MSc Research Methods in Psychology

Entry standards

A First or Upper Second class honours degree in psychology from a UK university (or recognised equivalent overseas qualification). Applicants with other qualifications will be considered on an individual basis. For further details, please contact the Programme Director.

English language requirements

Non-native speakers of English will normally be required to have IELTS 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component (or equivalent).

Please note that the University of Surrey offers English language programmes and is also an IELTS Test Centre.

MSc Research Methods in Psychology - structure and modules

Module Titles

Modules include:

• Qualitative Research Methods
• Quantitative Research Methods
• Aspects of Experimental Psychology
• Critical Reflections on Social Psychological Research
• Psychology Neuroscience: Theory
• Psychology Neuroscience: Critical Discussions

In addition to all the compulsory modules, you must take one of the following two modules. Depending on your research interests and orientation you will take one of the following two modules:

• Psychology Neuroscience: Practicals
• Crafting Research: Linking Theories and Methods

• One optional module from the MSc programme

Module Overview

All modules have two assessments, usually a piece of coursework and a test or short project report.

Compulsory Modules

Quantitative Research Methods

You will learn about advanced techniques including power analysis, factor analysis, simple, multiple and logistic regression, reliability assessment, cluster analysis and multidimensional scaling.

Qualitative Research Methods

You will learn about the epistemology of qualitative research, about formulating research questions and generating qualitative data. You will discover techniques including interpretive phenomenological analysis, thematic analysis, discourse analysis, multidimensional scalogram analysis and smallest space analysis.

Aspects of Experimental Psychology

This module presents current methods and concepts in experimental psychology. It will equip you with the information to critically assess experimental research methods and findings, apply knowledge to your own research designs, interpret output and communicate results.

Critical Reflections on Social Psychological Research

This module provides you with the theoretical and methodological expertise to conduct social psychological research. You will learn to read research critically and develop a knowledge of the tools and methods of social psychological research.

Psychology Neuroscience: Theory

This module will provide you with an understanding of theoretical aspects of neuroscientific psychology including issues to consider in study design and selection amongst, or combination of, methods such as psychophysics, EEG and fMRI.

Psychology Neuroscience: Critical Discussion

This module creates an environment in which you can focus on the process of critically evaluating and discussing neuroscientific psychological research. The emphasis is on building transferrable evaluation skills and on developing ideas for research in this area.

In addition to all the compulsory modules, you must take one of the following two modules. Depending on your research interests and orientation you will take one of the following two modules:

Psychology Neuroscience: Practicals

This module will give you the opportunity to conduct hands-on research using methods including psychophysics, EEG and fMRI. Through working on mini-projects, you will learn to design, analyse and report psychological neuroscience studies.

OR:

Crafting Research: Linking Theories and Methods

This module aims to guide students through the complexities of research crafting, enabling them to generate research questions in inductive and deductive ways and to select appropriate tools to investigate them.

Optional Modules

You will select one optional module from over 30 offered by the Department of Psychology.

MSc Research Methods in Psychology - entry standards

Entry standards

A First or Upper Second class honours degree in psychology from a UK university (or recognised equivalent overseas qualification). Applicants with other qualifications will be considered on an individual basis. For further details, please contact the Programme Director.

English language requirements

Non-native speakers of English will normally be required to have IELTS 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component (or equivalent).

Please note that the University of Surrey offers English language programmes and is also an IELTS Test Centre.

Application procedure

Planned intake

10

Start date

Programme director

• Dr Paul Sowden

MSc Research Methods in Psychology - fees and funding

Fees

Research Methods in Psychology (full time):

UK/EU - £6,400 
Overseas - £14,830

Research Methods in Psychology (part time):

UK/EU - £3,200 
Overseas - £7,415

www.surrey.ac.uk/pgfees/2012

Funding opportunities

Funding Opportunities

For students who may be interested in progressing on to study for a PhD there is the possibility of funding from the Economic and Social Research Council. Successful applicants will be given a grant for the MSc year and then further support (subject to satisfactory progress) to enable them to undertake a PhD.

Occasionally, students receive financial support from industry through sponsorship. This would involve students undertaking a piece of research for their dissertation which would be of interest and value to industry or commerce, in return for which they will be given a grant by the commissioning company. In the past this sponsorship has ranged from £500 to £6000. This is mutually beneficial to both the student and sponsor, and allows the student to undertake a ‘real’ piece of research that has practical or policy implications, whilst receiving a sum of money to assist with fees and subsistence costs.

MSc Research Methods in Psychology - professional context

Professional recognition

Recognised by the Economic and Social Research Council  (ESRC) for research training.

MSc Research Methods in Psychology - teaching

Staff perspective

Dr Paul Sowden

The breadth of expertise amongst the staff at Surrey ensures that you will have expert tuition from research leaders in all areas of your programme.

As the Programme Director I bring my experience of conducting research on visual expertise and learning, creativity and musical emotion and the use of techniques from experimental psychology, cross-cultural research and neuroscience.

