in the programme specification,
• have declared a relevant criminal conviction,
• will be studying a programme that involves contact with children and/or vulnerable adults or leads to membership in a professional body that deals with children and/or vulnerable adults.

You will not be permitted to enrol and any offer will be withdrawn if UEL deems that you are unsuitable for study following assessment of this additional information in line with published policies. These policies will be provided to you when the additional information is requested.

6) Criminal convictions

UEL has a responsibility to safeguard staff, students and the wider community. You are required to inform UEL of any relevant criminal convictions you have and provide further information relating to these as requested. This includes any relevant criminal convictions received whilst studying at UEL. UEL will assess all information received in line with published policies and may remove you from a programme if the conviction makes you unsuitable for study in UEL's opinion. Failure to declare a relevant criminal conviction or provide further information about you may result in expulsion from UEL.

7) Providing false information to UEL

If you are discovered to have falsified or misrepresented information presented to UEL at application, enrolment or during your studies, you may be expelled from UEL.

8) Continued enrolment and student status

You are expected to abide by all UEL policies and regulations, both those in force at the time of first and subsequent enrolment and as later revised and published from time to time. UEL reserves the right to make reasonable changes to its policies and regulations and any substantial amendments will be brought to your attention. You are also required to take personal responsibility for your studies; this includes undertaking all studies in support of your programme as prescribed by UEL. Key policies include: Manual of General Regulations This describes the general regulatory framework of UEL and gives information about how UEL confers its degrees, diplomas and certificates. It includes important information about academic performance requirements for continued study. Engagement Attendance Policy This outlines UEL's expectations of students in relation to attendance on and engagement with taught programmes. These students are expected to attend all scheduled classes and engage fully with learning materials and resources provided to them - failure to do so may result in withdrawal from module(s) and/or the programme. Code of Practice for Postgraduate Research Degrees The purpose of this code is to provide a framework for the successful organisation and implementation of good practice in all matters relating to postgraduate research degrees at UEL. It aims to ensure that all students are effectively supported and supervised so that the full scope and potential of their research is realised; that their thesis is submitted within regulatory periods and that they complete their programme with a suitable and sufficient portfolio of research and employment-related skills and competencies. Health and Safety Policy This describes the structures and processes by which UEL protects the health and safety of its staff, students and visitors. It confirms that students will receive sufficient information, instruction and induction in relation to health and safety. All students should take reasonable care of their health and safety. They must abide by UEL’s rules and regulations and cooperate with supervisors to enable them to fulfil their obligations. Students must not interfere intentionally, or recklessly misuse anything provided for health and safety. UEL has consulted with its students and staff and has adopted a No Smoking Policy to safeguard the health and well-being of its community. Students are required to comply with this policy which restricts smoking to designated shelters and prohibits the use of electronic cigarettes within any UEL building or near building entrances. For further information on our Healthy Campus initiatives and support please visit the Health and Safety pages . Student Disciplinary Regulations and Procedures (incorporating the student code of conduct) This code is more than a list of things that we should and should not do: it reminds us that we should always consider how our behaviour affects others. The code applies:

• to all students;
• at all sites throughout our estate, and;
• when we represent UEL on business beyond our campus, both in real (face-to-face) and virtual environments.

And outlines expectations of students:

• verbal and physical behaviour should always be polite and respectful;
• behaviour should not impair the engagement, learning or participation of others;
• anti-social behaviour by individuals and groups will not be tolerated.

9) Changes to scheduled programmes

UEL will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the programme of study that you have accepted will conform to the programme specification published on our website and will ensure that the necessary resources required to enable you to meet the required learning outcomes and pass the relevant assessments are available. In order to ensure that our programmes are current and relevant, they are subject to regular review. From time to time, to ensure the maintenance of academic standards and/or compliance with professional body requirements, it may be necessary to amend a module or make adjustments to programme content. Major changes to programmes that in the reasonable opinion of UEL, will have a significant impact on students will involve consultation with students already enrolled on the programme when the changes are proposed. Once any changes are confirmed, UEL will notify all students and applicants of the changes. When UEL reasonably considers that the change may only impact one or more cohorts on the relevant programme, UEL may decide to only consult with the relevant cohort. In the event that we discontinue a programme, we will normally permit existing students to complete the programme within the typical duration of study. In these circumstances, UEL will use reasonable endeavours to continue the programme for existing students without making major changes. If this is not possible, we will support students in changing to another UEL programme on which a place is available, and for which the student is suitably qualified, or assist with transfer to another HEI to complete the programme elsewhere.

10) Changes to these terms

We may change these terms from time to time where, in UEL's opinion, it will assist in the proper delivery of any programme of study or in order to:- (a) Comply with any changes in relevant laws and regulatory requirements; (b) Implement legal advice, national guidance or good practice; (c) Provide for new or improved delivery of any programme of study; (d) Reflect market practice; (e) In our opinion make them clearer or more favourable to you; (f) Rectify any error or mistake; or (g) Incorporate existing arrangements or practices. No variation or amendment to these Terms of Admittance may be made without our prior written agreement. In the event that we agree to transfer you to an alternative programme of study, the transfer will be considered to be a variation to the Terms of Admittance, which shall otherwise remain in full force and existence. If we revise the Terms of Admittance, we will publish the amended Terms of Admittance by such means as we consider reasonably appropriate. We will use reasonable endeavours to give you notice of any changes before they take effect.

