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Study an online Psychology MSc from Northumbria University.

Whether you’re looking to begin your psychology career, grow your existing one or simply explore your interest in the field, our online psychology conversion Masters will help you understand which area of psychology is right for you, and develop a successful career in your chosen area.

The course offers BPS (British Psychological Society) accreditation, which is internationally recognised in the industry. It will ensure you develop the core knowledge of psychology needed by the BPS for Graduate Membership (GBC) – the first essential milestone on your journey towards a future as a Chartered Psychologist. And with a 100% online learning mode, you can access learning materials anytime, anywhere on our bespoke eLearning platform, Blackboard Ultra.

Delivered in a flexible carousel structure, the course includes a range of modules including Biological and Social Psychology where you’ll learn the fundamentals of inherent and learnt psychology, and Individual Differences where you can unpick psychological approaches to intelligence and personality.

Our Masters takes around two years to complete and is delivered part-time. The recommended study time is fifteen hours a week which ensures your workload is manageable and can fit around your other commitments. Each module, with the exception of the final thesis module, includes ten weeks of learning, followed by an assessment which varies from essays to multiple-choice exams. The thesis module in delivered over a longer period of 30 weeks.

Have a question about the Psychology MSc? Visit our course FAQ page and find out more about our online degrees

  • Email: DLstudentenquiries@northumbria.ac.uk
  • Phone: +442843780292

> REQUEST MORE INFORMATION

 

In order to ensure BPS accreditation standards are met, and the quality of this course is upheld, places on the next intake will be limited. Due to high demand, places will be allocated on a first come first served basis to applicants who meet the entry criteria. Our application portal is now open for the next intake and we encourage you to submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment. If you’d like to speak to someone about the course, please feel free to contact us.

Course Information

Level of Study
Postgraduate

Mode of Study
2 years Part Time (Distance Learning)
3 other options available

Department
Psychology

Location
Northumberland Building, Newcastle City Campus

City
Newcastle

Start
Upcoming Intakes: January 2025, April 2025

Fees
Fee Information

Modules
Module Information

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Entry Requirements 2025/26

Standard Entry

Applicants should normally have:

A minimum of a 2:2 honours degree or equivalent.

International qualifications:

If you have studied a non UK qualification, you can see how your qualifications compare to the standard entry criteria, by selecting the country that you received the qualification in, from our country pages. Visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/yourcountry

English Language requirements:

International applicants are required to have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 with 6.0 in each component (or approved equivalent*).

*The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades you will need in our English Language section. Visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/englishqualifications

Fees and Funding 2025/26 Entry

Full UK Fee: TBC

Full International Fee: TBC



Scholarships and Discounts

Discover More about Fees, Scholarships and other Funding options for UK and International applicants.

ADDITIONAL COSTS

There are no Additional Costs

Our Application Process

Applying for this course is quick and easy, and can be done using our online applicant portal.

 

As part of the application process, you’ll need to upload a selection of important documents including:

  • Your Bachelor’s degree certificate
  • A copy of your degree transcript (if this was awarded in a language other than English, you’ll need an official translation too)
  • Evidence of any other postgraduate or professional qualifications
  • An updated CV/resume
  • Proof of your English Language proficiency (if English is your second language)
  • A 500 word personal statement

If you are a non standard applicant, you will also need to send us two professional / personal references on headed paper.

 

After receiving your application, our Applicant Services team will aim to respond to you as soon as possible.

 

You are advised to apply early to secure your place and organise any sponsorship, scholarships or funding.

 

The University reserves the right at any stage to request applicants and enrolling students to provide additional information about any aspect of their application or enrolment. In the event of any student providing false or inaccurate information at any stage, and/or failing to provide additional information when requested to do so, the University further reserves the right to refuse to consider an application, to withdraw registration, rescind home fees status where applicable, and/or demand payment of any fees or monies due to the University.

