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Psychological Research Methods at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS

Course options

2025 - 2026
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There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

Course summary

This MSc Psychological Research Methods provides you with a solid grounding in how to understand and carry out research for a wide variety of applications. It is ideal if you are a graduate from psychology or a related discipline keen to advance and expand your research skills. Why choose this course?

  • This course provides you with an excellent basis for continued research at PhD level or for progressing in a research career in health, education, market research, HR, policy, polling or bioinformatics.
  • It enables you to synthesise existing knowledge and be able to analyse it critically. You will learn to further knowledge in a robust way from experts in the fields of quantitative and qualitative research from across the globe.
  • It offers you hands-on experience of using statistical software in laboratories, and practical sessions.
What you will learn This course offers you an increased awareness of the principles of qualitative research and an understanding of techniques associated with key research approaches. You will learn a wide variety of research skills, designs and applications. You will also learn how to interpret results and apply them to advance knowledge across a spectrum of areas. How you will learn You can study this course full- or part-time. It has a daytime timetable with classes taught in the daytime, apart from some option modules which may be taught in the evening. We have a focus on small group collaboration, and you will learn through workshops, lectures, seminars and guided discussion groups. You will also have access to lab meetings and weekly research talks led by experts from around the world, and you will benefit from individual supervision to design, run and analyse your own research project. Highlights
  • In the 2023 National Student Survey, Birkbeck's School of Psychological Sciences ranked 5th in the UK for teaching.
  • We are consistently regarded as one of the top institutions teaching psychological sciences in the UK. In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework, and for the third time, we were ranked in the top ten universities in the UK.
  • This course provides you with a range of appropriate research skills and experiences for research at PhD level or in the private sector.
  • You will have an opportunity to attend research seminars organised by Birkbeck and a number of other local research centres and institutes.
  • If you have a strong academic record but require financial support to take this course, you may be eligible for the Kenway Legacy Scholarship which will cover the cost of your tuition fees.
  • ESRC funding may be available in conjunction with PhD study.
Careers and employability On successfully graduating from this MSc Psychological Research Methods, you will have gained an array of important transferable skills, including in:
  • advanced quantitative statistics (SPSS, R, MATLAB)
  • advanced qualitative methodology (IPA, Grounded Theory, Discourse Analysis)
  • experimental platform design (Gorilla.sc)
  • critical essay writing and evaluation skills
  • experimental and exploratory design and methodology
  • data collection and analysis skills
  • oral presentation skills.
Graduates can pursue research roles in the public or private sector and follow career paths in areas such as academia, psychology, health or education. Possible professions may include:
  • research psychologist
  • market researcher
  • educational psychologist
  • human resources officer.
We offer a comprehensive careers service - Careers and Enterprise - your career partner during your time at Birkbeck and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education and future ambitions.

Modules

For information about course structure and the modules you will be studying, please visit Birkbeck’s online prospectus.

Assessment method

Each of the six taught modules is separately assessed by one essay or an equivalent piece of written work, normally of 2000-2500 words. In addition, you must submit a dissertation with an empirical component of approximately 10,000 words. Apart from the module Structure and Measurement of the Human Brain, there are no written examinations. For the Matlab options, there will be programming assessments.

How to apply

International applicants

If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, the requirement for this course is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests. If you don't meet the minimum IELTS requirement, we offer pre-sessional English courses and foundation programmes to help you improve your English language skills and get your place at Birkbeck.

Entry requirements

A second-class honours degree (2:2) or above in psychology or a relevant discipline. Applications are reviewed on their individual merits and your professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience will be taken into consideration positively. We actively support and encourage applications from mature learners.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

England £12840 Year 1
Northern Ireland £12840 Year 1
Scotland £12840 Year 1
Wales £12840 Year 1
International £21690 Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing on their course in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases.
Psychological Research Methods at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS