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PhD Clinical Psychology / Overview

Year of entry: 2024

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We require applicants to hold, or be about to obtain, an Upper Second class Honours degree, or the equivalent qualification gained outside the UK, in a related subject area for entry to a PhD programme. A Lower Second class Honours degree may be considered if applicants also hold a Master's degree with a Merit classification.

Full entry requirements

See full guidance on how to choose a project and submit an application on our websi te . You should then complete the online admissions application form to apply for this programme. Ensure you include all required supporting documents at the time of submission, or this may delay the processing of your application.

Application deadlines

You must submit your application for a postgraduate research programme before the relevant deadline to be considered. You will not be able to apply after these deadlines have passed.

• January entry: 15 October (of the year prior entry)
• April entry: 15 January (year of entry)
• September entry: 15 June (year of entry)

Programme options

Programme overview.

• Learn from some of Europe's leading researchers while undertaking your own project.
• Access some of the best research facilities in the world at both the University and in hospitals around Greater Manchester.
• Undergo training in transferable skills critical to developing early-stage researchers and professionals through the Doctoral Academy's training programme.
• Conduct research at a university ranked 6th in the UK (QS World University Rankings 2023).

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2024, the tuition fees are as follows:

• PhD (full-time) UK students (per annum): Standard £4,786, Low £11,000, Medium £17,500, High £23,000 International, including EU, students (per annum): Standard £27,000, Low £28,500, Medium £34,500, High £40,500
• PhD (part-time) UK students (per annum): Standard £2393, Low £5,500, Medium £8,750, High £11,500 International, including EU, students (per annum): Standard £13,500, Low £14,250, Medium £17,250, High £20,250

Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.

Contact details

Programmes in related subject areas.

Use the links below to view lists of programmes in related subject areas.

Regulated by the Office for Students

The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website .

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website .

Study Postgraduate

Mphil/phd in psychology (2024 entry).

Course code

30 September 2024

3-4 years full-time; Up to 7 years part-time

Qualification

University of Warwick

Find out more about our Psychology MPhil/PhD.

The Department of Psychology offers high quality doctoral training and supervision experience in the fields of Behavioural Science, Language and Learning, and Lifespan Health and Wellbeing. Under the guidance of enthusiastic and motivated academic staff, our MPhil/PhD students undertake exciting research in their chosen fields of study and complete a tailored programme of training courses and professional development opportunities.

Course overview

Our MPhil/PhD degree in Psychology is awarded for a thesis reporting original research by a student under the supervision of, typically, two members of staff. Very occasionally, the department is also able to take on a student undertaking a PhD by Published Work.

PhD students are initially registered for an MPhil (PhD Track) with the expectation that their registration will be upgraded to the full PhD contingent upon satisfactory progress. Such upgrades normally take place at the first annual review 9-12 months into your studies (18–24 months for part-time students).

Our MPhil/PhD programme can enable postgraduate training for a career as an academic researcher, but also serves as excellent preparation for a career as a professional psychologist (e.g., clinical, organisational, or school psychologist), or as a consultant or professional in different fields of industry.

In addition to subject-related knowledge, our MPhil/PhD degree provides valuable transferable skills in data analysis and management, written and oral communication, teamwork and time management.

Teaching and learning

All our MPhil/PhD students are strongly encouraged to engage with the Departmental and University-wide advanced training offered. Such training opportunities will be discussed with supervisors and will form part of the annual review process.

Our MPhil/PhD students are also offered an opportunity to gain teaching and marking experience during the course of their doctoral studies.

General entry requirements

Minimum requirements.

2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in Psychology or a related subject.

English language requirements

You can find out more about our English language requirements Link opens in a new window . This course requires the following:

• IELTS overall score of 7.0, minimum component scores of two at 6.0/6.5 and the rest at 7.0 or above.

International qualifications

We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications.

For more information, please visit the international entry requirements page Link opens in a new window .

Additional requirements

There are no additional entry requirements for this course.

Our research

Behavioural Science

• Economic and consumer psychology; judgement, risk and decision-making
• Psychology and the law
• Computational modelling of human behaviour
• Big Data and Network Science in Psychology
• Attention, visual processing and emotional processing
• Economics, income inequality, and behavioural political science

Language and Learning

• Reading; word recognition
• Computational approaches to language processing
• Historical language change
• Structure of the lexicon across life-span
• Big Data research on language
• Language and gesture development in infants and children
• Second language learning
• Language learning and change
• Gesture and non-verbal communication in adults and children
• Development of social cognition
• Animal (e.g., orangutangs, chimpanzees, birds) communication and cognition
• Language evolution
• Sleep and language learning
• Language development and socio-economic status
• The role of prediction in language processing and learning
• The role of surprise and curiosity in second language learning
• Experimental approaches to the study of turn-taking and dialogue
• Pre-linguistic communication
• Intervention to support language development

Lifespan Health and Wellbeing

• Longitudinal epidemiology
• Resilience and protection after preterm birth
• Experimental psychology and clinical studies, with common interests in the factors that determine and/or the mechanisms that underlie healthy living
• Child and adolescent development and mental and physical ageing
• Mental health, sleep and pain
• Disaster recovery
• Culture, relationships, beliefs, personality, and well-being

Full details of our research interests are listed on the Psychology web pages Link opens in a new window .

You can also read our general University research proposal guidance. Link opens in a new window

Find a supervisor

Find your supervisor using the link below and discuss with them the area you'd like to research.

Explore our Psychology Research Directory where you will be able to filter by research group.

You can also see our general University guidance about finding a supervisor.

Tuition fees

Tuition fees are payable for each year of your course at the start of the academic year, or at the start of your course, if later. Academic fees cover the cost of tuition, examinations and registration and some student amenities.

Find your research course fees

Fee Status Guidance

The University carries out an initial fee status assessment based on information provided in the application and according to the guidance published by UKCISA. Students are classified as either Home or Overseas Fee status and this can determine the tuition fee and eligibility of certain scholarships and financial support.

If you receive an offer, your fee status will be stated with the tuition fee information. If you believe your fee status has been incorrectly classified you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire (follow the instructions in your offer) and provide the required documentation for this to be reassessed.

The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) provides guidance to UK universities on fees status criteria, you can find the latest guidance on the impact of Brexit on fees and student support on the UKCISA website .

Additional course costs

Please contact your academic department for information about department specific costs, which should be considered in conjunction with the more general costs below, such as:

• Core text books
• Printer credits
• Dissertation binding
• Robe hire for your degree ceremony

Scholarships and bursaries

Scholarships and financial support

Find out about the different funding routes available, including; postgraduate loans, scholarships, fee awards and academic department bursaries.

Living costs

Find out more about the cost of living as a postgraduate student at the University of Warwick.

Psychology at Warwick

A playground for the mind

Our research-driven department can offer you the kind of physical and intellectual environment that’ll inspire you to succeed. We pride ourselves on being a friendly, inclusive academic community offering a stimulating, intellectual environment to students and staff. We’re large enough to provide excellent resources and education, but also small enough to know who you are and provide one-to-one support.

Find out more about us on our website. Link opens in a new window

Our Postgraduate courses

• Behavioural and Data Science (MSc)
• Behavioural and Economic Science (MSc)
• Clinical Applications of Psychology (MSc)
• Mental Health and Wellbeing (MSc)
• Psychological Research (MSc)
• Psychology (MSc by Research)
• Psychology (MPhil/PhD)

How to apply

The application process for courses that start in September and October 2024 will open on 2 October 2023.

For research courses that start in September and October 2024 the application deadline for students who require a visa to study in the UK is 2 August 2024. This should allow sufficient time to complete the admissions process and to obtain a visa to study in the UK.

How to apply for a postgraduate research course  

After you’ve applied

Find out how we process your application.

Applicant Portal

Track your application and update your details.

Admissions statement

See Warwick’s postgraduate admissions policy.

Join a live chat

Ask questions and engage with Warwick.

Warwick Hosted Events Link opens in a new window

Postgraduate fairs.

Throughout the year we attend exhibitions and fairs online and in-person around the UK. These events give you the chance to explore our range of postgraduate courses, and find out what it’s like studying at Warwick. You’ll also be able to speak directly with our student recruitment team, who will be able to help answer your questions.

Join a live chat with our staff and students, who are here to answer your questions and help you learn more about postgraduate life at Warwick. You can join our general drop-in sessions or talk to your prospective department and student services.

Departmental events

Some academic departments hold events for specific postgraduate programmes, these are fantastic opportunities to learn more about Warwick and your chosen department and course.

See our online departmental events

Warwick Talk and Tours

A Warwick talk and tour lasts around two hours and consists of an overview presentation from one of our Recruitment Officers covering the key features, facilities and activities that make Warwick a leading institution. The talk is followed by a campus tour which is the perfect way to view campus, with a current student guiding you around the key areas on campus.

Connect with us

Learn more about Postgraduate study at the University of Warwick.

We may have revised the information on this page since publication. See the edits we have made and content history .

Why Warwick

Discover why Warwick is one of the best universities in the UK and renowned globally.

9th in the UK (The Guardian University Guide 2024) Link opens in a new window

67th in the world (QS World University Rankings 2024) Link opens in a new window

6th most targeted university by the UK's top 100 graduate employers Link opens in a new window

(The Graduate Market in 2024, High Fliers Research Ltd. Link opens in a new window )

About the information on this page

This information is applicable for 2024 entry. Given the interval between the publication of courses and enrolment, some of the information may change. It is important to check our website before you apply. Please read our terms and conditions to find out more.

• MSc by research

PhD, MSc by research Psychology

Studying human behaviour in the School of Psychological Science will give you the opportunity to be part of a vibrant postgraduate community and a world-class research department with more than 30 internationally recognised academic staff.

The programme aims to provide students with outstanding and cutting-edge training from the purest research into psychology to interdisciplinary research in a wide range of areas. These include advancing the frontiers of cognitive science into engineering or educational applications, investigating the neural mechanisms underlying human behaviours, and developing integrated interventions to improve health and wellbeing. Our postgraduate students are a very important part of the School’s research culture and a key component in maintaining our international research reputation.

Current research areas can be found on the School of Psychological Science Research page .

Programme structure

This research degree is also available via online learning.

World-leading research

The University of Bristol is ranked fifth for research in the UK ( Times Higher Education ).

94% of our research assessed as world-leading or internationally excellent.

Entry requirements

An upper second-class honours degree (or equivalent) in psychology or a related discipline.

See international equivalent qualifications on the International Office website.

Read the programme admissions statement for important information on entry requirements, the application process and supporting documents required.

If English is not your first language, you will need to reach the requirements outlined in our  profile level C.

Further information about  English language requirements and profile levels .

Fees and funding

Fees are subject to an annual review. For programmes that last longer than one year, please budget for up to an 8% increase in fees each year.

More about tuition fees, living costs and financial support .

Alumni discount

University of Bristol students and graduates can benefit from a 25% reduction in tuition fees for postgraduate study.  Check your eligibility for an alumni discount.

Funding for 2024/25

Students may be eligible to apply for funded scholarships, for example, doctoral training centre scholarships and University of Bristol scholarships. Details of these and other scholarship opportunities, such as the China Scholarship Council programme, are published on the School of Psychological Science website .

Further information on funding for prospective UK and international postgraduate students.

Career prospects

Many of our PhD graduates continue with a career in academia; others work in the private sector or in government institutions.

Research groups

Research activity in the school is organised into research themes . Within each theme, there is a set of focused research groups.

An important feature of this research structure is the extent of collaboration across research groups and across themes. All groups address fundamental questions and look at the impact of their work more broadly in industry, healthcare, education and society. Across these thematic research groups, there are particular strengths in computational neuroscience and neuropsychology.

How to apply

Apply via our online application system. For further information, please see the guidance for how to apply on our webpages.

Before submitting an application, we strongly recommend that potential applicants make informal contact with a member of academic staff who has expertise in the research area applicants wish to pursue.

We welcome applications at any time of year.

Faculty of Life Sciences

School of Psychological Science

Explore more

Find out about the bristol doctoral college.

UCL Psychology and Language Sciences

Doctorate in Clinical Psychology

The UCL Doctorate in Clinical Psychology is the largest professional training course for Clinical Psychologists in the United Kingdom, and welcomes high-calibre candidates from the UK and abroad. The course provides a first-rate training in clinical psychology, leading to a doctoral qualification accredited by the UK’s Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the British Psychological Society (BPS). The Course’s overarching aim is to train independently minded, scientifically-oriented and compassionate clinicians capable of taking a leadership role in health services at home or abroad. 

The UCL Course is at the forefront of many of the national and local developments and innovations which impact on the profession, and many members of staff are closely involved in NHS planning at both national and local level. We aim to equip trainees with the knowledge and skills they need to become effective clinical practitioners in a rapidly changing NHS. The Course has an explicitly pluralistic ethos and exposes trainees to a variety of approaches. It also encourages practice that demonstrates an awareness of equal opportunities and a sensitivity to the multi-cultural contexts routinely encountered in clinical work in London.

The course is three years in length and consists of a mixture of taught lectures, seminars and workshops running alongside a series of 6 placements based in clinical services in and around London. The academic programme is delivered by a highly experienced team of clinical psychologists, many of whom are world-leaders in their academic and clinical fields. The clinical placements provide trainees with opportunities to develop their skills under experienced supervision in a wide variety of contexts, using a broad range of models, and with a wide spectrum of clients.

As a course that is based in one of the world’s top research-intensive universities, UCL trainees have the opportunity to conduct high-quality research under the supervision of leading scientists in the field.

• Further information on the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology

During academic terms, trainees spend 3 days a week on clinical placement; the remaining 2 days are spent either on scheduled teaching in college or study/research. As far as possible academic teaching is integrated with the clinical placements. During academic holidays trainees continue work on their clinical placements, in line with their position as full-time NHS employees.

Trainees start with a full-time, 5-week block of training, which aims to give a general introduction to the key ideas and skills that form the foundation of clinical psychology science and practice. After this, teaching takes place on two days a week during academic terms. The first two terms focus on key scientific and clinical principles and central skills for assessment, engagement and intervention. In addition, specific therapeutic models are introduced (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Psychodynamic Therapy), in order to dovetail with the usual pattern of work on trainees’ placements. Teaching on research methods begins in term 2 of the first year. In the third term of year one and the first term of the second year teaching focuses on lifespan developmental processes and systemic therapy.

Second Year

Trainees begin work on their thesis at the beginning of this year. In concert with the lifespan perspective introduced at the end of Year 1, practice-focused teaching in the second year examines psychological work with children, adolescents, adults and older adults in a developmental sequence. The rest of the second year then focuses on disability and health. Statistics teaching is provided during the latter half of the second year.

Third/Final Year

To allow time for research there is a reduced schedule of teaching in the third year with trainees attending teaching a day per fortnight. Teaching in the third year introduces advanced issues in clinical psychology science and practice. This includes consideration of integrative therapies and new developments in theory and research as well as important professional issues designed to smooth the way into qualified professional practice. In the months following submission of the thesis trainees share responsibility for the organisation of the teaching programme.

As this is a vocational programme it is no surprise that graduates go on to work in the NHS or similar healthcare organizations, usually undertaking clinical work. Sometimes they go on to take up clinical research posts in universities, making use of their combination of clinical and research skills. For more information about the profession visit the British Psychological Society website.

