How do children learn to reason in increasingly abstract ways? How do they learn language with such remarkable speed and fluidity? How do children use their reasoning and language skills to help them explain and understand people’s behaviour and emotions? Why does the amount of information that we can hold in mind at once increase from early childhood to adulthood? Why does children’s ability to control their own thinking, attention and behaviour improve as they get older? How does the development of children’s brains affect their behaviour, memory and ability to learn?
In this taught programme on Developmental Cognitive Science, you will learn how questions like these can be addressed using research techniques from several inter-related disciplines (e.g., Developmental Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Computational Science, Neuroscience, Linguistics).
This programme aims to enhance your understanding of key theoretical and practical issues about typical and atypical development in children and young people, from a cognitive science perspective. It also aims to equip you with the skills required to conduct independent scientific research that addresses key issues in developmental cognitive science.
The University of Edinburgh has a long tradition of research expertise in developmental psychology and in cognitive science. This programme brings these two strands together focusing on a developmental cognitive science approach to both typical and atypical development in children and young people.
You will benefit from the breadth and strength of the interdisciplinary academic community at Edinburgh, for example by having the opportunity to select option courses and attend research seminars across different disciplines.
You will undertake the following:
Core courses (worth 100 credits in total):
2 option courses worth 20 credits in total:
And a Dissertation in Developmental Cognitive Science (60 credits)
The overall aim of the proposed programme is to advance students’ understanding of how questions about developmental changes in children’s cognitive abilities can be addressed using scientific methods drawn from a range of fields, including developmental psychology, cognitive psychology, computational modelling, neuroscience and linguistics. More specifically, the programme aims to:
Students who successfully complete the programme will be able to:
Career opportunities for graduates from this programme include:
Develop a broad knowledge of psychology on a course that can be tailored to broaden your mind and develop your career.
This newly developed master’s programme has been designed for those who have an interest in psychology and want to follow a course that is fully accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS).
As a master’s student you can take advantage of our cutting-edge research laboratories, neuroimaging facilities, and resources for observation. Teaching is also informed by our three in-house NHS clinics (Anxiety & Depression, Speech & Language Therapy, Autism and Berkshire Memory & Cognition Clinic), and the world-renowned Charlie Waller Institute for evidence-based psychological treatments.
You will be taught by leading academics who combine research and theory to provide you with the skills to go on to your future career. We will provide you with a modern, wide, evidence-based introduction to psychology as a science, in excellent facilities all set in our lovely Whiteknights campus.
The programme follows the structure of our successful BSc in Psychology, and includes optional specialist modules such as Introduction to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for those interested in Clinical Psychology.
We cover all the important sub-disciplines of psychology, including:
A number of features make our programme unique in the UK. Our special seminars and enhanced teaching and assessment approaches are aimed specifically at graduates from other disciples, and we offer sessions designed specifically for conversion students that cover skills and information to enhance employability.
As part of the programme, you are required to have an understanding of statistics, but we understand that many students will have minimal knowledge when they start on the degree, so we provide support seminars in parallel with the main teaching sessions.
We offer an optional component so that you can tailor your degree according to whether you are interested in the fundamental science of the mind and brain or would prefer to pursue a career in a clinical psychology-related field. An optional Research Placement module is also available, giving you the opportunity to work in one of our world-class research laboratories. We even offer an opportunity to learn a language.
Throughout the course you will gain practical experience, and learn how to devise your own experiments, culminating in designing and conducting your own MSc research project. This project will be supervised by one of our academic staff — there is a huge range of possible disciplines and topics to choose from.
Sample modules include:
Please note that all modules are subject to change. Please see our modules disclaimer for more information.
As a graduate of this course you will be qualified for further training to become a professional psychologist. Our MSc Psychology Conversion degree is accredited by the British Psychology Society and provides you with the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership.
This course is particularly applicable to many careers involving research, data management and analytical thinking. You could go onto a career in a psychology related field such as clinical, forensic, counselling and educational psychology, as well as broader fields such as education, health, human resources, marketing and commerce. Previous organisations that students have gone onto work for include the NHS, civil services, schools and charities. Alternatively, you can choose to further develop your skills by moving into research, teacher training or further postgraduate studies.
This programme combines psychological theory, research, and application to the study of cognitive functioning, its typical development through childhood and ageing, and its deficits as encountered in a range of disordered populations.
We draw on theory and methodologies derived from multiple perspectives including cognitive, clinical, health, educational, biological, and social psychology, along with neuropsychology, neuroscience, and gerontology. In all cases, approaches are informed by research methodologies that provide an evidence base for their implementation. Using this broad approach, the programme aims to improve understanding of cognitive development and its disorders, and to demonstrate how this informs development of new techniques for improving assessment of cognitive functioning, diagnosis of deficits, and delivery of support, intervention, and training in education, gerontology and clinical contexts. Furthermore, reflecting the research-led focus of this programme, advanced-level training in research methods will be provided in dedicated modules and embedded within subject-specific modules.
This rich programme draws on many levels of analysis, aspects of psychological theory, research, practice and policy. You will be taught and supervised by subject experts, who actively research and publish in their area, and work with the NHS, industry, charities and other organisations to improve educational, developmental, clinical, and health outcomes.
