This programme has been carefully developed for students who are interested in gaining advanced knowledge of psychological theory as this relates to social and political issues and the potential for such knowledge to generate progressive social change. The degree programme will equip you to engage critically and analytically with these issues and help you to develop novel ways of thinking about yourself, those around you and society at large. The theoretical and applied nature of this programme will offer you the opportunity to study how psychology helps interpret some of the most pressing social and political issues facing human society in the 21st Century and how it can contribute to tackling some of them.
In addition to your taught components, you will have the opportunity to undertake a dissertation project on a topic of your choice under the direct supervision of a member of staff. You will be able to use quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-method approaches.
A further unique feature of this degree programme is that it involves you in the design and implementation of an Action Research Project that is aimed at bringing a tangible, positive change on or off campus in collaboration with your fellow students and under the supervision of your Module Leader.
The programme is aimed primarily at students with a degree in Psychology but will also be valuable and relevant to students with an interest or background in Criminology, International Relations, Politics, Sociology, History, and other relevant Social Sciences degrees. Applicants without a degree will be considered on a case by case basis, where they can provide evidence of relevant professional experience or other experiential prior learning.
DURATION: 2-year full-time
SUBJECT AREAS: Natural Sciences, Psychology, Science
FEES (2021/22 ACADEMIC YEAR): £16,500
SCHOLARSHIPS: £1,000 to £10,000
Key Features
- Strong focus on your personal skills development throughout the course to help you pursue your career goals
- Opportunities to pursue your personal interests with expert support
- A broad range of research methods training to maximise your employability skills
- Small group specialist teaching in your chosen field from research-active tutors
- A large cohort of MSc students sharing the core modules provides a lively and supportive peer community
Overall Aims
- To equip you to formulate and conduct psychological research projects;
- To develop your knowledge of different theoretical perspectives, philosophical traditions and methodological approaches to psychology;
- To enable you to understand the strengths and weaknesses of different research methods and different forms of data, and to evaluate their appropriateness for different research problems;
- To enable you to define and formulate research questions and testable hypotheses, and to design appropriate research to answer these questions using relevant methods of data collection, consistent with British Psychological Society principles of ethics and research governance;
- To provide you with knowledge of quantitative and qualitative approaches to research and data analysis techniques;
- To provide you with a range of opportunities to engage with advanced research in substantive areas relevant to their own research topic and to the discipline of psychology;
- To provide you with opportunities to enhance and develop your written and communication skills, independent learning skills, and critical reflection and evaluation skills.