StudyQA — Master: Psychological Research

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Description Contents Requirements Funding

The MSc in Psychological Research is a one year taught master's course. The course provides a broad-based research training programme in psychology, covering theory and methods in core domains of psychology reflecting particular research strengths within the department. Hands-on research training within the core research themes of the department is also provided.

Graduate destinations

A majority of MSc in Psychological Research students go on to undertake a DPhil (PhD) either within the department or within other departments of the Medical Science Division here at Oxford or at other institutions. Others go on to pursue careers in consultancy and government.

Applicants are strongly advised to visit the Medical Sciences Graduate School website to help them identify the most suitable course and supervisors.

The broad-based research training programme covers:

behavioural neuroscience, from animal models to human functional imaging and TMS
cognitive neuroscience, including MEG, EEG, neuropsychology
developmental science, comprising Babylab studies and studies with children with developmental disorders
social psychology and psychological disorders, focusing on inter-group behaviour, emotion, anxiety and post-traumatic stress

The course contains 9 modules which are taught at the University of Oxford. You will be required to pass 8 modules and the research project to be awarded the MSc. The course is taught through the attendance of seminars, lectures and workshops with some of the modules spanning two terms. The five core modules currently comprise:

Research Evaluation
Project Design
Statistical Theory and Methods
MATLAB Programming for Experimental Psychology
Philosophical Foundations of Psychology

You will also undertake three of the four available optional modules, currently comprising:

Emotion, Personality and Social Behaviour
Language and Development
Brain and Cognition
Computer Modelling of Brain Function

The modules are assessed via written submissions, examinations and presentations. You will complete a research project consisting of a 10,000-word dissertation, submitted at the end of the course.

You are individually supervised for your research project and you will work on this project (dissertation) throughout the academic year. You will also meet with your academic advisors on an individual basis.

Applicants are normally expected to be predicted or have achieved a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours (or equivalent international qualifications), as a minimum, in psychology or a cognate discipline.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.5 out of 4.0.

If you hold non-UK qualifications and wish to check how your qualifications match these requirements, you can contact the National Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom (UK NARIC).

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

Official transcript(s)
CV/résumé
Personal statement: Up to 1,000 words
References/letters of recommendation:Three overall, generally academic

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Higher level

Test	Standard level scores		Higher level scores
IELTS Academic Institution code: 0713	7.0	Minimum 6.5 per component	7.5	Minimum 7.0 per component
TOEFL iBT Institution code: 0490	100	Minimum component scores: Listening: 22 Reading: 24 Speaking: 25 Writing: 24	110	Minimum component scores: Listening: 22 Reading: 24 Speaking: 25 Writing: 24
Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)	185	Minimum 176 per component	191	Minimum 185 per component
Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE)	185	Minimum 176 per component	191	Minimum 185 per component