The School of Psychology is a large and thriving department which has expanded rapidly over the last five years. There are now over 70 members of academic, research and support staff, including nine professors. We offer high quality research-led teaching and you’ll be actively encouraged to engage in ongoing research. Much of this research is collaborative with government departments, research councils, the NHS and industry.
We offer a lively learning environment with modern facilities for teaching and research, which aims to produce graduates equipped with current knowledge and the ability to apply this to different populations.
The programme offers a unique combination of advanced training in research methods and systematic reviewing; subject-oriented modules designed to explore research-led applied perspectives in development, ageing, and neuropsychology; the opportunity to carry out a research project working under close supervision of leading experts in the area; and a Masters-level elective selected from a range of choices across the university.
Compulsory modules
The programme incorporates a range of teaching methods including workshops, presentations, problem solving approaches and small group discussions, as well as the more traditional lecture and seminar formats. We expect students to spend the remainder of their study time in independent learning, guided by reading lists and assessments.
Innovative forms of assessment such as online group work, short reports, individual and group presentations and case studies sit alongside exams and essays to extend the repertoire of students' skills.
The programme’s exploration of typical and disordered child development, adulthood, and cognitive ageing, and its extensive coverage of research skills, systematic reviewing, and project work, makes this a versatile option for a range of career paths. It will be highly suitable for students wishing to pursue a research-oriented path, with this MSc programme forming a sound basis for subsequent PhD study. The coverage of cognition and its development in healthy and clinical groups should support paths into careers including clinical and educational psychology.
The School of Psychology organises several careers events throughout your time at Leeds. You’ll also have a personal tutor, who’ll offer support through our Leeds for Life approach.
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
Health Behaviour and Behaviour Change
Applied Statistics
Research Methods and Practise for Psychology
Health Psychology and Research Review
Generic Skills
Semester 2
Illness, Disability and Interactions with Healthcare
Health Professional Behaviour
Stress, Personality and Health
Systematic Reviewing
Semester 3
Health Psychology Research Project
Find out more detail by visiting the programme web page
https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/degree-programmes/112/health-psychology/
Find out about fees:
https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/international/tuition-fees-and-living-costs-287.php
*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
https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/finance-funding-1599.php
https://www.abdn.ac.uk/funding/
Find out more about:
Find out more about living in Aberdeen:
https://abdn.ac.uk/study/student-life
Living costs
https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/international/finance.php
Are you determined to pursue a professional career in psychology but don’t have an undergraduate degree in the subject? Our online MSc in Psychology will equip you with the knowledge and understanding of core areas of psychology, and will prepare you to make ethical and evidence-based decisions in the field.
Studied through online distance learning, this course is all about learning the foundations of psychology, focussing on the practical application of evidence based decisions in the field – this isn’t a course for armchair psychologists! You will learn to design experiments to gather and analyse data, and explore everything from how our brain influences our perception of the world, to social interaction, abnormal psychology, approaches to intelligence testing and possible therapies, childhood development & behavioural neuroscience.
Exploring the core areas of psychology, you will learn to back up theories with empirical reasoning through rigorous research.
Modules include:
Entry Requirements
To be eligible for this course you must normally have:
And:
For students whose prior learning was not taught in English:
We’ll typically ask you for a personal statement that demonstrates your ability to study the course. We may also want references and evidence of relevant experiences.
Don’t have any of the above?
If you don’t already have an undergraduate degree, we may be able to offer you a place on one of our undergraduate degree programmes.
We offer online degrees in a range of psychology subjects. As they are delivered via online learning, they can fit in around your current commitments.
We also offer blended undergraduate degrees that are delivered on-campus 2 days a week at one of our study centres in London, Birmingham and Manchester. These give you the facilities and structure of face-to-face learning with the flexibility to fit other commitments in around your studies.
The role of Psychologists in our every day lives is becoming much more prominent with more emphasis on areas such as cognitive behavioural therapies, mindfulness, and other support to improve our lives now available via the NHS and more people seeking self help methods and private support to cope more effectively with different situations throughout their lives. Psychologists are also much in demand in areas which need understanding of the most common human behaviours to shape products which are helpful to our lives. This can be anything from our smart devices to websites and products we use at different stages of life. Psychologists can also help to determine what benefits are gained from projects which do not have a monetary value attached but are life enhancing. When Psychologists get involved in user centred design areas the effects on how we interact with our world can be dramatically improved, meeting and exceeding our expectations, working when things didn't work for us before and having a beneficial effect on our thinking and mental health. This often can improve physical health.
The MRes degree programme is designed to provide you with a thorough grounding in the skills required for a career in psychological research. You will gain an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of particular theoretical perspectives, research methods, experimental designs and statistical procedures. You study specific types of people at different stages of life discovering and improving your ability to research and test for specific scenarios which you can then analyse using regression , variance and SPSS. Many projects have been published from this programme into internationally renowned journals.
Introduction to Postgraduate Process
Professional Research Skills
Advanced Research Methods and Design for Psychology 1 and 2
Professional Research Skills 2
Applying Research Techniques in Psychology
Research Project for MRES Psychology
Find out more detail by visiting the programme web page
https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/degree-programmes/264/psychology/
Find out about fees:
https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/international/tuition-fees-and-living-costs-287.php
*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
https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/finance-funding-1599.php
https://www.abdn.ac.uk/funding/
Find out more about:
Find out more about living in Aberdeen:
https://abdn.ac.uk/study/student-life
Living costs
https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/international/finance.php
