MSc Applied Social and Political Psychology

By improving our understanding of how different individuals think, feel, behave and interact, psychology addresses some of society's biggest issues from conflict and social injustice to ableism, inequality and discrimination. Taught by award-winning staff, you'll put your research knowledge into practice on real-life projects. Youll also engage in debate and discussion with a diverse international student cohort, helping you appreciate how environment, experience and social context shapes individual values and perspectives.
Finding solutions to the challenges facing our society begins with a better understanding of human behaviour, the many different factors and forces that influence it - from personal moral norms to the shared values held by society at large - and the most effective ways to change it.

Whether youre motivated by a desire to improve poverty, health, climate change, gender equality, immigration, integration or any other social injustice, our MSc Applied Social and Political Psychology has been specifically designed to help you understand the root causes of societal issues.

It will prepare you to successfully apply social psychological theories, research findings based on multi-method approaches (quantitative, qualitative or a combination of both) and intervention techniques to solve real-life problems affecting individuals and communities around the world.

With up to 95 per cent of the world's population estimated to be excluded from current Western-dominated psychological research, there is a growing demand for accurate insight into the experiences and lives of human beings in different cultures, countries and contexts. That's why, on this course, you will learn to design, analyse, and evaluate applied social and political psychological research that is ethical, inclusive and captures human diversity. What's more, you will be studying at a University committed to decolonising its teaching and research.

Teaching is very much linked to practice, with an optional Psychology Placement and multiple opportunities to work on research with other students and staff over and above the compulsory dissertation, capitalising on our expertise and experience of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method approaches to research design. Placements, which support and extend your research skills, are offered across a range of subjects, fields, and activities and represent the diverse expertise of our academic staff. Current staff research includes global climate change, morality, forgiveness, cyberpsychology, public disorder (crowds, riots, hooliganism), terrorism, security, policing, forensic interviewing and courtroom questioning of vulnerable witnesses.

2:2 degree in a psychology, humanities, or social science subject
IELTS 6.5 with 6.0 in all components
TOEFL ibt - 87 with 19 (writing), 19 (listening), 19 (reading) and 20 (speaking