11) Data Protection

UEL is committed to adhering to its obligations under the Data Protection Act 2018 and will act as a Data Controller when it processes your personal data. You can find our registration to the Data controller register on ico.org.uk . UEL processes your personal data to fulfil its contractual and legal obligations to students. Personal data that we process about you includes:

• Your contact details and other information submitted during the application and enrolment processes;
• Details of courses, modules, timetables and room bookings, assessment marks and examinations related to your study;
• Financial and personal information collected for the purposes of administering fees and charges, loans, grants, scholarships and hardship funds;
• Photographs, and video recordings for the purpose of recording lectures, student assessments and examinations and for the purposes of university promotion that is in our legitimate interest but still fair to you;
• Information about your engagement with the University such as attendance data and use of electronic services such as Moodle, Civitas and YourTutor;
• Contact details for next of kin to be used in an emergency;
• Details of those with looked-after status or those who have left the care system for the provision of support;
• Information related to the prevention and detection of crime and the safety and security of staff and students, including, but not limited to, CCTV recording and data relating to breaches of University regulations;

This is not an exhaustive list, for further information please refer to our fair processing notice pages on uel.ac.uk. In all of its data processing activities, UEL is committed to ensuring that the personal data it collects stores and uses will be processed in line with the data protection principles which can be summarised as:

• Being processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner;
• Collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes;
• Adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary;
• Accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date;
• Kept in a form which permits identification of data subjects for no longer than is necessary;
• Processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal information;
• Be accountable for, and be able to demonstrate compliance with, the six principles above.

Student Responsibilities You must ensure that:

• All personal data provided to UEL is accurate and up-to-date. You must ensure that changes of address etc. are notified to the Student Hub.
• Students who use UEL's computing facilities may process personal data as part of their studies. If the processing of personal data takes place, students must take responsibility for that processing activity to ensure that it is in line with the data protection principles above.
• Students who are undertaking research projects using personal data must ensure that:
• The research subject is informed of the nature of the research and is given a copy of UEL's Fair Processing Notice and this Data Protection Policy.

12) Legal basis for use of data

By agreeing to these Terms of Admittance and enrolling at UEL, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions of a contract for the use of your personal data relating to your enrolment, and if appropriate, registration and ongoing participation in a programme of study. Your personal or special category data will be collected, processed, published and used by UEL, its online learning and teaching services and/or its partners and agents in ways which support the effective management of UEL and your programme of study, to allow for the delivery of bursary schemes and to support improvements to student experience and progression, and are consistent with: The terms of the Data Protection Act 2018; Any notification submitted to the Information Commissioner in accordance with this legislation; and compliance with any other relevant legislation. You have fundamental rights associated with how organisations use your personal data. Further information on data protection and use of your personal data can be found in our Data Protection Policy and on uel.ac.uk.

13) Intellectual property

You are entitled to the intellectual property rights created during your time studying at UEL that would belong to you under the applicable law. There are some programmes where the assignment of certain types of intellectual property to UEL is appropriate. UEL will require the assignment to it of intellectual property rights relating to postgraduate research that is part of an ongoing research programme. Where the nature of the research programme means that some assignment of intellectual property rights to UEL is appropriate, we will take what steps that we can to ensure that your interests are protected. UEL will take reasonable endeavours to ensure:-

• the scope of the assignment is narrow, and is restricted to what is necessary, for example, to protect UEL’s legitimate interests in the intellectual property created as party to a research programme;
• the application of the assignment is clearly defined so that it is clear to you in which circumstances the assignment will apply;
• where the assignment of the intellectual property is appropriate in the circumstances, we will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the rights of the parties are evenly balanced (for example, your work being acknowledged in a publication and, where appropriate, subject to an appropriate revenue sharing scheme)
• where UEL claims ownership of intellectual property rights in relation to a taught programme of study, such treatment of those rights will be made clear in the published information relating to that programme.

14) How we communicate with you

UEL will communicate with you via a variety of channels, including postal letters, e-mail, SMS text messages and online notices. To enable this, we request that you provide us with your e-mail address, postal address, and contact telephone number when you first enrol. Throughout your studies, it is important that you keep your contact details up to date. You can view and edit this information by logging into our student portal, UEL Direct at https://uel.ac.uk/Direct . We will create a UEL e-mail account for you after you enrol. Your e-mail address will be your student number, prefixed with a ‘u’ and followed by ‘@uel.ac.uk’ – e.g.: [email protected]. UEL will use this e-mail address to communicate with you and it is important that you regularly check and manage this mailbox for important updates and information. You can access your email account, plus information about our services, news and events by logging into our Intranet, intranet.uel.ac.uk. At the login screen, enter your email address (as above) and password. Your default UEL password will be your date of birth, formulated as DD-MMM-YY, e.g. 31-jan-84. Your UEL email account and associated UEL IT accounts will be deleted not more than 6 months after you graduate or withdraw from your programme of study (if earlier).  

15) University of East London Students' Union

The University of East London Students' Union (UELSU) represents students at UEL. By enrolling at UEL you are automatically granted membership of both UELSU and the National Union of Students (NUS). If you wish to opt out from this membership, please inform UELSU in writing at either [email protected]  or by writing to Chief Executive, UELSU, University of East London, Docklands Campus, 4-6 University Way, London E16 2RD. UELSU provides a range of services and support to students and can provide advice and representation on any matter affecting the contract between you and UEL. For further information on this support, please visit www.uelunion.org

16) Students studying at partner institutions

If you are undertaking a programme of study at a partner institution you will need to generally abide by the above terms and also those of the partner institution. Further information and support in understanding these terms is available from the Academic Partnership Office -  [email protected] .

