The Institute has a thriving postgraduate community, with over 30 PhD students and offers an ongoing programme of training in research methods, to be tailored to student needs as well as a comprehensive supervision package.
The Institute offers both PhD and MPhil degrees in applied psychology related to its core areas of interest. The MPhil involves mastering a chosen topic, demonstrating your capability to carry out independent research and writing a thesis. The PhD is more demanding in that it requires an original contribution to knowledge. PhD students are required to show satisfactory completion of the course requirements at the end of the first year (end of first 2 years for part-time students), at which stage they can remain as a PhD student or be transferred on to an MPhil degree.
The minimum registration period for an MPhil is 1 year (2 years part-time). The minimum registration period for a PhD is 2 years (4 years part-time, 3 years for research staff), but almost all students register for 3 years (6 years part-time) for the PhD and 2 years for the MPhil. The University expects a full-time PhD student to complete all data collection and analysis and to have written up all or much of the thesis by the end of the 3 years, and to submit a written thesis for examination soon afterwards, certainly within the following year (thesis pending or writing-up period).
Final assessment of the MPhil and PhD degrees is via the written thesis and a viva voce (oral) examination. However, progression through the programme also involves satisfactory completion of training. This training element is designed not only to provide students with the necessary skills in research, but also to equip them with communication, information technology, personal development and employment-related skills. The training element is tailored to the personal and professional development needs of individual students.
Integrated PhD/New Route PhD
This integrated, four-year PhD programme offers a clearly structured and coherent package combining research, interdisciplinary taught modules and professional skills development. It is designed particularly for those coming in without a Masters qualification.
ESRC recognised 1+3 MSc plus PhD
Students who wish to apply for entry into the MSc in Psychological Research Methods programme and PhD in Applied Psychology programmes simultaneously, may do so under the 1+3 scheme. In order to be considered under the 1+3 scheme, the applicant must meet the entry requirements for the MSc in Psychological Research Methods and the PhD in Applied Psychology programme. This scheme has gained recognition from the ESRC for the receipt of ESRC studentships on a '1+3' or '+3' basis. Students who wish to apply for 1+3 funding from the ESRC must show evidence of acceptance on a 1+3 programme.
Virtual Open Day
To learn more about what it is like to study with us you can visit our virtual open day.