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Developmental Psychology and Clinical Practice MSc

London, King's Cross (Anna Freud Centre)

UK students International students

Study mode

Full-time

UK tuition fees (2026/27)

£16,800

Overseas tuition fees (2026/27)

£39,200

Duration

2 calendar years

Programme starts

September 2026

Applications accepted

All applicants: 20 Oct 2025 – 20 Apr 2026

Applications closed

Find similar courses still open

Entry requirements

Normally a minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree from a UK university in Psychology, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard, and relevant experience working with children or adolescents. Relevant work experience could include professional or voluntary involvement with children (whether in mental health context or not), for example, as part of placements undertaken during undergraduate study, as part of a research project (e.g. interviewing children for research) or in a personal capacity (e.g. childminding or volunteering).

The English language level for this course is: Level 2

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

The programme draws together theory, research and applied clinical skills from a range of perspectives, including developmental psychology, systemic thinking, CBT, psychoanalysis and neuroscience. Alongside working on a research project and learning about child mental health, students learn clinical skills such as how to build therapeutic relationships, carry out assessments, develop formulations, and evaluate clinical interventions. These skills are put into practice during the clinical placement.

Who this course is for

This MSc provides a solid foundation for those wishing to pursue further clinical training or research or to apply for employment with the children's workforce. The programme is highly selective and takes approximately 20 students per year, so students with more relevant experience prior to application will be at an advantage.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

The programme is based at Anna Freud in London, a world-renowned centre for research, training and clinical practice in the field of child mental health. Distinctive features include teaching by highly experienced clinicians and researchers working in the field of child mental health; the opportunity to develop clinical skills for working with children; practical training in conducting research in clinical settings.

You will also gain exposure to clinical work within NHS and/or voluntary sector organisations involving children, adolescents and families, under the supervision of an experienced clinician.

To read past students' testimonials, please visit the departmental webpages.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

Completing this MSc will help you develop several core research and clinical competencies and provide you with direct supervised experience of work in a child and adolescent mental health service, placing you in a strong position to proceed to further clinical training, such as in clinical or educational psychology, or to pursue a PhD in research. Some of our graduates find employment in the field of child mental health in roles such as Assistant Psychologist or Family Support Worker. 100% of our graduates were in work or further study within 15 months of completing their studies (most recent Graduate Outcomes Survey 2022–2023).

Employability

Networking

Students will have an opportunity to attend the Academic Skills Seminar Series which will be hosted by a variety of guest lecturers from different fields. Students will also be able to attend careers events with a specific focus on clinical and research focused careers, which will offer networking opportunities with relevant professionals. There will also be opportunities for the students to network with other MSc students in the Anna Freud and with programme alumni. There will be other opportunities to network with researchers, clinicians and other students/staff in the Anna Freud and UCL through various activities such as involvement in UCL ChangeMakers projects and taking part in staff-student committees and events.

Teaching and learning

In year one, weekly lectures are delivered and complemented by small group seminars and workshops. Modules focusing on clinical skills provide opportunities for role play, reflective practice and working with mock case material. In year two, as well as taking further modules and continuing to work on their research projects, supported by research tutors, students move into a two/three days per week placement in a child and adolescent mental health setting, supervised by an experienced clinician. The clinical placement in year 2 offers an opportunity to develop clinical, professional and practical skills relevant to working in mental health settings.

Assessment is by a mixture of coursework (including science communication assignments), examinations, oral presentations (individual and group-based), video role-play, and a research portfolio.

In Year 1, typical timetabled contact hours for the degree programme can range between approximately 9-13 hours per week.

In Year 2, typically a student is expected to spend between 14-21 hours per week in a relevant and voluntary placement setting. Teaching continues in the second year of the course with typical timetabled contact hours for the degree programme ranging between 2-7 hours per week.

Throughout their programme of study, students are expected to display a level of independent study (25-30 hours per week), for example, by engaging with key topics and required readings in preparation for the discussions promoted in the programme.

Teaching is mainly carried out through lectures, workshops and seminars to support discussion and interactive learning across both Years 1 and 2. Additionally, students are expected to undertake independent study each week through the duration of their course. Termly meetings with the personal academic tutor are also facilitated for students by their programme team and can be expected to last approximately 30 minutes.

Modules

Year One

In Year One, most modules are taught at Anna Freud in London. You will attend weekly lectures complemented by small group seminars in a friendly and supportive environment. The teaching is organised into three 'families' of modules: Child Development, Childhood Difficulties/Disorders and the Developing Mind; Research Skills; and Clinical Skills. Modules focusing on clinical skills during Year 1 include interactive seminars with recorded role-play video feedback, offering you a context within which to develop and reflect upon practical skills.

