Program Overview
The Psychological Research at The University of Edinburgh is a MSc programme in Humanities over 12 months, delivered On-campus. This programme equips graduates with advanced knowledge and practical skills for professional and academic careers in the field.
Students gain a rigorous grounding in both the theoretical foundations and applied dimensions of humanities. The programme combines coursework, research components, and practical projects that develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and specialist expertise relevant to industry and research needs.
Graduates of the Psychological Research programme are well-prepared for careers in academia, industry, government, and the private sector across United Kingdom and internationally. The programme provides an internationally recognised qualification within the Bologna higher education framework.
Key Program Features
- Duration: 12 months
- Language of instruction: English
- Study mode: On-campus
- English requirement: IELTS 7
- Tuition: GBP 20,100 (Tuition (Year)) — International students; GBP 9,500 (Tuition (Year)) — EU/EEA students
- Location: Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Career Opportunities
Graduates of the Psychological Research programme are prepared for diverse careers in humanities:
- Researcher / Academic
- Cultural Programme Manager
- Editor / Writer
- Translator / Interpreter
- Museum Curator
- Communications Specialist
Program Curriculum
This programme comprises two semesters of taught compulsory and option courses, followed by a dissertation.
The taught courses and their assessments take place between September and December (Semester 1) and January and April (Semester 2). Planning for the dissertation will take place until April, and the dissertation itself will be carried out between April and August.
Dissertation
The dissertation involves conducting an empirical research project in close collaboration with an expert supervisor, sometimes also working with fellow MSc students.
You will produce a written report, similar to an academic journal article. Some dissertations are published as journal articles.
You should liaise with potential supervisors and determine your choice of topic in the months before April. It is useful to start thinking about dissertation topics and supervisors early, if possible. The empirical work and writing take place between April and August, and it is due in August.
The dissertation can be based on data you have collected or existing datasets, for example, from large cohort studies, biobanks or other projects.
Compulsory courses
The compulsory courses cover advanced research skills (how to plan for, conduct, publish and communicate research), statistics and qualitative research methods, and provide a grounding in computer programming using the R language.
Semester 1
- Psychological Research Skills: General advanced research methodology
- Univariate Statistics and Methodology using R: Introduction to R and statistical models
Semester 2
- Multivariate Statistics and Methodology using R: Advanced statistical modelling
- Qualitative Methodologies in Psychological Research Methods
Option courses
The option course can be selected to tailor the programme to your interests. These are normally selected from the core research areas of psychology, but may also be selected from associated areas such as linguistics or informatics.
Examples of option courses are:
- Brain Imaging in Cognitive Neuroscience
- Clinical Neuropsychology
- Psychology of Language
- Neuroscience of Language
- Applied Psychometrics
You may also take any other course available to MSc students, subject to approval from the Programme Director.
Find courses for this programme
Find out what courses you can study on this programme and how each of them are taught and assessed.
The courses on offer may change from year to year, but the course information will give you an idea of what to expect on this programme.
Full-time
Part-time
We link to the latest information available. This may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.
Admission Requirements
Academic Requirements
You need the following GPA score:
Applicants for graduate programs must have the equivalent of a bachelor\xe2\x80\x99s degree with a minimum GPA equivalent to Upper Second Class on the UK Honour scale. Admitted applicants typically have an undergraduate GPA of or better on the UK Honour scale. No exam grade should be lower than 4.5 (European grade scale) or D (American grade scale).
Your GPA (Grade Point Average) is calculated using the grades that you received in each course, and is determined by the points assigned to each grade (e.g. for the US grading scale from A-F).
A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in psychology or a related discipline.
English Proficiency: IELTS 7 or equivalent.
Tuition & Financial Information
Tuition Fee
GBP 20,100 (Tuition (Year)) — International students; GBP 9,500 (Tuition (Year)) — EU/EEA students
Tuition fees: GBP 20,100 (Tuition (Year)) — International students; GBP 9,500 (Tuition (Year)) — EU/EEA students
IELTS requirement: 7
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Contact The University of Edinburgh directly for scholarship, grant, and financial aid information for this programme. Many European universities offer merit-based and need-based funding for international and domestic students.
About The University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
University of Edinburgh (Universitas Academica Edinburgensis) is a historic and globally respected public research university in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, founded in 1583, making it one of the...
University Profile- Application Deadline 13/11/2025
- Start Date 2017-09-11
- Language English
- Duration 12 months