Psychological Sciences

Entry requirements

• An Honours degree of upper second class or above from a UK university, or an equivalent qualification, is normally required in a subject area relevant to your chosen research topic.
• In exceptional circumstances, we will consider applications from non-graduates with experience of undertaking research or graduates who wish to work in a new subject area.
• Initial registration is usually for MPhil or MRes or MA/MSc by Research with the possibility of transfer to PhD. Candidates with a Master’s degree in a relevant subject that contains appropriate research methods training may register for a PhD directly.
• EU and international students need IELTS 6.5 overall (with a minimum of 6.0 in writing and 5.5 in any other component) or equivalent (currently on website – No IELTS information on this course)

Months of entry

February, May, October

Course content

We offer research opportunities in Cognitive Psychology, Neuroscience, Social Cognition, Forensic Psychology, and Health and Wellbeing.

Research areas are as follows:

Cognitive Psychology/Cognitive Neuroscience/Social Cognition

Decision-making in applied settings; situation awareness and applications to training for blue light services; team situation awareness, the role of unconscious emotional information in intuitive decision-making; virtual reality as a training tool; sound symbolism in infant word learning; creation and use of person-models in action prediction; using EEG in studies of anxiety, wellbeing and attainment.

Forensic Psychology

Investigative reasoning; investigative interviewing including training interviewers, interviewing vulnerable people, and the role of identity and cultural differences; eye-witness testimony; training expert witnesses; cyberpsychology and cybersecurity. Opportunities for cross-disciplinary research around topics in domestic abuse and homicide, stalking, and sexual violence.

Clinical and mental health and well-being

Psychosocial interventions for people with chronic disease or mental distress; the social scientific study of the arts and popular culture, identity and social interaction; the arts in therapeutic contexts; care for people with dementia; understanding of Borderline Personality Disorder and implications for care; mindfulness; the understanding of psychopathology in terms of underlying neuroscience; the neuroscience of attachment behaviour and empathy; contemporary relational approaches to therapy, brief therapies and couples work.

Health and Wellbeing

Psychology and social issues; psychological language; pedagogy, diversity and eLearning; qualitative and quantitative research methods.