Masters degrees in Community Psychology involve the use of psychological theory to understand individuals and groups within community contexts.
Related subjects include Social Psychology and Psychological Intervention. Entry requirements usually include an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject such as Psychology or Social Science.
If you choose to specialise in Community Psychology, you'll develop the practical skills you need to apply psychological techniques to a range of social issues. New Zealand is becoming a more diverse society, so it's vital you can apply these techniques in a fair and culturally sensitive way – during your MAppPsy(Com) you'll learn how to do this. You'll develop the ability to analyse complex situations and plan appropriate actions. You'll be introduced to research and inquiry methods, and carry out your own practical research. Throughout your studies, you'll gain an in-depth understanding of the key ideas, principles and fundamental values relating to this area of psychology.
In the first year of your MAppPsy(Com) studies, you'll gain experience in human and social services by completing a programme evaluation for a service provider. In the second year, you'll gain this experience by working with a relevant community organisation or organisations.
The MAppPsy(Com) also provides a pathway into the Postgraduate Diploma in the Practice of Psychology (Community Psychology). This is a one year work-based programme accredited by the New Zealand Psychologists Board, which enables graduates to become registered as psychologists in New Zealand.
Students in the MAppPsy(Com) must pass the equivalent of 240 points at 500 level.
This is made up of 75 points from the following compulsory papers (or equivalent papers from another university)
Core Papers
And 30 to 90 points from optional 500 level papers in Psychology, Human Development, Anthropology, Development Studies, Screen and Media Studies, Geography, History, Sociology, Women's and Gender Studies, Demography, Political Science, Philosophy and Public Policy.
In the second year of study students will complete either a 60-point dissertation (PSYC592) or a 90-point thesis (PSYC593) or a 120-point thesis (PSYC594). Although the regulations offer students the option of a 60-point dissertation, in practice students are strongly encouraged to take either the 90 or 120-point option.
Up to 120 points of the MAppPsy may be waived for students who have already completed four-year degrees (for example, an honours degree or other four-year undergraduate degree) provided that:
Optional papers should be selected in consultation with the Community Psychology Programme Convenor.
Once you've gained your MAppPsy(Com), you'll be qualified to work in health services, community service organisations, government departments and in private practice. You may choose to do contract work with human service organisations as a researcher, trainer or consultant.
Community psychology brings social change to the forefront of the way that we understand and promote psychological wellbeing.
It provides an alternative to the standard model of psychological enquiry that foregrounds the individual at the expense of the collective, instead contextualising the difficulties faced by particular communities before seeking to develop solutions through participatory and action-oriented research.
The central focus of this course is to provide knowledge and training platforms that allow you to work towards addressing the institutional marginalisation and disempowerment that drives local and global community issues. It introduces critical, liberation and human rights perspectives, reflecting on traditional modes of scientific enquiry and what they mean for groups and individuals struggling with issues of marginalisation.
Our degree programme is among the few in the country that allow you to work directly with local communities to facilitate social change. With the help of our award-winning Community University Partnership Programme (Cupp), it gives you the opportunity to apply your skills as a psychologist and gain professional experience in the field.
This course will be of particular interest to those interested in developing a career in mental health.
The course is primarily taught through intensive teaching sessions where modules run over blocks of two to three days, though some optional modules require weekly attendance.
Through lectures, workshops, seminars and the facilitation of community research partnerships, the course provides opportunities to explore the appropriateness and significance of how we work as community psychologists and to better understand the role of ideology inherent in the creation of an effective community psychology. It achieves this while retaining a degree of flexibility within the syllabus such that you are able to tailor your learning towards the kinds of areas most relevant to your work and interests.
The programme also offers an extended masters route for international students, allowing you to combine the degree itself with an English language course. Depending on your present language level, you will study English for between two and four months before starting your MA.
Community psychology is a culturally relative discipline and therefore takes different forms in different parts of the world. To help you maintain an open-minded approach to the subject, we introduce you to both local and international examples of community psychology in practice.
The syllabus is informed by contemporary research into such diverse areas as homelessness, older adults, disadvantaged young people, LGBT mental health, organisational wellbeing and mental health literacy in Cambodia, as well as by the experiences of our core teaching staff, Carl Walker, Katherine Johnson and Liz Cunningham.
For the Social Research Practice module, you undertake an action-orientation project in a community psychology setting. Those who are working in a related profession can relate the project to their employer's needs; those who aren't have the opportunity to work with community and voluntary organisations including Mind, Age Concern and the Richmond Fellowship.