Doctorate in Clinical Psychology Main Office: 020 7679 1897

For admissions enquiries, please contact the Admissions Tutor

• Schools & departments

Psychology PhD

Awards: PhD

Funding opportunities

Programme website: Psychology

Discovery Day

Join us online on 18th April to learn more about postgraduate study at Edinburgh

View sessions and register

Research profile

Staff within the Department of Psychology carries out and supervises world-class research in a range of areas. We host five major research groups:

Developmental Science

Human cognitive neuroscience, language, cognition and communication.

• Differential Psychology

Social Psychology

Psychology is rated 3rd in the UK by Times Higher Education for the quality and breadth of the research using the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021).

Research in the Developmental Science group examines how different developmental factors interact across the lifespan, from before birth into adolescence and old age. The group comprises a diverse but well-integrated set of researchers, with expertise in:

• cognitive, social and linguistic development
• differential psychology and genetics
• statistical and computational modelling

They use a range of methods from behavioural experiments and brain imaging, to large cohort studies.

This research group comprises academics with a diverse set of research interests spanning cognitive neuroscience.

Areas of research include:

• visual processing
• control of action
• executive functions
• social cognition
• higher-level cognition and reasoning

The group uses traditional experimental psychology and neuropsychology, neuroimaging techniques such as:

• brain stimulation
• eye-tracking
• motion tracking
• computational modelling
• clinical assessment

Staff work with both normally functioning children and adults, and people with neurological disorders.

The Language, Cognition and Communication group is internationally recognised for its work on the psychology of language.

We have wide expertise in such areas as:

• spoken and written comprehension
• bilingualism
• language development
• the cognitive neuroscience of language

Researchers use a range of methods, including behavioural experiments, brain imaging and eye-tracking.

Differential Psychology (individual differences)

Individual differences researchers ask how and why people or other primates differ from one another psychologically and how these differences matter in their lives.

The University of Edinburgh is uniquely positioned to offer PhD training in the area because of its long history of world-class individual differences research and teaching. Our researchers focus on a broad range of topics, including the assessment, causes and consequences of personality traits and intelligence, positive psychology, primate behaviour, paranormal beliefs, development, ageing and psychopathology.

For example, the researchers study the roles of genetics and life experiences and developmental trends in personality traits and intelligence, and how these traits are linked with real-life outcomes in the domains of achievement and health.

The Social Psychology group examines how we think about the self, others, and groups. The research group covers qualitative and quantitative methodologies, spanning processes like identity, relationships, crowds, and inter-group relations. We employ a range of methods such as:

• questionnaires
• social cognitive techniques
• observation
• physiological measures

Training and support

Currently, there are no mandatory courses for PhD students, but we expect students to take part in an informal year-long seminar series on key topics of academic work and research seminars of their research area. Also, many students audit various courses and take part in workshops and other modes of training, within the department and beyond.

We will assign you at least two supervisors who provide expert academic guidance on their research. We expect that at least some of your research will get published in peer-reviewed journals.

Many PhD students gain undergraduate teaching experience, for which we provide training and mentoring and you can gain formal recognition (a teaching certificate).

Psychology houses extensive facilities including:

• several eye-trackers
• EEG recording equipment
• fNIRS recorder
• TMS, celspot recording equipment
• a suite of dedicated computers running experimental software

We work with the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for MRI scanning facilities.

• Find out more about our community

The School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences is home to a large, supportive and active student community, hosting events and activities throughout the year which you can join. As a postgraduate student you will have access to a range of research resources, state of the art facilities, research seminars and reading groups.

Career opportunities

While many of our PhD graduates choose to remain in academia as lecturers and researchers, going onto post-doctoral opportunities or progressing into faculty positions, some pursue employment and careers in other sectors.

Important application information

Find a research opportunity and contact potential supervisors prior to making an application.

We strongly encourage you to get in touch with a potential supervisor, and to include their name in your application. When contacting a potential supervisor, please include a draft proposal and CV as this will provide the starting point for discussion. You can introduce yourself by explaining why their work interests you.

• View our main research interests and staff profiles

Write a research proposal

We will use your research proposal to consider whether the proposed research is feasible and can be supervised by our staff members, so it is important that your theoretical and methodological preparedness for it are clear.

We understand that it can be difficult to formulate research plans well in advance of carrying out the work, but we encourage you to articulate your ideas as clearly as possible. You should draft your proposal several times, and, ideally, seek comments on it from other people (perhaps from your referees or former lecturers) before submitting it.

We recommend that you contact your planned supervisor(s) well in advance of the deadline to identify a suitable topic for your research proposal. You should draft the research proposal independently and then discuss it with your planned supervisor(s), revising it based on their comments and suggestions.

Each PhD thesis contains several theoretical and empirical chapters. Your proposal should focus on the empirical work, laying out plans for at least two empirical studies (further plans can be worked out as you progress). Ideally, each of the studies will be a publishable journal article; students are strongly encouraged to publish their work in collaboration with their supervisors.

Your proposal must not exceed 1000 words; the panel may not read the part of your proposal exceeding the limit. This does not include references.

Your proposal should include:

• A title for the project
• A brief background for the planned research question(s)
• A compelling, brief rationale for the studies, including the specific research questions/hypotheses
• A description of the methodology for addressing these questions/hypotheses, which generally includes:
• Sufficiently large sample(s) of participants (allowing for appropriate statistical power) and measurement/experimental procedures
• If using existing data (for example, data from large cohort studies or biobanks, imaging data sets, etc.), describe the data sets
• Your data analytical approach (for example, suitable statistical models)
• If using qualitative data such as interviews, describe your methods and analytical approach
• Note that the methodology should be realistic, within the resources and time-scales available to you and your supervisor(s), and also allowing for necessary time for writing the thesis
• An indication of how your proposed work fits with and contributes to the research programme of your planned supervisor(s). A PhD thesis typically means teamwork, involving the student and one or two supervisors, and often also other members of the research group(s) of the supervisor(s); a student receives training and help from the team, but can also contribute to the team with their research. Applicants who can show a good fit with supervising team have an advantage.

We may ask for a brief (Zoom or MS Teams) interview with you if we have further questions.

If your application is successful, we expect that your research will develop. It is likely that your supervisor(s) or those reviewing the work will suggest changes or developments to your research as your studies progress. Therefore, you will not be held to the ideas that you explain in your proposal during the course of your research.

• How to write a good PG research proposal

Get ready to apply

In order to ensure full consideration of your application we ask that you submit your complete application including all supporting documentation.

We will ask you to add contact details for your referees. We will email them with information on how to upload their reference directly to your online application. Please allow plenty of time as we can only consider your application once we have received your full application, including your references.

• Find out more about the application process

Consider your funding options

There are a number of funding opportunities both within the University and externally. Funding is highly competitive at PhD level.

• More information on funding

Pre-application Checklist

To receive a pre-arrival checklist to help you with your application, please email the PPLS Postgraduate Office at

• [email protected]

Please complete this checklist to keep track of your application preparations. Please submit the completed checklist as an additional document to your application.

Psychology at Edinburgh

Entry requirements.

These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2024.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in Psychology or a related subject.

Your application will also be considered if you have a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in another subject and a postgraduate masters level degree in Psychology.

Your academic achievements will be assessed by a panel of academics along with the research proposal submitted as part of your application.

(Revised 19 February 2024 to clarify entry requirements and assessment methods.)

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country
• English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced ( CAE ) / C2 Proficiency ( CPE ): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
• Trinity ISE : ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 62 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS , TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE , in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old* at the beginning of your programme of study. (*Revised 05 March 2024 to extend degree validity to five years.)

Find out more about our language requirements:

Fees and costs

Tuition fees, scholarships and funding.

Only applications received by the Round 1 deadline will be considered for University of Edinburgh based funding.

You may be able to secure external funding outside of this deadline.

Featured funding

• Scottish Graduate School of Social Science Funding
• [College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Research Awards] ( https://www.ed.ac.uk/ppls/psychology/prospective/postgraduate/psychology-phd-programme/funding-research-students/arts-humanities-soc-sci-research-awards )
• [Edinburgh Doctoral College Scholarships] ( https://www.ed.ac.uk/student-funding/postgraduate/international/other-funding/doctoral-college )

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding

Further information

• PPLS Postgraduate Office
• Phone: +44 (0)131 651 5002
• Contact: [email protected]
• Dugald Stewart Building
• 3 Charles Street
• Central Campus
• Programme: Psychology
• School: Philosophy, Psychology & Language Sciences
• College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

This programme is not currently accepting applications. Applications for the next intake usually open in October.

Start date: September

Application deadlines

Only applications received by the Round 1 deadline will be considered for University of Edinburgh based funding. You may be able to secure external funding outside of this deadline.

We operate a gathered field approach to PhD applications.

This means that all complete applications which satisfy our minimum entry requirements will be held until the nearest deadline. The admissions panel will meet to consider all applications received together after that date.

Applications are held for processing over two deadlines:

(Revised 12 October 2023 to amend the application deadlines)

• How to apply

Please read through the ‘Important application information’ section on this page before applying.

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

Department of Psychology

University | A to Z | Departments

• Prospective students
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• Psychology home
• About the Department
• What is Psychology?
• Why choose York?
• Undergraduate study
• Our philosophy
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• How to apply
• York-CITY Collaborative PhD
• Taught Masters courses
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• Student documentation
• Staff documentation
• Equality and diversity
• News and events
• Public Engagement

Funding opportunities

We regularly receive funding for PhD projects from research councils (ESRC, MRC, BBSRC), charities, the EU, and private companies. Funding normally covers research costs and tuition fees, and provides a maintenance grant for living expenses.  Some PhD projects already have specific funding allocated to them (e.g., from a grant). In other cases, supervisors do not have pre-arranged funding - these students can enter the departmental studentship competition.

If you have any questions about any of the funding or procedures please contact  [email protected]

PhD funding available (beginning September 2024) 

Departmental studentships.

Departmental studentships cover home fees and provide a stipend of about for three years starting in September 2024.  The studentships are open to all UK (home) students.  Recipients of these awards will be encouraged to complete 100 hours of teaching (tutorials, demonstrating in practicals, marking) each year in return for the studentship.

Applying for departmental studentships

Submit your  online application  before the deadline of  12 January 2024 . Initial interviews will be completed before 19 January 2024. Individuals with the strongest academic record, interview performance, relevant work experience, endorsement from their potential supervisor and summary research proposal (in terms of rigour and clarity) will be shortlisted and invited for a second interview on 7 or 8 February 2024.  We expect that successful candidates will be offered these awards by mid-March 2024. 

Before submitting your departmental studentship application

We select applicants whose interests fit closely with those of our staff, so research students can benefit from expert supervision. We cannot offer places to individuals who wish to work outside the areas of research expertise within the department. Postgraduate researchers join a research team composed of one or two faculty, postdoctoral scientists and other graduate students working on related topics. 

Before applying please look at the  research  and  staff webpages  and make contact with individuals who share your research interests and may be able to offer you supervision. Early contact with potential supervisors is critical, so that the supervisor can provide guidance and input into the research proposal, which forms a critical part of your application.

White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership ESRC studentships

In addition to submitting an application for departmental funding, you may be eligible to submit an application to the  WRDTP ESRC scheme , specifically the Advanced Quantitative Methods award. Please speak to your potential supervisor about your eligibility, and if eligible work with your supervisor to produce an application. 

University funding for international applicants

Further information on funding for international students is available from the  International Office .

Opportunities for self-funding students

Funding is very competitive, so if you are not successful in obtaining a full studentship and decide to join us on a full or partial self-funding basis there are a number of ways in which you can aid your financial situation and gain valuable experience on the way.

Graduate teaching positions

Each semester our PostGraduates Who Teach (PGWT) coordinator matches PhD students who want to teach with teaching jobs in the department.  The teaching roles available will vary, but may include leading tutorials with small groups of undergraduates, demonstrating in undergraduate practical classes and marking and providing feedback on undergraduate work.  All teaching work is paid at around £15 per hour + holiday pay. 

College life advisor positions

For postgraduates who have a keen interest in student welfare there are opportunities to become college life advisors. College life advisors are a vital part of the team, responsible for the welfare of undergraduates.  This role usually requires 15 hours of your time each week and you are expected to live in the college (where accommodation is provided at reduced cost).

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Duration: 4 years full time

Institution code: R72

Campus: Egham

UK fees * : £4,786

International/EU fees ** : £23,400

The Department of Psychology is a dynamic and varied research community covering the cognitive and neural underpinnings of social interaction, learning, memory, and language, through to more applied research topics in forensic, health, and developmental psychology.

Our academic staff work at the forefront of their field, across psychological science and neuroscience, with an active, thriving postgraduate research community.

The Department of Psychology at Royal Holloway has been placed joint third in the country by The Times Higher Education following the publication of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 results. 

In the REF 2021 results overall, 67% of Psychology's research was classified as 4* world leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour, highlighting the exceptional quality of the department’s research outputs, impact and environment.

The department received a top score for its research impact, with 100% judged to be 4* which is the highest standard of excellence. This outstanding result for research impact reinforces the importance and value of the department’s research to society and the economy. 

We are located on a beautiful campus in Surrey, close to London and we have a wide range of research-dedicated facilities.

The department has earned a Silver Athena SWAN award for best practice in equal opportunities and our inclusive environment.

We invite candidates to discuss possible research topics with a potential supervisor before submitting a formal application. You can find out more about our staff and their areas of expertise here .

From time to time, we make changes to our courses to improve the student and learning experience, and this is particularly the case as we continue to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. If we make a significant change to your chosen course, we’ll let you know as soon as we can.

Research facilities and environment

Principal Investigators and their lab groups are supported by state-of-the-art facilities (fMRI, EEG, TMS, tDCS, VR, and eye-tracking as well as labs dedicated to sleep, vestibular-multisensory integration, psychophysiology, psycholinguistics, and infant cognition), and the department provides a supportive environment for the scientific training of doctoral students through one-on-one mentoring, regular training events, student-led seminars, and journal clubs.

Research in the department falls broadly into the following groupings:

• Health and Well-Being
• Language, Memory and Attention
• Perception, Action and Decision Making
• Social and Affective Processes

Each of the groupings have regularly held seminars where external researchers present the latest research and provide a rich opportunity for postgraduate research students to meet and discuss research with leaders in their fields. More information about the research groups is here .

Students who are admitted to this programme are initially registered on a MPhil programme. Before their second year of studies they will have an upgrade meeting, if successful, they will become registered on the PhD Psychology programme.

To be awarded a PhD Psychology degree, students must submit their thesis, and pass their viva examination with one internal and one external examiner.

Entry requirements

Applicants should have the equivalent of a 2.1 honours in Psychology, or a related discipline, and meet Royal Holloway’s requirements for English (for international students).

English language requirements

All teaching at Royal Holloway is in English. You will therefore need to have good enough written and spoken English to cope with your studies right from the start.

The scores we require

• IELTS: 6.5 overall. Writing 7.0. No other subscore lower than 5.5.
• Pearson Test of English: 61 overall. Writing 69. No other subscore lower than 51.
• Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English (ISE): ISE III.
• Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) grade C.
• TOEFL ib: 88 overall, with Reading 18 Listening 17 Speaking 20 Writing 26.

Country-specific requirements

For more information about country-specific entry requirements for your country please see  here .

