Psychology and Language Sciences MSci
London, Bloomsbury
Psychology and Language Sciences MSci (2024)
This four-year programme, accredited by the British Psychological Society, offers an extra year on top of the Psychology and Language Sciences BSc in which students have the opportunity to gain additional research experience in the final year, either with a UCL research group or in an applied setting.
Study mode
Duration
UK tuition fees (2023/24)
Overseas tuition fees (2023/24)
Programme starts
September 2023Application deadline
25 Jan 2023UCAS course code
Entry requirements
- Grades
- A*AA
- Subjects
- To include one subject from Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics or Psychology.
- GCSEs
- English Language, Mathematics and two Sciences (double award acceptable) at grade B or 6.
Contextual offer information
- Grades
- ABB more about contextual offers
- Subjects
- To include one subject from Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics or Psychology.
- GCSEs
- English Language, Mathematics and two Sciences (double award acceptable) at grade B or 6.
- Points
- 39
- Subjects
- A total of 19 points in three higher level subjects to include grade 6 in one subject from Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics or Psychology, with no higher level score below 5. If Mathematics is offered at higher level, the programme will accept either 'Analysis and Approaches' or 'Applications and Interpretation.
Contextual offer
- Points
- 34 more about contextual offers
- Subjects
- A total of 16 points in three higher level subjects to include grade 6 in one subject from Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics or Psychology, with no higher level score below 5. For Mathematics, the programme will accept either 'Analysis and Approaches' or 'Applications and Interpretation' at higher level.
UK applicants qualifications
For entry requirements with other UK qualifications accepted by UCL, choose your qualification from the list below:
Equivalent qualification
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
Successful completion of the WBQ Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate plus 2 GCE A levels at grades A*AA, including one subject from Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Psychology.
A1,A,A at Advanced Highers (or A1,A at Advanced Higher and A,A,A at Higher), including A in one subject from Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Psychology at Advanced Higher.
D2,D3,D3 in three Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects, including one subject from Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Psychology.
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
International applications
Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.
Access and widening participation
UCL is committed to widening access to higher education. If you are eligible for Access UCL you do not need to do anything in addition to the standard UCAS application. Your application will be automatically flagged when we receive it.Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates
The Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPC) prepare international students for a UCL undergraduate degree who don’t have the qualifications to enter directly. These intensive one-year foundation courses are taught on our central London campus.
Typical UPC students will be high achievers in a 12-year school system which does not meet the standard required for direct entry to UCL.
For more information see: ucl.ac.uk/upc.
English language requirements
The English language level for this programme is: Level 2 (Level 4 for GCSE/IGCSE)
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Information about the evidence required, acceptable qualifications and test providers can be found on our English language requirements page.
A variety of English language programmes are offered at the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education.
Course overview
The first two years of your degree comprise mainly mandatory modules taken by all students, which aim to provide you with broad-based knowledge of psychology and language sciences. They cover fundamental topics such as the neural basis of perception, memory and language, social psychology, individual differences, speech production and perception, and the development of communication and cognition. Skills in planning, running and analysing experiments are taught in research methods modules and laboratory classes in years one and two.
Students in the second year complete a weekly observational placement with children in an early years setting (for which a DBS check is required). This is an integral part of the degree which enables you to develop observational research techniques and relate developmental models of play and language to your real-life observations.
In your final year you will choose a research project to be completed under the supervision of an expert in your chosen field. Alongside the project you will select six modules from a broad range of specialised content areas, many of which relate to particular professional and research interests (e.g. educational psychology, behaviour change, speech and language therapy, neuroscience of language).
Successful completion of year three with at least a 2.2 class degree award allows you to graduate with a BPS-accredited BSc qualification, or you can continue to the MSci in the final (fourth) year.
The final year consists of a 60 credit project based either on research conducted at UCL (in the research pathway) or on a placement (the applied pathway). Students on both pathways each take a different research methods module. Students then take additional Masters level modules to make up the remainder of their credits. These are mostly taught modules, but Practical Research Skills also offers additional mini-placements working in UCL labs. Students on both pathways with at least a 2.2 class degree award will receive a BPS-accredited MSci qualification.
What this course will give you
UCL is known worldwide for its teaching and research in the fields of psychology, speech sciences, linguistics and neuroscience. Our staff's work appears in internationally acclaimed journals and books.
This programme provides experiential learning in these key areas, emphasising the complementary nature of psychology, speech sciences and linguistics and providing special insights into the human mind, language and communication.
This degree is an excellent platform from which students can pursue further research or follow professional programmes (e.g. in clinical and educational psychology, teaching, speech and language therapy, or audiology).
If you choose the research route in the fourth year, you will gain advanced research skills and join world-leading researchers in the lab. Students on the applied route will meet the challenges of carrying out research in the workplace, for example, in a clinical or educational setting.
Teaching and learning
In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual modules, normally valued at 15 or 30 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. A 30-credit module is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).
Upon successful completion of 480 credits, you will be awarded a MSci (Hons) in Psychology and Language Sciences.
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.
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The first two years of your degree comprise mainly mandatory modules taken by all students, which aim to provide you with broad-based knowledge of psychology and language sciences. They cover fundamental topics such as the neural basis of perception, memory and language, social psychology, individual differences, speech production and perception, and the development of communication and cognition. Skills in planning, running and analysing experiments are taught in research methods modules and laboratory classes in years one and two.