17) International students - additional responsibilities

All international students must also comply with UK Visa and Immigration requirements. All international students are required to hold a valid visa which permits study in the UK or hold a Tier 4 visa/have applied for a Tier 4 visa with a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies issued by UEL. Students who are being sponsored under a Tier 4 student visa must also understand and comply with the responsibilities of their student visa and cooperate with UEL in fulfilling our Tier 4 duties .

18) Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

UEL is committed to working together to build a learning community founded on equality of opportunity – a learning community which celebrates the rich diversity of our student and staff populations and one in which discriminatory behaviour is challenged and not tolerated within our community. Within the spirit of respecting difference, our equality and diversity policies promise fair treatment and equality of opportunity for all regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, disability or religion/belief (or lack of). In pursuing this aim, we want our community to value and to be at ease with its own diversity and to reflect the needs of the wider community within which we operate. For further information on this inclusive approach to education please visit our Student Policies page .

19) Complaints

We welcome feedback on our programmes and services and facilitate this in a variety of ways, including programme committees, module evaluation forms and surveys. However, if you are dissatisfied with a particular service or programme or the manner in which it has been delivered, you must let the person responsible for that service know as we will always try to resolve matters at the earliest opportunity via informal conciliation. If you are unsure who to approach, please e-mail The Hub who will be able to direct your concerns appropriately. If you remain dissatisfied with a service or programme, or the manner in which it is delivered, you should refer to our formal complaints procedure to have the matter formally addressed. In addition, once you have enrolled on your programme, you will also have access to the Advice and Information Service offered by UELSU. This access is not available to students studying at partner institutions.

20) Cancellation

If you wish to cancel this contract within 14 days of enrolment in your programme, you must do so in writing. Any fees that you have paid will be refunded – please see the Fees Policy for further information on obtaining a refund.

21) Further guidance

If any of the information in these Terms of Admittance or related policies is unclear or if you have any questions, please contact The Hub for guidance on +44 (0) 208 223 4444 .

22) Right to advice

This is a consumer contract and you are able to obtain independent advice in relation to its terms and conditions from UELSU as well as your local Citizens Advice Bureau.  

23) General

Neither you nor UEL will be liable for failure to perform their obligations under these Terms of Admittance if such failure arises from unforeseeable events, circumstances or causes outside of that party's reasonable control. Examples of such events include, but are not limited to, war, terrorism, industrial disputes, natural disasters, fire and national emergencies. Only you and UEL are parties to these Terms of Admittance. No other person shall have any rights under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 to enforce any term of these Terms of Admittance. Failure or delay by you or UEL to exercise any right or remedy provided under this contract shall not constitute a waiver of that or any other right or remedy, nor shall it prevent or restrict the further exercise of that or any other right or remedy. No single or partial exercise of such right or remedy shall prevent or restrict the further exercise of that or any other right or remedy. These Terms of Admittance are governed by the law of England and Wales and you and UEL agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

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MPhil/PhD Psychology

Content navigation menu, why study mphil/phd psychology at goldsmiths.

We're committed to developing our postgraduates into skilled researchers who can conduct rigorous research using a variety of methods and analytic techniques.

• Supervision can be offered in any of the areas of departmental activity .
• During your first year you may take a range of taught modules including research methods, theory, and statistics. Requirements will vary depending on any postgraduate training you have already undertaken.
• You will attend and contribute to research seminars, and through departmental and Goldsmiths-wide modules you will also be encouraged to develop practical skills such as public speaking, poster preparation, scientific writing, and how to interact with the media.
• You will meet regularly with your supervisor, and develop a structured approach to designing, executing, analysing and writing up your research.
• You will have access to the Department of Psychology 's range of laboratories, testing rooms and research equipment.
• You will also have an annual allowance to contribute towards your research expenses and/or conference attendance.

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact potential supervisors or Madoka Kumashiro .

3-4 years full-time or 4-6 years part-time

Home - full-time: £4786 Home - part-time: £2393 International - full-time: £17690

What kind of research could I do?

We are able to support PhD research in most areas of psychology.

Some students have already formulated specific research ideas before they apply here, and find a supervisor in the department who is able to help them develop these into a doctoral research programme. If this applies to you, see information on the expertise of all our staff and contact any who you think may be able to help you to pursue these.

Other students are attracted by the research interests of our staff, and may decide to undertake a project that has been suggested by them and which relates to their ongoing research. To explore these or other research ideas, start by emailing the member of staff whose research interests you and make arrangements with them to discuss research ideas.

You need to agree on a research proposal with a potential supervisor before you apply to the programme, so the first step is to contact potential supervisors .  You should provide them with an academic CV and inform them of your academic and research qualifications (including degree classification on your undergraduate and MSc degrees),. You should also mention if you need funding.

Staff research covers a broad range of psychological topics, including human behaviour and interaction, and individual differences.

Other staff specialisms relate to how and why people respond so powerfully to works of art and music.

You'll research

Our postgraduate students are offered a stimulating study environment in which to research their higher degree. We have a thriving postgraduate school with some 50 current students on full-time and part-time programmes, including mature students and international students.

Training and support

All our MPhil/PhD students are assigned a specific research supervisor (or sometimes joint supervisors).

Students undergo comprehensive training in psychological research methods (unless they already hold an MSc approved by the ESRC) in line with current ESRC training guidelines, including quantitative and qualitative research methods. This is mainly during the first year of registration (or first two years for part-time students). Students also attend various short generic research skills and methods training modules run by Goldsmiths.

