Applied Psychology MSc

Study level: Postgraduate
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Applied psychology uses scientific psychological principles, methods and findings to study and solve problems associated with the human mind and behaviour.

Year of entry

2023-24

Location

Coventry University (Coventry)

Study mode

Full-time

Duration

1 year full-time
18-20 months (with professional experience)

Course code

HLST183, HLST184 (with professional experience)

Start date

September 2023

How to apply
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The information on this page is for 2022-23 entry and should be used as guidance for 2023-24 entry. Please keep checking back on this course page to see our latest updates.

Course overview

Applied psychology uses scientific psychological principles, methods and findings to study and solve problems associated with the human mind and behaviour.

Applied psychology is widely used in mental health, occupational psychology, business management, education, health, criminology and law.

  • It is designed to enable you to learn about how psychology is applied to real-life scenarios within educational psychology, child psychology, counselling psychology and clinical psychology.
  • You will have the opportunity to engage in an in-depth examination of how psychological principles have been applied to theory and practice.
  • You will have the chance to learn how to select, use and report the appropriate specialist psychological methods and research techniques.
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Joint Top Modern University for Career Prospects

Guardian University Guide 2021 and 2022
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5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities

QS Stars University Ratings
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Top 5 UK Student City (Coventry)

QS Best Student Cities Index 2023

Why you should study this course

  • Aimed at graduates who have previously studied psychology and want the opportunity to further their knowledge to an advanced level.
  • Option to follow a ‘professional experience’ opportunity2 route, designed to further develop your skills and knowledge with the aim of maximising your employability prospects. See modules for more information.
  • Taught by a team of dedicated, experienced professional staff, some of whom have worked as professional psychologists (staff may be subject to change).
  • We offer excellent facilities and equipment such as that for eye-tracking and brain monitoring, the latter using an electroencephalogram (EEG).
  • Opportunity to gain a CMI Level 7 Certificate in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice1, upon successful completion of the relevant module.

Accreditation and Professional Recognition

This course is accredited1 by the following professional bodies:

CMI logo

Chartered Management Institute

As part of this course, you will undertake a professional development module which is currently accredited by the Chartered Management Institute for the 2022-23 intake. Upon successful completion of this module, you will gain the CMI Level 7 Certificate in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice at no additional cost.

I have thoroughly enjoyed being an Applied Psychology MSc student. The course has built and expanded my existing knowledge, and provided me with a more applied skillset. The skills from the course, particularly from the counselling psychology module, gave me the confidence on following a long-lasting dream of becoming a mindfulness teacher for which I am currently undertaking a qualification.

Alexandra Negoita, Applied Psychology MSc, quoted in 2021
Students using an electroencephalogram (EEG)

What you'll study

This postgraduate course centres on the study of psychology at an advanced level, incorporating: quantitative and qualitative research methods, ethics in psychology, professional practice and areas of applied psychology.

Modules

  • This module aims to provide direct practical experience involving exploring how to analyse and report quantitative psychology-related data. The module will progress from considering the conceptual understanding of research design to exploring the skills and knowledge required to summarise, analyse and present research findings.

    Compulsory

  • The main aim of this module is to introduce you to the discipline of Child Psychology. The module will present the major psychological theories and research underpinning child psychology, and the opportunity to evaluate evidence of their effectiveness and consider cross-cultural differences. You will have the chance to develop your knowledge and understanding of the key principles of child psychology and how these relate to the practices in child psychology.

    Compulsory

  • This module aims to introduce you to the discipline of Counselling Psychology through a skills-based understanding of the fundamental principles of counselling practice. The module will also explore the core conditions underlying the counselling relationship and apply theories of counselling to the psychological processes observed. You will be presented with the main therapeutic modalities underpinning counselling psychology and have the opportunity to critically evaluate the evidence for their effectiveness, as well as consider the variety of counselling interventions currently available. In addition, key practice issues, including professional ethics, diversity and difference, will be examined.

    Compulsory

  • The aim of this module is to provide you with a firm grounding in qualitative methods and techniques commonly used in applied psychology. Firstly, the module will focus on providing you with the opportunity to develop critical knowledge and understanding of different selected qualitative designs and analytical approaches used in applied psychology research. This module will focus on qualitative epistemology, thematic analysis, interpretative phenomenological analysis, discourse analysis, and grounded theory. To this end, you will have the chance to learn how to analyse, report, interpret and write up qualitative research.

    Compulsory

  • The aim of this module is to provide you with the chance to develop a sound understanding of professional practice in applied psychology including ethical and legal issues such as codes of ethics, identification of ethical issues in practice, and statutory responsibilities. The module will provide you with the opportunity to critically examine the range of methods and approaches that are used in professional settings. The module will examine a range of different issues that arise in working different applied psychological settings. You will be encouraged to be evaluative and reflective in your examination of these topics, to provide you with the chance to develop your skill as a future reflective practitioner.

