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Mental Health Sciences Research MSc

London, Bloomsbury

This programme is designed for clinicians and those with experience in clinical or clinical research settings. It offers a stimulating and practical training in mental health research. The UCL Division of Psychiatry offers teaching and supervision from leaders in international research from fields in neuroscientific and psychological to social and epidemiological. This diversity of options allows students to tailor a programme that closely fits their needs.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2026/27)
£16,800
£8,400
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Overseas tuition fees (2026/27)
£42,700
£21,350
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
5 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2026
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 26 Jun 2026
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 28 Aug 2026
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

An upper second-class Bachelor’s degree in psychology or a related scientific or social science discipline, or a professional health qualification (medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, psychology, social work), or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.

Additionally at least six months’ full-time work experience (or the equivalent) in a mental health service setting or in clinical mental health research is required.

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

This programme will equip you with the research skills needed to undertake doctoral-level research and/or to collaborate in major research projects. You will produce a piece of original research ready to submit for publication, and will acquire current knowledge of cutting-edge research in mental health.

All students undertake a final research project. This is reported as a research paper of up to 7,000 words ready for submission to a specified journal, a blog of 1,000 words and a 20-minute talk.

Find out more by visiting:

Who this course is for

The programme is designed for academically inclined mental health professionals, including trainees, and for graduates with excellent degrees in psychology and other relevant disciplines who have already obtained some post-graduation experience in mental health. A high-level of interest in the principles and practicalities of carrying out research is needed.

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

What this course will give you

UCL has a cluster of international research leaders in mental health in fields including genetics, epidemiology, and applied clinical research. Optional modules provide an entrance to other renowned departments at UCL e.g. in neuroscience and epidemiology.

The programme is strongly focused on student participation and acquisition of the practical skills needed to embark on a career in research. The wide range of research interests within our division allows us to offer a programme that integrates biological and psychosocial approaches.

We offer opportunities to get involved in the work of internationally significant research groups in a stimulating, friendly and supportive atmosphere.

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

The foundation of your career

Our clinician MSc graduates have often entered academic training pathways, including Academic Clinical Fellowships and clinical PhD fellowships such as those funded by the NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research). Many have gone on to become clinical academics who combine teaching and research, including some notable clinical professors. Others are NHS clinicians with strong research skills and understanding, and play a substantial part in carrying out research in the NHS. 

Non-clinician graduates of this MSc have often also gone on to research pathways, including research assistant posts and PhD studentships. 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

As a graduate of this programme you will be equipped with strong practical research skills and understanding of the current status and direction of mental health research in your area of interest, preparing you to pursue doctoral studies, including through applications for nationally funded fellowships.

Clinicians will be equipped to participate fully in collaborative studies and to begin to function as independent investigators. For those without clinical qualifications, the programme is likely to assist you in embarking on a career in mental health research by obtaining research posts and opportunities for PhD places.

You will be taught by and carry out projects with leading researchers at the cutting-edge of their fields, learning about research directly from experts rather than from textbooks. Previous Division of Psychiatry MSc graduates have had a strong track record of publishing papers based on their research projects in peer-reviewed journals, and of going on to further academic posts and to doctoral studies.

Networking

You will work with other students and tutors drawn from across the Faculty and University. Also, there is an alumni network for the Division of Psychiatry MSc graduates.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through lectures, seminars and workshops, with considerable use of supporting online learning.

Assessment methods include unseen exams, coursework including designing questionnaires and systematic review strategies, developing protocols, analysing data, giving talks and presenting posters. There is a strong emphasis on developing practical research skills.

For full-time students, typical contact hours are around 12 hours per week. Outside of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials, full-time students will also 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.

Modules

Full-time students should choose 180 credits to make up their MSc. This will be through a mix of three compulsory modules which account for 105 credits. The remaining 75 credits can be obtained from optional modules. You should choose at least 45 credits (and max 75 credits) from our optional home modules and any remaining credits from elective modules outside the Division of Psychiatry (max. 30 credits).

Part-time students should choose 90 credits in their first year and 90 credits in their second year (180 credits in 2 years). This will be through a mix of three compulsory modules which account for 105 credits. You must undertake the Core Principles of Mental Health Research in the first year and the final research project worth 60 credits can only be chosen in the second year. The remaining 75 credits can be obtained from optional modules. You should choose at least 45 credits (and max 75 credits) from our optional home modules and any remaining credits from elective modules outside the Division of Psychiatry (max. 30 credits).

Modular Flexible students can take between 1 to 5 years to complete their MSc which is made up of 180 credits. The main core module ‘Core Principles of Mental Health Research’ must be taken at the beginning of the course as it forms the basis of the course. The second core module can be taken in any year of the course and in the last year students must take their final research project.

During the five years students can choose from optional and elective modules to make up the 180 credits required for the MSc.

Remaining credits can be obtained from optional modules.

You can choose the remaining credits from our home modules. You should choose at least 45 credits (and max 75 credits) from our optional home modules.

You can also choose from elective modules outside the Division of Psychiatry (max. 30 credits).

Compulsory modules





Optional modules














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 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Mental Health Sciences Research.

Placement

We do not have formal assessed placements as part of the course, but many students spend a day a week volunteering in NHS or clinical research settings for all or part of the course, and we are happy to help people find suitable settings in which to undertake this voluntary experience.

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.

Visit us

All open days and events

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Introduction to the Division of Psychiatry and the Mental Health Sciences MSc

The UCL Division of Psychiatry is a world-leading interdisciplinary centre for research and teaching into mental health and illness. During the session you'll get to hear from the programme Directorship and current students about the Division of Psychiatry and our suite of Masters programmes. We will also be doing a special feature on the Mental Health Sciences MSc. We'll discuss the course structure, modules, career outcomes and life as a student in the department, UCL and London more widely.

Watch on demand event

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2026/27) £16,800 £8,400
Tuition fees (2026/27) £42,700 £21,350

Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.

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.

For modular/flexible offer holders with a fee status classification of UK, a £350 deposit will be charged.

For modular/flexible offer holders with a fee status classification of Overseas, a £500 deposit will be charged.

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

The programme team support students in obtaining volunteer placements in relevant mental health care and research settings, but this is not a formal part of the programme and is entirely optional. Small costs may be associated with these placements mainly centred for travelling around London, and will need to be met by the student. 

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

Division of Psychiatry bursaries and small scholarships are available each year.

NOCLOR research services funds awards every year for staff of North London mental health Trusts, as does the North London Mental Health Partnership. 

Please visit our webpage to find out more.

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

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

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 Mental Health Sciences Research at graduate level.
  • why you want to study Mental Health Sciences Research at UCL.
  • what particularly attracts you to this programme.
  • how your personal, academic and professional background meets the demands of this challenging programme.
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree.

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.

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.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2026-2027

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Division of Psychiatry
Division of Psychiatry

dop.msc.enquiries@ucl.ac.uk

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