Psychology
MPhil/PhD
Course Overview
An MPhil/PhD is an advanced postgraduate research degree that requires original research and the submission of a substantial dissertation of 60,000 to 100,000 words. At Birkbeck, you are initially registered on an MPhil and you upgrade to a PhD after satisfactory progress in the first year or two. You need to find a suitable academic supervisor at Birkbeck, who can offer the requisite expertise to guide and support you through your research. Find out more about undertaking a research degree at Birkbeck.
The MPhil/PhD in Psychology provides an excellent forum for you to develop and enhance your specialist skills, as well as more general, transferable research skills. It is designed to allow you to gain insight into different research methods and to acquire valuable experience both in carrying out large-scale research projects and in teaching.
Our current research interests include: brain and cognitive development (development of perceptual, cognitive and linguistic abilities); cognitive modelling (Bayesian approaches to human reasoning; connectionist modelling of language, memory, executive functions, cognitive development, developmental disorders and neuropsychological syndromes; cognitive architectures); perception, attention and emotion/anxiety (investigations of relevant processes using behavioural, electrophysiological, TMS and hemodynamic measures of brain activity); child, family and health psychology (social and emotional development; early childcare; family stress; qualitative approaches); and genetics of human development and behaviour.
Attendance
Regular meetings with your supervisor(s).
More Highlights
- We are consistently regarded as one of the top institutions teaching psychological sciences in the UK. In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework, and for the third time, we were ranked in the top ten universities in the UK.
- Birkbeck’s research excellence overall was also confirmed in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework with 83% of our research rated world-leading or internationally excellent.
Entry Requirements
The entry requirement for this MPhil/PhD Psychology is a first- or upper second-class honours degree in psychology or relevant discipline.
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What are the English language requirements?
If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, the requirement for this programme is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 7.0, with not less than 6.5 in each of the sub-tests and at least 7.0 in writing.
If you don't meet the minimum English language requirements, please contact us or see our international study skills page for more details about how we can help.
Visit the International section of our website to find out more about our English language entry requirements and relevant requirements by country.
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What are the visa and funding requirements?
If you are not from the UK and you do not already have residency here, you may need to apply for a visa.
The visa you apply for varies according to the length of your course:
- Courses of more than six months' duration: Student visa
- Courses of less than six months' duration: Standard Visitor visa
International students who require a Student visa should apply to study on our courses full-time as these qualify for Student visa sponsorship. If you are living in the UK on a Student visa, you will not be eligible to enrol to study part-time courses at Birkbeck (with the exception of some modules).
As a Student visa student, you should also apply to study on campus only, as online and flexible options of study (if they are available for your course) may affect the conditions of your visa.
For full information, read our visa information for international students page.
Please also visit the international section of our website to find out more about relevant visa and funding requirements by country.
Please note students receiving US Federal Aid are only able to apply for in-person, on-campus programmes which will have no elements of online study.
Fees
MPhil/PhD: Four years full-time or seven years part-time, on campus, starting in October 2027
Academic year 2027-28
To be confirmed
Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing on their course in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases. For more information, please see the College Fees Policy.
Lifelong Learning Guarantee
If you’ve studied at Birkbeck before and successfully completed an award with us, take advantage of our Lifelong Learning Guarantee to gain a discount on the tuition fee of this course.
Fees and finance
PhD students resident in England can apply for government loans of over £30,000 to cover the cost of tuition fees, maintenance and other study-related costs.
Flexible finance: pay your fees in monthly instalments at no extra cost. Enrol early to spread your costs and reduce your monthly payments.
We offer a range of studentships and funding options to support your research.
Discover the financial support available to you to help with your studies at Birkbeck.
Do you offer international scholarships?
We provide a range of scholarships for eligible international students, including our Global Future Scholarship. Discover if you are eligible for a scholarship.
Birkbeck's campus is located in the historic and vibrant Bloomsbury area of central London - named one of the best places to live in London 2025 by The Times.
Our Research Culture
You will be given general training in research during the first year of your degree. Lectures and workshops are supplemented by seminars providing methodological and theoretical frameworks for research; seminars are structured according to research council guidelines. As work progresses, you will be given the opportunity to contribute to a programme of postgraduate seminars.
Read more about our vibrant research culture.
Finding a Supervisor
A critical factor when applying for postgraduate study in psychology is the correlation between the applicant’s intellectual and research interests and those of one or more potential supervisors.
Find out more about the research interests of our academic staff and their areas of research.
How to Apply
Follow these steps to apply to an MPhil/PhD research degree at Birkbeck:
- Check that you meet the entry requirements, including English language requirements, as described on this page.
- Find a potential supervisor for your MPhil/PhD research. Check the ‘Find a Supervisor’ area on this page or search our staff directory.
- Contact the academic member of staff - or the school they teach in - for an informal discussion about your research interests and to establish if they are willing and able to supervise your research. (Please note: finding a potential supervisor does not guarantee admission to the research degree, as this decision is made using your whole application.) Find out more about the supervisory relationship and how your supervisor will support your research.
- Draft a research proposal. This needs to demonstrate your knowledge of the field, the specific research questions you wish to pursue, and how your ideas will lead to the creation of new knowledge and understanding.
- Apply directly to Birkbeck, using the 'Apply Now' link on this page. All research students are initially registered on an MPhil and then upgrade to a PhD after making sufficient progress.
Find out more about the application process, writing a research proposal and the timeframe.
What are the application deadlines?
You can apply at any time during the year. Entry for the programme is October of each year.
If you wish to apply for funding, you will need to apply by certain deadlines. Consult the websites of relevant bodies for details.
Study routes for Psychology (MPhil/PhD)
Please select a study route below to continue your application.
Please note that international students who require a Student visa to study in the UK can only apply for full-time, on campus routes.
Starting in October 2027
Full-time
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Four years full-time, on campus starting in October 2027
Apply Now for Psychology (MPhil/PhD) Four years full-time, on campus starting in October 2027
Part-time
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Seven years part-time, on campus starting in October 2027
Apply Now for Psychology (MPhil/PhD) Seven years part-time, on campus starting in October 2027