Psychological Research Methods

Entry requirements

Normally a 2:1 Honours degree or equivalent in Psychology. A degree in another discipline may be accepted if it included substantial content in Psychology, research methodology and statistics. Due to the nature of the programme we require applicants to have studied and achieved a 2:1 or equivalent in at least two statistics/research methods modules previously. BA Psychology will also be considered if at least two statistics/research methods modules have been studied.

Please also see our guidance on essential documentation required for an initial decision on taught programme applications.

Months of entry

September

Course content

• This programme aims to equip you with an array of methodological skills to function as an effective PhD student or as a professional researcher in psychology, with a particular emphasis on cognitive, clinical, and clinical neuroscience research
• It can be applied for as a stand-alone degree or form the first year of a PhD
• Delivered as part of the ESRC South West Doctoral Training Partnership – a hub of world-class social science research
• Acquire the necessary skills to generate good research questions, establish plausible theoretical answers, and carry out high-quality empirical research in order to test your hypotheses
• Complete a research project that makes a contribution to the discipline, and gives you necessary skills and confidence to be able to operate independently in the future

This programme consists of compulsory taught modules and a substantial research project. It will acquaint you with a wide range of data analysis techniques and research methods in the areas of clinical neuroscience, and both clinical and cognitive psychology, while enabling you to develop particular specialist skills and knowledge in selected areas.

You will be able to get involved with one or more of the research groups in the department to explore your research interests further.

Information for international students

International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course. The required test scores for this course fall under Profile B2. Please visit our English language requirements page to view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country.

Fees and funding

The University of Exeter has many different scholarships available to support your education, including £5 million in scholarships for international students applying to study with us in the 2025/26 academic year, such as our Exeter Excellence Scholarships*.

For more information on scholarships and other financial support, please visit our scholarships and bursaries page.

University of Exeter Alumni Scholarship

We are pleased to offer University of Exeter alumni beginning a standalone taught Masters degree (eg MA, MSc, MRes, MFA, LLM, PGCert, PGDip) or research degree (eg MPhil, PhD) with us a scholarship towards the cost of their tuition fees. These scholarships are worth 20% of the first year tuition fee for students enrolling on a postgraduate taught or research programme of study in 2025/26. Full details can be found here.

*Terms and conditions apply. See online for details.