 


Modules

Listed below are the modules that you will study on this course. Delivered in a flexible carousel structure, the order in which you study your modules will vary depending on when you begin the course. Please note, modules are reviewed annually and may be subject to change between academic years. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes. If you have any questions about this, or our carousel structure, please get in touch on +44 (0) 191 276 4874 or at DLstudentenquiries@northumbria.ac.uk


PE7026 -

Biological and Social Psychology (20 Credits)

You will learn about two key perspectives within the discipline of psychology and how they provide an understanding of how biological systems and social processes contribute to human behaviour. ‘Biological Psychology’: This component will cover the fundamentals of biological psychology and demonstrate the importance of biological systems in human behaviour. This will include knowledge of the biological systems of the body (the brain and nervous and endocrine systems) and communication between these systems via neurons, and hormones; the techniques used to assess brain structure and function; individual differences in their functioning and pharmacological interventions that can affect the functioning of these systems. ‘Social Psychology’: This component will provide you with an understanding of the human as a social being. Topics may include some of the most renowned studies in psychology regarding issues of conformity, aggression, prejudice and interpersonal relationships. Methodological and ethical issues related to the studies that inform social psychology will also be explored.

More information

PE7027 -

Cognitive and Developmental Psychology (20 Credits)

In this module you will have the opportunity to learn about two key fields within the discipline of psychology and gain an understanding of how cognitive and developmental processes contribute to human behaviour.
Developmental: This component will cover the historical foundations of child development and fundamental aspects of social and cognitive development in young children and adolescents. Topics may include research methods and ethics, cognitive development, theoretical perspectives including Piaget and Vygotsky, emotional development, attachment theory and developmental disorders. Learners will have the opportunity to develop their research critique skills within the context of an oral presentation.
Cognitive; This component will familiarise students with the core areas of cognitive psychology and will demonstrate the importance and relevance of cognitive processes when trying to understand human behaviour within both theoretical and applied contexts. Topics may include; perception; attention; memory; problem solving; decision making and language. As in the Developmental component there will be an initial emphasis, where relevant, of the historical development of the constructs discussed.

More information

PE7024 -

Psychological Research Experience (20 Credits)

You will learn how knowledge in psychology is developed through research. You will learn how to design and carry out research studies using a range of methodologies. The analysis and interpretation of data that you collect will build on knowledge acquired on other modules. The skills in writing reports in line with current conventions in the psychological literature will be developed through practice and detailed formative and summative feedback. The importance of ethical considerations will be constant theme throughout the module and the completion of documentation required for ethical research will be covered in depth.

More information

PE7025 -

Psychological Data Analysis (20 Credits)

This module provides you with an introduction to quantitative and qualitative data analysis. The main focus is on the analysis of quantitative data, which arise from measurement. Quantitative analysis, also known as statistics, makes up about 75% of the module. In this part you will gain a good understanding of fundamental concepts and principles in statistics. These include levels of measurement; standardised effect size measures; sample distributions, standard errors and confidence intervals; and statistical significance testing and the problems it causes. This basic understanding will allow you to independently read advanced literature on statistics to further your own understanding. In addition to basic principles, you will also learn about a range of frequently used techniques for data analysis. For each of them you will learn to identify when it is suitable to use; how to run the analysis; how to report its results to experts and lay people; and how to use these result to inform your critical judgement about your own research and that of others. The techniques you will learn about include the estimation of standardised effect sizes; meta-analysis; ANOVA and ANCOVA; multiple regression; and chi-squared to analyse proportions. Finally, you will learn about the limitations of statistical inference in some important real-world settings.
In the qualitative data analysis part (about 25% of the module) you will learn about thematic analysis to analyse verbal data, from interviews, panel discussions and similar.

More information

PE7028 -

Individual Differences (20 Credits)

In this module you will have the opportunity to learn about psychological approaches to intelligence and personality, and how psychologists have evaluated the methods and tools employed in their assessment. The intelligence component will examine a range of topics (e.g., historical approaches to intelligence with an emphasis upon contemporary cognitive approaches such as working memory, intelligence and cognitive interventions, and individual differences in cognition such as lifespan differences). Personality topics will consider the construct of personality, factors in personality, and applications. Psychometric aspects of the module will consider topics such as test classification and development, standardisation, reliability, validity, interpretation, and applications.

