You will learn from passionate academic staff, who are involved in cutting-edge research. With almost three-quarters of Northumbria’s psychology research being judged to have outstanding reach and significance for its impact (REF 2014).  

You will learn in a professional research environment, with access to state-of-the-art laboratories which are equipped with industry standard equipment. You will learn from those at the forefront of their fields. In fact, our strength in psychology research has significantly increased. We are currently placed second in the Alliance group of universities for world-leading research (REF 2014).

You will develop an advanced understanding of

• cognitive and developmental Psychology
• biological and social Psychology
• individual differences
• and psychological research methods.

Successful completion of this master's in psychology will provide you with the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership with the BPS, the first step towards becoming a Chartered Psychologist.

If you want to specialise in Health, Occupational or Sport and Exercise Psychology then your next step will be a Stage 1 Masters, which we also offer here at Northumbria. We can offer you a fast track graduation so that you can move straight on to your Stage 1 qualification, and progress in your career as quickly as possible. You will also complete your Stage 2 qualification in employment.

If you want to specialise in Counselling, Educational or Clinical Psychology then you will need to apply for a highly competitive doctoral programme. You are likely to need substantial experience to be successful in gaining a place, and at Northumbria we will support you in finding that experience.

The third route to a career in Psychology is the academic route, and we can support interested students in applying for our MRes and subsequently a PhD. This would qualify you to lecture and carry our psychological research in a university setting.

Our MSc Psychology has been designed with your employability in mind, and will prove valuable even if you decide not to pursue a career in Psychology. Our previous graduates have secured roles in management, advertising, marketing and human resources.

Study pattern

The timetable for the full-time programme is two full days (9am-5pm) per week on a Monday and Tuesday, and for the part-time programme it is one full day per week (Tuesday for year 1, Monday for year 2).

When deciding on which programme to apply for, we would ask applicants to consider carefully the time commitments for the course taking into account work and any other personal commitments. For full-time students we would expect a commitment of approximately 35 hours per week and for part time around 17.5 hours per week. (For both programmes these hours include hours of study on campus.)

Master of Research opportunity

If you already have quite a clear idea about a particular topic you’d like to explore, or you’re interested in a research-based career, then you might want to consider our Psychology MRes.

If you want to specialise in Health, Occupational or Sport and Exercise Psychology then your next step will be a Stage 1 Masters, which we also offer here at Northumbria. We can offer you a fast track graduation so that you can move straight on to your Stage 1 qualification, and progress in your career as quickly as possible. You’ll complete your Stage 2 qualification in employment, and ultimately register as a Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) practitioner. (This is also the route to Forensic Psychology, which is offered at other local universities.)

If you want to specialise in Counselling, Educational or Clinical Psychology then you will need to apply for a highly competitive doctoral programme. You are likely to need substantial experience to be successful in gaining a place, and at Northumbria we will support you in finding that experience. We will open doors to the many volunteering opportunities at the University and within the sector, and the MSc will also qualify you to apply for a valuable Assistant Psychologist role. 

The third route to a career in Psychology is the academic route, and we can support interested students in applying for our MRes and subsequently a PhD. This would qualify you to lecture and carry our psychological research in a university setting.

Our MSc Psychology has been designed with your employability in mind, and will prove valuable even if you decide not to pursue a career in Psychology. You will develop a critical approach to analysing qualitative and quantitative data, which will equip you to make sound informed decisions – one of the most important aspects of leadership. Our previous graduates have secured specialist roles in management, advertising, marketing and human resources, with many moving into the public sector for careers in the police and prison services, health and social services or education.