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Psychology PhD

Key information.

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

  • Top 20  in the UK for our research overall   in Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience   in  REF 2021   (Times Higher Education)

From crowd behaviour to perception and studies of the brain – you’ll work with experts who will guide and support you through your research project.

Sussex is one of the largest and most diverse centres for the study of psychology in the UK. You’ll work in an intellectually stimulating and supportive environment, within a community of postgraduate students, postdoctoral researchers and field-leading faculty. 

Our research spans the full spectrum of psychology and has significant societal impact through our close engagement with policymakers and practitioners .” Robin Banerjee Head of the School of Psychology

Find out more about research in the School of Psychology

We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision. We’ll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities described in this prospectus. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to government or regulatory requirements, or unanticipated staff changes, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.

Masters and P h D events

Meet us on campus or online

Book your place

Entry requirements

  • UK requirements
  • International requirements

Please select your country from the list.

Philippines

Saudi arabia, south africa, south korea, switzerland, united arab emirates, my country is not listed.

If your country is not listed, you need to contact us and find out the qualification level you should have for this course. Contact us

English language requirements

Ielts (academic).

Advanced level (7.0 overall, including at least 6.5 in each component).

IELTS scores are valid for two years from the test date. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course.  Find out more about IELTS

We accept IELTS One Skills Retake.

We do not accept IELTS Online.

Check full details of our English Language requirements and find out more about some of the alternative English language qualifications listed below

Alternative English language qualifications

Proficiency tests, cambridge advanced certificate in english (cae).

176 overall, including at least 169 in each skill.

We would normally expect the CAE test to have been taken within two years before the start of your course.

You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Find out more about Cambridge English: Advanced

Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)

We would normally expect the CPE test to have been taken within two years before the start of your course.

You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Find out more about Cambridge English: Proficiency

LanguageCert International ESOL SELT

Advanced level (International ESOL SELT C1 with a minimum of 33 in each component)

LanguageCert International ESOL scores are valid for two years from the test date. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about LanguageCert SELT

We only accept LanguageCert when taken at SELT Test Centres. We do not accept the online version.

Pearson PTE Academic

Advanced level (67 overall, including at least 62 in all four skills)

PTE (Academic) scores are valid for two years from the test date. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about Pearson (PTE Academic)

We do not accept the PTE Academic Online test.

TOEFL (iBT)

Advanced level 95 overall, including at least 22 in Listening, 23 in Reading, 23 in Speaking, 24 in Writing. 

TOEFL (iBT) scores are valid for two years from the test date. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about TOEFL (iBT)

We do not accept TOEFL (iBT) Home Edition.

The TOEFL Institution Code for the University of Sussex is 9166.

English language qualifications

As/a-level (gce).

Grade C or above in English Language.

Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE)/ AS or A Level: grade C or above in Use of English.

GCE O-level

Grade C or above in English.

Brunei/Cambridge GCE O-level in English: grades 1-6.

Singapore/Cambridge GCE O-level in English: grades 1-6.

GCSE or IGCSE

Grade C or above in English as a First Language (Grade 4 or above in GCSE from 2017).

Grade B or above in English as a Second Language.

Ghana Senior Secondary School Certificate

If awarded before 1993: grades 1-6 in English language.

If awarded between 1993 and 2005: grades A-D in English language

Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE)

Level 4, including at least 3 in each component in English Language.

Indian School Certificate (Standard XII)

The Indian School Certificate is accepted at the grades below when awarded by the following examination boards:

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) – English Core only:  70%

Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) - English:  70% 

International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB)

English A or English B at grade 5 or above.

Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education

Grades A - C in English language

Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM) 1119/GCE O-level

If taken before the end of 2008: grades 1-6 in English Language.

If taken from 2009 onwards: grade C or above in English Language.

The qualification must be jointly awarded by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES).

West African Senior School Certificate

Grades A1-C6 (1-6) in English language when awarded by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) or the National Examinations Council (NECO).

Country exceptions

Select to see the list of exempt english-speaking countries.

If you are a national of one of the countries below, or if you have recently completed a qualification equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree or higher in one of these countries, you will normally meet our English requirement. Note that qualifications obtained by distance learning or awarded by studying outside these countries cannot be accepted for English language purposes.

You will normally be expected to have completed the qualification within two years before starting your course at Sussex. If the qualification was obtained earlier than this, we would expect you to be able to demonstrate that you have maintained a good level of English, for example by living in an English-speaking country or working in an occupation that required you to use English regularly and to a high level.

Please note that this list is determined by the UK’s Home Office, not by the University of Sussex.

List of exempt countries: 

  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • New Zealand
  • St Kitts and Nevis
  • St Vincent and the Grenadines
  • The British Overseas Territories
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • United Kingdom

** Canada: you must be a national of Canada; other nationals not on this list who have a degree from a Canadian institution will not normally be exempt from needing to provide evidence of English.