More information

PE7029 -

Research Philosophies and Planning (20 Credits)

This module firstly brings you a historical perspective on psychology. It introduces the research approaches and techniques in the different branches of psychology as a precursor to a process of developing and presenting your own research plan. You will be introduced to a series of ‘classic’ studies and asked to evaluate and debate the way that psychological knowledge, methods and ethical approaches may have changed since that original study. Each classic study represents a pathway in the discipline of psychology, embracing diverse areas such as social, developmental, cognitive and health psychology. For each pathway, you will be asked to reflect critically on the original epistemological and methodological assumptions made within the discipline and consider the major changes in the development of the discipline. This module will then equip you to think more critically about the design of your own research programme and so can be used to explore thesis ideas. In the second semester this will become an explicit focus of the module and you will be asked to develop and present a research proposal that gives evidence of critical thinking around research design.

More information

PE7030 -

MSc Thesis (60 Credits)

On this module you will have the opportunity to independently conceptualise, plan and undertake a novel piece of research that contributes to psychological knowledge and understanding. You will critically evaluate current theories and evidence in order to generate your own research question. You will engage with the relevant ethical guidelines to design a feasible project plan. You will develop your independent research skills during this module as well as identifying points of collaboration with supervisors, research staff and other potential stakeholders. You will use a variety of relevant skills, techniques and research methods in order to implement your study and finally you will have the opportunity to disseminate your findings in written form.

More information

Modules

Listed below are the modules that you will study on this course. Delivered in a flexible carousel structure, the order in which you study your modules will vary depending on when you begin the course. Please note, modules are reviewed annually and may be subject to change between academic years. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes. If you have any questions about this, or our carousel structure, please get in touch on +44 (0) 191 276 4874 or at DLstudentenquiries@northumbria.ac.uk


PE7026 -

Biological and Social Psychology (20 Credits)

You will learn about two key perspectives within the discipline of psychology and how they provide an understanding of how biological systems and social processes contribute to human behaviour. ‘Biological Psychology’: This component will cover the fundamentals of biological psychology and demonstrate the importance of biological systems in human behaviour. This will include knowledge of the biological systems of the body (the brain and nervous and endocrine systems) and communication between these systems via neurons, and hormones; the techniques used to assess brain structure and function; individual differences in their functioning and pharmacological interventions that can affect the functioning of these systems. ‘Social Psychology’: This component will provide you with an understanding of the human as a social being. Topics may include some of the most renowned studies in psychology regarding issues of conformity, aggression, prejudice and interpersonal relationships. Methodological and ethical issues related to the studies that inform social psychology will also be explored.

More information

PE7027 -

Cognitive and Developmental Psychology (20 Credits)

In this module you will have the opportunity to learn about two key fields within the discipline of psychology and gain an understanding of how cognitive and developmental processes contribute to human behaviour.
Developmental: This component will cover the historical foundations of child development and fundamental aspects of social and cognitive development in young children and adolescents. Topics may include research methods and ethics, cognitive development, theoretical perspectives including Piaget and Vygotsky, emotional development, attachment theory and developmental disorders. Learners will have the opportunity to develop their research critique skills within the context of an oral presentation.
Cognitive; This component will familiarise students with the core areas of cognitive psychology and will demonstrate the importance and relevance of cognitive processes when trying to understand human behaviour within both theoretical and applied contexts. Topics may include; perception; attention; memory; problem solving; decision making and language. As in the Developmental component there will be an initial emphasis, where relevant, of the historical development of the constructs discussed.

