Psychology MSc
2 Years | Distance Learning | Conversion Course | Upcoming Intakes: January 2025, April 2025

Explore your interest in Psychology.

If you have a keen interest in psychology and want to explore the subject in more depth, then our online Psychology conversion Masters is perfect for you. It will help prepare you to specialise in areas such as:

• Clinical Psychology.
• Counselling.
• Educational Psychology.
• Health Psychology.
• Occupational Psychology.

Although previous experience will help, you don't need a background in the industry to apply for our Psychology MSc. Instead, we welcome students with an undergraduate degree in any subject, a basic understanding of psychology, and a passion for the field.

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Learn 100% online with Northumbria University.

The fully online Psychology MSc is flexible and digestible, and you can study part-time around your other commitments via live webinars and interactive discussion boards.

You’ll access all your learning materials online through our eLearning portal, Blackboard Ultra, studying one of six 20-credit modules at a time, with each lasting 10 weeks, before a final 60-credit MSc thesis taught over 30 weeks. Assessment methods will vary between modules (e.g., essays and multiple-choice exams) but all of them will be submitted online and there’s no need to come to campus throughout the duration of your course.

“Every week we are encouraged to conduct group and individual tasks on case studies using Blackboard, so I never feel lonely. Discussing my assignments with others helps me to become more creative and helps me to strike a balance when I feel overloaded with theory”.

Don Johnson, Northumbria University student

During your studies, you can also benefit from the support of our dedicated teams who are on hand to help you. Our friendly team of Enrolment Advisors will support you during the application process and answer any initial questions you may have about the course, online learning, fees and funding opportunities and more.

Once you’re on the course, our dedicated Student Success Advisors are on-hand to support you from start to finish. They'll ensure you are properly onboarded on the course with welcome calls throughout your first few modules and will provide help with any queries around assessment deadlines, module content and more. You can also use our Careers and Employment Services for support with psychology job applications and access to unique career opportunities or further psychological research.

“My Student Success Advisor calls every few weeks to offer guidance on things like how to manage time, and I feel like I’ve been well supported since my initial enquiry about the course. If I need any help with any aspect of university life, it’s only a phone call or an email away”.

Gemma Cornwall, Northumbria University student

Choose from one of four intake dates throughout the year to start your learning journey when it best suits you. 

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Join the Department of Psychology.

As an online student, your Psychology MSc will be delivered by Northumbria University's Department of Psychology which demonstrates a commitment to excellence, first-class teaching and learning underpinned by high quality research.

Ranked as the biggest riser in research power (Research Excellence Framework, 2021), our Psychology department is a thriving, research-rich community. Best of all, our cutting-edge research findings inform the curriculum of the course, ensuring you acquire the very latest insights and best practices.

You’ll learn how knowledge in Psychology is developed through research, and how to design and carry out research studies using a range of methodologies.

We’ll help you to develop advanced psychological research skills and critical understanding, encouraging you to ask innovative questions and reflect upon the process of research and knowledge creation. All of this will culminate in you writing your own Masters level thesis in the final stages of the programme.

“At Northumbria University, we believe in life-long learning, and teaching students who possess a thirst for knowledge and want to engage with new challenges is a particular pleasure”.

Dr Mark Moss, Head of the Department of Psychology

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Learn from expert academics.

Teaching is led by Dr Jonathan Laws, Professor Mark Moss, Dr Emma Wightman, Dr Michael Grugan, Dr James Newham, and Dr Peter Moseley, a team of expert academics who are passionate about psychology.

They belong to Northumbria University, the Times Higher Education University of the Year 2022, and an institution that's also achieved the biggest rise in research power of any UK university (Research Excellence Framework, 2021). These accolades mean you can feel confident that you're learning from academics working at the forefront of psychology. Learn from their expertise and explore your area of psychology in more depth.

“Alongside a second major leap in research power, the University’s results have improved in quality, in both absolute and relative terms, and its impact ratings have surged ahead. This outcome moves us clearly into territory formerly the preserve of the Russell Group of universities and other research-intensive institutions”.

Professor Andrew Wathey CBE, Former Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive at Northumbria University

You'll begin your studies with an induction session during your first week to familiarise yourself with the online learning experience. Following this, you're invited to weekly coffee mornings to network with fellow Psychology students and members of your module teaching team.

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Turn your passion into a profession.

Completing our online Psychology conversion Masters is the first step you'll need to take if you are looking for a career in the field. Alternatively, you may wish to go into further psychological research.

Explore a range of topics to understand which area of psychology suits you best and use the support of our dedicated teams such as Student Success and our Careers and Employment Services to help you 'find your fit' and develop a successful career in your chosen area of psychology.

Upon graduating from our MSc, you’ll be eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the Society, an essential milestone which demonstrates that you have studied psychology in sufficient depth and breadth. From here, you'll have a solid basis on which to progress to the next step: the society-accredited professional postgraduate training needed to become a Chartered Psychologist in your chosen area.

Our MSc is the gateway to becoming a psychology expert, but you’ll also need to take these next steps for the following specialisms.

Educational, Counselling or Clinical Psychology

If you want to specialise in counselling, educational, or clinical psychology, you will need to apply for a doctoral programme after gaining GBC status. These programmes are competitive, and you’ll need practical experience to gain a place, but our online Psychology MSc could help you qualify for a role as an Assistant Psychologist.

Other Psychology Fields

If you’re looking to move into another field, such as health, forensic, occupational or sport psychology, you’ll need to complete a specialist Stage 1 Masters after gaining GBC status. Following on from this, you’ll be required to undertake a Stage 2 practical qualification while in employment, before ultimately registering as a Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) practitioner.

Research Careers

If you are interested in becoming a Lecturer and carrying out psychological research in a university setting, you could apply for our MRes in Psychology and subsequently a Postgraduate Research Degree after your MSc.

Careers Outside of Psychology

The Psychology MSc will prove invaluable even if you decide to pursue a career outside of psychology. You’ll gain several skills, including critical analysis of qualitative and quantitative data, which will help you to make informed decisions – one of the most important aspects of leadership.

Our previous Psychology graduates have secured specialist roles in management, advertising, marketing, and human resources, with many moving into the public sector for careers in the police and prison services, health and social services, and education.

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Did you know that as a Northumbria University student, you can also to use our Careers and Employment Service? Find out more here.