Students have full access to the Department's excellent facilities for lab and field research, and first-rate technical support is available from the Department's team of full-time technical staff.

Progress and assessment

Students initially register for an MPhil until they achieve satisfactory upgrading to PhD status. This is dependent upon satisfactory progress reports, an upgrading report and a viva. The upgrading report is usually completed after 12 months full-time, or 24 months part-time. The report will include a plan of the thesis, a timetable, and one draft thesis chapter (or equivalent) and will be discussed at a presentation to the Departmental Postgraduate Committee.

Students will also be required to present their work at the Postgraduate symposium. Submission of the thesis is the final stage of the work, when your completed thesis is presented for examination (viva voce).

Most postgraduates take three years to complete a PhD full-time, and four to six years part-time. The maximum time period from registration to submission is four years of full-time study (eight years part-time). Your progress on your thesis is regularly monitored by the Department's Postgraduate Programmes Committee. The Head of Department can recommend suspension from the programme at any stage if progress is not satisfactory.

Enjoy a single-site campus experience just 10 minutes by train to Central or East London

Postgraduates have regular opportunities to meet with other students and to make contact with staff.

Postgraduate facilities

All full-time students have their own workplace and a networked computer with access to relevant software. Part-time students also have access to a networked computer, generally shared between two or three students. We also run a psychological test library for staff and students.

Seminars and presentations

Our postgraduates have regular opportunities to meet with other students and to make contact with staff. The department runs a number of active visiting lecturer seminar series. There are also several specialised research groups that hold regular meetings and talks that are open to staff, researchers and postgraduate students.

Postgraduates are also strongly encouraged to present their work as a paper or poster at national or international conferences and financial support is set aside for this.

Skills and careers

You will receive training in and develop wide-ranging research skills, including:

• Database searching and bibliographic skills
• Managing and analysing data
• Presentation and communication skills
• Quantitative and qualitative research methods
• Handling legal and ethical issues in research
• Research design
• Project management

Studentships and departmental funding

There are several scholarship and studentship opportunities you could be eligible for as a psychology research degree applicant. The deadlines for applying for funding for 2024 entry have now passed, however the information below indicates the breadth of opportunities that could be available in future.

It is important that you contact a potential supervisor as soon as possible as they can provide you with more information about potential research projects and can advise you on whether a particular source of funding is suitable for you. Please note that funding is extremely competitive, and successful students would usually be expected to have had considerable research experience (through their degrees and working or volunteering in research labs). Potential supervisors may also have funding through their grants or may be able to recommend additional funding sources. You will also not be admitted without supervisor support of your research proposal, so it is essential that you contact them first.

You must indicate on the Psychology Department PhD application form  if you wish to be considered for one of these studentships (see the 'How to apply' section for information).

Departmental awards

Explore the postgraduate funding available from the Psychology Department . Application deadlines for departmental bursaries and SENSS studentship funding will typically be in December to start in the next academic year in September. There may be other funding available throughout the year, os please keep checking back, and contact potential supervisors as they may be aware of additional funding.

Fees and funding

Annual tuition fees.

These are the PG fees for students starting their programme in the 2024/2025 academic year.

• Home - full-time: £4786
• Home - part-time: £2393
• International - full-time: £17690

If your fees are not listed here, please check our postgraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office , who can also advise you about how to pay your fees.

It’s not currently possible for international students to study part-time under a student visa. If you think you might be eligible to study part-time while being on another visa type, please contact our Admissions Team for more information.

If you are looking to pay your fees please see our guide to making a payment .

Funding opportunities

Goldsmiths scholarships and studentships.

Explore the Goldsmiths scholarships finder  to find out what funding you may be eligible for.

Paying your fees

Find out about paying your tuition fees .

Additional costs

In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page .

There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments.

Entry requirements

You should normally have (or expect to be awarded) a taught Masters (upper second-class or Merit, equivalent to a B) in a relevant subject area in order to be eligible for a Departmental studentship.

Students with a relevant Bachelors degree are eligible for a 1+3 ESRC studentship, which will cover the costs of a taught MSc degree and PhD. Similarly, a taught Masters is not required for applications for a self-funded PhD although you will be required to complete modules in research methods and statistics as part of your degree.

You might also be considered for some programmes if you aren’t a graduate or your degree is in an unrelated field, but have relevant experience and can show that you have the ability to work at postgraduate level.

International qualifications

We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the  qualifications we accept from around the world .

If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or  equivalent English language qualification ) of  6.5 with a 6.5 in writing and no element lower than 6.0  to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of  courses that can help prepare you for postgraduate study .

How to apply

You apply directly to Goldsmiths using our online application system.

Please contact a potential supervisor first as your application will not be considered without supervisor support.

Before submitting your application you'll need to have:

• A completed copy of the Psychology Department PhD application form , which you should attach to your online application (see guidance below)
• Details of your education history , including the dates of all exams/assessments
• The email address of your referee who we can request a reference from, or alternatively an electronic copy of your academic reference
• Contact details of a second referee
• A personal statement – this can either be uploaded as a Word Document or PDF, or completed online
• If available, an electronic copy of your educational transcript (this is particularly important if you have studied outside of the UK, but isn’t mandatory)

Please note that your application will not be considered unless all of this information is included in your application.

You'll be able to save your progress at any point and return to your application by logging in using your username/email and password.

