Program Overview

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Psychology

Overview

The School of Psychology has a thriving, well-resourced and engaged PhD community that is central to its research environment. Students are strategically appointed to research projects with the express purpose of enhancing research capacity and development in prioritised areas for which the School aims to enhance world-leading research.

Mode of Study / Duration

Registration is on a full-time or part-time basis, under the direction of a supervisory team appointed by the University. You will be expected to submit your thesis at the end of three years of full-time registration for PhD, or two years for MPhil (or part-time equivalent).

Subject Summary

You’ll enjoy the high level of spontaneous peer-support, initiative, and engagement that exists among our diverse community of psychological doctoral researchers. Your research may cover topics such as Development, Social, Cognitive, Health and Biological Psychology. You may wish to continue within academia to take up postdoctoral research positions, fellowships or lectureships in psychology, move into clinical or educational psychology training, or take up a research position in the private or public sectors.

Course Content

• Research Information

Associated Research

The School of Psychology has a postgraduate research community of around 50 PhD students who are very well resourced and supported in their research. The School has made extensive material investments in infrastructure, including two computer labs and access to several suites of dedicated research labs, to support their research. Students are a central part of the research environment of the School and participate in School-level seminars and research meetings. Students are expected and encouraged to publish during their PhD research and are supported in doing so through their research training. Subject-specific postgraduate modules in research design and methods are delivered as part of the PhD training portfolio to complement the generic University training and further topic-specific research training is also available. Other opportunities exist to attract funding from non-governmental sources. Current and previous PhD sponsors include professional services firms, international Governments, charities, and technology companies. We also welcome self-funding students on a full-time or part-time basis. The School of Psychology at Queen's ranked in the top 10 psychology departments in the UK for research intensity in REF 2014 and provides an excellent environment in which to carry out PhD research. One distinctive aspect of the PhD experience in the School of Psychology is the high level of spontaneous peer-support, initiative, and engagement among this community of Doctoral researchers. This is valued and fostered by the School through its support of the postgraduate conference and postgraduate week activities as well as wide-ranging involvement of research students across many aspects of School life. Our PhD community also organizes numerous social events each year that are very popular amongst both staff and students. There is a range of sources of funding available for PhD students. Every year the Department for Employment and Learning in Northern Ireland (DEL) funds a number of PhD students to undertake research on pre-specified topics within the School of Psychology. These topics and the names of the associated supervisors are typically advertised online in December with a closing date in February. Last year's topics spanned research topics across Development, Social, Cognitive and Biological Psychology. Selected applicants are invited to interview and the successful candidate is offered a fully funded place with fees paid and an annual maintenance stipend for the three years of the PhD. Eligibility criteria can be found at: Students who wish to self-fund or explore external funding sources are advised to peruse our staff webpages ( and to contact potential supervisors to discuss potential topics. Most students continue within academia to take up postdoctoral research positions, fellowships or lectureships in psychology. Some continue into clinical or educational psychology training while others take up research positions in the private and public sectors.

Career Prospects

For further information on career opportunities at PhD level please contact the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences Student Recruitment Team on. Our advisors - in consultation with the School - will be happy to provide further information on your research area, possible career prospects and your research application.

People Teaching You

• Professor Teresa McCormack Director of Postgraduate Research School of Psychology

Course Structure

Learning and Teaching

Entrance Requirements

Graduate

The minimum academic requirement for admission to a research degree programme is normally an Upper Second Class Honours degree in Psychology from a UK or ROI HE provider, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University. Further information can be obtained by contacting the School.

International Students

For information on international qualification equivalents, please check the specific information for your country.

English Language Requirements

Evidence of an IELTS* score of 7.0, with not less than 6.5 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University, is required (*taken within the last 2 years).

International students wishing to apply to Queen's University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.

Tuition Fees

Fee Type	Amount
Northern Ireland (NI)	£5,006
Republic of Ireland (ROI)	£5,006
England, Scotland or Wales (GB)	£5,006
EU Other	£25,600
International	£25,600

Additional Course Costs

All Students

Depending on the programme of study, there may also be other extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies. Students can borrow books and access online learning resources from any Queen's library. If students wish to purchase recommended texts, rather than borrow them from the University Library, prices per text can range from £30 to £100. Students should also budget between £30 to £100 per year for photocopying, memory sticks and printing charges. Students may wish to consider purchasing an electronic device; costs will vary depending on the specification of the model chosen. There are also additional charges for graduation ceremonies, and library fines. In undertaking a research project students may incur costs associated with transport and/or materials, and there will also be additional costs for printing and binding the thesis. There may also be individually tailored research project expenses and students should consult directly with the School for further information.

