MSc Research Methods in Psychology

• Year 1

• With the supervision and guidance of world-class researchers and academics, you will acquire an advanced understanding of psychology that cuts across theory, methods, and practice. Training is provided on the core concepts and skills used in research and practice. This includes advanced instruction in data fluency, experiment design and the communication of research, and the role of qualitative and interpretative techniques in the application of psychology to everyday problems. A wide range of specialist techniques are offered as options, allowing you to build a suite of specific techniques required for your future career in research, neuroscience, or behaviour change techniques.

  Core modules

  • Personal and Professional Development (PSYC750)

    This module will enhance students awareness of the transferable skills they possess, focus thinking about future employment, spur reflection on recent learning, and promote the effective use of feedback to enhance academic performance.

  • Advanced Research Design and Data Fluency for Psychology (PSYC760)

    This module explores approaches to formulating psychological research questions, the design of studies to effectively investigate such questions, and how to work fluently with common types of psychological data.

  • Advanced Research Practice and Data Analysis for Psychology (PSYC761)

    This module teaches students to communicate their research in a conference-style presentation setting, to work collaboratively and make an impact in their academic and professional life, and to analyse psychological data using best practices for reproducibility and transparency in psychological science.  

  • Advanced Skills and Techniques for Psychological Research Part 1 (PSYC763)

    The module introduces students to a range of approaches to data collection including interviewing, surveys, computer programming, systematic reviewing and EEG. It also provides students with a grounding in core research skills such as writing, literature reviewing and conducting service evaluation. 

  • Neuropsychology and Neuroscience: From lab to community (PSYC765)

    To show how different cognitive science and neuroscience techniques can be used to advance understanding cognition and how this relates to neurological conditions. Students are introduced to a range of neuropsychological conditions including Acquired Brain Injuries, Parkinson’s and dementia and approaches to intervention from lab through to hospital and community settings.  

  • Interprofessional Learning 3 (HIPL600)

• Final year

• Advanced Psychology Research Project (PSYC722, 60 credits)
  This module requires students to undertake an original project in an area associated with their specialist area of interest. It comprises an independent piece of research work conducted by the student and written up as a research report. Students work under the supervision of an academic in the School of Psychology. The module allows the student to demonstrate their ability to design, conduct, analyse and report a substantial piece of research work, to a professional and potentially publishable standard.
  Models of Intervention in Psychology (PSYC762, 20 credits)
  What makes a psychologically based intervention effective? This module covers a range of contemporary interventions for clinical psychological and behavioural problems, focusing on a critical analysis of the psychological mechanisms underlying interventions and explores how laboratory research can be translated into new interventions.
  Advanced Research Skills and Techniques for Psychology 2 (PSYC764, 20 credits)
  The module introduces students to a range of approaches to data analysis and handling methods, for example, qualitative approaches such as thematic analysis and content analysis and quantitative methods of analysing and handling in common data software packages. The module will also cover specific elements of analysis, for example, clinical significance, psychometrics and research dissemination through academic posters.

  Core modules

  • Advanced Psychology Research Project (PSYC722)

    This module requires students to undertake an original project in an area associated with their specialist area of interest. It comprises an independent piece of research work conducted by the student and written up as a research report.

  • Models of Intervention in Psychology (PSYC762)

    What makes a psychologically based intervention effective? This module covers a range of contemporary interventions for clinical psychological and behavioural problems, focusing on a critical analysis of the psychological mechanisms underlying interventions and explores how laboratory research can be translated into new interventions. 

  • Advanced Skills and Techniques for Psychological Research Part 2 (PSYC764)

    The module introduces students to a range of approaches to data analytic and data handling methodologies including qualitative approaches such as thematic analysis and content analysis and methods of analysing and data handling approaches to quantitative data such as JAMOVI/JASP and excel. The module will also cover specific elements of analysis such as clinical significance, psychometrics and research dissemination through academic posters.  

  • Interprofessional Learning 3 (HIPL600)

Every postgraduate taught course has a detailed programme specification document describing the programme aims, the programme structure, the teaching and learning methods, the learning outcomes and the rules of assessment.

The following programme specification represents the latest programme structure and may be subject to change:

MSc Research Methods in Psychology Programme Specification 7627