Our PGR students often continue in careers in academia (Post-doctoral work, Teaching Fellow, Lecturer) or onto research in business and industry. Our former PGR students have moved into academia, into industry as statisticians, into marketing and neuromarketing, government (eg, Office for National Statistics), policy, cybersecurity, and have become founders of Tech start ups and charities.

Fees & funding

Home (UK) students tuition fee per year*: £4,786

EU and international students tuition fee per year**: £23,400

Other essential costs***: There are no single associated costs greater than £50 per item on this course

…How do I pay for it? Find out more about   funding options,   including loans, grants,   scholarships   and bursaries. 

* and ** These tuition fees apply to students enrolled on a full-time basis in the academic year 2024/25.

* Please note that for research courses, we adopt the minimum fee level recommended by the UK Research Councils for the Home   tuition fee. Each year, the fee level is adjusted in line with inflation (currently, the measure used is the Treasury GDP deflator). Fees displayed here are therefore subject to change and are usually confirmed in the spring of the year of entry.   For more information on the Research Council Indicative Fee please see the   UKRI website.

** This figure is the fee for EU and international students starting a degree in the academic year 2024/25.   

Royal Holloway reserves the right to increase all postgraduate tuition fees annually, based on the UK’s Retail Price Index (RPI). Please therefore be aware that tuition fees can rise during your degree (if longer than one year’s duration), and that this also means that the overall cost of studying the course part-time will be slightly higher than studying it full-time in one year. For further information, please see our  terms and conditions .

***   These estimated costs relate to studying this particular degree at Royal Holloway during the 2024/25 academic year and are included as a guide. Costs, such as accommodation, food, books and other learning materials and printing, have not been included. 

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Research is an integral part of our School strategy, with strengths across biological, cognitive, developmental, clinical, and social psychology. As a PhD student, you will be part of a supportive, vibrant and intellectually stimulating community.

• Psychology PhD

Some questions we are often asked

A PhD is a qualification to do research. A PhD qualification thus allows you to have a career in research, whether in academic or a non-academic settings.  A PhD qualification also qualifies you to teach at university level, although note that is is possible to teach some modules at university level without a PhD, depending on the country you are teaching in, the university and the field.

By the end of your PhD, you will be an expert on your particular topic of study. But, more importantly, you'll have acquired the skills to tackle new research questions independently.

To complete a PhD:

• you'll need to write a thesis: a “substantial original contribution to knowledge or understanding (..) based on what may be reasonably expected of a capable and diligent student after three years of full-time study” 
• you'll be expected to publish your data in academic journals and will have the opportunity to mix with the leading researchers at conferences
• you'll develop as a person by navigating through difficult problems, finding creative solutions, and developing a self-driven approach to work through the guidance and support of your supervisory team and the academic community.

Check our entry requirements on the Psychology PhD page of the prospectus .

The School of Psychology is offering up to 8  Doctoral Research Studentships for entry in 2023 for student-proposed projects with any supervisor. Entry can be in Sept 2023, Jan 2024 or May 2024 but all studentships will be allocated following the deadline on 6 January 2023 so please do not miss that deadline and specify your intended entry date on your application. Here is a list of potential supervisors seeking applications this year with information about the kinds of projects they would like to supervise.  We will also have Psychology Doctoral Research Scholarships on topics proposed by supervisors which will be listed on the same page .

The University of Sussex is part of UKRI Doctoral Training Programmes which provide funding for PhD students across the South East and South Coast respectively:

• South Coast Biosciences Network   (SoCoBio)

Keep an eye on the  PhD funding opportunities and scholarships  on the University website. Different funding schemes become available at different times of the year, and new opportunities are published regularly.

It is possible to self-fund, and we consider self-funded applications throughout the year. However, self-funding is a significant commitment and not one to take lightly.

Most students go through a ‘bad patch’ where things don’t work, and/or motivation levels dip. For self-funded students, who are often part-time and juggling other commitments, this may increase pressure to quit more than it does for others (and indeed, our completion rate for self-funded students is lower). As such, we expect self-funded students to demonstrate, on application, a solid level of personal and professional commitment to their chosen topic of study, in addition to an appropriate level of academic ability.

We also ask potential self-funded students to submit a ‘financial plan’ with their application. The plan can be a brief (one paragraph) statement about how you will fund your studies, and it should also consider any contingency plans (e.g. redundancy, or if employed casually).

Check funding fees and additional costs on the Psychology PhD page of the prospectus .

We do not offer a PhD in 'Clinical Psychology' that would form part of the training to become a clinical psychologist nor a PhD in ‘Educational Psychology’ that would form part of the training to become and educational psychologist . Several of our supervisors are clinical psychologists, and it is possible to undertake a PhD in Psychology under their supervision but it would not be a PhD in Clinical Psychology.

• Decide what kinds of topics of research interest you. Students typically base this around their previous experience during lectures or running their project.
• Find a potential supervisor  ( Reseach outlines ) and find an advertised studentship  (unless you propose to self-fund). Check the application deadline!
• Do some preliminary reading (e.g. recent papers published in that field, including some by your potential supervisor)
• Contact your potential supervisor, normally via email. At this stage, you don't need a definite plan. You need to indicate why you find the topic interesting and send your CV (which should list all courses taken to date and grades obtained). You may also want to ask questions to them (e.g. what new lines of research are you hoping to pursue? what is your style of supervision?).

If the potential supervisor expresses an initial interest, then this would be a good time to arrange a phone or zoom call (although email exchanges could remain an option). This isn’t part of the formal process, but it's a good way of ironing out any confusion and making sure this feels right before committing lots of time to the application.

• Write a draft of a ‘research proposal’ (we give you some tips on the “what should I write in my research proposal” section). You may also want to get feedback on the proposal from your potential supervisor before submitting it.
• Submit the online application . You will need to create an account and then you can apply for up to 3 different courses (e.g. Neuroscience 4 year PhD + Psychology PhD). 

If you are applying for more than one funded studentship in Psychology, you only need to submit one application, but you may require more than one research proposal. Give them names that make it clear which proposal relates to which studentship.

When you start each application, you'll need to specify whether you wish to study full-time or part-time, when you wish to start (your 'point of entry'), and the appropriate 'level'. 

For each application, you'll need to complete 10 sections. You must include all the requested attachments, including CV, research proposal, degree certificates and transcripts (or interim transcripts if you haven't completed your degree yet), proof of English if required, and references/details of referees. 

Most members of faculty in the School of Psychology are eligible to act as supervisors of research students. You can find a list of our academics, organised according to our four research groups on the  Psychology PhD page of the prospectus  under 'Our Supervisors'.  Some supervisors have also provided research outlines describing the kinds of PhD research they would like to supervise.

You should ask potential supervisors whether they are likely to be taking on any PhD students in the coming year as an initial step. 

It’s never too early to approach a potential supervisor. Applications for funding for competitive programmes like the Commonwealth Scholarship and SENSS can take months to prepare.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

It is necessary that the PhD supervisor(s) you pick are a good fit to your chosen discipline and your chosen research area/topic. Since the aim of the PhD s for you to become an expert on our particular topics of study, it is necessary for your PHD supervisors(s) to be expert(s) in your area as well, and for your research to be aligned with their research interests.

A frequent misconception we see among PhD applicants is thinking that any faculty memeber in the school of Psychology can potentially act as their supervisor just because the supervisor is in the discipline of psychology at large. For example a PhD applicant wishing to specialise in clinical psychology, with a desire to understand schizophrenia, might sometimes approach a faculty member who specialises in the social psychology of protests. Although both of these areas are in the discipline of psychology, the subfields are different and the research areas are incompatible. Hence, this would not be a good fit.

To sum up, when searching for a potential PhD supervisor, make sure that the faculty members you approach do research in the area of psychology you plan to specialise in and their research interests are aligned to yours. The way to check this is by reading their research interests on their web page and reading some of their work. Note, however, that it is also possible to be supervised by two or more people, including secondary supervisors outside of the School of Psychology, particularly when your topic is interdisciplinary and would benefit from different types of expertise.

The research proposal should be approximately 1,000 to 1,500 words in length and not exceed three pages, including references. You should set the font size at a minimum of 10 points and the margins at a minimum of 1cm.  

If you are applying for a SENSS studentship and the requirements for that are different, prepare your documents using the SENSS guidelines. Use the same documents for your application to Sussex and to SENSS.

Your research proposal should cover the following areas:

• Background to the studies 

What do we know already? Why is this topic interesting and important? You should assume that you are writing it for someone who has a good general knowledge of psychology but who is not an expert in that particular area of research.

• Gaps in our current knowledge

What don’t we know? Could the existing findings be explained differently? At the end of this section, outline your aims and hypotheses.

• Methodology

The level of detail needed here is likely to vary, but we're interested in your ability to think critically. What kinds of control conditions are needed? What exactly would we need to measure? What kind of pilot studies may need to be run first? What problems may occur, and how could they be addressed? This section need not cover the complete methodology for all three years of study. However, you're expected to specify how your initial idea could be developed or expanded upon over this longer timeframe.

• Reference list, preferably in APA format.

Around six well-chosen references would be acceptable, but there is no strict upper or lower limit.

If you are applying for an advertised studentship to work on a particular topic with a particular person, there is no need for them to comment on your draft. 

If you are applying for an open call (in which you are developing your own ideas), there will be more need for dialogue between you and your potential supervisor. You should discuss the direction of your research proposal with your potential supervisor before you start writing it. After completing a draft, it would be good for your supervisor to comment on it and provide feedback, but they will not rewrite it for you. The proposal is one way of assessing you, so it's important that it primarily reflects your work and your ideas.

Give your supervisor enough time to read your proposal (at least a week) and leave enough time to make changes afterwards.

Your research proposal isn’t a contract to undertake the specified research, should you get offered a place. The structure of your PhD is likely to evolve and need not closely reflect the proposal you made at the time of application. 

The research proposal fulfils two roles:

• it's one way of assessing your ability to identify important scientific questions and think about potential research solutions 
• it also enables us to assess the extent to which we may be able to support you in terms of necessary supervision and resources. 

We encourage our PhD students to teach, and we pay them as Doctoral Tutors to do so. This experience looks good on your CV, and it's both a personal reward and a challenge. If you are awarded a studentship which is funded by the School of Psychology then you will be required to teach and the details will be included in the advert.

Teaching typically involves: 

• demonstrating during research methods and statistics classes
• associated teaching activities such as answering student queries and marking.  

You'll work alongside a member of faculty who will have overall responsibility for delivering the module. You'll most likely work as a team with other PhD students to deliver the teaching.

A 1+3 implies that the studentship lasts for four years, but the first year is a Masters of Science (MSc) and the remaining years are for the (full time) PhD. 

This studentship is suitable for students who do not have a MSc already. We typically fund only a small number of these each year and only as part of the SeNSS studentships.

Masters degrees linked to 1+3s include the MRes in Psychological Research Methods, MSc in Cognitive Neuroscience, and MSc in Foundations in Clinical Psychology and Mental Health. 

A +3 implies that the studentship is for 3 (full-time) years. Most of our studentships tend to be +3. 

A +4 implies that the studentship is for 4 (full-time) years. These are offered as part of the Sussex Neuroscience PhD scheme and occasionally for other students.

Part-time study involves completing the research within five years (with a minimum submission date of four years and a maximum of six years). If you are awarded a funded studentship you will be receive 50% of the full-time stipend for up to 6 years. Part-time fees are charged at 50% of the full-time fees.

If you start a PhD as a self-funded part-time student, our School Policy is that you should initially register for an MPhil with the possibility of upgrading to a PhD after a minimum of two years of study. 

If you start a PhD full-time and wish to transfer to part-time (or vice versa) at some point in your studies because of a change in your circumstances (e.g. after parental leave) then this will usually be possible.

Some studentships can only be offered full-time because of time constraints on the funding.

'Distance learner' is one of the options for 'mode of study' you can select on your application. It's intended for overseas students who will be residents abroad for most of their studies and can complete their experiments abroad. 

Distance learners must study full-time and are required to spend at least three months at Sussex during their studies. This requirement can be fulfilled as one block of three months or several shorter visits (to be agreed at the start of the degree). Fees are 65% of the international rate for the periods spent abroad and 100% of the international rate for periods spent at Sussex. 

Distance learners are usually self-funded or have obtained external funding.

We screen all applications. Some candidates are rejected straight away, and others are placed on hold for further consideration.

All short-listed candidates will be invited to an interview via Zoom.

Short answer: yes.

The competition is very tight. We expect candidates to make multiple applications to different institutions, and it won't reflect poorly on you.

However, if it emerges that you're making multiple applications to study completely different topics, then it might look like you don't have a clear vision of what interests you. This could weaken your application.

We strongly recommend Phillips and Pugh How to Get a PhD: A Handbook for Students and Their Supervisors. This handbook won't only guide you through the application process, but it will also be a helpful resource throughout your PhD studies.

You might also be interested in:

• our research
• find out how to apply for a PhD
• find out about fees and scholarships

PhD by research

This PhD psychology doctorate is a pure research programme, normally completed within 3-4 years of full-time work, or up to 7 years of part-time study.

Introducing your degree

The PhD by research in Psychology gives you an opportunity to engage in world class research at the University of Southampton. Students will, with the help of a supervisory team, develop and conduct novel research in Psychology. We have a number of excellent laboratories across the different disciplines in Psychology; your work might make use of our fMRI or ERP facilities, VR labs, or our other cutting-edge research tools. Visit our facilities page to find out more.

Below, you’ll find key information regarding the course. Read through our typical entry requirements, and our opportunities for funding through School of Psychology studentships and the new South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership.

If you still have questions, please get in touch and we’ll be happy to answer any enquiries. Visit our  contact us page for our telephone, email and address information.

Programme Overview

Unlike our other doctoral-level programmes, this PhD psychology by research is not tied to a particular area of professional practice, but can lead to a broad range of careers in academia and industry.

You might be funded by a UK research council, an overseas government, or the University itself.

View the doctoral programme profile for this course

Application for the PhD psychology doctorate is through the University of Southampton online system . You are strongly advised to explore both a potential area of study, and funding arrangements, before submitting your application.

Please visit the Fees & Funding section for the current fee charges for the PhD programme.

We offer two funding routes specific to the PhD programme; both options cover your tuition fees and offer you a stipend for living expenses.

• School of Psychology Studentships - 4 years full time for MSc/PhD, 3 years full time PhD (if applicant has a MSc)

Applicants for our MSc/PhD funding scheme should have, or will be expected to obtain, a First or a good Upper Second class honours degree in Psychology (or a related discipline). Applicants for only PhD funding typically have, or will be expected to obtain, a merit at masters level in Psychology (or a related discipline). (Note that applicants who want to be considered for PhD funding and who only have an undergraduate degree would usually be expected to demonstrate additional and significant research experience.) Further details can be obtained from the Programme Director

• South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership

The new South Coast DTP is a beacon of excellence, innovation and imagination in the training of the next generation of social scientists. Through an exciting new collaboration between the Universities of Southampton, Brighton and Portsmouth, the South Coast DTP aims to deliver the latest developments in training in research methods and skills to produce highly qualified and rounded social scientists, equipped to meet contemporary economic and social challenges. Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, the South Coast DTP awards 38 studentships per year to social scientists carrying out PhD studies, or Masters + PhD studies at its three partner institutions. Our first intake of funded students was for the 2017/18 Academic Year

Director of Doctoral Programme:  Professor Tim Wildschut +44 (0)23 8059 2639

Our PG community is a lively, engaging and friendly group, within which scholarship and intellectual discovery are encouraged. We are comprised of 4 research centres: 

• Centre for Vision and Cognition (CVC)
• Centre for Innovation in Mental Health (CiMH)
• Centre for Research on Self and Identity (CRSI)
• Centre for Clinical and Community Applications of Health Psychology (CCCAHP)

Related Staff Member

Professor Tim Wildschut PhD

Tim Wildschut is Professor of Social and Personality Psychology at the University of Southampton.

