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Postgraduate research

Psychology PhD

What is Psychology?

Conduct your own piece of research in psychological sciences. Contribute to knowledge in the sector while improving your professional practice and developing advanced academic skills and knowledge.

We offer research opportunities in:

Cognitive psychology / cognitive neuroscience / social cognition

  • Decision-making in applied settings
  • Situation awareness and applications to training for blue light services
  • Team situation awareness – the role of unconscious emotional information in intuitive decision-making
  • Virtual reality as a training tool
  • Sound symbolism in infant word learning
  • Creation and use of person-models in action prediction
  • Using EEG in studies of anxiety, wellbeing and attainment

Forensic Psychology

  • Investigative reasoning
  • Investigative interviewing – including training interviewers, interviewing vulnerable people, and the role of identity and cultural differences
  • Eye-witness testimony
  • Training expert witnesses
  • Cyberpsychology and cybersecurity.

Plus opportunities for cross-disciplinary research around topics in domestic abuse and homicide, stalking, and sexual violence.

Clinical and mental health and wellbeing

  • Psychosocial interventions for people with chronic disease or mental distress
  • The social scientific study of the arts and popular culture, identity and social interaction
  • The arts in therapeutic contexts
  • Care for people with dementia
  • Understanding of Borderline Personality Disorder and implications for care
  • Mindfulness
  • The understanding of psychopathology in terms of underlying neuroscience
  • The neuroscience of attachment behaviour and empathy
  • Contemporary relational approaches to therapy, brief therapies and couples work

Health and wellbeing

  • Psychology and social issues
  • Psychological language
  • Pedagogy, diversity and elearning
  • Qualitative and quantitative research methods

This research contributes to the subject community
Sport, Exercise, Health and Wellbeing.

Get Psychology course updates and hear more about studying with us.

Entry requirements

    • To study this course you will need to have obtained the following:

      An Honours degree of upper second class or above from a UK university, or an equivalent qualification, is normally required in a subject area relevant to your chosen research topic

      In exceptional circumstances, we will consider applications from non-graduates with experience of undertaking research or graduates who wish to work in a new subject area

      Initial registration is usually for MPhil or MRes or MA/MSc by Research with the possibility of transfer to PhD.  Candidates with a Master’s degree in a relevant subject that contains appropriate research methods training may register for a PhD directly.

    • EU and international students need IELTS 6.5 overall (with a minimum of 6.0 in writing and 5.5 in any other component) or equivalent.

    • Please provide a copy of your research proposal. This should be 1,000 words (excluding references and appendices) following the structure outlined in this research proposal guide.

      Please note; we’re unable to process applications without a proposal for the School’s consideration. Not supplying one will delay the processing of applications.

Fees and costs

Start date Course code Fee (UK)
per year
Fee (international)
per year
October 2023 TBC TBC
February 2024 TBC TBC
October 2024 TBC TBC
February 2025 TBC TBC

Develop advanced research skills with specialist training

Research students who have not already completed a relevant Master’s degree or other appropriate postgraduate research methods training will benefit from the university’s research methods training modules: Philosophy and Approaches to Research and Methodologies and Methods.

Focus on the application of psychological knowledge to real-world issues

Benefit from a broad range of research areas and access research-active supervisors. We offer research opportunities in cognitive psychology, neuroscience, social cognition, forensic psychology, and health and wellbeing

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