Psychology Department PhD application form

For this will need to provide:

• A research proposal
• A proposed timeline for your PhD
• A personal statement
• The name of your proposed supervisor at Goldsmiths
• A statement of support from your proposed supervisor at Goldsmiths
• The name of your proposed second supervisor (you can consult with your primary proposed supervisor about who
• would be suitable)
• Funding eligibility
• Any training needs you might have
• Whether you're intending part-time or full-time study
• A copy of your CV

When to apply

The deadline for applications for departmental studentships (Departmental Bursary and ESRC SENSS student-led studentships) starting in September of 2024 has now passed (the typical deadline is December or January). Other funding may be announced by the university or through external sources, so please check external sources or with your supervisor about deadlines and requirements.

Applications from candidates who are self-funded are accepted throughout the year, with students having the option of starting at the beginning of an academic term (typically September, January, and April). Interviews (typically online) will be arranged on an ad hoc basis. Decisions will normally be made within two weeks of the interview.

If you are interested in self-funding, please contact Dr Gianna Cocchini, G.Cocchini (@gold.ac.uk) . Otherwise, for funded studentships, please contact your proposed supervisor, the contact provided on the external funding website, or Dr Madoka Kumashiro, M.Kumashiro (@gold.ac.uk) , Psychology Department PhD director, for more information.

Selection process

Admission to the programme is based on an interview (typically online) and the panel’s assessment of your application.

Further guidance

Find out more about applying .

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Course type

Qualification, university name, doctorate psychology in england.

178 degrees at 69 universities in England.

Customise your search

Select the start date, qualification, and how you want to study

About Postgraduate Psychology

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and human behaviour. It is a highly versatile field and psychologists explore a diversity of topics, including cognitive processes, emotional regulation, behaviour, neuroscience and social interactions, using research methods and empirical evidence. In England, achieving a doctoral degree in psychology represents the pinnacle of academic study in the field and indicates a practical qualification which is geared toward applying research to specific professional settings.

To gain a place on a doctoral course in psychology in England, you’ll usually be required to hold a relevant master's degree in psychology or a related field, along with a strong research background. Fortunately, psychology is a popular course at this level, and there are over 150 courses at more than 60 institutions in England alone, so you’ll find many options of places to study.

What to expect

As a doctoral student, you can expect an intellectually rigorous and research-intensive experience. You’ll be researching a fairly specialised topic within the field of psychology, and this is likely something which you began to focus on at master’s level. It can form the basis for a career pathway once you begin to work professionally, and research topics often include things like clinical psychology, cognitive neuroscience and organisational psychology.

Related subjects:

• Doctorate Psychology
• Doctorate Applied Psychology
• Doctorate Behavioural Psychology
• Doctorate Child Psychology
• Doctorate Clinical Psychology
• Doctorate Cognitive Psychology
• Doctorate Criminal Psychology
• Doctorate Educational Psychology
• Doctorate Forensic Psychology
• Doctorate General Psychology
• Doctorate Human Sexuality
• Doctorate Occupational Psychology
• Doctorate Organisational Behaviour
• Doctorate Organisational Psychology
• Doctorate Psychological Counselling
• Doctorate Psychology Specialisations
• Doctorate Social Psychology
• Doctorate Sports Psychology

• Course title (A-Z)
• Course title (Z-A)
• Price: high - low
• Price: low - high

Psychology MSc (Res)

University of central lancashire.

Our postgraduate research degrees in psychology will enable you to enhance your skills as a researcher and contribute to the advancement of Read more...

• 1 year Full time degree: £5,000 per year (UK)
• 3 years Part time degree: £2,500 per year (UK)

Psychology PhD

London south bank university.

A member of staff, expert in the chosen field, is directly responsible for guiding and supporting your research programme. As a research Read more...

• 6 years Distance without attendance degree: £4,820 per year (UK)
• 3 years Full time degree: £4,820 per year (UK)
• 5 years Part time degree: £2,892 per year (UK)

Postgraduate Research in Clinical Psychology

University of east anglia uea.

We are a top tier, research-led university and are committed to making a substantial impact on the global challenges facing society. Our Read more...

• 3 years Full time degree: £4,712 per year (UK)
• 6 years Part time degree: £2,356 per year (UK)

Health Psychology DHealthPsy

Bristol, university of the west of england.

This part-time programme provides BPS-accredited Stage 2 training, a doctoral-level education and a professional Health Care Professions Read more...

• 3 years Part time degree

Anglia Ruskin University

Students undertaking a PhD in Psychology at Anglia Ruskin become part of a newly established and rapidly expanding centre of research Read more...

• 2 years Full time degree: £4,786 per year (UK)
• 2.5 years Full time degree: £4,786 per year (UK)
• 3 years Part time degree: £2,392 per year (UK)
• 3.5 years Part time degree: £2,392 per year (UK)

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

University of Gloucestershire

Conduct your own piece of research in psychological sciences. Contribute to knowledge in the sector while improving your professional Read more...

• 4 years Full time degree: £5,100 per year (UK)
• 6 years Part time degree: £3,400 per year (UK)

Human Resources and Organisational Behaviour, MPhil/PhD

Faculty of engineering & science, university of greenwich.

Our research degree (MPhil/PhD) allows you to undertake rigorous and critical exploration in the area of work, employment, human resource Read more...

• 1.5 years Full time degree
• 2.5 years Part time degree

Royal Holloway, University of London

The Department of Psychology is a dynamic and varied research community covering the cognitive and neural underpinnings of social Read more...

