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MSc Psychology and Trauma (Adult)

Taught by leading academics at Anna Freud and UCL's Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, the Psychology and Trauma MSc (Adult) provides you with the opportunity to explore the latest research evidence and applied practice related to the psychological impact of trauma in adulthood. This innovative and flexible programme is studied entirely online, either full or part-time, at PG Certificate, PG Diploma or Masters level. 

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£20,500
£10,250
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£20,500
£10,250
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2025
Applications accepted
All applicants: 14 Oct 2024 – 29 Aug 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

This course is specifically aimed at professionals working in sectors such as psychology, mental health, health care, social care, education, community, criminal justice, or public health. This will include professionals working with either adult populations, or children and adolescents.

A minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor’s degree from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard is required. Alternatively, a lower second-class honours degree from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard will be considered if there is evidence of sufficient professional experience in a relevant setting. Applicants will usually have a degree in Psychology, Mental Health, Public Health, Social Sciences, Child Development, Education, Social Work or related disciplines, but those with a degree in another discipline will be considered if there is evidence of sufficient professional experience in a relevant setting.

The English language level for this programme 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 is jointly led by staff at UCL and the Anna Freud in London, world-renowned centres for research, training and clinical practice in the field of child mental health.

The Psychology and Trauma MSc equips students with an up-to-date evidence base in trauma theory and practice. Foundational modules focus on key theories in the field, refining your understanding of how exposure to traumatic events shapes an individual’s experience over the lifespan. You will learn about the potential mental health consequences of trauma, including behavioural difficulties, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), complex PTSD and personality disorders, as well as evidence-based practice for prevention and intervention for trauma with children and families. The course takes a multi-perspective approach spanning neuroscience, cognitive and behavioural theories, and systems theories. The programme also considers important systemic, cultural, and global contexts, and explores trauma and psychology across varied lenses and sectors, such as public health, education and social care.  
 

Students will benefit from access to world-class teaching and learning opportunities, from a range of professionals across UCL and beyond. This includes teaching from expert academics and from front-line professionals who work with trauma-exposed individuals. The voice of those with lived experience is central to the programme. 

Who this course is for

The programme is relevant to those with an interest in the psychology of trauma, including students who wish to continue to deepen their understanding of psychology, and professionals seeking to upskill their learning in this area, including those working in education, mental health, social care and medical settings. The distance-learning model is designed to benefit students who seek a flexible approach to their studies and to be open to students globally.

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

What this course will give you

The Psychology and Trauma MSc stands out for its integration of the most up-to-date evidence, ensuring that your learning is rooted in the latest developments in trauma theory, research, and clinical practice. This innovative course has been meticulously designed using expertise in adult learning design, combining the flexibility of distance learning with the dynamic interaction of cohort-based study. This unique approach allows you to balance your studies with professional or personal commitments while benefiting from interactive and applied engagement with content, collaboration with peers, and networking opportunities with experts in the field across UCL and the Anna Freud.

The programme offers unparalleled access to cutting-edge knowledge. Its interdisciplinary curriculum bridges neuroscience, cognitive and behavioural theories, and systems thinking, and integrates insights from those with lived experience, providing a comprehensive understanding of trauma and its effects. You will explore trauma’s impact across the lifespan and develop the skills to address its challenges in diverse sectors, including public health, education, and social care. You will develop particular skills in understanding how trauma impacts adults, and how interventions at the individual, family, organisational, or population level can support their wellbeing.

One of the key strengths of the programme lies in its global perspective, fostering a rich exploration of trauma through cultural, systemic, and international lenses. This ensures that graduates emerge with both advanced theoretical knowledge and the ability to adapt their expertise to varied cultural and systemic contexts. The programme’s innovative design guarantees a supportive and engaging learning experience, helping you to develop practical, evidence-based solutions to real-world challenges.

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

The foundation of your career

As this is a new programme, we do not yet have data on alumni destinations. However, the skills and expertise acquired on the Psychology and Trauma MSc are designed to support a wide range of career pathways. Graduates will be equipped to pursue impactful roles in professions such as mental health services, education, social care, and public health, where trauma-informed practice is increasingly recognised as essential. This MSc also provides a strong foundation for careers in non-governmental and humanitarian organisations, as well as corporate environments, where trauma-informed approaches are becoming integral.

For those interested in academic or research careers, this programme provides an excellent platform for further study, through a PhD in psychology, mental health and/or trauma studies. Whilst this is not a clinical training programme, the MSc will provide a solid foundation for further applied training in psychotherapy, psychology, or counselling.