Students in the second year complete a weekly observational placement with children in an early years setting (for which a DBS check is required). This is an integral part of the degree which enables you to develop observational research techniques and relate developmental models of play and language to your real-life observations.
In your final year you will choose a research project to be completed under the supervision of an expert in your chosen field. Alongside the project you will select six modules from a broad range of specialised content areas, many of which relate to particular professional and research interests (e.g. educational psychology, behaviour change, speech and language therapy, neuroscience of language).
Successful completion of year three with at least a 2.2 class degree award allows you to graduate with a BPS-accredited BSc qualification, or you can continue to the MSci in the final (fourth) year, which will also require at least a 2.2 class degree award for BPS accreditation.
The final year consists of a 60 credit project based either on research conducted at UCL (in the research pathway) or on a placement (the applied pathway). Students on both pathways each take a different research methods module. Students then take additional Masters level modules to make up the remainder of their credits. These are mostly taught modules, but Practical Research Skills also offers additional mini-placements working in UCL labs. Students on both pathways receive a BPS-accredited MSci qualification.
Compulsory modules
Optional modules
Optional modules
Your learning
Your learning will involve attendance at lectures (sometimes shared with students on other programmes), smaller laboratory classes and back-up classes. Regular group tutorials with a member of academic staff will provide an opportunity to integrate learning and to discuss topics in more detail. Each student has regular meetings with a personal tutor to discuss academic progress.
In the fourth year during the Autumn and Spring terms, students will spend on average three days a week on either a research or applied placement. The majority of the placement time will be spent working on a single, substantial research project. On the research pathway, projects are likely to form part of the supervisor's existing research programme. Projects on the applied pathway will be based on a topic generated by the placement provider.
Assessment
Each module is examined separately, often by a combination of essays, data exercises and examinations and performance is always assessed in the same academic year in which you take it.
Accessibility
Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support & Wellbeing team.
Visit us
Online - Open day
Undergraduate Psychology at PALS - Virtual Discovery Session
Join the UCL Division of Psychology and Language Sciences to find out more about studying one of our undergraduate psychology courses. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about studying Psychology BSc/MSci and Psychology and Language Sciences BSc/MSci at UCL. You will get to hear from academic staff who teach on our programmes and get an opportunity to ask them questions.
The foundation of your career
Students will gain advanced training in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. Additionally, graduates will have transferable skills in autonomy and responsibility, teamwork and presentation. This degree is an excellent foundation for further specialised training in careers such as audiology, clinical and educational psychology, teaching, and speech and language therapy.
The fourth MSci year will be of particular benefit to those students who wish to pursue a career in research (e.g. progressing to a PhD) or in clinical or educational work. Our aim is to help students to develop advanced interdisciplinary research and transferable skills valuable in a wide range of careers. Graduates from our programmes have gone on to further training in teaching, clinical psychology and medicine, to PhD study, as well as to careers in auditing and human resources.
Employability
The cutting-edge experimental, empirical and statistical/computational tools employed in this degree will enable you to develop and evaluate ideas across the areas of human psychology and communication. They will provide you with an exceptional basis for further research in these areas.
Accreditation
This programme is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS). UK applicants for graduate membership and the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) require a minimum of a lower second-class Bachelor's degree. Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership is required for entry to all accredited postgraduate and doctoral programmes as part of the route to becoming a chartered psychologist. . As a graduate, you will be eligible to become a member of the BPS.Fees and funding
Fees for this course
| Fee description | Full-time |
|---|---|
| Tuition fees (2023/24) | £9,250 |
| Tuition fees (2023/24) | £35,000 |
The fees indicated are for undergraduate entry in the 2023/24 academic year. The UK fees shown are for the first year of the programme at UCL only. Fees for future years may be subject to an inflationary increase. The Overseas fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2023/24 entrants for each year of study on the programme, unless otherwise indicated below.
Full details of UCL's tuition fees, tuition fee policy and potential increases to fees can be found on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/undergraduate/funding-your-studies.
Additional costs
This programme has no additional costs.
A guide including rough estimates for these and other living expenses is included on the UCL Fees and funding pages. If you are concerned by potential additional costs for books, equipment, etc., please get in touch with the relevant departmental contact (details given on this page).
Funding your studies
Various funding options are available, including student loans, scholarships and bursaries. UK students whose household income falls below a certain level may also be eligible for a non-repayable bursary or for certain scholarships. Please see the Fees and funding pages for more details.
Scholarships
The Scholarships and Funding website lists scholarships and funding schemes available to UCL students. These may be open to all students, or restricted to specific nationalities, regions or academic department.
Next steps
How to apply
Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however, applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.
Selection
For further information on UCL's selection process see: How we assess your application.
All applicants who are offered a place will be invited to attend an applicant open day. This is intended to allow candidates to make an informed decision about whether the degree programme is right for them. We recommend attending the open day at the university. However, students unable to attend will be offered a virtual open day.
Applicants may be asked for additional information, including the completion of a questionnaire, prior to a decision being made.
Got questions? Get in touch
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