• 4 years Full time degree: £4,786 per year (UK)

Prof Doc Clinical Psychology

University of east london.

The Professional Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsych) course provides a comprehensive training programme comprising concurrent Read more...

• 3 years Full time degree

PhD Sport and Exercise Psychology

University of essex.

Within our multidisciplinary School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, we offer research supervision in all areas of staff Read more...

• 7 years Part time degree: £2,393 per year (UK)

PhD Psychology

University of hull.

About our programmes We offer three types of research degree PhD, MSc by Thesis and MRes Research Methods in Psychology. The PhD Read more...

• 3 years Full time degree: £4,786 per year (UK)
• 5 years Part time degree: £2,393 per year (UK)

Genetics PhD, MPhil - Behavioural Genetics

University of leicester.

The School of Genetics and Genome Biology offers supervision for the degrees of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) - full-time and Read more...

• 6 years Part time degree: £2,393 per year (UK)

Applied Educational Psychology Doctorate (DAppEdPsy)

Newcastle university.

This doctorate will enable you to become a registered educational psychologist in the UK. It is accredited by the BPS and approved by the Read more...

• 36 months Full time degree

Forensic Psychology Top-up DForenPsy

University of nottingham.

Our Stage 2 training programme is ideal for those who have already completed Stage 1 training (already holding a BPS accredited Masters in Read more...

• 2 years Full time degree: £11,850 per year (UK)
• 4 years Part time degree: £7,110 per year (UK)

DClinPsych Clinical Psychology

University of plymouth.

Become a competent and capable clinical psychologist. Receive training which emphasises psychotherapy, reflective practice, complex Read more...

University of Surrey

Why choose this programme Contribute to research that’s focused on the application of psychology in the real world Benefit from our Read more...

• 4 years Full time degree: £4,712 per year (UK)
• 8 years Part time degree: £2,356 per year (UK)

University of Roehampton

The Centre for Research and Knowledge Exchange in Psychological Wellbeing (CREW) brings together the School of Psychology’s unique Read more...

• 4 years Full time degree: £4,711 per year (UK)
• 7 years Part time degree: £2,356 per year (UK)

Applied Psychology - PhD

University of kent.

The Centre offers excellent opportunities for full or part-time research in intellectual disability and community care leading to higher Read more...

Brunel University London

Research profile Research in Psychology is broad in scope and includes cognitive neuroscience, neuropsychology, evolutionary psychology, Read more...

1-20 of 178 courses

Course type:

• Distance learning Doctorate
• Full time Doctorate
• Part time Doctorate

Qualification:

Universities:.

• Liverpool John Moores University
• Royal Northern College of Music
• City, University of London
• University of West London
• University of Warwick
• University of Oxford Department for Continuing Education
• Canterbury Christ Church University
• University of Suffolk
• University of Buckingham
• University of Portsmouth
• University of Sussex
• Imperial College Business School
• King's College London, University of London
• University of Reading
• University of Brighton
• UCL (University College London)
• Coventry University
• University of Chester
• University of Lincoln
• Henley Business School

Related Subjects:

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• Entry year 2024
• Duration Full time 3 - 4 years, Part time 4 - 7 years

A PhD consists of an extensive and coherent research programme, typically involving three to four years of full-time study. We welcome proposals for PhD research that offer programmatic ideas connected with staff research projects and interests. We think of PhDs as student-led yet collaborative research projects.

We provide extensive support and training to ensure that PhD students are well equipped to make their work productive, effective and influential, ultimately leading to a successful and timely submission of a PhD thesis.

Your department

• Psychology Faculty of Science and Technology
• Telephone +44 (0)1524 592032

Find a PhD Supervisor

To begin to develop your PhD proposal, you need to find an academic whose research interests match your own. Our research is divided into four themes. Each theme is led by a team of research-active staff, at the forefront of their fields.

How do babies develop an understanding of the world around them?

Our expertise focuses on language at multiple levels from phonemes to literacy, and cognition from behavioural regulation to embodied cognition, and beyond.

Investigating human interactions with the world via sensory and motor processes.

We use a range of quantitative and qualitative methodologies to study the social and cognitive processes that shape human actions and evaluations of others.

Entry requirements

Academic requirements.

2:1 Hons degree (UK or equivalent) in Psychology or related cognate subject.

We may also consider non-standard applicants, please contact us for information.

If you have studied outside of the UK, we would advise you to check our list of international qualifications before submitting your application.

Additional Requirements

As part of your application you will need to provide a viable research proposal.

English Language Requirements

We may ask you to provide a recognised English language qualification, dependent upon your nationality and where you have studied previously.

We normally require an IELTS (Academic) Test with an overall score of at least 7.0, and a minimum of 6.0 in each element of the test. We also consider other English language qualifications .

If your score is below our requirements, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language programmes .

Contact: Admissions Team +44 (0) 1524 592032 or email [email protected]

Fees and funding

General fees and funding information

There may be extra costs related to your course for items such as books, stationery, printing, photocopying, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits. Following graduation, you may need to pay a subscription to a professional body for some chosen careers.

Specific additional costs for studying at Lancaster are listed below.

College fees

Lancaster is proud to be one of only a handful of UK universities to have a collegiate system. Every student belongs to a college, and all students pay a small College Membership Fee  which supports the running of college events and activities. Students on some distance-learning courses are not liable to pay a college fee.

For students starting in 2023 and 2024, the fee is £40 for undergraduates and research students and £15 for students on one-year courses. Fees for students starting in 2025 have not yet been set.

