Name: Psychology, PhD/MPhil/MSc by Research
Price: £5,250 per year GBP

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Attendance

Campus

Start

Duration

1 - 3 years

Start

October 2025

Delivery

Blended learning

Our postgraduate research degrees in psychology will enable you to enhance your skills as a researcher and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in your chosen field.

Undertaking a programme of research that you design and conduct as the principal investigator enables you to pose questions and obtain answers to a range of issues that impact the world around us. It allows you to improve the lives of others and ultimately embark upon a journey that can lead to you becoming one of the leading experts in your field globally. Completing a postgraduate research degree is the first step for many towards a career in research.

Psychology research at our Burnley Campus draws upon the wider research groups of the school:

Vision, perception and neuroscience
Forensic psychology (including aggression research)
Clinical health psychology (notably around quality of life)

Staff expertise at Burnley lends itself to research in two main areas. These are forensic psychology and educational psychology, including special learning needs. You can opt to conduct research in these areas or a related field. We’ll equip you with outstanding research skills and the potential to advance knowledge and practice within the field of psychology.

Why study with us

By choosing to study this course at our impressive Burnley Campus in Pennine Lancashire, you’ll benefit from working in a friendly, close-knit environment where you’ll have access to all the support you need.

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What you'll do

We hold an annual Psychology Postgraduate Research Conference, where you’ll be able to gain a wider understanding of the research going on across the School and share your own research with others.
We encourage researchers to enter our annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, where you’ll be challenged to explain your research to both academics and non-specialist audience members in three minutes or less.
Take advantage of our comprehensive training programme to develop your professional and research skills.

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I started this course so I can help support service personnel as they leave the forces and embark on the transition to civilian life.

Daniel Fort

Postgraduate Research Degree in Psychology

Psychology Observation Suite (Burnley Campus)

Academic expertise

Dr Kat Cartmell

Course Leader for Psychology Courses at UCLan Burnley

Dr Leah Greenwood

Lecturer

Niomi Wilkinson

Lecturer

Rebecca Ozanne

Lecturer in Psychology

Entry requirements

Minimum qualifications:

MPhil or PhD: A recognised UK first degree, second class honours or above; or a UK Master’s degree or equivalent qualification. PhD studentships normally require at least an upper second class honours first degree.
MSc (by Research): A recognised UK first degree, second class honours or above or equivalent qualification.

Fees and funding

2025/26

Full-time£5,250 per year

Part-time£2,625 per year

International

Full-time£17,900 per year

Scholarships and bursaries

We offer many scholarships, bursaries and funds to support you during your studies. Select your country or region to see if you are eligible and how to apply.

Select your country/region

We offer many scholarships, bursaries and funds to support you during your studies.

As this is a research degree, there are no formal teaching sessions on this programme. However, you’ll undertake a range of online training courses which will contribute to your personal development and enhance your research skills.

With a strong tradition in experimental research, the school owns a wide range of equipment which you’ll utilise to carry out your own independent and collaborative research which will contribute towards the advancement of knowledge in psychology.

The individually tailored programme of further study and guided reading you undertake alongside research training within the school will equip you with the skills to develop and complete your programme of research. This is supplemented by a centralised training and support programme from within our Graduate Research Office.

You’ll have the option of undertaking collaborative work within the school or working as part of a multi-disciplinary group across the wider University. As you progress through the course, you’ll have regular meetings with the Director of Studies and other members of the supervisory team alongside annual monitoring from our Research Degrees Tutors to ensure that you’re supported every step of the way.

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This course is delivered by the School of Psychology and Humanities

For information on possible changes to course information, see our essential and important course information

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at the University of Lancashire on our student contract page

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Psychology

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Psychology

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