Psychology MSc
1 Year Full-Time | September Start
Option for Placement Year
Option for Study Abroad
International
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Option for Placement Year
Option for Study Abroad
You will learn from passionate academic staff, who are involved in cutting-edge research. With almost three-quarters of Northumbria’s psychology research being judged to have outstanding reach and significance for its impact (REF 2021).
You will learn in a professional research environment, with access to state-of-the-art laboratories which are equipped with industry standard equipment. You will learn from those at the forefront of their fields. In fact, our strength in psychology research has significantly increased. We are currently placed 15th in the UK for Research Power (REF 2021).
You will develop an advanced understanding of
Successful completion of this masters in psychology will provide you with the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership with the BPS, the first step towards becoming a Chartered Psychologist. In order to be eligible for GBC students must achieve an overall pass mark of 50% and pass the empirical project
If you want to specialise in Health, Occupational or Sport and Exercise Psychology then your next step will be a Stage 1 Masters, which we also offer here at Northumbria.
If you want to specialise in Counselling, Educational or Clinical Psychology then you will need to apply for a highly competitive doctoral programme. You are likely to need substantial experience to be successful in gaining a place, and at Northumbria we will support you in finding that experience.
The third route to a career in Psychology is the academic route, and we can support interested students in applying for our MRes and subsequently a PhD. This would qualify you to lecture and carry our psychological research in a university setting.
Our MSc Psychology has been designed with your employability in mind, and will prove valuable even if you decide not to pursue a career in Psychology. Our previous graduates have secured roles in management, advertising, marketing and human resources.
The timetable for the full-time programme is two full days (9am-5pm) per week on a Monday and Tuesday, and for the part-time programme it is one full day per week (Tuesday for year 1, Monday for year 2).
When deciding on which programme to apply for, we would ask applicants to consider carefully the time commitments for the course taking into account work and any other personal commitments. For full-time students we would expect a commitment of approximately 35 hours per week and for part time around 17.5 hours per week. (For both programmes these hours include hours of study on campus.)
Level of Study
Postgraduate
Mode of Study
1 year Full Time
3 other options available
Department
Psychology
Location
City Campus, Northumbria University
City
Newcastle
Start
September 2025
Fees
Fee Information
Discover the funding options available to you.
Research workshops will allow you to develop and enhance your qualitative and quantitative methods competence, data collection and analysis. You will be encouraged to take responsibility for your own learning, demonstrating applied understanding and knowledge at the forefront of the discipline. You will learn to defend your work effectively to a wide range of audiences.
Assessment is varied, either exam based or through written assignments such as laboratory reports, research article critiques, data analysis assignments, presentations or conventional essays.
You will also undertake a major research thesis on a topic of your choice, supported by the breadth of expertise amongst our staff
During this course your on-campus lectures, workshops and seminars will all be timetabled on a Monday and Tuesday. For a masters programme like this we expect a commitment of around 35 hours per week - how you do your self-directed study is completely up to you. We want you to be able to fit your studies in with your life, whether that be at our City Campus Library, the University Library Digital Commons, open 24/7 during term time, or at home with access to e-books and journals - make it work for you.
You will learn from those at the forefront of their fields.You will learn from dedicated academics extensive research and teaching backgrounds. Current staff research projects include working memory, neurocognitive performance and function, psychobiological pathways and the psychobiology of stress and the nutritional influences on performance and mood.
Read more about our Psychology academics
You will spend much of your on-campus time in the Experimental Psychology Lab, which has been designed to facilitate group work. You will make constant use of Blackboard, where electronic reading lists, lecture capture, interactive workshops, and online submission and feedback tools will support your learning.
Depending on which area you choose to explore for your thesis, you will have access to research equipment including EEG, eye-tracking, virtual reality, galvanic skin response, body scanning, and motion capture.
You will learn how knowledge in Psychology is developed through research and how to design and carry out research studies using a range of methodologies. Developing your own advanced research skills and critical understanding, you will have the opportunity to work alongside active researchers at the forefront of research in the Psychology fields. You will be encouraged to ask and explore innovative research questions, reflecting upon the research process and knowledge creation, culminating in the production of a research thesis.
If you want to specialise in Health, Occupational or Sport and Exercise Psychology then your next step will be a Stage 1 Masters, which we also offer here at Northumbria.
If you want to specialise in Counselling, Educational or Clinical Psychology then you will need to apply for a highly competitive doctoral programme. You are likely to need substantial experience to be successful in gaining a place, and at Northumbria we will support you in finding that experience. We will open doors to the many volunteering opportunities at the University and within the sector, and the MSc will also qualify you to apply for a valuable Assistant Psychologist role.
The third route to a career in Psychology is the academic route, and we can support interested students in applying for our MRes and subsequently a PhD. This would qualify you to lecture and carry our psychological research in a university setting.
Our MSc Psychology has been designed with your employability in mind, and will prove valuable even if you decide not to pursue a career in Psychology. You will develop a critical approach to analysing qualitative and quantitative data, which will equip you to make sound informed decisions – one of the most important aspects of leadership. Our previous graduates have secured specialist roles in management, advertising, marketing and human resources, with many moving into the public sector for careers in the police and prison services, health and social services or education.
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Applicants should normally have:
A minimum of a 2:2 honours degree in any discipline.
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 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
Full UK Fee: £11,000
Full International Fee: £20,950
Scholarships and Discounts
ADDITIONAL COSTS
There are no Additional Costs
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The following alternative study options are available for this course:
Jan start
Sep start
Jan, Apr, Jul start
Our Applicant Services team will be happy to help. They can be contacted on 0191 406 0901 or by using our Contact Form.
Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.
Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.
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