Key information
Our MSc Applied Psychology programme is a one-year postgraduate degree for graduates who aspire to have a career in academic psychology or one of the many industries where psychology can be applied.
- Level
- Postgraduate Taught
- Delivery type
- Full Time
- Degree qualification
- MSc
- Mode of delivery
- On-Campus
- Duration
- 1 year
- Location
- Edinburgh
- Start date
- September
Our MSc Applied Psychology programme is a one-year postgraduate degree for graduates who aspire to have a career in academic psychology or one of the many industries where psychology can be applied. It is led by research-active academics working in applied fields of psychology at our Edinburgh campus.
As a postgraduate degree, MSc Applied Psychology follows on from our established, BPS Accredited undergraduate degree in BSc Psychology. It will allow you to explore key topics related to Heriot-Watt’s three important psychological research, including:
- Cognition, Brain and Behaviour
- Lifespan Health and Wellbeing
- Work, Society and Environment
During this master’s programme, you’ll deepen your knowledge of contemporary research in psychology and consider its translation and application to real-world problems. You’ll understand theoretical models in psychology and be able to critically evaluate current research and application. You’ll learn how to demonstrate capabilities for managing research or practice, including data management, and be able to conduct and disseminate research in a way that is consistent with both professional practice and the normal principles of research ethics. You’ll also understand how to craft impactful research by engaging with users and stakeholders.
Each course will equip you with highly employable expertise and skills in psychology. You’ll benefit from the industry relevance of the programme, which will set you up for life after graduation. Upon completion, you’ll be equipped with the transferable skills and qualities necessary to have a career in academic psychology or applied psychology.
Your student experience
Our MSc Applied Psychology degree is taught by experienced, leading academics who, in many cases, have published the research which shapes their disciplines and written the books which will guide your learning. Many academics balance teaching time with continued professional practice as translators, interpreters, practitioner psychologists, tax and finance specialists and management consultants. They bring real-world experience to the classroom.
Go Global
With Go Global, Heriot-Watt's global student programme, you can carry your studies to new places and experience new cultures, expanding your horizons on the way. You'll discover what it means to be a true global citizen and emerge prepared for wherever your career journey will take you.
Inter-Campus Transfer
Course content
September Intake - Edinburgh
Mandatory September
- Research with Impact
- Current Directions in Psychology
- Research Methods in Psychology 1
Mandatory January
- Psychological Assessment
- Applying Psychology in Real-World Contexts
- Research Methods in Psychology 2
Mandatory May
- Independent Project in Psychology
Optional January
- Psychology of Leadership
- Psychology of Individual Sport
- Psychology of Elite Sport
- Psychology for Marketing
- Discourse Analysis
- Advanced Statistics using R
- Diversity
- Advanced Experimental Design
Optional September
- Social and Organisational Change
- Coaching Psychology
- Introduction to Human Factors
- Psychology of Community Sport
- Psychology of Team Sport
- Organisational Culture
Programme Video
Psychology at Heriot-Watt
Fees and funding
| Status | Full Time |
|---|---|
| UK | £12,344 |
| International | £24,176 |
- Status: Your residency status is usually defined as the country where you have been ordinarily resident for the three years before the start of your course.
- International: 'International' includes applicants from European Union countries who do not hold Pre-Settled or Settled status in UK. (This does not include students from the Republic of Ireland - see above).
Scholarships and bursaries
Postgraduate scholarships and bursaries
We aim to encourage well-qualified, ambitious students to study with us and we offer a wide variety of scholarships and bursaries to achieve this. Over £6 million worth of opportunities are available in fee and stipend scholarships, and more than 400 students benefit from this support.
Entry requirements
We have standard entry requirements for all of our courses that you will have to meet.
A minimum of honours degree at 2:2 or non-UK equivalent in a relevant subject. Typical candidates will have a degree in Psychology, but we will also consider relevant alternative degrees (e.g., social sciences, health sciences, education or social care degrees) provided that they contain relevant psychology components. We also hope to see evidence of having undertaken an empirical research project as part of an undergraduate degree with suitable training in research design and analysis.
We welcome applications from international students and accept qualifications from around the world. Please refer to the entry requirements for your country for more details.
Why Heriot-Watt
We're the top university in Scotland for graduate outcomes which means that more of our graduates are employed or in postgraduate education than any other institution in the country and we ranked 5th in the UK.
We're also rated number one in the UK for CEO or MD roles, meaning more of our graduates go on to become CEOs or MDs than any other university in the whole of the UK. On top of that, we have beautiful campuses, across the globe, so you'll get a truly international education. Our Edinburgh Campus is home to Oriam, Scotland's National Sports Performance Centre combined with plenty of wellbeing resources, prioritising fitness and mental health for all students. Our Global Research Institutes look at solving real world issues such as climate change and saving our oceans as well as working on the next medical technological breakthrough and the future of AI and robots.
Student life
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