    Compulsory

  • The main aim of this module is to introduce you to the discipline of educational psychology. The module will present the major psychological theories and research underpinning educational psychology and provide you with the opportunity to evaluate evidence of their effectiveness. You will also have the chance to develop your knowledge and understanding of educational psychology practices and the role of an educational psychologist in assessment and remediation of Special Educational Needs.

    Compulsory

  • The aim of this module is to introduce you to the specialist discipline of Clinical Psychology through relating theories, models and knowledge to clinical practice. The module will provide you with the opportunity to critically analyse and evaluate your understanding of the major psychological theories underpinning clinical psychology. You will be introduced to the core principles of clinical practice and the core conditions of the clinical relationship and therapeutic interventions for a range of mental health issues.

    Compulsory

  • This course includes the Professional Development module. Each of the participating postgraduate courses have an individually tailored version of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) Professional Development module. Please see Accreditation and Professional Recognition section.

    Compulsory

  • Project Planning and Ethics in Psychology - 10 credits
    The focus of this module is to provide you with the opportunity to gain skills in project planning and ethics relating to your dissertation project. This includes considering topics such as developing a sound research proposal, ethics in practice, how to ensure good quality data, importance of collaboration, and the journey to publish in a peer-reviewed journal.

    Independent Research Project - 50 credits
    The aim of this module is to engage you in supervised but independently undertaken empirical research at an advanced level. You will be encouraged to integrate and practice the skills acquired during the course and to investigate in depth at master’s level an area of specific interest. Additionally, you will be expected to demonstrate a critical and evaluative understanding of the research process including the ethics, issues and problems in conducting empirical research in psychology.  

    Compulsory

  • Research Skills and Methods for Professional Experience - 10 credits
    The aim of the module is to provide you with the opportunity to gain skills in project planning including those for professional experience projects, conduct background literature reviews, and the chance to develop a complete and approved proposal including ethical considerations for the professional experience project. You will also have the chance to be taught skills in preparation for the professional experience itself including support from the faculty’s Employability and Support Team.

    Professional Experience 1 - 0 credits
    This non-credit bearing module, together with Professional Experience 2 will provide you with an opportunity to gain substantive professional experience. This will take the form of either an internship with a host organisation, which may include the university, or a campus-based professional experience2. This experience aims to support the development of your personal and professional skills, such as communication, team-working, self-management, project management and critical reflection to provide the chance for you to enhance your future employability.

    You will be expected to augment your previous learning and experiences in order to develop your knowledge and skills of professional practice in your chosen discipline upon successful completion. This module will also provide you with the chance to gain necessary experience and focus for undertaking an agreed project in order to complete the dissertation for the Postgraduate Professional Experience Project.

    Professional Experience 2 - 0 credits
    This non-credit bearing module, together with Professional Experience 1 will provide you with an opportunity to gain substantive professional experience. This will take the form of either a continuation of the internship with a host organisation, which may include the university, or the campus-based professional experience2. This will provide you with the chance to gain further professional experiences, build on knowledge and skills, previously gained, which aims to consolidate and refine their personal and professional skills, theory and practice and the opportunity to further enhance their future employability. You will be expected to augment your previous learning and experiences in order to have the chance to develop additional knowledge and skills of professional practice in your chosen discipline and upon successful completion. As with the Professional Practice 1, this module also aims to provide you with the necessary experience and focus for undertaking the agreed project in order to complete the dissertation for the Postgraduate Professional Experience Project.

    Postgraduate Professional Experience Project - 50 credits
    This module aims to integrate theory and practice either through undertaking an internship or campus-based project in an area relevant to the subject being studied. This will have involved you working on an organisational issue either within a host organisation or on campus addressing a project brief, as part of the Postgraduate Professional Experience modules2.

    Compulsory

MSc with Professional Experience

The MSc with Professional Experience provides you with the opportunity to undertake a six-month professional experience either on or off campus2. Professional experience opportunities (whether within an external company or within the university) are subject to a competitive application and selection process. Such experiences may be paid or unpaid, and this will depend on what is being offered and agreed with the host organisation or university.

Professional experience opportunities are subject to competitive application and selection, will normally be undertaken for three to five days per week for 18-22 weeks over two semesters. If you are not successful in securing professional work experience outside the university, you will have the opportunity to undertake campus-based professional experience, which will deliver similar learning outcomes through supervised projects and activities designed to offer students the opportunity to integrate theory with an understanding of professional practice. Please note that fees for students on the Professional Experience route are higher than the standard fees payable by students on the MSc course without professional experience (see fees section for more information).

We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.

How you'll learn

The Applied Psychology MSc can be studied for 12 months full-time, or ‘with Professional Experience’ for 18 months. This course is taught in groups in lectures, seminars and workshops. You will have the opportunity take part in, design, conduct and analyse the results of psychological experiments, using specialist equipment and computer software.

Where possible, we also invite guest lecturers from professional backgrounds to deliver individual sessions for the applied option modules (subject to availability).

If you choose to study the Applied Psychology with Professional Experience MSc you will also have the opportunity to work one-to-one with an academic supervisor on the professional experience modules.

