Program Overview

Overview

A Master of Science (MSc) by Research allows you to undertake a one-year (full-time) research degree. It contains little or no formal taught component. This type of study gives you the chance to explore a research topic over a shorter time than a more in-depth doctoral programme.

Key Information

Entry requirements

The normal entry requirements for enrolment on a MSc by Research is an upper second honours degree (2:1 or above) from a UK university or a qualification of an equivalent standard, in a discipline appropriate to that of the proposed programme to be followed. If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum for IELTS is 6.5 overall with no element lower than 6.0, or equivalent.

Start dates

• 1 October 2025
• 12 January 2026
• 20 April 2026

Application deadlines

• For September 2025:
  • 13 June 2025 for International and Scholarship Students
  • 04 July 2025 for Home Students
• For October 2025:
  • 13 June 2025 for International and Scholarship Students
  • 04 July 2025 for Home Students
• For January 2026:
  • 17 October 2025 for International and Scholarship Students
  • 14 November 2025 for Home Students
• For April 2026:
  • 23 January 2026 for International and Scholarship Students
  • 20 February 2026 for Home Students

Duration

The maximum duration for an MSc by Research is 1 year (12 months) full-time or 2 years (24 months) part-time with an optional submission pending (writing-up) period of 4 months. Sometimes it may be possible to mix periods of both full-time and part-time study. If studying on a part-time basis, you must establish close links with the University and spend normally not less than an average of 10 working days per year in the university, excluding participation in activities associated with enrolment, re-registration and progression monitoring. You are also expected to dedicate 17.5 hours per week to the research.

What can I research?

There are several research topics available for this degree. Examples of research areas include:

• Arts-based, place-based and environmental research
• Assessing a typical behaviour using cognitive models
• Assisted conception and BAME communities
• Cancer screening behaviour
• Causes and consequences of individual differences in executive function and attention
• Cognitive and neural correlates of psychological disorders
• Decision making and substance abuse
• Designing future cities to resist terrorist threat
• Developing Concepts of Gender
• Deviant sexual expression
• Experimental and formal investigations of memory, spatial cognition and mental imagery
• Exploration of the effectiveness of publicity appeals of missing children
• Eyewitness Memory and Investigative Interviewing in relation to suggestibility
• Face recognition
• Female aggression
• Female homicide perpetrators and deviant sexual expression
• Mindwandering, cognitive control, secondary analysis of neuroimaging datasets
• Perceptions of Spiritually Competent Practice and Availability and Vulnerability in Healthcare
• Psychology of fairy/folk tales
• Reducing and/or predicting stigma against mental health difficulties
• Self-esteem and relationship behaviour
• Sexuality and Gender identity
• South Asian masculinity
• Spatial Behaviour of Missing Persons
• Spatial cognition, diagrammatic reasoning and mental imagery
• Sport Psychology and Biofeedback

Teaching and Assessment

As a minimum you can expect to meet with your supervisors at least once a month (once every two months for part-time students). In practice you may meet with your supervisors more frequently. This time should include at least an hour of one-to-one supervision with each student. Self-directed study is to be agreed in liaison with you and your supervisor. Self-directed study and supervision time should equate to 35 hours per week (for full-time research degrees). A research degree has no compulsory taught element, the study period is for 52 weeks a year with a 35-day annual leave allowance. You are expected to study for at least 35 hours a week for full-time study.

Fees and Finance

Tuition fees - full-time

In 2025/26 the full-time tuition fee for UK postgraduate researchers will be £5,050. Tuition fees will cover the cost of your study at the University. Please note that tuition fees for subsequent years of study may rise in line with inflation (RPI-X).

Tuition fees - part-time

In 2025/26 the part-time tuition fee for UK postgraduate researchers will be £2,525. Tuition fees will cover the cost of your study at the University. Please note that tuition fees for subsequent years of study may rise in line with inflation (RPI-X).