Computer equipment and internet access

To support your studies, you will also require access to a computer, along with reliable internet access. You will be able to access a range of software and services from a Windows, Mac, Chromebook or Linux device. For certain degree programmes, you may need a specific device, or we may provide you with a laptop and appropriate software - details of which will be available on relevant programme pages. A dedicated  IT support helpdesk  is available in the event of any problems.

The University provides limited financial support to assist students who do not have the required IT equipment or broadband support in place.

For most taught postgraduate applications there is a non-refundable application fee of £40. We cannot consider applications until this fee has been paid, as advised on our online secure payment system. There is no application fee for postgraduate research applications.

For some of our courses you will need to pay a deposit to accept your offer and secure your place. We will let you know in your offer letter if a deposit is required and you will be given a deadline date when this is due to be paid.

The fee that you pay will depend on whether you are considered to be a home or international student. Read more about how we assign your  fee status .

If you are studying on a programme of more than one year’s duration, tuition fees are reviewed annually and are not fixed for the duration of your studies. Read more about  fees in subsequent years .

Scholarships and bursaries

You may be eligible for the following funding opportunities, depending on your fee status and course. You will be automatically considered for our main scholarships and bursaries when you apply, so there's nothing extra that you need to do.

Unfortunately no scholarships and bursaries match your selection, but there are more listed on scholarships and bursaries page.

If you're considering postgraduate research you should look at our funded PhD opportunities .

We also have other, more specialised scholarships and bursaries - such as those for students from specific countries.

Browse Lancaster University's scholarships and bursaries .

Similar courses

• Clinical Psychology DClinPsy
• Developmental Disorders MSc
• Developmental Psychology MSc
• Natural Sciences MSc by Research
• Natural Sciences PhD
• Psychological Research Methods MSc
• Psychology and Behavioural Analytics MSc
• Psychology of Advertising MSc

Funding Opportunities

Each year, the Department offers several PhD studentships, as well as opportunities to support applications for studentships via the ESRC’s North West Social Sciences Doctoral Training Partnership (NWSSDTP).

Studentships typically provide funding for 3 or 3.5 years and cover fees, a maintenance stipend and access to a Research Training and Support Grant. Additionally, all new PhD students receive a laptop with a monitor and workstation.

Some studentships cover fees for applicants with a ‘Home’ fee status only, while other studentships cover fees for applicants with a ‘Home’ or an ‘International’ fee status.

More information on how the University determines an applicants’ fee status can be found on our Fee Status pages.

The Department supports applications for studentships via the Economic and Social Research Council’s North West Social Sciences Doctoral Training Partnership (NWSSDTP), which include standard studentships and CASE studentships (for collaboration with a non-higher education partner). NWSSDTP studentships are open to both applicants with a ‘Home’ fees or an ‘International’ fee status. However, across the DTP, no more than 30% of studentships can be allocated to applicants with an ‘International’ fee status. Within the NWSSDTP, applicants can apply for funding for a master degree in combination with doctoral studies (1+3) or for funding to support their doctoral studies (+3). The NWSSDTP currently supports several studentships ring-fenced for students from a Global Majority background. The ESRC has also awarded the NWSSDTP a number of ‘steered’ studentships in the ‘priority areas’ of advanced quantitative methods, longitudinal studies (using ESRC datasets) and interdisciplinary work. Please visit our ‘Current Opportunities’ for information on how to apply via our Department.

The Department of Psychology at Lancaster University regularly has a studentship funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council available. This usually is a studentship for PhD funding (+3). It provides full tuition fees, a maintenance stipend (at the general UKRI rate) and access to a research training support grant. These studentships are open to both applicants with a ‘Home’ fee or an ‘International’ fee status. However, across the DTP, no more than 30% of studentships can be allocated to applicants with an ‘International’ fee status. As a department, we particularly encourage applications to work with early career staff. This year these include: Dr Amy Atkinson, Dr Marina Bazhydai, Dr Jaime Benjamin, Dr Mark Hurlstone, Dr Heather Shaw, Dr Hannah Stewart, Dr L-J Stokes, Dr Lydia Speyer, and Dr David Neequaye. Applications to work with these members of staff are weighted preferentially at the short-listing stage for this studentship. Please see under ‘Current Opportunities’ for information on the application process

The Department of Psychology at Lancaster University usually has one or more studentships funded by the Faculty of Science and Technology available. The award is for PhD funding (+3) and provides tuition fees at the ‘Home/UK’ rate, a maintenance stipend in accordance with UKRI rates, and access to a grant towards research training support. Applicants with an ‘International’ fee status must fund the difference between Home/UK and International fees themselves, if successful. As a department, we particularly encourage applications to work with early career staff. This year these include: Dr Amy Atkinson, Dr Jaime Benjamin, Dr Mark Hurlstone, Dr David Neequaye, Dr Heather Shaw, Dr Lydia Speyer, Dr Hannah Stewart, and Dr L-J Stokes. Applications to work with these members of staff are weighted preferentially at the short-listing stage for this studentship. Please see under ‘Current Opportunities’ for information on the application process.

Lancaster University-China Scholarship Council Joint Scholarship

The Department of Psychology is happy to support applications to the Lancaster University-China Scholarship Council Joint Scholarship . If you would like to apply via the Department of Psychology, please contact [email protected] for information on the application process.

Older adults’ vulnerability to deception in new digital technologies

Phd project.