Employability

Students on the programme will develop a robust set of career-enhancing skills that are applicable across a range of professional contexts. These include advanced critical thinking and the ability to integrate interdisciplinary knowledge from psychology, neuroscience, and systems theory to address trauma-related challenges. Graduates will gain expertise in trauma-informed practices and cross-cultural awareness, enabling them to work effectively in diverse and global contexts. The programme also cultivates strong communication and advocacy skills, empowering students to share complex ideas with a variety of audiences and influence trauma-informed policy and practice. Additionally, students can build research and data analysis capabilities.

Networking

The programme supports students to build connections as a cohort, with regular synchronous activities and workshops to support this. Students are also welcomed into the wider learning community at UCL. Students will be able to connect in with a wide range of activities, including e.g. UCL’s Changemakers projects, and partake in UCL’s scientific community through talks and career events.

Teaching and learning

The programme is undertaken entirely online, with the majority of the week’s learning completed at a time and place to suit you. This ‘asynchronous’ learning includes lectures, readings, activities and forum discussions. Students also have weekly, virtual ‘synchronous’ points of connection with each other and course staff in live seminars, workshops and peer tutorials.

The programme includes a wide range of assessments, to help develop and reflect a range of student strengths. This variously includes essays, presentations, student participation, oral discussions, groupwork and projects. 

Typical contact hours for full time students varies between 6-10 hours per week (depending on module choice), and includes seminars, practice-based activities, synchronous learning activities with peers, and e-learning activities. In addition, students will typically have 4-6 hours of asynchronous online lectures per week that they can watch as convenient for their individual schedule. 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

Students across both the Adult and Child routes start their learning with a shared introduction to the field in ‘Foundations of Trauma Studies – a Lifespan Perspective’. This is followed in Term 2 by an ‘Introduction to Research Skills’, a module which is mandatory for MSc students and optional for those studying PG Cert or PG Dip. This supports the MSc students to develop skills in research in preparation for their dissertation, which they complete during the remainder of the academic year.

For students taking the Adult route, their first term also includes two core modules in ‘Public Health and Organisational Understanding of Trauma-Responses in Adulthood’ and ‘Trauma-Informed Care Across Adult-Facing Sectors’. This completes the qualification for PG Cert students, while MSc and PG Dip students go on to study a further three core modules (Psychosis and Common Types of PTSD Co-Morbidities; Interventions for Trauma, PTSD and Related Problems in Adulthood;), and ‘Trauma, Adult Physical Health and Wellbeing’. PG Dip students have the option to choose between either ‘The Psychology and Neuroscience of Trauma and Addiction’ or ‘Introduction to Research Skills’.

Students across both the Adult and Child routes start their learning with a shared introduction to the field in ‘Foundations of Trauma Studies – a Lifespan Perspective’. This is followed in Term 2 by an ‘Introduction to Research Skills’, a module which is mandatory for MSc students and optional for those studying PG Cert or PG Dip. This supports the MSc students to develop skills in research in preparation for their dissertation, which they complete during their second year.

For students taking the Adult route, their second year also includes two core modules in ‘Public Health and Organisational Understanding of Trauma-Responses in Adulthood’ and ‘Trauma-Informed Care Across Adult-Facing Sectors’. This completes the qualification for PG Cert students, while MSc and PG Dip students go on to study a further four core modules (Psychosis and Common Types of PTSD Co-Morbidities; Interventions for Trauma, PTSD and Related Problems in Adulthood; Trauma-Informed Care Across Adults-Facing Sectors, ‘Trauma, Adult Physical Health and Wellbeing’). PG Dip students also have the choice of either ‘The Psychology and Neuroscience of Trauma and Addiction’ or ‘Introduction to Research Skills’.

Compulsory modules


Public health and organizational understanding of trauma responses in adulthood

Trauma, adult physical health, and wellbeing

Psychosis and common types of PTSD co-morbidities

Interventions for PTSD and trauma-related problems in adulthood

Trauma-informed care across adult-facing sectors


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.

Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Psychology and Trauma (Adult).

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £20,500 £10,250
Tuition fees (2025/26) £20,500 £10,250

Additional costs

For Full-time and Part-time offer holders 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.

Please note that as a distance-learning programme, there are no programme-specific additional costs for this programme, though students are advised that they will need suitable technology and web access to be able to engage with their study.

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 £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. 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

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

We are delighted to receive applications in which you describe how your academic or professional experience has both motivated and prepared you for this area of study as well as a clear rationale why you want to study the psychological impact of trauma at graduate level at UCL and some consideration of where you would like to go professionally with your degree. 

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (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: 2025-2026

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Division of Psychology and Language Sciences
Division of Psychology and Language Sciences

adultpsychtrauma@ucl.ac.uk

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