Teaching contact hours

In a typical teaching week, you will have a minimum of 10 ‘contact’ hours of teaching. This generally includes large and small lectures, seminars and workshops.

You can also book 1:1 appointments with your tutor/project supervisor if you would like additional support.

In addition, you will be expected to undertake a further 30 hours per week of self-directed study, including completion of course assignments, conducting the research project or completing the internship and reading/note-taking in relation to the weekly lectures/seminars/workshops.

As an innovative and enterprising institution, the university may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are prepared for courses due to start in or after the 2022/2023 academic year to be delivered in a variety of forms. The form of delivery will be determined in accordance with Government and Public Health guidance. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.

Assessment

This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module.

Assessment methods include:

  • Formal examinations
  • Coursework

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.

Entry requirements

Applicants should hold the equivalent of a 2:2 undergraduate degree in Psychology.

Applicants holding an equivalent professional qualifications and experience will be considered but must have a degree in either psychology or a relevant discipline, with at least 120 credits of psychology.

We recognise a breadth of qualifications, speak to one of our advisers today to find out how we can help you.

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Select your region to find detailed information about entry requirements:

Europe

Americas

Middle East

South Asia

South East Asia

East Asia

Africa

Russia and Central Asia

You can view our full list of country specific entry requirements on our Entry requirements page.

Alternatively, visit our International hub for further advice and guidance on finding in-country agents and representatives, joining our in-country events and how to apply.

Applicants should hold the equivalent of a 2:2 undergraduate degree in Psychology.

Applicants holding an equivalent professional qualifications and experience will be considered but must have a degree in either psychology or a relevant discipline, with at least 120 credits of psychology.

English language requirements

  • IELTS: 6.5 overall, with at least 5.5 in each component area

If you don't meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

For more information on our approved English language tests visit our English language requirements page.

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Fees and funding

2023/24 tuition fees.

Student Full-time Part-time
UK £11,200 | £21,250 (with prof. experience) per year Not available
International £18,600 | £21,250 (with prof. experience) per year Not available

For advice and guidance on tuition fees3 and student loans visit our Postgraduate Finance page.

We offer a range of International scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them.

The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:

  • Any optional overseas field trips or visits: £400+ per trip.
  • Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad).

  • We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Your fee status determines your tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available to you. The rules about who pays UK (home) or international (overseas) fees for higher education courses in England are set by the government's Department for Education. The regulations identify all the different categories of student who can insist on paying the home rate. The regulations can be difficult to understand, so the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) has provided fee status guidance to help you identify whether you are eligible to pay the home or overseas rate.

    If you meet all the criteria required by any one category, including any residence requirements, your institution must charge you the home rate. You only need to find one category that you fit into.

Facilities

Facilities include eye-tracking and brain monitoring equipment, the latter using an electroencephalogram (EEG)4.

Careers and opportunities

The specialist focus provided within this course aims to be an ideal springboard for Doctoral programmes in educational or clinical psychology. Alternatively, if you decide you wish to enter professional practice, you always have the option to follow up with a BPS-accredited course and work towards Chartered Psychologist Status (additional fees will apply).

The modules are designed to develop your professional skills and knowledge of ethical guidelines and considerations in psychology, and explore and engage in activities that will develop professional and transferable skills. As such, many of our previous graduates have been able to pursue careers in areas other than psychology, such nursing and teaching.

Coventry University is committed to preparing you for your future career and aims to give you a competitive edge in the graduate job market. The university’s Talent Team provide a wide range of support services to help you plan and prepare for your career.

Where our graduates work

On successful completion of this programme, you should be equipped with the skills and knowledge, and in the case of the extended course, substantive professional experience, to enter employment in the health services, public health organisations, local and central government, academia or as assistant psychologists.

How to apply

  • Coventry University together with Coventry University London Campus, CU Coventry, CU London, CU Scarborough and Coventry University Online come together to form part of the Coventry University Group (the “University”) with all degrees awarded by Coventry University. 

    1Accreditations

    The majority of our courses have been formally recognised by professional bodies, which means the courses have been reviewed and tested to ensure they reach a set standard. In some instances, studying on an accredited course can give you additional benefits such as exemptions from professional exams (subject to availability, fees may apply). Accreditations, partnerships, exemptions and memberships shall be renewed in accordance with the relevant bodies’ standard review process and subject to the university maintaining the same high standards of course delivery.

    2UK and international opportunities

    Please note that we are unable to guarantee any UK or International opportunities (whether required or optional) such as internships, work experience, field trips, conferences, placements or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be subject to additional costs (which could include, but is not limited to, equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire, travel, accommodation and visas), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable travel COVID and visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the visa requirements, please contact the International Office.

    3Tuition fees

    The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.

    For International Students, we may increase fees each year but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.

    4Facilities

    Due to COVID-19, some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) and some non-academic offerings (particularly in relation to international experiences), may vary from those advertised and may have reduced availability or restrictions on their use.

    Student Contract

    By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. The 2023/24 Contract is currently being updated so please revisit this page before submitting your application. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.

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