Modules
The dissertation forms a focal part of the MA and allows you to gain practical skills as a psychologist by doing fieldwork in the community. Previous students have used the opportunity to:
We strongly believe that it is our duty to use our knowledge and resources for social benefit, which is why we set up the Community University Partnership Programme (Cupp) back in 2003.
Cupp is an award-winning project that aims to tackle disadvantage and promote sustainable development through partnership with local organisations. Our combined efforts have made a tangible difference to the effectiveness of community sectors and the lives of local people.
As a Brighton student, you will have the opportunity to volunteer through Cupp and work in the community yourself, all the while developing your vocational skills and gaining valuable work experience.
The course explores processes of social change and participatory engagement and equips graduates with theoretical knowledge, research skills and practical insights for working in the field of community psychology. It also serves as an ideal grounding for the further use and study of participatory modes of enquiry at doctoral level.
Why do we become attached to a particular person? How do relationship dynamics change over time? Does objectifying women lead to their mistreatment? When is gender made relevant in and for politics? What does it mean in practice to support someone with autism, and how can we assess support? Does self-modesty differ between cultures? How does economic inequality affect self-perception? What identities are invoked in interview interactions?
In this taught programme in Social Psychology you will enhance your knowledge and understanding of the theories, concepts and methodological tools that constitute social psychology’s distinctive perspective. You will be guided and supported in exploring the social psychological literature. You will be given rigorous training in qualitative and quantitative analyses. You will have diverse opportunities to build your own research experience, through seeking and implementing research-based answers to questions in the field or in the literature. You will participate in our unique problem based approach to providing empirical answers to social psychological questions.
In short, you will learn to think like a social psychologist, and you will learn to do social psychology.
You will benefit from being part of a growing group of friendly, enthusiastic social psychologists working within a vibrant department, in a lovely city. You will benefit from our expertise in working in different cultures, in the field, and with mixed methods. You will also benefit from the breadth and strength of the interdisciplinary academic community at Edinburgh, for example, by having the opportunity to select option courses, attend research seminars across different disciplines, take part in the social psychology reading group or in discursive psychology and conversation analysis data sessions.
You will undertake the following:
Core courses (worth 90 credits in total):
Option courses worth 30 credits in total:
And a Dissertation in Social Psychology (60 credits)
The overall aim of this programme is to advance your understanding of how social questions can be addressed using social psychology, and to provide you with the conceptual and research tools to do so.
More specifically, on successful completion of this programme, you will be able to:
On completion you will also:
The programme will provide relevant preparation for a range of career paths, including:
The Graduate Diploma of Psychological Science is designed to provide students with an integrated, comprehensive, and complete education in the discipline of psychology. Students undertake advanced training in a range of methodological (research methods, psychometrics, statistics) and applied areas, and develop competence in conducting research. All applied material is based on the scientist-practitioner model, and evidence-based approaches to psychological intervention are stressed. The Graduate Diploma of Psychological Science provides students with advanced education and training in the core psychology graduate attributes, including but not limited to the following: Advanced theoretical and empirical knowledge in some of the core research areas of the discipline Knowledge of the theoretical and empirical bases underpinning the construction, implementation and interpretation of some of the most widely used cognitive and personality assessments Knowledge of the theoretical and empirical bases underpinning evidenced based approached to psychological intervention Explaining how the science and practice of psychology is influenced by social, historical, professional and cultural contexts. The Graduate Diploma of Psychological Science prepares graduates for a career in psychology. On completion of this course, graduates may apply for provisional registration as a psychologist providing they enrol in further postgraduate studies or undertake two years’ supervised training.
Under supervision, graduates can pursue careers in the professional practice of psychology including clinical, forensic or organisational psychology, counselling, health and community psychology, research, and other specialist areas.
This program has been granted accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC).
View the Graduate Diploma of Psychological Science - Program Structure and Sequencing
The Graduate Diploma of Psychological Science comprises seven (7) subjects, as follows:
Foundation subjects (5)
Electives (2)
And any two (2) of the following psychology subjects:
International students
To fulfil your student visa requirements, you will need to enrol in 40 credit points per semester.
Domestic students
Full time study is 40 credit points per semester. Students enrolling part-time can undertake the degree over four semesters. Part-time students should complete the coursework aspects in the first two semesters of their enrolment and undertake the thesis in the third and fourth semesters of enrolment.
Do you want to enrich your skills to become highly proficient in practice and development in Psychology? Do you want to make a difference to the life of communities and individuals by promoting psychological well being? According to the British Psychological Society there are over 750 000 people working in positions that involve Psychology as part of their role.