More information

PE7028 -

Individual Differences (20 Credits)

In this module you will have the opportunity to learn about psychological approaches to intelligence and personality, and how psychologists have evaluated the methods and tools employed in their assessment. The intelligence component will examine a range of topics (e.g., historical approaches to intelligence with an emphasis upon contemporary cognitive approaches such as working memory, intelligence and cognitive interventions, and individual differences in cognition such as lifespan differences). Personality topics will consider the construct of personality, factors in personality, and applications. Psychometric aspects of the module will consider topics such as test classification and development, standardisation, reliability, validity, interpretation, and applications.

More information

PE7029 -

Research Philosophies and Planning (20 Credits)

This module firstly brings you a historical perspective on psychology. It introduces the research approaches and techniques in the different branches of psychology as a precursor to a process of developing and presenting your own research plan. You will be introduced to a series of ‘classic’ studies and asked to evaluate and debate the way that psychological knowledge, methods and ethical approaches may have changed since that original study. Each classic study represents a pathway in the discipline of psychology, embracing diverse areas such as social, developmental, cognitive and health psychology. For each pathway, you will be asked to reflect critically on the original epistemological and methodological assumptions made within the discipline and consider the major changes in the development of the discipline. This module will then equip you to think more critically about the design of your own research programme and so can be used to explore thesis ideas. In the second semester this will become an explicit focus of the module and you will be asked to develop and present a research proposal that gives evidence of critical thinking around research design.

More information

PE7030 -

MSc Thesis (60 Credits)

On this module you will have the opportunity to independently conceptualise, plan and undertake a novel piece of research that contributes to psychological knowledge and understanding. You will critically evaluate current theories and evidence in order to generate your own research question. You will engage with the relevant ethical guidelines to design a feasible project plan. You will develop your independent research skills during this module as well as identifying points of collaboration with supervisors, research staff and other potential stakeholders. You will use a variety of relevant skills, techniques and research methods in order to implement your study and finally you will have the opportunity to disseminate your findings in written form.

More information

PE7024 -

Psychological Research Experience (20 Credits)

You will learn how knowledge in psychology is developed through research. You will learn how to design and carry out research studies using a range of methodologies. The analysis and interpretation of data that you collect will build on knowledge acquired on other modules. The skills in writing reports in line with current conventions in the psychological literature will be developed through practice and detailed formative and summative feedback. The importance of ethical considerations will be constant theme throughout the module and the completion of documentation required for ethical research will be covered in depth.

More information

PE7025 -

Psychological Data Analysis (20 Credits)

This module provides you with an introduction to quantitative and qualitative data analysis. The main focus is on the analysis of quantitative data, which arise from measurement. Quantitative analysis, also known as statistics, makes up about 75% of the module. In this part you will gain a good understanding of fundamental concepts and principles in statistics. These include levels of measurement; standardised effect size measures; sample distributions, standard errors and confidence intervals; and statistical significance testing and the problems it causes. This basic understanding will allow you to independently read advanced literature on statistics to further your own understanding. In addition to basic principles, you will also learn about a range of frequently used techniques for data analysis. For each of them you will learn to identify when it is suitable to use; how to run the analysis; how to report its results to experts and lay people; and how to use these result to inform your critical judgement about your own research and that of others. The techniques you will learn about include the estimation of standardised effect sizes; meta-analysis; ANOVA and ANCOVA; multiple regression; and chi-squared to analyse proportions. Finally, you will learn about the limitations of statistical inference in some important real-world settings.
In the qualitative data analysis part (about 25% of the module) you will learn about thematic analysis to analyse verbal data, from interviews, panel discussions and similar.

More information

Study Options

The following alternative study options are available for this course:

To start your application, simply select the month you would like to start your course.

Psychology MSc

START MONTH
YEAR

Any Questions?

Our Applicant Services team will be happy to help.  They can be contacted on 02843 780 292 or by emailing DLstudentenquiries@northumbria.ac.uk



Discover how this course could transform your surveying career. Enter your details and we’ll be in touch with more information.

* At Northumbria we are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of personal data. To view the University’s Privacy Notice please click here

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