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Why study this course?
Our Psychology (Conversion) MSc offers you a broad curriculum in psychology. Apply for the course if you're a non-psychology graduate or a graduate with a non-accredited psychology degree who wants to qualify for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society (BPS). The course covers the BPS' GBC curriculum and offers option modules in applied psychology. The official award for this degree is Psychology MSc.
Become a member of the BPS
Successful completion of this British Psychological Society (BPS) accredited degree will make you eligible for Graduate Membership and Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC)
Choose your new career path
This conversion course has been specifically designed for non-psychology graduates and graduates with non-accredited psychology degrees
Learn about every major aspect of psychology
The course covers the British Psychological Society (BPS) Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) curriculum and offers option modules in applied psychology
Course modules
The modules listed below are for the academic year 2024/25 and represent the course modules at this time. Modules and module details (including, but not limited to, location and time) are subject to change over time.
Year modules
Advanced Research Methods for Psychology
This module currently runs:spring semester - Monday morning
(core, 20 credits)
This module builds on the topics introduced in PY7223 Introductory Research Methods for Psychology and is designed to provide you with the advanced knowledge and skills required to conduct research in psychology. Using active learning methods, you will learn how to formulate research questions and hypotheses and how to translate these into research designs. You will learn how to gather, conduct, interpret, and present qualitative and quantitative data in accordance with professional publication standards and the principles of open science. You will develop your understanding of core concepts in statistical theory (e.g., null hypotheses significance testing; sampling distributions) and your ability to use and interpret a wide range of descriptive and inferential statistical tests (e.g., correlation, linear regression, t-tests, analysis of variance) using statistical software. You will also enhance your understanding of the epistemological, ontological, and methodological underpinnings of qualitative research in psychology and your ability to interpret qualitative data using different methods and techniques. The module will thus develop your knowledge and understanding of different approaches, methods, and techniques in psychological research and your ability to implement them in appropriate ways in line with the principles of open science. It will also equip you with a range of transferable skills that are essential for further study in psychology and valued in different employment contexts.
Read full detailsBiopsychology and Cognition
This module currently runs:autumn semester - Monday afternoon
(core, 20 credits)
This module will help you to develop a systematic understanding of the biological and cognitive underpinnings of different aspects of human behaviour. Biological and cognitive processes will be introduced and placed within an evidence-based framework in which you will be encouraged to critically evaluate theory and empirical work. The module will: (a) develop your understanding of the biological and cognitive bases of a range of processes, functions and behaviours (e.g., memory, attention, decision making); (b) provide a critical understanding of and ability to use an evidence-based approach in which research is integrated into the understanding of key topics; (c) develop your analytic skills and ability to critically evaluate key theory and research in biological and cognitive psychology; and (d) understand the relative contributions and inter-related nature of both biological and cognitive processes as explanations of behaviour.
Read full detailsDevelopmental Psychology
This module currently runs:spring semester - Monday afternoon
(core, 20 credits)
This module will allow you to develop your understanding of how human behaviour changes across the lifespan, emphasising changes in thinking and cognition during childhood and beyond. It will allow you to examine the historical context of theory and research in this branch of psychology and the importance of cross-cultural research in developing universal theories of child development. You will develop a systematic understanding of theories of cognitive and social development throughout the lifespan and your ability to think critically about these theories within the context of empirical evidence. The module will thus enhance your knowledge and skills necessary for further study in psychology and working in various professional contexts.
Read full detailsDissertation
This module currently runs:spring semester - Monday evening
summer studies - Monday evening
(core, 60 credits)
This module builds upon the topics introduced in PY7223 Introduction to Research Methods in Psychology and PY7P11 Dissertation and allows you to apply the knowledge and skills required developed in those modules to design, conduct, and present an empirical research project. It will develop your understanding of the scientific method and your ability to collect valid and reliable research data through an ethically sound process in line with the principles of open science. It will develop your ability to conduct statistical and/or qualitative data analysis using appropriate methods and software as appropriate; write a research report in line with professional publication standards and the principles of open science; and present a poster based on the empirical study and its findings. In doing so, the module will equip you with a range of transferable skills necessary for further study or employment.
Read full detailsIndividual Differences
This module currently runs:autumn semester - Monday afternoon
(core, 20 credits)
This module will (a) provide you with a critical understanding of key theories and models of individual differences; (b) develop your understanding of how individual differences can be scientifically investigated using appropriate research methodologies; (c) enhance your skills in the development of academic argument and critical evaluation; and (d) apply this knowledge and skills in different settings, including employment settings.
Read full detailsIntroductory Research Methods for Psychology
This module currently runs:autumn semester - Monday morning
(core, 20 credits)
The aim of this module is to introduce you to a wide range of psychological methods of investigation. You will learn how to conduct psychological research and to critically evaluate the research findings. You will learn how to ethically collect and analyse both quantitative and qualitative data using a range of descriptive and inferential statistics; conduct and interpret data using appropriate methods and software as appropriate; and report empirical research findings in different ways in line with professional publication standards and the principles of open science. The module will thus enhance your knowledge and transferable skills necessary for further study in psychology and will provide a firm foundation for your progression to PY7224 Advanced Research Methods and PY7P11 Dissertation.
Read full detailsSocial Psychology
This module currently runs:spring semester - Monday evening
(core, 20 credits)
The aim of this module is to explore core concepts, theories and research explaining how individuals think about and seek to understand their social world through their interactions with others at the group and societal levels. You will develop a critical understanding of key theories and models of social psychological phenomena in their historical and cultural contexts; how such theories and models can be scientifically investigated using appropriate research methodologies; how knowledge of social psychological phenomenon can be ethically applied in different settings; and how such knowledge may differ across cultures. The module will enhance your transferable skills necessary for further study in psychology and working in various professional contexts.
Read full details