Entry Requirements

Typical entry requirements.

For the PhD by research, we expect you to have successfully completed a Bachelor's degree (at least a 2.1 or international equivalent) in Psychology or related discipline. Having already completed a Master’s degree is considered desirable but not necessary.

Selection process

Applications for our PhD programme are made using the University’s online application form here . Before applying for the PhD psychology doctorate you should identify your area of research interest and potential supervisor. You can find details of the specialist research areas in the School of Psychology here . Additional supporting documentation to be submitted as part of the PhD psychology doctorate application process. These can be uploaded with the online application form. This will include the following:     * Research proposal (two single-spaced pages - approximately 1000 words)     * Curriculum Vitae     * Degree certificate/s (& translated version if necessary)     * Degree transcript/s (& translated version if necessary)     * English Language Qualification (if applicable)     * Two academic references

This page contains specific entry requirements for this course. Find out about equivalent entry requirements and qualifications for your country.

Programme Structure

Typical course content.

The PhD by Research programme is an entirely research-oriented programme in which students conduct original research under the guidance of their supervisors.

Fees & funding

Tuition fees.

Fees for postgraduate research degrees vary across the University. All fees are listed for UK, EU and international full-time and part-time students alphabetically by course name.

Scholarships, bursaries, sponsorships or grants may be available to support you through your course. Funding opportunities available to you are linked to your subject area and/or your country of origin. These can be from the University of Southampton or other sources.

Learning & Teaching

You will have opportunities for training in various research methods in psychology during your registration on this PhD psychology doctorate, plus access to our wide range of generic skills and specialist instructional workshops, such as writing, presentation skills and computer programming.

Study locations

Highfield Campus

Some of the Foundation Year subjects will be taught on the Highfield C... Find out more

You may also be interested in

• MSc Research Methods in Psychology (1 year)

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Psychology PhD

Key information, full-time - 4 years, part-time - 8 years.

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Why choose this programme

• Contribute to research that’s focused on the application of psychology in the real world
• Benefit from our expertise in a breadth of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies using both subjective and biological assessments
• Train in advanced and innovative research methods
• Put theory into practice in our state-of-the-art facilities
• Join a team of researchers who collaborate with research councils including the Economic and Social Research Council and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, as well as both EU and UK governmental departments.

What you will study

In your first year you’ll complete four compulsory training courses, covering quantitative and qualitative research methods, professional academic skills, and teaching and training. You’ll also familiarise yourself with relevant literature, create a research plan, develop your methodological and analytic skills, and complete your first study.

Throughout your studies, you’ll gain a solid grounding in research methods and improve your communication skills to effectively convey your findings. You’ll collect and analyse data, complete a detailed literature review and then write your PhD thesis. Depending on your research project, data collection can take place in schools, hospitals, laboratories or online.

Current students are researching topics including:

• Deficits in flexible thought in stroke aphasic patients
• How the natural environment, or representations of it, can be of benefit to individuals with mental health issues
• The role of positive and negative social support in weight loss maintenance
• Every day decision making and the role of heuristics
• If the pronouns ‘they/them’ can be used as genderless pronouns and what impact these may have on STEM subjects.

Your final assessment will be based on the presentation of your research in a written thesis, which will be discussed in a viva examination with at least two examiners. You have the option of preparing your thesis as a monograph (one large volume in chapter form) or in publication format (including chapters written for publication), subject to the approval of your supervisors.

You’ll have a confirmation assessment to formally review your project. If you're a full-time student, this will take place around 12-15 months into your studies or 24-30 months if you’re studying part-time. You’ll be required to submit a written report and successfully complete an oral examination.

Conferences

Each year we run a postgraduate research conference where you’ll be able to present your work and network with fellow researchers. You can also attend external conferences that are relevant to your area of research.

Research support

The professional development of postgraduate researchers is supported by the Doctoral College , which provides training in essential skills through its Researcher Development Programme of workshops, mentoring and coaching. A dedicated postgraduate careers and employability team will help you prepare for a successful career after the completion of your PhD.

Progress reviews

In addition to the confirmation process you’ll have six-monthly progress reviews with your supervisors. These meetings are an opportunity to reflect on your progress, discuss successes and challenges and set targets for the next six months. These reviews will be monitored by postgraduate research directors and recorded on your student record.

You’ll also have one formal meeting with your supervisors every month and can expect to have more frequent meetings between these. The regularity of these will depend on the nature and stage of your project.

Research themes

The School of Psychology’s  research investigates:

• The brain and behaviour , including changes across the lifespan, learning, training and rehabilitation, and the effects of modulators of plasticity.
• Cognition , including the contribution of language, reason and decision making, and asymmetries in our thinking processes.
• Development and learning , including attention and behaviour, emotional development in childhood, and neurodevelopmental disorders such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We also focus on  colour perception and cognition across developments in infants and children.
• The environment , including when and how people interact with different types of environments and how these interactions affect both the quality of that environment and people’s own wellbeing.
• Food and consumer behaviour , including attitudes towards healthy eating, the effect of claims and symbols on packaging, and the impact of food allergies when eating out.
• Health psychology , including chronic conditions like heart disease and obesity, symptom perception, health behaviours such as diet and exercise, and pain and stress.
• Social psychology , including discourse and language, interpersonal dynamics, self-identity, sexuality, and social interference and judgement.

Our academic staff

Throughout your studies you’ll have at least two supervisors from the School of Psychology. 

Your supervisors will have expertise relevant to your research project, and will give you academic guidance and tuition, helping you develop your skills in experimental design, conduct and analysis. They’ll also give you pastoral support and advice, referring you to more specialist services where necessary.

Supervisors may include:

• Dr Kathrin Cohen Kadosh - an expert on the effects of the gut biome on the brain
• Dr Harriet Tenenbaum - an expert on the social development of children
• Dr Ellie Ratcliffe - an expert on the impact of the natural world.

Research centres, groups and labs

Research facilities.

Our facilities have undergone a £5million investment, giving you access to the latest equipment, including a four-room virtual reality suite to simulate real-life scenarios, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, where you can perform neuroimaging and observe the brain in action, and two observation laboratories.

With our equipment you can conduct experiments using electroencephalography (EEG), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). You'll also be able to monitor eye tracking and physiological measures such as earlobe temperature, heart rate and galvanic skin response, in our laboratories and remotely, using mobile data loggers.

Francesca Trevisan

My project looks at inequality in higher education, specifically how students interpret university rankings and how these can favour the support of a hierarchical society.

Claire Gregory

The thing I enjoy the most about my PhD is getting to really dive deeply into topics that interest me. I love having the freedom to choose what areas I research, and that there are always people around interested in discussing new discoveries with me.

Entry requirements

Applicants are expected to hold a minimum of an upper second-class (2:1) UK degree (65 per cent or above) in psychology (or a related discipline) and a masters degree in a relevant subject with a pass of 65 per cent or above.

International entry requirements by country

English language requirements.

IELTS Academic: 6.5 or above (or equivalent) with 6 in each individual category.

These are the English language qualifications and levels that we can accept. 

If you do not currently meet the level required for your programme, we offer intensive pre-sessional English language courses , designed to take you to the level of English ability and skill required for your studies here.

Application requirements

Applicants are advised to contact potential supervisors before they submit an application via the website. Please refer to section two of our  application guidance .

After registration

Students are initially registered for a PhD with probationary status and, subject to satisfactory progress, subsequently confirmed as having PhD status.

Selection process

Selection is based on applicants:

• Meeting the expected entry requirements
• Being shortlisted through the application screening process
• Completing a successful interview
• Providing suitable references.

Student life

At Surrey we offer the best of both worlds – a friendly campus university, set in beautiful countryside with the convenience and social life of Guildford on your doorstep.

Start date: July 2024

Start date: October 2024

Start date: January 2025

Start date: April 2025

• Annual fees will increase by 4% for each year of study, rounded up to the nearest £100 (subject to legal requirements).
• Any start date other than September will attract a pro-rata fee for that year of entry (75 per cent for January, 50 per cent for April and 25 per cent for July).

View the list of fees for all postgraduate research courses.

Additional costs

There are additional costs that you can expect to incur when studying at Surrey.

A Postgraduate Doctoral Loan can help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate doctoral course.

Apply online

If you are applying for a studentship to work on a particular project, please provide details of the project instead of a research proposal.

Read our application guidance for further information on applying.

To apply online first select the course you'd like to apply for then log in.

1. Select your course

Select the course you wish to apply for.

To apply online sign in or create an account.

Code of practice for research degrees

Surrey’s postgraduate research code of practice sets out the University's policy and procedural framework relating to research degrees. The code defines a set of standard procedures and specific responsibilities covering the academic supervision, administration and assessment of research degrees for all faculties within the University.

Download the code of practice for research degrees (PDF) .

Terms and conditions

When you accept an offer to study at the University of Surrey, you are agreeing to follow our policies and procedures , student regulations , and terms and conditions .

We provide these terms and conditions in two stages:

• First when we make an offer.
• Second when students accept their offer and register to study with us (registration terms and conditions will vary depending on your course and academic year).

View our generic registration terms and conditions (PDF) for the 2023/24 academic year, as a guide on what to expect.

This online prospectus has been published in advance of the academic year to which it applies.

Whilst we have done everything possible to ensure this information is accurate, some changes may happen between publishing and the start of the course.

It is important to check this website for any updates before you apply for a course with us. Read our full disclaimer .

Course location and contact details

Campus location

Stag Hill is the University's main campus and where the majority of our courses are taught. 

University of Surrey Admissions

University of Surrey Guildford Surrey GU2 7XH

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PhD fees and funding

Tuition fees

Alumni discounts

Phd funding.

Magdalen Vernon PhD studentship

The School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences offers a fully funded PhD studentship in a research project aligned with our research. The studentship is named in honour of Professor Magdalen Vernon (1901–1991), who was the first female Head of the then Department of Psychology at Reading. This four-year graduate teaching assistantship covers fees at the Home or International rate, and a maintenance stipend towards living expenses.  Please note, that although two studentships are available, due to the nature of funding available only one will cover fees at the International rate. For more information, please email [email protected] Find out more about the Magdalen Vernon PhD studentship.

South East Doctoral Training Arc

Other available studentships for phd study.

The University's Doctoral and Researcher College School holds further information about studentships and other funding available for both UK and International PhD applicants. We suggest that international students also consider funding sources in their own country to increase their chances of securing finance.

Doctoral loans

Alternative funding sources

Supplement your income

Take the next step.

• How to apply
• Get a prospectus
• Ask us a question
• Learn about the Doctoral and Researcher College

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• Entry year 2024
• Duration Full time 36 Months, Part time 48 Months

A PhD consists of an extensive and coherent research programme, typically involving three to four years of full-time study. We welcome proposals for PhD research that offer programmatic ideas connected with staff research projects and interests. We think of PhDs as student-led yet collaborative research projects.

We provide extensive support and training to ensure that PhD students are well equipped to make their work productive, effective and influential, ultimately leading to a successful and timely submission of a PhD thesis.

Your department

• Psychology Faculty of Science and Technology
• Telephone +44 (0)1524 592032

Find a PhD Supervisor

To begin to develop your PhD proposal, you need to find an academic whose research interests match your own. Our research is divided into four themes. Each theme is led by a team of research-active staff, at the forefront of their fields.

How do babies develop an understanding of the world around them?

Our expertise focuses on language at multiple levels from phonemes to literacy, and cognition from behavioural regulation to embodied cognition, and beyond.

Investigating human interactions with the world via sensory and motor processes.

We use a range of quantitative and qualitative methodologies to study the social and cognitive processes that shape human actions and evaluations of others.

Entry requirements

Academic requirements.

2:1 Hons degree (UK or equivalent) in Psychology or related cognate subject.

We may also consider non-standard applicants, please contact us for information.

If you have studied outside of the UK, we would advise you to check our list of international qualifications before submitting your application.

Additional Requirements

As part of your application you will need to provide a viable research proposal.

English Language Requirements

We may ask you to provide a recognised English language qualification, dependent upon your nationality and where you have studied previously.

We normally require an IELTS (Academic) Test with an overall score of at least 7.0, and a minimum of 6.0 in each element of the test. We also consider other English language qualifications .

If your score is below our requirements, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language programmes .

Contact: Admissions Team +44 (0) 1524 592032 or email [email protected]

Fees and funding

General fees and funding information

There may be extra costs related to your course for items such as books, stationery, printing, photocopying, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits. Following graduation, you may need to pay a subscription to a professional body for some chosen careers.

Specific additional costs for studying at Lancaster are listed below.

College fees

Lancaster is proud to be one of only a handful of UK universities to have a collegiate system. Every student belongs to a college, and all students pay a small College Membership Fee  which supports the running of college events and activities. Students on some distance-learning courses are not liable to pay a college fee.

For students starting in 2023 and 2024, the fee is £40 for undergraduates and research students and £15 for students on one-year courses. Fees for students starting in 2025 have not yet been set.

Computer equipment and internet access

To support your studies, you will also require access to a computer, along with reliable internet access. You will be able to access a range of software and services from a Windows, Mac, Chromebook or Linux device. For certain degree programmes, you may need a specific device, or we may provide you with a laptop and appropriate software - details of which will be available on relevant programme pages. A dedicated  IT support helpdesk  is available in the event of any problems.

The University provides limited financial support to assist students who do not have the required IT equipment or broadband support in place.

For most taught postgraduate applications there is a non-refundable application fee of £40. We cannot consider applications until this fee has been paid, as advised on our online secure payment system. There is no application fee for postgraduate research applications.

For some of our courses you will need to pay a deposit to accept your offer and secure your place. We will let you know in your offer letter if a deposit is required and you will be given a deadline date when this is due to be paid.

The fee that you pay will depend on whether you are considered to be a home or international student. Read more about how we assign your  fee status .

If you are studying on a programme of more than one year’s duration, the tuition fees for subsequent years of your programme are likely to increase each year. Read more about  fees in subsequent years .

Scholarships and bursaries

You may be eligible for the following funding opportunities, depending on your fee status and course. You will be automatically considered for our main scholarships and bursaries when you apply, so there's nothing extra that you need to do.

Unfortunately no scholarships and bursaries match your selection, but there are more listed on scholarships and bursaries page.

If you're considering postgraduate research you should look at our funded PhD opportunities .

We also have other, more specialised scholarships and bursaries - such as those for students from specific countries.

Browse Lancaster University's scholarships and bursaries .

Similar courses

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• Developmental Disorders MSc
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• Natural Sciences PhD
• Psychological Research Methods MSc
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Funding Opportunities

Each year, the Department offers several PhD studentships, as well as opportunities to support applications for studentships via the ESRC’s North West Social Sciences Doctoral Training Partnership (NWSSDTP).

