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MSc - Master of Science
Keele University
Full Time
SEP-25
1 Year
Select a course option
MSc - Master of Science
Keele University
Full Time
SEP-25
1 Year
MSc - Master of Science
Keele University
Part Time
SEP-25
2 Years
Select a an exam type
The MSc in Applied Child Psychology is designed to prepare psychology graduates for the next stage of their career in research or applied developmental psychology. Students will benefit from the expertise of established expert researchers on topic areas including child social development (e.g., bullying and peer relationships), cognitive development (e.g., theory of mind, attention in autism and ADHD), education (e.g. girls and science and enhancing collaborative learning in the classroom) and more.
Course summary
Since childhood plays such a huge role in shaping the rest of our lives, studying the mind and behaviour of children in order to support their physical, mental, intellectual and emotional growth can be both fascinating and rewarding.
Our MSc Applied Child Psychology will be of interest to anyone, UK-based or international, who currently works with or is interested in careers supporting children, from infancy to adolescence, in a professional or personal capacity in education, healthcare, childcare, forensic settings, such as courts, and leisure or voluntary settings, such as sports clubs and youth groups.
It will prepare you to design and conduct psychological research to assess childrens physical, cognitive and emotional development. This encompasses everything from memory capacity to how they learn language, use reasoning or imagination, feel and express their emotions, and interact with their peers and with adults.
Teaching is very much linked to practice, with multiple opportunities to work on research with other students and staff, capitalising on our expertise in areas as diverse as sensory and brain development disorders, such as ADHD and deafness bullying and peer relationships in schools legal topics like child witnesses topics associated with gender topics like religion and beliefs.
If you choose the optional placement, you will gain valuable experience, observing and reflecting on the ways in which different practitioners approach childrens issues, for example, within a school, charity or youth group. In legal settings, for instance, child psychologists are often consulted to make children feel more comfortable socially, physically and morally when testifying in court.
The Action Research project too offers a chance to tackle any issues of particular interest to you, opening up dialogue with relevant stakeholders and preparing your analysis and recommendations. For example, you may consider interventions for bullying within a school or how to improve information sharing with parents, teachers and other interested parties on matters ranging from mood disorders to gender identity. In doing so, you will develop essential transferable skills, learning to tailor communication and research to suit different audiences.
Your career
This MSc has been designed to provide the psychological knowledge, tools and skills to work with children from infancy to young adulthood. This could lead to careers working with children and young people across the public, private and third sector, for example, working in education, research, social services, health services, health promotion, policy or advocacy.
Should you wish to continue your research, you will be well placed to pursue an academic or research career in developmental or educational psychology, for example, or by studying for a PhD or through relevant work experience.
The research expertise and range of transferable skills you will develop on this MSc, such as decision making, critical thinking, communication skills, data collection, analysis and research design are relevant to almost any profession, making you highly attractive to future employers.
Duration of study: One year full time, two years part time, up to five years modular.
2:2 degree in psychology or in a childhood, family, early years, youth or related subject or demonstrated professional or relevant qualifications or experience.
Students living in
Domestic
£11,400 per year
Students from Domestic
This is the fee you pay if the University is in the same country that you live in (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland)
£17,700 per year
Students from EU
The amount you'll pay if you come to study here from somewhere in the EU.
£17,700 per year
Students from International
The amount you'll pay if you come to study here from a country outside the EU.