English language support

If you don’t meet the English language requirements for your degree, you may be able to take a pre-sessional course

  • Visas and immigration

Admissions information for applicants

If your qualifications aren’t listed or you have a question about entry requirements, contact us

  • How to apply

If you’d like to join us as a research student, there are two main routes:

  • browse funded projects in this subject area
  • browse our potential supervisors and propose your own research project.

Find out how to apply for a PhD at Sussex

Full-time and part-time study

Choose to work on your research full time or part time, to fit around your work and personal life. For details  about part-time study, contact us at  [email protected]

PhD or MPhil?

You can choose to study for a PhD or an MPhil. PhD and MPhil degrees differ in duration and in the extent of your research work.

  • For a PhD, your research work makes a substantial original contribution to knowledge or understanding in your chosen field.
  • For an MPhil, your work is an independent piece of research but in less depth than for a PhD. You’ll graduate with the degree title Master of Philosophy. You might be able to change to a PhD while you study for an MPhil.

Sussex PhD student Becky Heaver talks about her experiences of research in Psychology

Our supervisors

I’m passionate about engaging the public in my work and have taken part in ‘soapbox science’ events, given many interviews on TV and radio programmes, and hosted talks at festivals.” Gilly Forrester Professor of Comparative Cognition Read Gilly’s story

Explore our research interests and find potential supervisors.

This research group has interests in:

  • neurobiology of learning
  • social learning and cognition
  • decision-making
  • effects of drugs on human cognition
  • ageing and dementia
  • appetite and obesity.

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Dr Daniel Campbell-Meiklejohn

Senior Lecturer in Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of Daniel Campbell-Meiklejohn

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Prof Pete Clifton

Professor of Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of Pete Clifton

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Prof Hans Crombag

Professor of Behavioural Neuroscience

[email protected]

View profile of Hans Crombag

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Prof Dora Duka

Emeritus Professor

[email protected]

View profile of Dora Duka

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Prof Gillian Forrester

Professor of Comparative Cognition

[email protected]

View profile of Gillian Forrester

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Prof Catherine Hall

Professor of Neurovascular Stuff

[email protected]

View profile of Catherine Hall

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Dr Sarah King

Reader in Behavioural Neuroscience

[email protected]

View profile of Sarah King

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Dr Eisuke Koya

Reader in Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of Eisuke Koya

Dr Liat Levita

Reader in Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience

[email protected]

View profile of Liat Levita

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Dr Emiliano Merlo

Lecturer in Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of Emiliano Merlo

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Dr Alexa Morcom

Senior Lecturer in Cognitive Neuroscience

[email protected]

View profile of Alexa Morcom

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Dr Charlotte Rae

[email protected]

View profile of Charlotte Rae

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Dr Bryan Singer

[email protected]

View profile of Bryan Singer

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Prof Martin Yeomans

Professor of Experimental Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of Martin Yeomans

This research group has interests in: 

  • attention, visual perception and cognition
  • synesthesia
  • language and communication 
  • learning, memory, and consciousness 
  • mammal vocal communication and cognition
  • multimodal perception
  • decision-making, problem-solving, creativity, insight and expertise .

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Dr Sam Berens

[email protected]

View profile of Sam Berens

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Prof Chris Bird

Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience

[email protected]

View profile of Chris Bird

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Dr Jenny Bosten

[email protected]

View profile of Jenny Bosten

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Prof Zoltan Dienes

Professor in Experimental Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of Zoltan Dienes

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Dr Sophie Forster

Reader in Psychology and Cognitive Neuro

[email protected]

View profile of Sophie Forster

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Prof Anna Franklin

Professor of Visual Perception and Cognition

[email protected]

View profile of Anna Franklin

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Prof Alan Garnham

[email protected]

View profile of Alan Garnham

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Dr Graham Hole

Honorary Senior Lecturer

[email protected]

View profile of Graham Hole

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Dr Theodoros Karapanagiotidis

[email protected]

View profile of Theodoros Karapanagiotidis

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Dr John Maule

[email protected]

View profile of John Maule

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Prof Karen Mccomb

Emeritus Professor (Animal Behaviour & Cognition)

[email protected]

View profile of Karen Mccomb

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Prof Jane Oakhill

[email protected]

View profile of Jane Oakhill

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Prof Thomas Ormerod

[email protected]

View profile of Thomas Ormerod

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Dr Giulia Poerio

[email protected]

View profile of Giulia Poerio

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Dr Ryan Scott

[email protected]

View profile of Ryan Scott

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Prof Julia Simner

[email protected]

View profile of Julia Simner

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Dr Ediz Sohoglu

[email protected]