• Background . Older adults (60+ years) often have lower digital skills (Bhattacharjee et al., 2020). They are less accurate than younger adults in discriminating manipulated images from real ones (Nightingale et al., 2022) and they are more vulnerable to fake news (Moore & Hancock, 2022) and online scams (Fraud on the Elderly, 2013). Several social and cognitive factors affect older adults’ vulnerability, including (I) being too trusting, (II) social isolation, (III) psychological vulnerability and (IV) risk taking (Shao et al., 2019). Interventions have been developed to help older adults detect fake news and manipulated images (Moore & Hancock, 2022; Nightingale et al., 2022). Recent technological developments, such as AI, Deepfakes, and immersive virtual & augmented realities may leave older adults more vulnerable than younger adults to deception and manipulation using these technologies.
• Methodology . The PhD will consist of multiple studies, each looking at a specific technological context.

The first study will focus on disinformation and AI-generated images. It will investigate the importance of cognitive biases (including risk-taking, sensory defects and experience with the technology) and social factors (e.g. ethnicity, social networks, social isolation, trust) in accepting disinformation and AI-generated images. It will also study the efficacy of interventions (Nightingale et al. 2022) that intend to help people detect disinformation and image manipulation.

The second study will focus on the detection of manipulated video (both AI-generated “deepfakes” and simpler manipulations, such as false subtitles). The study will investigate participants familiarity with these manipulations, and factors that predict their ability to detect them (including those in work package 1) and test the efficacy of Nightingale et al.’s (2022) intervention in helping participants detect them.

The third study will focus on participants' attitudes to immersive technologies and manipulated content. Do older people perceive immersive technology as ‘real’ and what would they consider ‘fake’ or ‘manipulated’ in such virtual or augmented spaces?

Supervisors

• From Psychology
• Dr Lara Warmelink (Director of Studies)
• Dr Sophie Nightingale
• Professor Trevor Crawford
• From Health Research
• Dr Faraz Ahmed

Candidate requirements

Candidates should have:

• a good undergraduate degree in Psychology, Computer Science, Communication or a cogent discipline
• experience with data collection and/or data analysis.

To have worked with older adults

Studentship start date : October 2024

Funding details: EPSRC stipend plus tuition fees for UK students

How to apply : Submit an application for full-time study here Applying for postgraduate study - Lancaster University and complete the Qualtrics Survey here Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management

Deadline: 31 st May 2024

For more information, please contact Dr Lara Warmelink at [email protected]

Developmental Psychology: Impact of Children’s Auditory Technology

Project description : Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD studentship to study the impact of children’s auditory technology on communication in a naturalistic listening environment. The project will be based on the Paediatric Listening, Cognition and Neuroscience (PELiCAN) Lab at the Department of Psychology , Lancaster University .

Children with mild to moderate hearing loss (MMHL) are behind their peers in educational attainment and in language development through to adulthood and do not get as much benefit from auditory technology as adults. We are seeking to recruit a curious and highly motivated PhD student to be part of Hannah Stewart’s UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship ‘Impact of Children’s Auditory Technology (iCAT)’. The overarching aim of iCAT is to provide the evidence base needed to deliver child-appropriate auditory technologies for primary school-aged children with MMHL.

You will work on iCAT’s naturalistic assessment of the listening project. This is a ‘blue skies’ project combining social behavioural (e.g., eye and motion tracking) and behavioural outcomes with mobile neuroimaging, to assess communication between children and a teacher in a naturalistic research classroom. This PhD studentship focuses on the social behavioural side of the project. In particular, you will be trained in hearing sciences, and eye and motion tracking study design and analysis.

You will join a multidisciplinary team of highly driven researchers from experimental psychology, auditory neuroscience, and education. The Psychology Department has a very active auditory group, including six permanent academic staff, postdoctoral researchers, and PhD students. The department is committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusivity as demonstrated by our Athena Swan Silver Award.

The PhD candidate must have a first or upper-second-class Undergraduate honours degree or Master in a discipline relevant to the project. While we expect that this project would suit graduates from a psychology background, we are also keen to receive applications from a wide range of backgrounds that might enhance the project. The technical demands of the expected work may well suit applicants from a mathematics, computer science, or linguistics background. A demonstrable understanding and passion for psychological research is essential. Experience working with children is highly desirable, but not essential. The successful PhD candidate will need to complete an enhanced DBS check.

This PhD studentship is fully funded for up to 3.5 years with a tax-free studentship stipend of £18,622, along with paid tuition fees, subject to satisfactory progress. A budget for training and attending conferences will also be provided. Due to tuition fee restrictions, these positions are only available to applicants who are eligible for UK fee status (see https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/study/fees-and-funding/fee-status/ for further details).

For informal enquiries about the project please contact Hannah Stewart ( [email protected] ).

Studentship start date : October 2024 or January 2025

How to apply : Please email the following documents to [email protected] with the title “Impact of Children’s Auditory Technology PhD studentship” by 5 th June 2024. The successful candidate will be asked to submit an application to Lancaster University for full-time PhD study with a start date of either October 2024 or January 2025 as agreed.

• Two page CV
• Names and contact details of two referees. One of the references must be academic.
• A one-page personal statement which demonstrates the applicant’s
• motivation for choosing a PhD project exploring the social behavioural impact of children’s auditory technology on communication in a naturalistic listening environment
• readiness for a PhD studentship

Deadline: 5 th June 2024

Important Information

The information on this site relates primarily to 2024/2025 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information .

Our Students’ Charter

We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. View our Charter and other policies .

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