Studentships typically provide funding for 3 or 3.5 years and cover fees, a maintenance stipend and access to a Research Training and Support Grant. Additionally, all new PhD students receive a laptop with a monitor and workstation.

Some studentships cover fees for applicants with a ‘Home’ fee status only, while other studentships cover fees for applicants with a ‘Home’ or an ‘International’ fee status.

More information on how the University determines an applicants’ fee status can be found on our Fee Status pages.

The Department supports applications for studentships via the Economic and Social Research Council’s North West Social Sciences Doctoral Training Partnership (NWSSDTP), which include standard studentships and CASE studentships (for collaboration with a non-higher education partner). NWSSDTP studentships are open to both applicants with a ‘Home’ fees or an ‘International’ fee status. However, across the DTP, no more than 30% of studentships can be allocated to applicants with an ‘International’ fee status. Within the NWSSDTP, applicants can apply for funding for a master degree in combination with doctoral studies (1+3) or for funding to support their doctoral studies (+3). The NWSSDTP currently supports several studentships ring-fenced for students from a Global Majority background. The ESRC has also awarded the NWSSDTP a number of ‘steered’ studentships in the ‘priority areas’ of advanced quantitative methods, longitudinal studies (using ESRC datasets) and interdisciplinary work. Please visit our ‘Current Opportunities’ for information on how to apply via our Department.

The Department of Psychology at Lancaster University regularly has a studentship funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council available. This usually is a studentship for PhD funding (+3). It provides full tuition fees, a maintenance stipend (at the general UKRI rate) and access to a research training support grant. These studentships are open to both applicants with a ‘Home’ fee or an ‘International’ fee status. However, across the DTP, no more than 30% of studentships can be allocated to applicants with an ‘International’ fee status. As a department, we particularly encourage applications to work with early career staff. This year these include: Dr Amy Atkinson, Dr Marina Bazhydai, Dr Jaime Benjamin, Dr Mark Hurlstone, Dr Heather Shaw, Dr Hannah Stewart, Dr L-J Stokes, Dr Lydia Speyer, and Dr David Neequaye. Applications to work with these members of staff are weighted preferentially at the short-listing stage for this studentship. Please see under ‘Current Opportunities’ for information on the application process

The Department of Psychology at Lancaster University usually has one or more studentships funded by the Faculty of Science and Technology available. The award is for PhD funding (+3) and provides tuition fees at the ‘Home/UK’ rate, a maintenance stipend in accordance with UKRI rates, and access to a grant towards research training support. Applicants with an ‘International’ fee status must fund the difference between Home/UK and International fees themselves, if successful. As a department, we particularly encourage applications to work with early career staff. This year these include: Dr Amy Atkinson, Dr Jaime Benjamin, Dr Mark Hurlstone, Dr David Neequaye, Dr Heather Shaw, Dr Lydia Speyer, Dr Hannah Stewart, and Dr L-J Stokes. Applications to work with these members of staff are weighted preferentially at the short-listing stage for this studentship. Please see under ‘Current Opportunities’ for information on the application process.

Lancaster University-China Scholarship Council Joint Scholarship

The Department of Psychology is happy to support applications to the Lancaster University-China Scholarship Council Joint Scholarship . If you would like to apply via the Department of Psychology, please contact [email protected] for information on the application process.

Important Information

The information on this site relates primarily to 2024/2025 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information .

Our Students’ Charter

We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. View our Charter and other policies .

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Psychology postgraduate research degrees

Postgraduate research in psychology

Ready to start your research career? Explore our postgraduate research degrees in psychology

Psychology at the University of Portsmouth is ranked 5th of the modern universities for research quality

Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021

Read more about our excellent psychology research

If you want to further your psychology knowledge through your own research, start your journey at Portsmouth.

Our Department of Psychology is home to internationally-renowned experts in psychology and exceptional facilities for practical and theoretical research – 100% of our research impact in the area of psychology, psychiatry and neuroscience was rated as outstanding or very considerable in terms of reach and significance in the most recent  Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) .

Our fundamental and applied research reflects the broad scope of psychological study, exploring topics including child development of social skills, eye witness testimony, the evolution of primate facial expressions and factors affecting drug use.

Our researchers are addressing important issues in society, whether helping law enforcement agencies prosecute, developing methods to improve wellbeing and quality of life, supporting animal conservation and welfare initiatives, or unpacking the basics of psychological functioning – and as a postgraduate researcher, you'll play your part in transforming our expertise into action.

Research degrees

Find out about our PhD, MPhil, Professional Doctorate and PhD by Publication opportunities in Psychology below, including how to apply, entry requirements and funding your degree. For more detailed information about the application process, visit our  How to Apply  pages.

Psychology PhDs and MPhils

Explore our pre-approved funded and self-funded PhD projects in Psychology, or submit your own research idea.

PhD and MPhil projects

Funded projects.

• Understanding the social acceptance of hydrogen projects in the UK

Self-funded projects

• Beyond the dyad: Development of task co-representation of multiple co-actors across cultures

Exploring the limits of adverse effects of misinformation

Improving eyewitness memory retrieval and recognition: from police investigations to the courtroom

Improving the quality of working life of Barristers: stress, wellbeing and resilience in a changing world

• Scaffolding memory accuracy in ageing: The role of metacognition, strategies, and memory aids
• The evolutionary roots of overcoming the tragedy of commons: An investigation of social strategies in chimpanzees
• Understanding The Psychobiological Mechanisms That Influence Binge Drinking Behaviour

Submit your own idea

If you already have a research idea, find a supervisor whose research interests match yours by searching our  Find a PhD Supervisor  page. Once you've identified someone suitable, contact them to discuss your idea.

PhD by Publication

A PhD by publication is a postgraduate research degree based on research you've already undertaken and had published (excluding self-publishing) before registering with us.

Eligible research outputs include peer-reviewed academic papers, complete books or chapters in anthologies, and other materials accepted for publication, exhibited or performed. You'll have to submit these materials for examination between 6–12 months after registering with us.

For more information, please visit our  PhD by Publication  page.

Duration, fees and funding 

What do my tuition fees cover.

If you're self-funding your PhD, you'll pay tuition fees to the University to cover course and university costs.

Your tuition fees cover:

• The cost of your postgraduate research programme* at the University as well as charges for registration, tuition, supervision, and examinations
• Bespoke training, professional development courses, networking, and research support through  The Graduate School
• Research seminars and workshops (university-wide and faculty-specific)
• A contribution to funding to attend a conference or development activity in your research field
• Tailor-made weekly and monthly events, including weekly, themed experienced researcher-led talks and workshops
• Helping you become part of our thriving research community, including Research and Innovation services where 77% of our research is world leading and internationally excellent in  REF 2021
• Your graduation ceremony
• Viva examination and administration costs
• The  facilities  and equipment you need to complete your studies, such as computer rooms, access to laptops, the  Library , and  laboratories
• Access to resources including electronic journals, alternative guide to funding, and thousands of hours of educational videos on LinkedIn Learning
• University support services  including academic, financial, careers and wellbeing support and personal tutors
• Membership of the Students' Union (giving you the right to vote in elections, join clubs and societies, and get free independent advice)
• Access to software such as Microsoft Office, SPSS and Adobe Creative Suite (this includes Photoshop, InDesign, and Adobe Premiere Pro)

*Please note that some research programmes may come with additional bench fees.

How long will my research degree take?

• MPhil:   2 years full-time, 4 years part-time
• PhD: 3 years full-time, 6 years part-time
• PhD by Publication: 1 year part-time

How much will my degree cost?

April 2024 fees.

PhD and MPhil

UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man students 

• Full-time:   £4,712 per year (may be subject to annual increase)
• Part-time and part-time distance learning: £2,356 per year (may be subject to annual increase)*

EU students

(including Transition Scholarship )

International students

• Full-time students: £19,200 (may be subject to annual increase)
• Part-time and part-time distance learning: £9,600 (may be subject to annual increase)

PhD by Publication 

External candidates: £4,712

Members of staff: £1,850

All fees are subject to annual increase. If you are an EU student starting a programme in 2023/24 please visit this page .

October 2024, February 2025 and April 2025 fees

• Full-time:   £4,786 per year 
• Part-time and part-time distance learning: £2,393 per year

External candidates: £4,786

Members of staff: £ 1,950

All fees are subject to annual increase. If you are an EU student starting a programme in 2024/25 please visit this page

Some PhD projects may include additional fees – known as bench fees – for equipment and other consumables, and these will be added to your standard tuition fee. Speak to the supervisory team during your interview about any additional fees you may have to pay. Please note, bench fees are not eligible for discounts and are non-refundable.

Funding support

MPhil full-time and part-time courses are eligible for the  Government Postgraduate Loan  (UK/EU students only).

PhD full-time and part-time courses are eligible for the  Government Doctoral Loan  (UK/EU students only).

For information on other sources of funding, visit our  funding your postgraduate research degree  page.

Entry requirements

The entry requirements for a PhD, or MPhil include an upper second class honours degree or equivalent in a relevant subject, or a master’s degree in an appropriate subject. Equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications may be considered. All applicants are subject to interview.

If English is not your first language, you'll need English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 6.0.

If you don't meet the English language requirements yet, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a  pre-sessional English programme  before you start your course.

Support and facilities

When you join us, you'll be supported by our  Graduate School , alongside your assigned supervisory team, who'll help you get the most from our facilities. The Graduate School will help you become part of our thriving, collaborative research community, and help grow your skills as a researcher through the  Graduate School Development Programme , which offers training, workshops and events.

You can use our specialised laboratories for conducting research, including spaces in which to study human movement, eye movement, psychophysiology, visual and auditory perception, primate behaviour, infant development, and autism. You can also access our virtual reality labs, mock police interview suite, digital analysis and video editing suite, photo booth and applied cognition lab.

By using our research facilities as a postgraduate research student, you'll experience many techniques used in contemporary psychological research and practice.

What can a postgraduate research degree do for my career?

Once you complete your postgraduate research degree, you'll be a highly-skilled researcher with the knowledge and skills to make an impact in many different industries.

Your postgraduate research qualification demonstrates to potential employers that you're an intelligent, capable and motivated person, with provable abilities and experience in critical thinking, problem-solving, project management, communication, leadership and creativity.

Apply for a research degree in Psychology by completing our online form.

April (2024 start)

October (2024 start), february (2025 start), current research.

Explore the work we're doing across the 4 areas of expertise in our Psychology research.

Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology

In the Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology, we're exploring evolutionary processes and comparing humans with other animals, to study the origins of behaviour.

Centre for interaction, development and diversity

In the Centre for Interaction, Development and Diversity, we study psychological phenomena in relation to the contexts and situations in which they emerge.

International Centre for Research in Forensic Psychology

The ICRFP has an established international reputation for conducting a broad range of criminological and forensic psychology research.

Quality of Life Health and Wellbeing Research Group

We explore life experiences. Our research includes empowering people with learning disabilities, exploring wellbeing, enhancing life in later years, and more. Read more. 

Study with us in May

We're here to support you, every step of the way.

Advertise a vacancy on our platform today.

Read about our Research Excellence Framework submissions and results

In 2024 UEL celebrates a Year of Science

• All results

Psychology MPhil PhD

This course is in clearing with spaces available

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Studying for a PhD with UEL's School of Psychology will push you to the limit - and you'll be supported all the way by our world-class academic staff.

The School of Psychology has a thriving research community, with a strong tradition of theoretical and applied research. Our research integrates cross-disciplinary expertise from experimental, developmental, health, clinical and social psychology.

Current research is grouped into six clusters: cognition and neuroscience, developmental psychology, drugs and addictive behaviours, health promotion and behaviour, psychology and social change, and the psychology of education.

Find out more

• Book for an open day
• Order a prospectus
• Make an enquiry Close

Course options

• September 2024

PhD via MPhil

Entry Requirements

Academic requirements, accepted qualifications.

Bachelor's degree with minimum Upper Second Class (2:1) or equivalent in a related subject from a recognised institution.

International Qualifications

We accept a wide range of European and international qualifications in addition to A-levels, the International Baccalaureate and BTEC qualifications. Please visit our International page for full details.

English Language requirements

• Overall Academic IELTS 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in Writing and Speaking; minimum 6.5 in Reading and Listening (or recognised equivalent).

If you do not meet the academic English language requirements for your course, you may be eligible to enrol onto a pre-sessional English course . The length of the course will depend on your current level of English and the requirements for your degree programme. We offer a 5-week and an 10-week pre-sessional course.

An interview is required with a member of the academic teaching team. Further information will be provide on receipt of an application.

Mature applicants and those without formal qualifications

As an inclusive university, we recognise those who have been out of education for some time may not have the formal qualifications usually required. We welcome applications from those who can demonstrate their enthusiasm and commitment to study and have the relevant life/work experience that equips them to succeed on the course. We will assess this from the information provided in your application or may request additional information such as a CV or attendance at an interview. Please note that some courses require applicants to meet the entry requirements outlined.

Admissions policy / Terms of Admittance

We are committed to fair admissions and access by recruiting students regardless of their social, cultural or economic background. Our admissions policy sets out the principles and procedures we use to admit new students for all courses offered by the university and its partners.

Further advice and guidance

You can speak to a member of our Applicant Enquiries team on +44 (0)20 8223 3333, Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. Alternatively, you can visit our Information, Advice and Guidance centre.

MPhil PhD Psychology

Mphil phd psychology, home applicant, full time.

• Home Applicant

MPhil PhD Psychology, home applicant, part time

Mphil phd psychology, international applicant, full time.

• International Applicant

MPhil PhD Psychology, international applicant, part time

• 5740 Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000 Pound 5740 Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000
• 2870 Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000 Pound 2870 Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000
• 15340 Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000 Pound 15340 Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000
• 7670 Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000 Pound 7670 Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000
• 6020 Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000 Pound 6020 Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000
• 3010 Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000 Pound 3010 Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000
• 16100 Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000 Pound 16100 Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000
• 8050 Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000 Pound 8050 Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months); Bench Fees = up to £6000

Fees, funding and additional costs

EU, EEA and Swiss Nationals starting a course from September 2021, will no longer be eligible for Home fees. However, such nationals benefitting from Settled Status or Citizens' Rights may become eligible for Home fees as and when the UK Government confirms any new fee regulations.  Further information can be found at UKCISA .

Tuition fees are subject to annual change. Fees for future years will be published in due course.

Home students

Postgraduate loans scheme.

£10,280 to fund your Masters Programme under the Postgraduate Loans (PGL) scheme

Postgraduate Loans (PGL)

The Postgraduate Loan (PGL) provide non-means-tested loans of up to £10,906 to taught and research masters students.  It will be paid to students as a contribution towards tuition fees, living costs and other course costs. Applications are made directly through  Student Finance England  

Eligibility

Whether you qualify depends on: •    if you've studied a postgraduate course before •    your course •    your age •    your nationality or residency status

Full eligibility can be found on the Government's Postgraduate Loan webpage .

Please take a look at the  Postgraduate Loans  for an overview of the new funding.

Postgraduate Scholarship

Apply for a 50 per cent discount on your tuition fees! You can get a 50 per cent discount on course fees through a UEL Postgraduate Scholarship. The scholarship is open to full-time and part-time UK and EU students of taught postgraduate courses. *Exclusions apply.