If you have an undergraduate degree or equivalent in Psychology or a similar field but you want to boost your chances of gaining highly competitive positions such as: Assistant Psychologist, Clinical Associate Training or Doctoral Qualification in Clinical Psychology this programme is specifically designed to give you an edge and improve and hone your skills and knowledge within this field. You learn at the highly regarded Medical School which is ranked in the top 10 places to study in the UK, and research is in the top 20 (REF 2014) at one of the largest medical campuses in Europe.
You are taught by practicing Clinical Psychologists with access to a range of facilities and specialists from similar disciplines. You get advanced training in assessments, formulation skills, core clinical skills, lifespan, ethical and professional issues and research methods and you learn within a clinical project with local supervisors to carry out treatment. There are excellent links with NHS Grampian and other health services.
Read more about careers in Clinical Psychology
Courses listed for the programme
Semester 1
Semester 2
Semester 3
Find out more detail by visiting the programme web page
£16900
*Please be advised that some programmes have different tuition fees from those listed above and that some programmes also have additional costs.
Find out more about fees
View all funding options on our funding database via the programme page
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Find out more about living in Aberdeen and living costs
This course bridges the gap between BSc Psychology and doctoral-level training, and is aimed at those who have had at least some experience in psychology services who want to go on to train as a researcher, therapist or clinical, counselling or educational psychologist.
You do not need to have a first degree in psychology but your training and experience must be in a related area and demonstrate a suitable career trajectory.
Getting onto a professional doctorate course is a highly competitive business but this MSc in a well-established, highly-regarded teaching environment could help give you the edge you need, and it will strengthen your prospects of advancement in your established career.
This is a highly flexible course which offers the possibility of earning intermediate academic awards in the form of a PG Diploma or a PG Certificate.
If you enjoy understanding the way we think and interact with the world and different areas in it, especially the behaviours and coping mechanisms displayed within health and health care this advanced degree will enable you to play an active role in solving major health challenges. As a society we have already seen the positive health impacts of therapies such as cognitive behaviour therapy and mood control, moving many away from traditional drug therapies to thinking therapies.
As we understand more about the power of the mind we can look at ways to improve our quality of life and impact on others and our life experiences to promote good health outcomes much earlier on and work towards them. This is a highly rewarding field which can have a major impact on people's lives and create more positive outcomes within health services to better manage long term illness, disability, stress and impacts on our coping mechanisms.
The University of Aberdeen MSc in Health Psychology, which is accredited by the British Psychological Society, offers you the opportunity to expand on and apply your knowledge and skills to help solve some of the big health issues facing society today. To be considered it is ideal to have a 2:1 Honours degree in Psychology or equivalent programme overseas which is equivalent to the British Psychological Society accreditation. Topics covered in Health Psychology include:
Semester 1
Semester 2
Semester 3
Find out more detail by visiting the programme web page
Find out about international fees
*Please be advised that some programmes have different tuition fees from those listed above and that some programmes also have additional costs.
View all funding options on our funding database via the programme page
Find out more about:
Find out more about living in Aberdeen and living costs
As a Psychologist you study a range of influences affecting behaviour noting differences in the way we think and act from one another and what influences our behaviour through our lives. You would think that your employment options were only within the therapeutic area but you would be surprised at just how many applications you have to influence the way in which other industries operate and behave and just how much your observations, analysis and ability to test can make to areas such as website design, software design, products, transport, and other areas actually relevant to people and work with what they know about their world.
There will always be a need for qualified Psychologists to work in counselling, occupational performance, stress, mental illness, sports, education and neuropsychology and teaching but there are many areas of work you can also get involved in.
The MSc Psychological Studies is designed as a conversion course, allowing graduates with degrees that are not accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) to obtain a BPS accredited qualification. Successful completion will confer eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the BPS, which indicates that an individual has acquired sufficient knowledge and skills to pursue a career as a professional psychologist or to carry out independent research in any area of psychology.
Semester 1
Semester 2
Semester 3
Find out more detail by visiting the programme web page
Find out more about fees on the programme page
*Please be advised that some programmes also have additional costs.
View all funding options on our funding database via the programme page and the latest postgraduate opportunities
Find out more about:
Find out more about living in Aberdeen and living costs
Increasingly in our modern world there has been a realisation that counselling can help an individual in numerous areas of life in order to get the most from life and remove perceived obstacles and threats to a fulfilling existence. The area was first developed by Carl Rogers and has had numerous successful methods of development over the years but Person Centred Counselling draws on the original ethos and the programme is designed to meet the professional standards of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and COSCA. In order to provide the most successful person centred counselling you need to be aware of your skills as a counsellor.
