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MSci Psychology

UCAS Code: C810

Psychology encompasses human and animal behaviour, its biological basis in evolution, the nervous system and cognition, and the study of social factors which affect the behaviour of individuals and of groups. It is grounded in systematic empirical research as well as in theory; it therefore includes training in methods of research, which in turn demands some understanding of, and some skill in, statistics and computing. Finally, it requires the ability to write clearly and present theoretical arguments and research results in a cogent manner. A good psychology graduate is both numerate and literate; he/she has a grasp of the scientific as well as of the human. These are intellectual and practical skills which are potentially relevant to a wide range of occupations in our complex technological society.

The first two years of the programme span the field of psychology, and the third year offers considerable choice of topics for study, according to your main interests and aims. The main component of the fourth year is a placement within a UCL research group (Research Route) or in a workplace setting (Applied Route) in mental health, education or business organisation.

The accreditation of the programme by the British Psychological Society (BPS) is ongoing. Graduates are eligible to become members of the BPS, the starting point for a career in psychology.

See below to find out more about the MSci Psychology at UCL.

Content

The first two years of the programme span the field of psychology, and the third year offers considerable choice of topics for study, according to your main interests and aims. The main component of the fourth year is a placement within a UCL research group (Research Route) or in a workplace setting (Applied Route) in mental health, education or business organisation.

UCL is the top-ranked university in the UK for research in Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience, and the Division of Psychology & Language Sciences and has recently been recognised as the 5th best provider of psychology education in the world (QS Rankings 2016).

The accreditation of the programme by the British Psychological Society (BPS) is ongoing. Graduates are eligible to become members of the BPS, the starting point for a career in psychology.

Excellent resources include our up-to-date web-based system, which makes all teaching materials (including course outlines, lecture presentation slides, handouts) available to registered students.

The MSci Research route will provide students with advanced research skills in psychology as they will be embedded within a research lab/department for most of the year working with world leading researchers and their teams and will enable them to produce a substantive piece of original research.

The MSci Applied route will enable students to gain skills, knowledge, and the experience of applying psychological theory in an applied setting and the challenges of carrying out research in such an environment.

The programme has been designed to incorporate the UCL Connected Curriculum initiative, which aims to integrate research into every stage of an undergraduate degree.

Structure

The first two years of your degree comprise a combination of compulsory and optional modules. Compulsory courses include the study of experimental design in psychology, the neurological underpinnings of behaviour, health and clinical psychology, cognition, individual differences and social psychology.

In the first year, 105 credits are taken in psychology, allowing you to choose your remaining 15 credit module from another subject - arts or sciences - taught within UCL. In the second year, 105 credits will be psychology-based with the remaining 15 credits being drawn from elsewhere.

In your third year, all modules are normally taken in psychology and you will undertake a compulsory research project on a subject of your choice. Your project will be supervised by a staff member and will be an empirical, usually experimental, piece of research utilising the skills you have learned previously.

The fourth MSci year will allow you to take M-level (Level 7) modules in advanced data analysis techniques and those on the Applied Route will take a compulsory module devoted to behavioural research methods in applied settings. Students on both routes will take other M-level modules relevant to their research interests. This will prepare them for the substantive piece of research (60 credits) that will be undertaken in either a UCL laboratory (Research Route) or applied setting (Applied Route).

In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual modules, normally valued at 15 credits, adding up to a total of 120 credits for the year. Modules are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken. The balance of compulsory and optional modules varies from programme to programme and year to year. 30 credits is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).

Modules

An indicative guide to the structure of this programme, year by year.

Years one to three are the same as the BSc Psychology - see the BSc Psychology structure details

Year 4

Compulsory modules

  • Advanced Research/Placement Project
  • Statistics/Statistics for Applied Research Settings
  • Behavioural Research in Applied Settings (Compulsory for students on the Applied Route)

Optional modules

You will select three (Research Route) or two (Applied Route) optional modules. Options may include:

  • Applied Decision Making*
  • Cognitive Neuroscience*
  • Human Learning and Memory*
  • Judgement and Decision Making*
  • Social Psychology*
  • The Brain in Action*
  • The Social Psychology of Risk*
  • Current Research in Dementia
  • Current Research in Depression and Anxiety
  • Current Research in Intellectual and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Current Research in Psychosis
  • Introduction to Biological Research in Mental Health
  • Health Related Behaviours and Cognition
  • Individual, Social and Cultural Perspectives in Health Psychology

*If not previously taken in Year 3 of the programme

Your learning

Your learning will involve attendance at lectures, and participation in laboratory classes. Small tutorial groups meet weekly, for which you will be asked to produce essays and prepare discussion topics. In Years 3 and in Year 4, you will undertake an empirical research project (30 credits in Year 3, and 60 credits in Year 4).

Assessment

Assessment is primarily by end-of-year examinations, but other methods include multiple choice and computational tests. Your Third Year project will be assessed in two parts; the research proposal (10% of the project mark) and the project itself (90%). Your Fourth Year project will be assessed by a research proposal (10%) a project report written in the form of a journal article (75%) and an oral presentation (15%).

Further Information

The first three years are the same as BSc Psychology: detailed course descriptions can be found on the department website: Psychology BSc.

This is an exciting opportunity to gain a higher qualification and additional research experience in a further year of study, either embedded within a UCL research group or within an applied setting. Students will gain further subject discipline knowledge from taking advanced modules and will develop transferable skills relevant to employability in their research or applied placement. Please note that places are very limited on this programme and we would encourage early application.

Staff

Course Director Dr Gorkan Ahmetoglu

Course Administrator Maria Karaisalidou

Careers

In addition to subject-based skills and knowledge, Psychology graduates also acquire a number of transferable skills e.g. numeracy, IT literacy, data management, time management, independent research, team working, report writing, presentation skills, communications and literacy skills and work ethically and professionally with people - all highly valued in a range of employment fields. The fourth MSci year will be of particular benefit for those students who wish to pursue a career in academic psychology (such as progressing to a PhD), as a professional (chartered) psychologist (see below) but more generally, the aim is to develop the intellectual potential of our students so that they can become reflective and creative professional psychologists or psychologically-informed professionals in other careers.

Your knowledge of all areas of the subject makes you eligible for entry into any field normally open to psychology graduates, or for further graduate training which is required for graduates wishing to work as a chartered professional psychologist in the areas of health, forensic, clinical, educational and occupational psychology.

While many UCL Psychology graduates have gone on to become professional psychologists in the National Health Service, in education, the civil service and industry, it is important to bear in mind that psychology provides a very useful basis for a wide range of other careers. For further information on careers, visit the British Psychological Society's website

Further Information

The first three years are the same as BSc Psychology: detailed course descriptions can be found on the BSc Psychology webpage.

This is an exciting opportunity to gain a higher qualification and additional research experience in a further year of study, either embedded within a UCL research group or within an applied setting. Students will gain further subject discipline knowledge from taking advanced modules and will develop transferable skills relevant to employability in their research or applied placement. Please note that places are very limited on this programme and we would encourage early application.