Find out more about full eligibility criteria and how to apply .

Terms and conditions apply.

Our scholarships and bursaries can help you

How we can help you

Did you know that with a postgraduate qualification, you can expect to earn more than someone who only holds an undergraduate degree?

If you want to build new skills, change career paths, or further your career prospects, a postgraduate degree can help you. Our range of scholarships and bursaries will make financing your education that much easier. Below is some of the funding available to support you in your studies:

• Alumni Discount   - up to 15% fee waiver *exclusions apply. Please see the Alumni Discount page  for information.
• Early Payment Discount  - 5% fee waiver
• Asylum Seekers scholarship   - 100% fee waiver
• Civic Engagement - £1,000
• Hardship Bursary - up to £2,000
• Sport Scholarships   - Up to £6,000

How to pay your fees

There are a number of ways you can pay your fees to UEL

• Online payment facilities
• By telephone
• In person at our Docklands or Stratford campus
• Bank transfer

Full information on making payments can be found  on our Finance page

If you wish to discuss payments to the University, please contact our Income Team on 020 8223 2974 or you can email  [email protected]

Ideas for funding your postgraduate study

Below are some ideas on how to fund your postgraduate study:

•     Apply for a  Postgraduate Loan  
•     Take advantage of  UEL scholarships and bursaries
•     Ask your employer to sponsor your study
•     Study part-time so you can work at the same time (applicable to courses that have a part-time mode)
•     Look at  UK Research and Innovation funding options

The Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) are here to help you navigate your finances while you're a student at the University of East London. We can give you advice, information and guidance on government and university funds so that you receive your full funding entitlement. Live chat: Click the live chat icon in the bottom left of the screen Phone: 020 8223 4444

International students

Living costs for international students.

As part of the Tier 4 student visa requirements, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) estimate that you will need £1,265* per month to cover your living costs. It includes expenses for accommodation, food and drink, travel within London, textbooks, entertainment, clothing, toiletries and laundry. Most Tier 4 students are required to show they have sufficient funds to cover the first nine months of the course before they start - a total of £11,385 - in addition to the tuition fees. You can find more information about the specific requirements of the Tier 4 student visa. The amount that you will spend can vary depending on your lifestyle. The UKCISA International Student Calculator can help you plan and manage your money.

* Please note the Immigration Rules are subject to change and this figure is likely to be increased by UKVI year on year. Please therefore check our ISA page for more information at the time of preparing your visa application.

How to pay your fees - international students

Deposits and paying by instalments International students are required to pay a  deposit  before being issued a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). Your remaining balance will be paid in five monthly instalments over your first term. The first of these instalments must be paid when completing your enrolment on arrival at UEL. Please follow the payment instructions on our Make a Payment page . After the required payment has been made, you will be asked to complete the online International Student Reply Form to confirm your acceptance of our offer and of our terms of admittance and fee policy.

Our International team at UEL are available for advice and guidance on studying in London, fees, scholarships and visa requirements. Email:  [email protected]

Additional costs

Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessment and operating University facilities such as the library, IT equipment and other support services. Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees. 

Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. You may prefer to, or be required to, buy your own copy of key textbooks.

Computer equipment

There are open-access networked computers available across the University, plus laptops available to loan. You may find it useful to have your own PC, laptop or tablet which you can use around campus and in halls of residences.

Free WiFi is available on each of our campuses.

In the majority of cases, coursework can be submitted online. There may be instances when you will be required to submit work in a printed format. Printing and photocopying costs are not included in your tuition fees.

Travel costs are not included but we do have a free intersite bus service which links the campuses and halls of residence.

For this course, you will be:

• involved in processes of making, as a means of exploration, experimentation, and understanding your practice, by using a diverse range of media and materials
• required to purchase your own copy of books, for required reading
• required to produce physical artefacts for assessment 
• able to participate in optional study visits and/or field trips

However, over and above this you may incur extra costs associated with your studies, which you will need to plan for. 

In order to help you budget, the information below indicates what activities and materials are not covered by your tuition fees:

• personal laptops and other personal devices 
• personal copies of books 
• optional study visits and field trips (and any associated visa costs)
• printing costs
• your own chosen materials and equipment
• costs of participating in external events, exhibitions, performances etc.

The costs vary every year and with every student, according to the intentions for the type of work they wish to do. Attainment at assessment is not dependent upon the costs of materials chosen.

Learn about applying

Important information about your application, uk full-time starting sept.

How to Apply Apply directly to UEL by clicking on the apply button. For further information read our  Guide to Applying . When to Apply Places on many courses are limited and allocated on a first come first served basis. We advise you to apply as early as possible to give yourself the best chance of receiving an offer. Advice and guidance Our  Information, Advice and Guidance team  provide impartial advice on courses, entry requirements, pre-entry and access programmes in person and via the telephone. +44 (0)20 8223 4354 Already applied? You can track the progress of your application by contacting our Applicant Engagement team on +44 (0)20 8223 3333 (Monday - Friday, 9am -5pm). Read our  guide to applying  for further information. Need help? Contact our Applicant Engagement team (Monday - Friday, 9am-5pm) +44 (0)20 8223 3333

UK Part-time starting Sept

How to Apply Apply directly to UEL by clicking on the apply button. For further information read our  Guide to Applying . When to Apply Places on many courses are limited and allocated on a first come first served basis. We advise you to apply as early as possible to give yourself the best chance of receiving an offer. Advice and guidance Our  Information, Advice and Guidance team  provide impartial advice on courses, entry requirements, pre-entry and access programmes in person and via the telephone. +44 (0)20 8223 4354 Already applied? You can track the progress of your application by contacting our Applicant Engagement team on +44 (0)20 8223 3333 (Monday - Friday, 9am -5pm). Read our  guide to applying  for further information. Need help? Contact our applicant engagement team (Monday - Friday, 9am-5pm) +44 (0)20 8223 3333

International Full-time starting Sept

Submitting your application please read and consider the entry and visa requirements for this course before you submit your application. for more information please visit our  international student advice pages .  .

How to Apply We accept direct applications for international students. The easiest way to apply is directly to UEL by clicking on the red apply button. Please be sure to  watch our videos  on the application process.

When to Apply Please ensure that you refer to the international admissions deadline . We advise you to apply as early as possible to give yourself the best chance of receiving an offer.

International students who reside overseas Please ensure that you have read and considered the entry requirements for this course before you submit your application. Our enquiries team can provide advice if you are unsure if you are qualified for entry or have any other questions. Please be sure to read about the  Tier 4 visa requirements .

Advice and guidance Our  Information, Advice and Guidance team  provide impartial advice on courses, entry requirements, pre-entry and access programmes in person and via the telephone.

+44 (0)20 8223 4354 Need help? Contact our applicant engagement team (Monday - Friday, 9am-5pm)

+44 (0)20 8223 3333

About our foundation years

Our Foundation Year courses are perfect for you if you... 

• are returning to education after a long time, or you don't have the qualifications for direct entry into our degree programmes
• are thinking of re-training and would like an introduction to the area
• are an international student wanting an additional year to adapt to the UK academic system
• are still evaluating which degree pathway at UEL is the right one for you

Please note: Foundation years can only be studied full time. However you can transfer to part-time delivery once you have completed your foundation year. Please apply to the full-time option if you wish to study in this way.

What makes this course different

Research excellence

92 per cent research world-leading, internationally excellent or internationally recognised.

82% of students felt their research skills developed during their course

Postgraduate students score our academic staff highly in terms of support and the quality of their teaching.

50 years of experience

We're one of the oldest and largest psychology departments in the country, with over 50 years' experience of teaching.

Course modules

Independent research.

PhD candidates will be undertaking their own research in communication with their supervisor.

NOTE: Modules are subject to change. For those studying part time courses the modules may vary.

Your future career

Explore the different career options you can pursue with this degree and see the median salaries of the sector on our  Career Coach portal .

How we support your career ambitions

We offer dedicated careers support, further opportunities to thrive, such as volunteering and industry networking. our courses are created in collaboration with employers and industry to ensure they accurately reflect the real-life practices of your future career and provide you with the essential skills needed. You can focus on building interpersonal skills through group work and benefit from our investment in the latest cutting edge technologies and facilities.

Career Zone

Our dedicated and award-winning team provide you with careers and employability resources, including:

• Online jobs board for internships, placements, graduate opportunities, flexible part-time work.
• Mentoring programmes for insight with industry experts 
• 1-2-1 career coaching services 
• Careers workshops and employer events 
• Learning pathways to gain new skills and industry insight

Mental Wealth programme

Our Professional Fitness and Mental Wealth programme which issues you with a Careers Passport to track the skills you’ve mastered. Some of these are externally validated by corporations like Amazon and Microsoft.

We are careers first

Our teaching methods and geographical location put us right up top

• Enterprise and entrepreneurship support 
• We are ranked 6th for graduate start-ups 
• Networking and visits to leading organisations 
• Support in starting a new business, freelancing and self-employment 
• London on our doorstep

What you'll learn

UEL offers two main research degrees: Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).

The most popular course is the PhD via MPhil. A PhD is an original and distinct contribution to the knowledge of the field of study. It is often essential for those wishing to follow an academic or research career in industry or commerce. PhD research can be carried out in all subject areas. All postgraduate research students are supervised by at least two research-active staff. Your supervisors will support your programme of research through regular meetings and reviews. The PhD via MPhil course normally takes a minimum of 36 months (full-time) 60 months (part-time) to complete. Students enrolled in full-time mode of study will transfer from the MPhil to a PhD usually at the two year stage or equivalent for part-time study.

The Masters of Philosophy (MPhil) is a Master's level research degree programme which takes a minimum of 24 months (full-time) 48 months (part-time) to complete. All postgraduate research students are supervised by at least two research-active staff. Your supervisors will support your programme of research through regular meetings and reviews.

PhD direct 

A PhD direct is aimed at postgraduate students who already have an MPhil (Masters of Philosophy) or MRes (Masters by Research) qualification, and takes a minimum of 36 months (full-time) 60 months (part-time) to complete. All postgraduate research students are supervised by at least two research-active staff. Your supervisors will support your programme of research through regular meetings and reviews.

How you'll learn

Research proposal.

Research proposals give us a better understanding of the area you want to study for an MPhil, PhD via MPhil or PhD  Direct course.

Before you write your research proposal you should contact a potential Director of Studies (DoS) for your PhD. Details of  potential supervisors are found under our research group listings . You should involve your potential DoS in writing your proposal, and make sure that you name your  potential DoS in the application.  

To find out more about how to write your research proposal, see our research proposal guidance . Your proposal must contain clearly defined research  objectives, hypotheses and methodology. You should also include a literature review to describe how your research will  advance knowledge in this area and a timescale for your research. Your proposed Director of Studies will also be  involved in evaluating your research proposal.

How you will be assessed

At the end of your PhD, you will be required to submit an 80,000-word thesis, summarising your research. You will then have to undergo an oral examination (a viva) on your thesis.

At the end of your MPhil, you will be required to submit a 40,000 word thesis which outlines your research findings. You will then have to undergo an oral examination (a viva) on your thesis.

Campus and facilities

Our campus and the surrounding area.

Our historic Stratford campus is located one of the best-connected areas of London: close to Stratford's thriving town centre, the 2012 Olympic Park, and just 15 minutes from London's West End.   Stratford’s facilities include a state-of-the-art library and learning centre, the majestic great hall and specialist laboratories and computing services. The School of Education and Communities, and Centre for Clinical Education in Podiatry, Physiotherapy and Sports Science are housed in new buildings. There is also a campus restaurant and bookshop, and a Students' Union café-bar.   Westfield Stratford City - Europe's largest indoor shopping mall - is just one of Stratford's attractions, alongside many other shops, cafés, bars and restaurants. There are two multiscreen cinemas, a theatre, an arts centre and much more.

Who teaches this course

This course is delivered by School of Psychology

The teaching team includes qualified academics, practitioners and industry experts as guest speakers. Full details of the academics will be provided in the student handbook and module guides.

Angie Voela

Related courses

This course is part of the Psychology subject area.

PhD Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology

Studying for a PhD with UEL's School of Psychology means you will be part of a thriving research community and our world-class academic staff will support you.

Prof Doc Counselling Psychology

Study counselling psychology and get professional training to become a clinician in the NHS, the voluntary sector or in private practice.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS Modal

Terms of Admittance to the University of East London

The Terms of Admittance govern your contractual relationship with University of East London ("UEL"). A contract between you, the Student, and us, UEL, is entered into once you accept an offer of a place on a programme at UEL and this contract is subject to consumer protection legislation. You are entitled to cancel this contract within 14 days of enrolment onto your programme.

1) Student enrolment

Enrolment at UEL is the process whereby you officially become a UEL student. The enrolment process requires you to:

• Ensure that we are holding correct personal details for you
• Agree to abide by our regulations and policies
• Pay your tuition fees/confirm who is paying your tuition fees

You are expected to enrol by the first day of your academic year (click on "Discover") which will be notified to you in your enrolment instructions. Failure to enrol by the deadline contained in our Fees Policy (for most students by the end of the second week of teaching) may lead to the cancellation of student status and all rights attached to that status, including attendance and use of UEL's facilities. If you do not complete the formal process of enrolment but, by your actions, are deemed to be undertaking activities compatible with the status of an enrolled student, UEL will formally enrol you and charge the relevant tuition fee. Such activities would include attendance in classes, use of online learning materials, submission of work and frequent use of a student ID card to gain access to university buildings and facilities. Late enrolment charges may be applied if you do not complete your enrolment by the relevant deadline.

2) Tuition fees

Your tuition fee is determined by:

• the programme you are studying;
• if you are studying full or part-time;
• whether you are a UK/EU or International student; and when you started your studies with us.

We will tell you the tuition fee that you are due to pay when we send you an offer as well as confirming any additional costs that will be incurred, such as bench fees or exceptional overseas study trips. Unregulated tuition fees (where the UK government has not set a maximum fee to be charged) are generally charged annually and may increase each year you are on the programme. Any annual increase will be limited to a maximum of 5% of the previous year's fee. Regulated tuition fees (where the UK government has set a maximum fee to be charged) may also be subject to an annual increase. Any annual increase will be in line with the increase determined by the UK government. You will be notified of any increases in tuition fees at re-enrolment onto the programme. Further information on tuition fees and payment options are contained in our Fees Policy .

3) Student ID Cards

To produce an ID card, we need a recent photograph of you that is not obscured and is a true likeness. We will either ask you to send us/upload a photograph in advance of enrolment or take one of you at the point of enrolment. The photograph will be held on our student records system for identification purposes by administrative, academic and security/reception staff. By accepting these Terms of Admittance you are confirming that you agree to your photograph being used in this way. If you object to your photograph being used in this way please contact the University Secretary via email at gov&[email protected] . You are required to provide proof of your identity at initial enrolment and prior to the issue of your UEL student ID card. This is usually a full and valid passport but instead of this you may bring two of the following:

• A (full or provisional) driving licence showing current address
• An international driving licence
• An original birth certificate (in English)
• A debit or credit card (one only)
• A benefit book or benefit award letter (dated within the last 3 months)
• An Armed Forces Identity card
• A police warrant card

You are required to carry and display your student ID card whilst on UEL premises and must keep it safe so that it is not misused by others.

