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Master Programme
MSc Psychology
MSc Psychology
The MSc Psychology postgraduate course is designed for individuals without relevant background but aspire to embark a career within the field of psychology.
Psychology is a popular and intriguing subject that appeals to students across the world. This online Masters degree allows you to acquire a foundation in the discipline with solid skills and understanding of key psychology theories, research methodologies and practical applications.
The comprehensive curriculum allows you to explore a number of core topics including psychological inquiry, developmental psychology, critical milestones in human development, cognitive psychology, qualitative and quantitative research methods, biopsychology and neuropsychology.
You will have the opportunity to engage with a range of independent research approaches in psychological issues of your interest and apply your learnings to complete a dissertation.
With a strong focus on employability, this programme encourages graduates to apply their knowledge of psychology into practice and gives them a competitive advantage to make a career pivot in a diverse range of careers, from education and health, to counselling and marketing, healthcare and crime. You can also continue with advanced professional training in psychology to map out career paths in related fields, such as clinical, forensic, neuroscience, occupational psychology and academia.
Other online master's programmes are also available:
- MSc Organisational Psychology
- MSc International Healthcare Management
- MSc Criminology & Criminal Psychology
- MSc Global Mental Health and Wellbeing
- Master of Public Health
- MSc Nursing
Programme excellence
- Flexible start dates throughout the year mean you can commence your study whenever possible
- The course includes elements of training on CV writing, oral presentations and research skills that emphasise employability
- This part-time course allows you to gain a respected qualification while studying around your existing work
Course Structure
- Core Principles of Psychological Enquiry (10 credits)
- Human Development over the Lifespan (20 credits) *
- Research Methods (10 credits)
- Critical Social Psychology (20 credits) *
- Advanced Research Methods (20 credits) *
- Psychobiology and Neuroscience (20 credits) *
- Psychology Skills and Employability (20 credits)
- MSc Psychology Dissertation (60 credits) *
* Core module (must be passed in order to achieve the award).
Programme Start Date: 20 Jul 2024
Duration: 24 months^
^The actual duration may be longer or shorter depending on your speed of study, study options chosen and module availability.
Learning and assessments
Teaching methods
As a 100% online education provider, we use a state-of-the-art Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) to deliver our teaching, resources and assessments. Our system tracks and manages the learning process in real-time and provides you with immediate access to your learning materials. The VLE is accessible 24/7 and allows both students and tutors to actively take part in real-time conversations and live seminars. It has been awarded for best online classroom experience at the Global Student Satisfaction Awards 2021.
Assessment methods
All assessments are delivered through our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). There is no requirement to go to external test centres. Instead you will submit written assignments through the VLE; and for the few courses where exams are required, we use a virtual system that allows you to take academically rigorous exams from the comfort of your own home.
You are always aware of your current provisional grade which allows you to continually evaluate the success of your current study methods and identify areas to improve. We believe that this information helps you to make the most of your course. We achieve this by:
- assessing you throughout modules rather than waiting for the end of year exams
- showing your marks in your grade book which can be viewed whenever you log onto the VLE
- rapid turnaround on work assessed to ensure your grade book is always up to date
- ensuring you have regular contact with your Student Adviser
We also have a policy of ensuring that the work submitted by students is authentic – we use a well-established electronic monitoring system to check for plagiarism.
Entry Requirements
Entry Requirement
In order to satisfy the academic entry route requirements for this programme, you must have either:
- an undergraduate degree from an approved institution, equivalent to a UK Honours degree, or a relevant professional qualification; or
- at least three years’ experience (voluntary or paid) within a relevant field, supported by two appropriate references. A relevant field may include one in Health, Mental Health, Social services, Counselling services, Schools and Education, Policing, Data analysis and Statistics. This is not an exhaustive list and will be reviewed on an individual basis by the academic team.
Additionally, you will need to pass your first assignment set within your two-week induction period of the course in order to continue with your studies.
English language requirements
As the programme is delivered in English, a high proficiency with English is required. If English is not your first language, your English ability should be equivalent to an IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5. We offer a free online English test to assess your proficiency if you don’t hand in an IELTS or equivalent qualification.
You don’t need to prove your English ability if you are a national of, or have completed a qualification equivalent to a UK degree in, any of these countries
Fees and Funding
Full tuition fee: £12,428Δ
University education is one of the biggest investments in yourself and your career. Our tuition fees are the same for all students (in the UK and international) and include all teaching materials and required reading – there aren't any hidden charges for assessments or resits. We also offer students a range of tuition fee discounts, scholarships, and payment options for our online courses:
- Monthly payment plan available.
- 5% discount if you pay the full course fee upfront.
10% discount for Kaplan HK Alumni
If you have completed a course in Kaplan Hong Kong campus, you are eligible to enjoy a 10% discount.
10% Anniversary scholarship
The University of Essex will be marking 60 years since it first opened its doors to students. To celebrate this milestone, the university is offering a 10% scholarship on all Master's programmes for July and the rest of the intakes in 2023.
Δ All tuition fees shown are net of any applicable sales tax payable by you in your country of residence. Where we are required to add sales tax at the local statutory rate, this will be added to the tuition fees shown and confirmed during the payment process. Programme fees are reviewed annually. We reserve the right to increase programme fees in line with the RPI-X index.
University
With quality assured and flexible programmes designed specifically for online delivery, the University of Essex Online is a top-notch establishment for global students who aspire to take the full higher education experience to the next level.
University of Essex Online works in partnership with Kaplan Open Learning, an expert in online higher education learning, for a host of online Master's degree programmes. Since 2007, this collaboration has been jointly offering high-quality online undergraduate and postgraduate degrees with more than 3,000 online students having successfully graduated.
Top rating
A token of confidence as the highest quality online educational experience provided, the University of Essex Online has been awarded for the Best online classroom experience at the Global Student Satisfaction Awards 2021. They are fully committed to delivering world-class quality assured online programmes for aspiring students.
Road to success
You get to enjoy the benefits of online learning with high-quality teaching resources and dedicated support, to the same level you would expect from a campus institution. The University of Essex Online provides an engaging, interactive learning experience to all students, allowing 24/7 access to its cutting-edge personalised virtual learning platform. All online courses are designed for online teaching and delivered by leading authorities and experienced tutors in their respective fields.
Top-notch support
You will benefit from mentoring and academic support throughout your entire course, from enrolment to graduation, thanks to our dedicated Student Advisers and Study Skills specialists. In the 2021 National Student Survey (NSS) in the UK that gives students the opportunity to share their views on their courses, institution, and overall experiences, University of Essex Online students rated the programmes 95% for overall satisfaction – the highest rating for any online-only provider.
Study online, graduate on campus
All University of Essex Online degrees are awarded by the University of Essex. You will be welcomed to their beautiful Colchester Campus for your graduation ceremony as well as joining the global alumni community to enjoy the unique ‘Essex’ spirit.