Year Two

In Year Two, as well as taking further modules at Anna Freud and UCL, and continuing work on your research portfolio, you will move into a 2-3 days per week placement in a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) in London. During this placement you will have the opportunity to develop core clinical skills relevant to working with children and families, under the supervision of an experienced clinician.

Compulsory modules

Clinical Practice in Context

Multiple Perspectives on Development and Psychopathology 1

Psychoanalytic Theories of Caregiver-Child Relationship

Clinical Skills 1

Multiple Perspectives on Development and Psychopathology 2

Clinical Skills 2

Research Methods II: Introduction to Statistical Analysis

Research Portfolio

Evaluating Clinical Interventions

Building and maintaining therapeutic relationships

Assessment and Formulation

Parenting: Theory, research and clinical intervention

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 270 credits. Upon successful completion of 270 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Developmental Psychology and Clinical Practice.

Placement

In the second year, students move into a two-three day placement. These placements are in mental health services which specialise in working with children, young people, parents, carers and families. Placements include a range of services such as community-based CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) and specialist settings such as inpatient child mental-health services, school-based CAMHS, Looked After Children CAMHS or Neurodevelopmental CAMHS teams. Students on placement will be involved in a range of clinical activities with multi-agency professionals in the service. Regular supervision within the placement is provided by an experienced clinician. Personal tutors also facilitate placement review meetings once a term. Placement selection and allocation is arranged by the programme team for all home and overseas students. Students are therefore not required to source their own clinical placements.

Accessibility

The department will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, including those with long-term health conditions, neurodivergence, learning differences and mental health conditions. This list is not exhaustive. If you're unsure of your eligibility for reasonable adjustments at UCL, please contact Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

Reasonable adjustments are implemented on a case-by-case basis. With the student's consent, reasonable adjustments are considered by UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services, and where required, in collaboration with the respective department.

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information about support available can be obtained from UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

For more information about the department and accessibility arrangements for your course, please contact the department.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students

Fee description	Full-time
Tuition fees (2026/27)	£16,800
Tuition fees (2026/27)	£39,200

2-year programme, comprising 270 credits in total. The full-time fee quoted is for Year 1 only.

Postgraduate Taught students benefit from a cohort guarantee, meaning that their tuition fees will not increase during the course of the programme, but UCL reserves the right to increase tuition fees to reflect any sums (including levies, taxes, or similar financial charges) that UCL is required to pay any governmental authority in connection with tuition fees.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Where the course is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of UK, a fee deposit will be charged at 2.5% of the first year fee.

For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of Overseas, a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.

Travel costs include travelling to Anna Freud/UCL regularly for teaching as well as travelling to clinical placement service (up to three times a week, term-time), in the second year. Some specific research projects may incur an additional cost, for example for travel and research expenses.

This course requires a completed DBS check for some compulsory modules. You will receive more information from UCL on how to complete the check once you have firmly accepted an unconditional offer for the programme. A charge for Post Office ID verification (£15.00) needed for an application to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is payable by the student. The cost of the DBS check itself is paid for by UCL.

If you have lived, worked, studied or travelled in any single country outside of the UK for six continuous months or more, in the last five years, you will be required to obtain a Certificate of Good Conduct/Police Check from the relevant country/countries. The cost of this check varies by country and is payable by the student. More information on how to obtain these can be found on gov.uk.

For more information about the DBS application process, please contact the UCL Graduate Admissions team.

For in-person teaching, UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £119.90. This price was published by TfL in 2025. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

Anna Freud offers a number of bursaries and scholarships which are awarded based on academic ability and potential as well as on financial need. Applicants should apply to the bursaries and scholarships alongside when submitting their application for the master's programme. The bursary is administered by Anna Freud and not by UCL. Please check the Anna Freud website for the deadlines of the bursary and scholarship applications You can find more information about this funding here.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Next steps

This is a popular course, so applications may close early and ahead of the deadline indicated. Early applications are strongly encouraged.

There is an application processing fee for this course of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

Why you want to study Developmental Psychology at graduate level
Why you want to study Developmental Psychology at UCL
What particularly attracts you to this programme
How your academic and professional background meets the demands of this rigorous programme
Where you would like to go professionally with your degree
About your experiences of working with children and young people (whether in a professional, voluntary or personal capacity).

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver and to discuss and reflect on your experiences and learning.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate courses (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

This course requires two references. Further information regarding references can be found on this Selecting your references page.

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