4) Proof of qualifications

You are required to produce evidence of having satisfied the entry requirements for your programme. Such evidence must be in the form of the original certificates or certified notification of results from the examining body. All qualifications must be in English or supported by an official certified translation. If you fail to provide evidence of having satisfied the requirements for the programme you are liable to be withdrawn from the programme.

5) Non-academic entry requirements

You may need to demonstrate that you have met non-academic entry requirements prior to enrolment by providing additional information to UEL. For example, if you:-

• are under 18 years of age at the time of initial enrolment,
• are applying to a programme that requires health clearance for study as stated in the programme specification,
• have declared a relevant criminal conviction,
• will be studying a programme that involves contact with children and/or vulnerable adults or leads to membership of a professional body that deals with children and/or vulnerable adults.

You will not be permitted to enrol and any offer will be withdrawn if UEL deems that you are unsuitable for study following assessment of this additional information in line with published policies. These policies will be provided to you when the additional information is requested.

6) Criminal convictions

UEL has a responsibility to safeguard staff, students and the wider community. You are required to inform UEL of any relevant criminal conviction you have and provide further information relating to these as requested. This includes any relevant criminal convictions received whilst studying at UEL. UEL will assess all information received in line with published policies and may remove you from a programme if the conviction makes you unsuitable for study in UEL's opinion. Failure to declare a relevant criminal conviction or provide further information about you may result in expulsion from UEL.

7) Providing false information to UEL

If you are discovered to have falsified or misrepresented information presented to UEL at application, enrolment or during your studies, you may be expelled from UEL.

8) Continued enrolment and student status

You are expected to abide by all UEL policies and regulations, both those in force at the time of first and subsequent enrolment and as later revised and published from time to time. UEL reserves the right to make reasonable changes to its policies and regulations and any substantial amendments will be brought to your attention. You are also required to take personal responsibility for your studies; this includes undertaking all study in support of your programme as prescribed by UEL. Key policies include: Manual of General Regulations This describes the general regulatory framework of UEL and gives information about how UEL confers its degrees, diplomas and certificates. It includes important information about academic performance requirements for continued study. Engagement Attendance Policy This outlines UEL's expectations of students in relation to attendance on and engagement with taught programmes. These students are expected to attend all scheduled classes and engage fully with learning materials and resources provided to them - failure to do so may result in withdrawal from module(s) and/or the programme. Code of Practice for Postgraduate Research Degrees The purpose of this code is to provide a framework for the successful organisation and implementation of good practice in all matters relating to postgraduate research degrees at UEL. It aims to ensure that all students are effectively supported and supervised so that the full scope and potential of their research is realised; that their thesis is submitted within regulatory periods and that they complete their programme with a suitable and sufficient portfolio of research and employment-related skills and competencies. Health and Safety Policy This describes the structures and processes by which UEL protects the health and safety of its staff, students and visitors. It confirms that students will receive sufficient information, instruction and induction in relation to health and safety. All students should take reasonable care for their health and safety. They must abide by UEL’s rules and regulations and co-operate with supervisors to enable them to fulfil their obligations. Students must not interfere intentionally, or recklessly misuse anything provided for health and safety. UEL has consulted with its students and staff and has adopted a No Smoking Policy to safeguard the health and well-being of its community. Students are required to comply with this policy which restricts smoking to designated shelters and prohibits the use of electronic cigarettes within any UEL building or near building entrances. For further information on our Healthy Campus initiatives and support please visit the Health and Safety pages . Student Disciplinary Regulations and Procedures (incorporating the student code of conduct) This code is more than a list of things that we should and should not do: it reminds us that we should always consider how our behaviour affects others. The code applies:

• to all students;
• at all sites throughout our estate, and;
• when we represent UEL on business beyond our campus, both in real (face-to-face) and virtual environments.

And outlines expectations of students:

• verbal and physical behaviour should always be polite and respectful;
• behaviour should not impair the engagement, learning or participation of others;
• anti- social behaviour by individuals and groups will not be tolerated.

9) Changes to scheduled programmes

UEL will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the programme of study that you have accepted will conform to the programme specification published on our website and will ensure that the necessary resources required to enable you to meet the required learning outcomes and pass the relevant assessments are available. In order to ensure that our programmes are current and relevant, they are subject to regular review. From time to time, to ensure the maintenance of academic standards and/or compliance with professional body requirements, it may be necessary to amend a module or make adjustments to programme content. Major changes to programmes that in the reasonable opinion of UEL, will have a significant impact on students will involve consultation with students already enrolled on the programme when the changes are proposed. Once any changes are confirmed, UEL will notify all students and applicants of the changes. When UEL reasonably considers that the change may only impact one or more cohorts on the relevant programme, UEL may decide to only consult with the relevant cohort. In the event that we discontinue a programme, we will normally permit existing students to complete the programme within the typical duration of study. In these circumstances, UEL will use reasonable endeavours to continue the programme for existing students without making major changes. If this is not possible, we will support students in changing to another UEL programme on which a place is available, and for which the student is suitably qualified, or assist with transfer to another HEI to complete the programme elsewhere.

10) Changes to these terms

We may change these terms from time to time where, in UEL's opinion, it will assist in the proper delivery of any programme of study or in order to:- (a) Comply with any changes in relevant laws and regulatory requirements; (b) Implement legal advice, national guidance or good practice; (c) Provide for new or improved delivery of any programme of study; (d) Reflect market practice; (e) In our opinion make them clearer or more favourable to you; (f) Rectify any error or mistake; or (g) Incorporate existing arrangements or practice. No variation or amendment to these Terms of Admittance may be made without our prior written agreement. In the event that we agree to transfer you to an alternative programme of study, the transfer will be considered to be a variation to the Terms of Admittance, which shall otherwise remain in full force and existence. If we revise the Terms of Admittance, we will publish the amended Terms of Admittance by such means as we consider reasonably appropriate.;We will use reasonable endeavours to give you notice of any changes before they take effect.

11) Data Protection

UEL is committed to adhering to its obligations under the Data Protection Act 2018 and will act as a Data Controller when it processes your personal data. You can find our registration to the Data controller register on ico.org.uk . UEL processes your personal data fulfil its contractual and legal obligations to students. Personal data that we process about you includes:

• Your contact details and other information submitted during the application and enrolment processes;
• Details of courses, modules, timetables and room bookings, assessment marks and examinations related to your study;
• Financial and personal information collected for the purposes of administering fees and charges, loans, grants, scholarships and hardship funds;
• Photographs, and video recordings for the purpose of recording lectures, student assessment and examinations and for the purposes of university promotion that is in our legitimate interest but still fair to you;
• Information about your engagement with the University such as attendance data and use of electronic services such as Moodle, Civitas and YourTutor;
• Contact details for next of kin to be used in an emergency;
• Details of those with looked after status or those who have left the care system for the provision of support;
• Information related to the prevention and detection of crime and the safety and security of staff and students, including, but not limited to, CCTV recording and data relating to breaches of University regulations;

This is not an exhaustive list, for further information please refer to our fair processing notice pages on uel.ac.uk. In all of its data processing activities, UEL is committed to ensuring that the personal data it collects stores and uses will be processing in line with the data protection principles which can be summarised as:

• Being processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner;
• Collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes;
• Adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary;
• Accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date;
• Kept in a form which permits identification of data subjects for no longer than is necessary;
• Processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal information;
• Be accountable for, and be able to demonstrate compliance with, the six principles above.

Student Responsibilities You must ensure that:

• All personal data provided to UEL is accurate and up-to-date. You must ensure that changes of address etc. are notified to the Student Hub.
• Students who use UEL's computing facilities may process personal data as part of their studies. If the processing of personal data takes place, students must take responsibility for that processing activity to ensure that it in line with the data protection principles above.
• Students who are undertaking research projects using personal data must ensure that:
• The research subject is informed of the nature of the research and is given a copy of UEL's Fair Processing Notice and this Data Protection Policy.

12) Legal basis for use of data

By agreeing to these Terms of Admittance and enrolling at UEL, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions of a contract for the use of your personal data relating to your enrolment, and if appropriate, registration and ongoing participation on a programme of study. Your personal or special category data will be collected, processed, published and used by UEL, its online learning and teaching services and/or its partners and agents in ways which support the effective management of UEL and your programme of study, to allow for the delivery of bursary schemes and to support improvements to student experience and progression, and are consistent with: The terms of the Data Protection Act 2018; Any notification submitted to the Information Commissioner in accordance with this legislation; and compliance with any other relevant legislation. You have fundamental rights associated with how organisations use your personal data. Further information on data protection and use of your personal data can be found in our Data Protection Policy and on uel.ac.uk.

13) Intellectual property

You are entitled to the intellectual property rights created during your time studying at UEL that would belong to you under the applicable law. There are some programmes where the assignment of certain types of intellectual property to UEL is appropriate. UEL will require the assignment to it of intellectual property rights relating to postgraduate research that is part of an ongoing research programme. Where the nature of the research programme means that some assignment of intellectual property rights to UEL is appropriate, we will take what steps that we can to ensure that your interests are protected. UEL will take reasonable endeavours to ensure:-

• the scope of the assignment is narrow, and is restricted to what is necessary, for example to protect UEL’s legitimate interests in the intellectual property created as party to a research programme;
• the application of the assignment is clearly defined, so that it is clear to you in which circumstances the assignment will apply;
• where the assignment of the intellectual property is appropriate in the circumstances, we will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the rights of the parties are evenly balanced (for example, your work being acknowledged in a publication and, where appropriate, subject to an appropriate revenue sharing scheme)
• where UEL claims ownership of intellectual property rights in relation to a taught programme of study, such treatment of those rights will be made clear in the published information relating to that programme.

14) How we communicate with you

UEL will communicate with you via a variety of channels, including postal letter, e-mail, SMS text message and online notices. To enable this, we request that you provide us with your e-mail address, postal address, and contact telephone number when you first enrol. Throughout your studies, it is important that you keep your contact details up to date. You can view and edit this information by logging into our student portal, UEL Direct at https://uel.ac.uk/Direct . We will create a UEL e-mail account for you after you enrol. Your e-mail address will be your student number, prefixed with a ‘u’ and followed by ‘@uel.ac.uk’ – e.g.: [email protected]. UEL will use this e-mail address to communicate with you and it is important that you regularly check and manage this mailbox for important updates and information. You can access your email account, plus information about our services, news and events by logging into our Intranet, intranet.uel.ac.uk. At the login screen, enter your email address (as above) and password. Your default UEL password will be your date of birth, formulated as DD-MMM-YY, e.g. 31-jan-84. Your UEL email account and associated UEL IT accounts will be deleted not more than 6 months after you graduate or withdraw from your programme of study (if earlier).  

15)University of East London Students' Union

The University of East London Students' Union (UELSU) represents students at UEL. By enrolling at UEL you are automatically granted membership of both UELSU and the National Union of Students (NUS). If you wish to opt out from this membership, please inform UELSU in writing at either [email protected]  or by writing to: Chief Executive, UELSU, University of East London, Docklands Campus, 4-6 University Way, London E16 2RD. UELSU provides a range of services and support to students and can provide advice and representation on any matter affecting the contract between you and UEL. For further information on this support, please visit www.uelunion.org

16) Students studying at partner institutions

If you are undertaking a programme of study at a partner institution you will need to generally abide by the above terms and also those of the partner institution. Further information and support in understanding these terms is available from the Academic Partnership Office -  [email protected] .

17) International students - additional responsibilities

All international students must also comply with UK Visa and Immigration requirements. All international students are required to hold a valid visa which permits study in the UK or hold a Tier 4 visa/have applied for a Tier 4 visa with a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies issued by UEL. Students who are being sponsored under a Tier 4 student visa must also understand and comply with the responsibilities of their student visa and co-operate with UEL in fulfilling our Tier 4 duties .

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• How Much Does a PhD Cost in the UK?
• Funding a PhD

Choosing to dedicate the next few years of your life towards a PhD is no light decision. Not only will it require you to dedicate an extensive amount of your personal time, but you’ll also need to consider how you’ll fund it. This raises the question, how much does a PhD cost in the UK?

The cost of a PhD can be divided into three key areas; tuition fees, living expenses and research expenditures. The combined cost of these are approximately  £20,000 per year  for UK students and can increase to over  £40,000 per year  for international students. A more in-depth breakdown of these costs can be found below. We’ve also compared these costs to other countries and outlined the various methods available to you to fund your PhD studies.

Tuition Fees

For UK ‘home’ students, the tuition fee for a PhD varies between £3,000 to £6,000 per academic year. For 2023/24 programmes, most universities opt for £4,712 per year within this range. Although this number may seem a little odd, it’s commonly adopted due to being the indicative rate set by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) for UK universities.

International Fees

Unlike for UK applicants, the rates for international students don’t align with the indicative level set by UKRI. Following the implementation of Brexit, EU students now follow the same fee rates as other international students. International students will find that their tuition fees are higher than those of home students. For example, at the time of writing, the average annual PhD tuition charge at the University of Dundee is £4,825 for home students undertaking an Engineering PhD. This same average is £25,305 for international students.

International applicants will also find that the fee for PhDs in STEM subjects are greater than those in non-STEM subjects. For example, at the University of Bristol, a doctorate degree in Mechanical Engineering costs £25,300 per year whilst a doctorate in Medieval Studies costs £20,100 per year.

To summarise, international students can expect a tuition fee of between £16,000 to £25,000 per year, with an average of around £19,600 per academic year. Non-STEM subjects will generally be at the lower end of the range, whilst STEM subjects will be at the higher end of the range.

Part-time Fees

The above fees are based on full-time postgraduate study. If you’re doing a part-time PhD, you can expect the fee to be half of these amounts. Although this may appear to be a cheaper option, keep in mind that the average duration of part-time PhDs are twice that of full-time PhDs. Therefore, the total tuition cost will amount to the same value and the end of both courses.

Other Degree-related Costs

Research support fees.

If your research project requires a high use of consumables, equipment or other resources, you may have to support the cost of these through an additional annual fee. This additional annual fee, often referred to as either a ‘research support’ or ‘bench’ fee, often apply to laboratory-based STEM research projects. Bench fees vary between different projects, even those within the same field. Therefore, it is best to speak to the admissions team on a project-by-project basis to receive anything useful.

Another cost you will need to account for is travelling. As part of your degree, many supervisors will expect you to attend conferences, training workshops, or other collaboration opportunities. As a result, you will often need to travel to various destinations which aren’t always limited to the UK. Although some programmes will cover these costs, it’s not unheard of that some positions will expect you to fund this yourself. It’s impossible to put a value on this, as the extent of travel depends on each project. Therefore, it would be wise to speak with the admissions team and current PhD students. They can provide you with an accurate estimate and let you know whether the university will cover the expenses.

Overtime Period Fee

When you’re enrolled into a PhD programme, you will be given a period to complete your PhD within. This period is known as your ‘registration period’ and is usually 3-4 years for a full-time PhD and 6-7 years for a part-time PhD. If you’re given an extension due to not completing your PhD study within this time, you will need to pay an overtime registration fee. Although the amount depends on each university, the University of Leeds sets theirs as £290 for 2023/24.

Living Costs

From a 2022 survey of over 2,300 university students , the average living cost, covering expenditures such as rent, bills, food and recreation, was £924 per month. This equates to £11,088 per year.