Bench Fees

Some research programmes incur an additional annual charge on top of the tuition fees, often referred to as a bench fee. Bench fees are charged when a programme (or a specific project) incurs extra costs such as those involved with specialist laboratory or field work. If you are required to pay bench fees they will be detailed on your offer letter. If you have any questions about Bench Fees these should be raised with your School at the application stage. Please note that, if you are being funded you will need to ensure your sponsor is aware of and has agreed to fund these additional costs before accepting your place.

Funding and Scholarships

The Funding & Scholarship Finder helps prospective and current students find funding to help cover costs towards a whole range of study related expenses.

How to Apply

Apply using our online Postgraduate Applications Portal and follow the step-by-step instructions on how to apply.

Find a Supervisor

If you're interested in a particular project, we suggest you contact the relevant academic before you apply, to introduce yourself and ask questions.

To find a potential supervisor aligned with your area of interest, or if you are unsure of who to contact, look through the staff profiles linked here.

You might be asked to provide a short outline of your proposal to help us identify potential supervisors.

Research Projects

Project Name	School	Funding	Subject	Status
An Autonomy Supported Daily Mile to Improve Children’s Cognitive Function and Wellbeing	School of Psychology	Unfunded	Psychology	Open
Are children’s intuitions about ownership impacted by concerns for human flourishing?	School of Psychology	Unfunded	Psychology	Open
Bridging Divides: Parental Socialization and Youth Attitudes in Northern Ireland’s Diverse Future	School of Psychology	Unfunded	Psychology	Open
Communicating Truth: Consumption and transmission of polarised information amongst young people in a divided society	School of Psychology	Unfunded	Psychology	Open
Developing Belief Network: Cross-cultural research on the development and diversity of religious cognition, beliefs and identities	School of Psychology	Unfunded	Psychology	Open
Developing Trauma Informed Care principles for Health Professionals	School of Psychology	Unfunded	Psychology	Open
How human perceptual and motor abilities shape human-robot interactions	School of Psychology	Unfunded	Psychology	Open
Identifying as “Other”: Disidentification with Traditional Identities in a Divided Society	School of Psychology	Unfunded	Psychology	Open
Identifying psychological mechanisms which promote resilience post-trauma.	School of Psychology	Unfunded	Psychology	Open
Inclusivity in Higher Education: Exploring Contexts, Barriers, and Facilitators of Positive Student Experiences	School of Psychology	Unfunded	Psychology	Open
Individuality in Complex Skill Learning	School of Psychology	Unfunded	Psychology	Open
Leader Personality, Behavioural Inconsistency and Employee Presenteeism	School of Psychology	Unfunded	Psychology	Open
Lost in Thought: Exploring Children's Awareness of Mind Wandering	School of Psychology	Unfunded	Psychology	Open
Reference frames used for coding target and body information for interception	School of Psychology	Unfunded	Psychology	Open
Remembering the baby’s first year: Do new parents forget negative experiences more than positive ones?	School of Psychology	Unfunded	Psychology	Open
Staying Focused: How Mind Wandering Impacts Students' Ability to Delay Gratification and Achieve Academic Success	School of Psychology	Unfunded	Psychology	Open
The Development of Psychologically Informed Mental Health Guidelines for Community Sport	School of Psychology	Unfunded	Psychology	Open
The mediating role of trauma appraisals following potentially traumatic life events	School of Psychology	Unfunded	Psychology	Open
Training goalkeepers to improve performance in stopping penalties	School of Psychology	Unfunded	Psychology	Open
Transgenerational Contact: Exploring how a Child’s Positive Intergroup Relationships Improves Parental Intergroup Attitudes and Behaviours	School of Psychology	Unfunded	Psychology	Open
Two halves make a whole: Exploring the role of the families in caring for police officers with occupational related psychological distress.	School of Psychology	Unfunded	Psychology	Open
Words for Feelings: Exploring the Development of Emotional Granularity in Children and Adolescents	School of Psychology	Unfunded	Psychology	Open