This programme is ideal for you if you have experience of supporting adults and/ or voluntary experience to equip you with a person-centred approach to counselling relationships. You develop critical understanding of the place person centred counselling occupies in the field of counselling, you gain knowledge of psychopathology, assessment formulations, case studies and ethical dilemma.
Find out more detail by visiting the programme web page
Fees: Modules £795, Dissertation £1950
*Please be advised that some programmes have different tuition fees from those listed above and that some programmes also have additional costs.
Find out more about fees
View all funding options on our funding database via the programme page
Find out more about:
Find out more about living in Aberdeen and living costs
Our MSc Social and Organisational Psychology is one of only a few Masters programmes in the UK which is provided by researchers working at the cutting edge of both social psychology and organisational psychology. The programme is taught by a successful and dynamic group of researchers who, individually and collectively, enjoy a world-class reputation. You will benefit not only from the friendly and supportive atmosphere, but also from high quality teaching and supervision, an exciting and international seminar series, and a wide variety of stimulating extracurricular activities and workshops.
The Masters programme will equip you with an array of skills which will enable you to function as an effective PhD student or as a professional researcher or practitioner in social psychology and organisational psychology. The programme forms part of the Economic and Social Research Council South West Doctoral Training Centre - a hub of world-class social science research.
A distinguishing feature of the programme is its research apprenticeship, which will help you develop your research skills by allowing you to work alongside experienced researchers and/or practitioners and write up your findings in the form of a dissertation. Although teaming up with a researcher within the department is generally advised, it is occasionally possible to engage in apprenticeships with organisations or people outside of the University, provided suitable co-supervision is established. Some of our past/current research partners include Microsoft, IBM, Rentokil, the MoD, the NHS, the Met Office, the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development, and Lane4 consultancy.
The research apprenticeship is an important feature of the programme. It will help you develop your research skills by working alongside experienced researchers and/or practitioners and writing up the research in the form of a dissertation. Although teaming up with a researcher within the department is generally advised, it is occasionally possible to engage in research apprenticeships with organizations or people outside of the University provided suitable co-supervision is established. Some of our past/current research partners include Microsoft, IBM, Rentokil, the MoD, the NHS, the Met Office, the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development and Lane4 consultancy.
The programme is made up of five compulsory modules. The list of modules may include the following;
The modules listed here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.
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 21stCentury 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 Projectthat 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.
Our MSc Psychology programmes are designed to foster a vibrant and collaborative peer culture amongst our MSc students. Several of our modules are shared by all four of our MSc psychology programmes. We also know it’s vital that you develop the advanced specialised skills you will need to pursue careers in your chosen fields. Throughout your MSc degree you are supported and encouraged to focus your work to help you conduct in-depth explorations of your specialist subjects and personal interests.
You will be taught by staff who are research active, some of whom are globally recognised for their research and impact, but also who genuinely care about using psychology to address major social issues and challenges in contemporary society. Our research activities, applied networks outside academia, and importantly our belief in your potential to develop as a powerful and yet thoughtful agent of social change will keep you engaged with this programme and ensure it equips you to undertake a wide range of professions.
Our staff offer expertise in various research areas, including (but not limited to): Crowds, riot, hooliganism and policing, protection of young people, cyber psychology and bullying, inter-group and inter-ethnic conflict and relations, wellbeing and inclusion, social justice for marginalised communities, critical and creative methodologies, gender inequality and cultural definitions of motherhood, the social construction of reality, the negotiation of power and authority in interaction, persuasive communication, victimhood, reconciliation and intergroup forgiveness, trust, prejudice reduction, social identity, collective action, the social and psychological dimensions of health and well-being, self-harm and suicide, terrorism and radicalisation, refugee integration, social influences on learning and effectiveness in the classroom – including the study of the relationship between gender and subject choice.
In addition to your dissertation project, you will participate in designing and implementing an Action Research Project with the aim to bring about a tangible, positive change on or off campus in collaboration with your fellow students and under the supervision of your Module Leader. This unique feature will provide you hands-on experience in understanding the psychology of organising social change.
The course is of one year duration for full time and two years for part-time.
The course is assessed through written coursework, unseen examination, verbal presentation of research, and independent research written up as a dissertation.
Apart from additional costs for text books, inter-library loans and potential overdue library fines we do not anticipate any additional costs for this postgraduate programme. Limited support is available for research-related expenses.
There are substantial scholarships available, please see this link: http://www.keele.ac.uk/studentfunding/bursariesscholarships/internationalfunding/postgraduate/
or
http://www.keele.ac.uk/studentfunding/bursariesscholarships/
31st May 2018