Although this is an average cost, your true cost of living will depend on your location. Living in major cities such as London will draw significantly higher rent and travel costs than living in more rural locations. Although your living situation will in large be driven by the university you undertake your PhD with, you should factor it in when deciding which universities to apply to.

To put this into perspective, the survey average of £11,088 per year uses a rent average of £418 per month. In London, this average increases to £650 a month and can surpass £1,000 if staying in university halls or private student accommodation. This is supported by University College London (UCL) who state you should expect an average rent of £1,028 per month if living in private accommodation around their university.

Tip  – You can use this handy calculator for an estimated average cost of living for any UK university. All you need to do is select the university, and the calculator does all the rest.

If you’re an international student, you should factor in return flights back home. Although this may seem like a small expenditure compared to tuition fees and rent, they can add up quickly depending on the frequency and distance of your trip.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

How to Fund Your PhD

Studentships.

A studentship is a form of scholarship for doctoral students. They can either be partially funded, which cover tuition fees only, or fully funded, which also covers living costs through a ‘stipend’.

Studentships can be found in various places. Research Councils (RCUK) and European Social Fund (ESF) make funding available to university departments, who in turn make the funding available to doctoral students. Therefore, you will find that there are many postgraduate funding opportunities available to you, with the best places to look being the RCUK and ESF websites and the university departments themselves. External institutions which focus on research and development such as research trusts and charities would also be a useful place to look for a funded PhD.

Doctoral Loans

If you’re a UK student, you may qualify for a Postgraduate Doctoral Loan from Student Finance England. This form of financial aid is available for nearly all postgraduate research degrees undertaken in a higher education setting. They will allow you to borrow up to a total of £28,673 for 2023/24 courses .

Graduate Teaching Assistantships

Graduate Teaching Assistantships are a form of studentships which allow you to teach undergraduates as part of your research degree. This not only helps improve your academic skills, but it also enables you to receive a salary whilst you’re studying. As well as teaching assistantships, some departments also provide opportunities for demonstrations, marking papers, and tutorial support. The amount you can earn through these schemes will depend on how many hours you work and what agreements you make with your supervisor or course leader.

Working Whilst You Study – Part-time PhDs

A research student may opt for a part-time PhD as opposed to a full-time one. Although this would double the duration of their studies, it allows them to take on a part-time job to improve their financial situation. For students going down this route, it would be highly beneficial to pick up a part-time role in a position related to your industry. This will help refine your skills and increase your employability within this career role should you choose to pursue it after your degree.

If you’re an international student, keep in mind that you’ll likely be on a study visa. Therefore, there’ll be certain restrictions on what you can and can’t do alongside your study.

How Does This Compare to the Fees in Other Countries?

When considering the tuition fee of PhDs across different countries, the United Kingdom is generally considered as being in the ‘middle-ground‘ region.

A handful of countries offer PhD programmes for free. These include, but are not limited to, Denmark, Greece, Iceland, Norway and Poland.

The middle-ground region comprises countries such as Austria, Spain, Russia and New Zealand where postgraduate fees range from £1,400 to £4,000 per academic year.

The upper-end region comprises countries such as Hong Kong and the United States, where postgraduate tuition fees for a PhD student can go up to £33,000 per year.

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The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is the Department's principal research degree for postgraduate students and the majority of our students are registered for this degree. The PhD is intellectually demanding and applicants will need to have a high level of attainment and motivation to pursue this programme of advanced study and research. 

Completion normally requires three to four years of full-time study, including a probationary period. Students will normally be required to be resident in Cambridge during that time.

The examination involves the submission of a 60,000-word thesis and subsequent oral examination.

The PhD represents a significant and original contribution to the understanding of Psychology. This may be through the discovery of something new, the connection of previously unrelated facts, or the development of a new theory, taking into account all previously published work on the subject.

The Postgraduate Virtual Open Day usually takes place at the end of October. It’s a great opportunity to ask questions to admissions staff and academics, explore the Colleges virtually, and to find out more about courses, the application process and funding opportunities. Visit the  Postgraduate Open Day  page for more details.

See further the  Postgraduate Admissions Events  pages for other events relating to Postgraduate study, including study fairs, visits and international events.

Key Information

3-4 years full-time, 4-7 years part-time, study mode : research, doctor of philosophy, department of psychology, course - related enquiries, application - related enquiries, course on department website, dates and deadlines:, michaelmas 2024.

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Funding Deadlines

These deadlines apply to applications for courses starting in Michaelmas 2024, Lent 2025 and Easter 2025.

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MPhil/PhD Programmes

There are over 400 research students at the Institute who come from a range of backgrounds including psychology, psychiatry, nursing, social work and basic sciences.

Our MPhil/PhD programme allows students to carry out research in any of our 14 departments and in a wide variety of areas;  from molecular genetics and biology, to neuroscience, neuroimaging, clinical research studies, psychological studies and new treatments; from longitudinal studies to clinical trials, bio statistics, epidemiology and health services research and transcultural studies. 

Please see their departmental webpages and online prospectus entries to see research options/areas currently being undertaken:

Is a PhD for me?

Our PhD students come from a variety of backgrounds, with a variety of qualifications and experience. Take a look at the following information and recent/current student profiles, to find out whether a PhD is right for you:

King's College London says:

• All candidates should usually possess the normal minimum entry qualifications for registration prescribed in the King’s  Core Code of Practice for Postgraduate Research Degrees . This is normally a 2:1 in a relevant field. 
• Candidates should possess an adequate level of English competence. Candidates for whom English is not the first language will be required to provide proof that they possess an adequate level of English competence . The minimum level accepted is an IELTS score of 6.5. Grade C or above in GCSE English is also acceptable. Candidates must also satisfy their appointment panel of their competence. 

The Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) says:

• It is useful to have a Masters degree, or related work experience in your chosen area of interest.  

EU and International students should check the list of equivalent grades for international qualifications . Please contact the  Health Schools Admissions Centre  for further enquiries.

If you wish to study full time:

• You will be expected to submit your thesis within 3 years.
• You are permitted to work part time, but students are expected to work on their PhD for 35 hours a week and we encourage any part time work to be agreed with your supervisors.

If you wish to study part time:

• You will be expected to submit your thesis within 6 years. 
• You are allowed to submit your thesis early (as early as 4 years) but this must be agreed with your supervisors and other conditions apply. Please contact the  Postgraduate Research Team  for more information.

The current fees for the 2022/2023 academic year are:

• Full time Home = £7,050 per year
• Full time Overseas = £26,640 per year
• Part time Home = £3,525 per year
• Part time Overseas = £13,320 per year

If you are a member of staff at the IoPPN you may be eligible for a discount on fees. Please contact the  Postgraduate Research Team  for more information. 

Please note that tuition fees are subject to an annual increase of up to 5%. For more information, see the Fees webpage.

Students can start in either October (when most students start), February or June. 

Students who are being funded by an external source should check whether there are any limitations on start dates.

If you are not able to self fund your PhD studies, then you will need to find funding from another source. 

The IoPPN offers a number of full time studentships on an annual basis, funded by the Institute itself, and partly by the Medical Research Council. These studentships offer students full payment of tuition fees for 3 years and a monthly tax free stipend for living. These studentships are for set projects. 

Individual academics and departments also offer full time fully funded studentships, on an ad hoc basis, if they receive funding themselves. These are also usually for set projects.

All funded studentships are advertised on our Studentships webpage.

If you have your own project in mind and would like to find funding, browse these links:

• Centre for Doctoral Studies Funding Database
• Research & Development Office
• Research grants office
• Medical Research Council
• Economic and Social Research Council
• British Council
• Government Loans

For more information on funding at Kings, please see the  Funding  webpage.

Student Profiles

Students take classes together in their first year and all have offices on the same floor, which makes it a very social and friendly place to study. It also means that students researching different areas of psychiatry, psychology, neuroimaging, and genetics are in constant contact, which helps to broaden your exposure to research. 

Students and staff alike are always keen to get involved in collaborative projects, whether small or large, allowing students to explore areas of interest outside those strictly relevant to their PhD. 

The PhD itself is usually very independent, driven by the student's own ideas and interests. These collaborations often also extend beyond the Centre, allowing for research and conference opportunities abroad. 

All in all, it's a great place to be!

I wanted to understand how pioneering brain imaging could lead to new ways for diagnosing the condition, and as a result, I applied for a PhD with Dr Andy Simmons at the Department of Neuroimaging. 

As a PhD student, the Institute has provided outstanding research facilities for postgraduate education and the provision of college organised training courses for personal development and teaching has been fantastic. 

I have enjoyed this experience so far, and benefited from excellent supervision in a friendly and stimulating research environment. 

The IoPPN has great research facilities and I'm really pleased that I have had the chance to study here.  

With Psychosis Studies being one of the larger departments at the IoPPN, I've found there are always lots of opportunities to attend relevant talks and seminars, including weekly Psychosis Studies meetings with internal and external speakers.

I am really enjoying being a student here and one of the best things is that you can create your own opportunities.  I set up a problem-based learning group to help students gain a greater understanding of magnetic resonance imaging, including the physics and basic analysis. They have been really well attended and the group has grown considerably since it was first stated.  I have also had the opportunity to be the student representative for Psychosis Studies and be a mentor to some MSc students too.

When I graduate, I would like to continue working in research as a post doc, working my way up the academic ladder to professor.

The Next Steps

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Course type

Qualification, university name, doctorate psychology in england.

172 degrees at 66 universities in England.

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Select the start date, qualification, and how you want to study

Related subjects:

• Doctorate Psychology
• Doctorate Applied Psychology
• Doctorate Behavioural Psychology
• Doctorate Child Psychology
• Doctorate Clinical Psychology
• Doctorate Cognitive Psychology
• Doctorate Criminal Psychology
• Doctorate Educational Psychology
• Doctorate Forensic Psychology
• Doctorate General Psychology
• Doctorate Human Sexuality
• Doctorate Occupational Psychology
• Doctorate Organisational Behaviour
• Doctorate Organisational Psychology
• Doctorate Psychological Counselling
• Doctorate Psychology Specialisations
• Doctorate Social Psychology
• Doctorate Sports Psychology

• Course title (A-Z)
• Course title (Z-A)
• Price: high - low
• Price: low - high

Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology DPsych

City, university of london.

• 3 years Full time degree: £12,500 per year (UK)
• Research Design and Analysis 1 (15 Credits) - Core
• Personal and Professional Development: Individual and Group Processes (15 Credits) - Core
• Professional Development and Supervision (15 Credits) - Core
• Person-Centred Approaches to Counselling Psychology (15 Credits) - Core
• Research Design and Analysis 2 (30 Credits) - Core
• View all modules

Psychology MPhil/PhD

University of worcester.

• 3 years Full time degree: £4,950 per year (UK)
• 5 years Part time degree: £2,475 per year (UK)
• RSDP4002: Approaches to Research 1
• RSDP4004: Planning Your Research Project
• RSDP4001: Developing as a Researcher
• RSDP4003: Approaches to Research 2

PhD Psychology

University of roehampton.

• 4 years Full time degree: £4,711 per year (UK)
• 7 years Part time degree: £2,356 per year (UK)

Sheffield Hallam University

• 4 years Full time degree: £4,712 per year (UK)

Postgraduate Research in Clinical Psychology

University of east anglia uea.

• 3 years Full time degree: £4,712 per year (UK)
• 6 years Part time degree: £2,356 per year (UK)

Psychology PhD

University of gloucestershire.

• 4 years Full time degree: £5,100 per year (UK)
• 6 years Part time degree: £3,400 per year (UK)

Prof Doc Clinical Psychology

University of east london.

• 3 years Full time degree
• Clinical Psychology Theory & Practice 1 (90 Credits) - Core
• Clinical Psychology Placements 1 & 2 (90 Credits) - Core
• Clinical Psychology Placements 3 & 4 (90 Credits) - Core
• Clinical Psychology Theory & Practice 2 (60 Credits) - Core
• Research Component (90 Credits) - Core

Health Psychology DHealthPsy

Bristol, university of the west of england.

• 3 years Part time degree
• Health Behaviour Change Interventions
• Professional Skills in Health Psychology
• Teaching and Training in Health Psychology
• Consultancy Skills in Health Psychology
• Systematic Review

University of Central Lancashire

• 3 years Full time degree: £5,000 per year (UK)
• 6 years Part time degree: £2,500 per year (UK)

University of Brighton

Phd postgraduate research opportunities in psychology, liverpool john moores university, university of surrey.

• 8 years Part time degree: £2,356 per year (UK)

Royal Holloway, University of London

Clinical psychology doctorate, coventry university, phd sport and exercise psychology, university of essex.

• 4 years Full time degree: £9,375 per year (UK)
• Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Science - Research- Core
• Dissertation

University of Hull

• 5 years Part time degree: £2,356 per year (UK)

Genetics PhD, MPhil - Behavioural Genetics

University of leicester.

• 3 years Full time degree: £4,786 per year (UK)
• 6 years Part time degree: £2,393 per year (UK)

Applied Educational Psychology Doctorate (DAppEdPsy)

Newcastle university.

• 36 months Full time degree
• Professional Practice A (30 Credits)
• Learning and Social Environment (30 Credits)
• Inclusion and Diversity (30 Credits)
• Frameworks for Practice (30 Credits)
• Professional Practice B (30 Credits)

Forensic Psychology Top-up DForenPsy

University of nottingham.

• 2 years Full time degree: £11,850 per year (UK)
• 4 years Part time degree: £7,110 per year (UK)

DClinPsych Clinical Psychology

University of plymouth.

• CPSY612 Research 1- Core
• CPSY610 Clinical Practice- Core
• CPSY611 Academic Competence- Core
• CPSY613 Clinical Practice- Core
• CPSY615 Research 2- Core

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About Doctorate Psychology in England

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and human behaviour. It is a highly versatile field and psychologists explore a diversity of topics, including cognitive processes, emotional regulati on, behaviour, neuroscience and social interactions, using research methods and empirical evidence. In England, achieving a doctoral degree in psychology represents the pinnacle of academic study in the field and indicates a practical qualification which is geared toward applying research to specific professional settings.

To gain a place on a doctoral course in psychology in England, you’ll usually be required to hold a relevant master's degree in psychology or a related field, along with a strong research background. Fortunately, psychology is a popular course at this level, and there are over 150 courses at more than 60 institutions in England alone, so you’ll find many options of places to study.

What to expect

As a doctoral student, you can expect an intellectually rigorous and research-intensive experience. You’ll be researching a fairly specialised topic within the field of psychology, and this is likely something which you began to focus on at master’s level. It can form the basis for a career pathway once you begin to work professionally, and research topics often include things like clinical psychology, cognitive neuroscience and organisational psychology.

Course type:

• Distance learning Doctorate
• Full time Doctorate
• Part time Doctorate

Qualification:

Universities:.

• Royal Northern College of Music
• University of Warwick
• University of West London
• University of Oxford Department for Continuing Education
• University of Suffolk
• University of Buckingham
• University of Portsmouth
• Canterbury Christ Church University
• University of Sussex
• Imperial College Business School
• King's College London, University of London
• University of Reading
• University of Kent
• UCL (University College London)
• University of Chester
• University of Lincoln
• Birkbeck, University of London
• Henley Business School
• London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London
• University of Sunderland

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