Overall, students taking the programme will acquire a range of sophisticated research skills equipping them for a variety of roles in the workplace. They are also well placed to progress on to a PhD in psychology.

The Department of Psychology at Surrey is known for its friendly welcoming atmosphere and I enjoy working with the many students from different backgrounds that choose to study here.

MSc Research Methods in Psychology - learning

Dissertation and Projects

Dissertation

In addition to the seven compulsory modules and one option, you will also carry out an original piece of empirical research, within any area of psychology, for your dissertation. To give you an idea of the range of dissertation topics, recent titles are listed below:

• Predicting homesickness in international students: a longitudinal study at a British university
• The acute effects of exercise intensity on desire to smoke and withdrawal symptoms
• An exploration of the effects of being given a diagnosis of ADHD on adolescent self-esteem: an interpretative phenomenological analysis
• The Thatcher illusion: the effect of static images versus motion clip rotation
• Gender differences in anger expression and eating behaviour
• A comparison of learning by observation and learning by action
• An evaluation of a home-based forced use Therapy (HFT): a mixed methods approach
• Investigating the existence of colour categorical perception in the perceptual mechanism of visual mismatch negativity
• The British media’s portrayal of brain injuries amongst troops in Iraq and Afghanistan
• The perception and understanding of autism and inclusion in education
• Investigating the influence of sex roles, handiness, height and family studies on sexual orientation
• Cultural differences in the social representations of PMS
• Pathway(s) to pain: An fMRI investigation into the efficacy of an endogenous pain pathway
  

MSc Research Methods in Psychology - graduate profile

Graduate Profile: Kayleigh Wyles

MSc Research Methods in Psychology

The University of Surrey offers a vast variety of options. Originally unsure of what area to specialise in within psychology, I was torn between social and environmental psychology. Surrey was the only university that really addressed both fields. Before applying, I also researched potential PhD supervisors and found that Surrey offered a variety of academics working in the research areas I am interested in.

Psychology Masters are much more intimate than undergraduate classes. My course only has nine people on it, so you quickly form friendships and feel comfortable to share your opinions and ask questions. The lectures are reasonably informal, which allows you to proactively discuss topics rather than passively take notes. The main aspect I have valued at Surrey is the range of optional modules available. If time allowed, I could easily sit in several other classes.

A vital skill that is necessary to survive an MSc programme is good time management and the ability to prioritise work. This is crucial to meet coursework deadlines and for your independent research project.
It is also important to remember to include leisure activities within the time planning, as that can easily be overlooked. Many of the modules also include group activities and projects, which I have found has helped me develop my group-working skills.

I love to spend my spare time with nature. My interest in nature attracted me to the University of Surrey, not just because of the environmental psychology academics but also because of the surrounding environment. The University’s grounds are surprisingly green for a city campus with hundreds of trees and a tranquil lake.

MSc Research Methods in Psychology - more

MSc Research Methods in Psychology

Should you choose to study psychology at the University of Surrey, you will be provided with a combination of opportunities that would be hard to match elsewhere. We offer you a degree that provides a thorough grounding in the theories, methods and practice of contemporary psychology.

Our programmes lay particular emphasis on the application of psychology to real-world problems, and also consider issues related to professional practice in preparation for your career as a professional psychologist. The basis of good postgraduate courses is the research activity of staff, the incorporation of current research programmes in teaching material and a reciprocal relationship between theory development and applied research in everyday contemporary issues.

The MSc Research Methods in Psychology programme is designed to provide you with expertise in psychological research methods appropriate for the behavioural sciences. We will provide you with the skills necessary for formulating research questions, conducting empirical research, and analysing and reporting research results. The programme also provides a potential stepping stone for research at PhD level.

The programme covers the breadth of contemporary psychological research methods, allowing you to develop research approaches that combine multiple methods in unique ways. You can also tailor your programme to place more or less emphasis on experimental and neuroscientific research approaches. By the end of the programme you will have developed an individual profile of research skills.

We believe in involving all postgraduate students in the research life of the Department through active participation in one of the research groups, by attendance at research seminars and, where possible, an attachment to ongoing research projects. As a student of the Department of Psychology, you will also have access to a number of conferences, seminars and workshops hosted throughout the year.

The Department of Psychology

The Department of Psychology at the University of Surrey is one of the most active and highly regarded psychology departments in the country. We specialise in research in five main theoretical areas of psychology that, in combination, cover the breadth of the discipline. The Department puts a further emphasis on policy oriented work and on the application of theoretical knowledge to everyday life. The international, interdisciplinary, policy and applied strengths of the Department mean that students’ theoretical and methodological research puts them at the cutting edge of the discipline. We are one of the highest ranked departments in the country for graduates entering employment and also one of the largest providers of postgraduate training in the UK.

Students who have completed the Psychology programmes have progressed on to a range of careers in areas such as local government, management, research posts in universities and commercial organisations, health care and clinical psychology, and many have progressed on to study for a PhD.

MSc Research Methods in Psychology - apply

• MSc Research Methods in Psychology - Full-time - starting September 2012
• MSc Research Methods in Psychology - Part-time - starting September 2012