Psychology

Entry requirements

We will consider all applicants with 2:2 or above, or equivalent international qualifications. For some courses, there may be additional requirements which can be found on our website.

Months of entry

October

Course content

An Integrated PhD provides you with a route into research study if you do not have a Masters degree or you have very little research training. It enables you to spend your first year completing a full-time Masters-level qualification, followed by a full-time PhD studied over three to four years or a part-time PhD studied over six to seven years. We also offer a ‘standard' PhD in this subject which can be studied either full-time (three to four years) or part-time (six to seven years).

In your first year on our Integrated PhD Psychology, you develop your awareness of psychological science in relation to its philosophical and biological contexts, and in relation to research in the natural and social sciences. In addition to this research-focused training, you also study advanced topics in psychology that will extend your theoretical knowledge. Your first year gives you advanced research training to well prepare you for PhD element of this course.

In your second year, you move into the PhD element, where research supervision is available in the fields of cognitive psychology, sensory and cognitive neuroscience, and social psychology. You study in a stimulating and vibrant research environment, and we provide excellent research facilities. In general, our PhD students enjoy the same access to neuroscience and other research equipment as our academic staff, and access to our research participant pool which is essential for your experimental research. You also benefit from the supportive supervision given by our staff, and the friendly and collegiate atmosphere provided by fellow students. This ensures that we have an exemplary record in supporting our PhD students to produce a high-quality thesis.

Our Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs), offer you skills training and funding for your postgraduate research. We are supported by some of the most prestigious funding bodies, including the European Commission and the Leverhulme Trust.

Information for international students

Entry requirements: You can find international entry requirements for most countries on our international students webpage. If your country is not listed, please contact Postgraduate Admissions at pgadmit@essex.ac.uk.

Pre-sessional English Language courses: If you need to improve your English language skills before joining your main degree course, we offer pre-sessional English courses on our campuses in partnership with Kaplan International Pathways.

Fees and funding

There are a wide range of funding options for postgraduate study, including scholarships, bursaries and alumni discounts. You can check your eligibility on our fees and funding webpage.