View profile of Ediz Sohoglu

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Prof Jamie Ward

[email protected]

View profile of Jamie Ward

  • social, cognitive and emotional development
  • mental health through the lifespan
  • cognition during psychosis
  • mental health interventions
  • social and emotional development
  • behavioural genetics

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Prof Robin Banerjee

Pro-Vice-Chancellor Global and Civic Eng

[email protected]

View profile of Robin Banerjee

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Prof Samantha Cartwright-Hatton

Professor of Clinical Child Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of Samantha Cartwright-Hatton

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Prof Kate Cavanagh

Professor of Clinical Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of Kate Cavanagh

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Prof Andy Field

Professor of Quantitative Methods

[email protected]

View profile of Andy Field

Dr Elian Fink

[email protected]

View profile of Elian Fink

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Prof David Fowler

[email protected]

View profile of David Fowler

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Dr Darya Gaysina

Reader in Mental Health Science

[email protected]

View profile of Darya Gaysina

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Prof Kathryn Greenwood

[email protected]

View profile of Kathryn Greenwood

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Prof Mark Hayward

[email protected]

View profile of Mark Hayward

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Prof Jessica Horst

Professor of Developmental Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of Jessica Horst

Dr Emma Howarth

Reader in Child and Family Mental Health

[email protected]

View profile of Emma Howarth

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Dr David Leavens

Reader in Comparative Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of David Leavens

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Dr Kathryn Lester

[email protected]

View profile of Kathryn Lester

Dr Faith Matcham

[email protected]

View profile of Faith Matcham

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Dr Frances Meeten

Visiting Clinical Senior Lecturer

[email protected]

View profile of Frances Meeten

Dr Raquel Nogueira Arjona

[email protected]

View profile of Raquel Nogueira Arjona

Dr Faith Orchard

[email protected]

View profile of Faith Orchard

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Prof Alison Pike

Interim Head of School Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of Alison Pike

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Dr Adhip Rawal

[email protected]

View profile of Adhip Rawal

Dr Pablo Romero Sanchiz

[email protected]

View profile of Pablo Romero Sanchiz

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Prof Clara Strauss

[email protected]

View profile of Clara Strauss

Miss Heather Taylor

Lecturer in Psychology (Teaching Focused)

[email protected]

View profile of Heather Taylor

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Dr Ellen Thompson

[email protected]

View profile of Ellen Thompson

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Prof Nicola Yuill

[email protected]

View profile of Nicola Yuill

Our work is concerned with theory development, testing and application in four main areas: 

  • health psychology and behaviour change 
  • identity, culture and well-being 
  • intergroup relations, group processes and collective behaviour 
  • pro-social and moral engagement. 

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Prof Richard De Visser

Professor of Health Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of Richard De Visser

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Prof John Drury

Professor of Social Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of John Drury

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Dr Matthew Easterbrook

Reader in Social Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of Matthew Easterbrook

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Dr Tom Farsides

Lecturer in Social Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of Tom Farsides

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Dr Sean Figgins

[email protected]

View profile of Sean Figgins

Dr Matthias Gobel

[email protected]

View profile of Matthias Gobel

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Dr Donna Jessop

Senior Lecturer in Health Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of Donna Jessop

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Dr Karen Long

[email protected]

View profile of Karen Long

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Dr Eleanor Miles

[email protected]

View profile of Eleanor Miles

Dr Anna Rabinovich

Reader in Social Psychology and Sustainability

[email protected]

View profile of Anna Rabinovich

Dr Rim Saab

[email protected]

View profile of Rim Saab

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Dr Ozden Melis Ulug

[email protected]

View profile of Ozden Melis Ulug

Prof Ayse Uskul

Professor of Social and Cultural Psychology

[email protected]

View profile of Ayse Uskul

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Prof Vivian Vignoles

[email protected]

View profile of Vivian Vignoles

Dr Mariko Visserman

[email protected]

View profile of Mariko Visserman

Funding and fees

How can i fund my course, funded projects and scholarships.

Our aim is to ensure that every student who wants to study with us is able to despite financial barriers, so that we continue to attract talented and unique individuals. Don’t miss out on scholarships – check the specific application deadlines for funding opportunities. Note that funded projects aren’t available for all our PhDs.

£3,000 scholarships available to environmental influencers bringing about real-world behaviour change

Find out more

£800 scholarship available to reward talented organ player studying on any course at Sussex.

Scholarships of £800 are available to reward talented musicians studying on any course at Sussex

A fully funded PhD studentship supervised by Dr Mariko Visserman - closing date Friday 10 May 2024

Cash scholarships available for students who have demonstrated sporting excellence

Applying for USA Federal Student Aid?

If any part of your funding, at any time, is through USA federal Direct Loan funds, you will be registered on a separate version of this degree which does not include the possibility of distance learning which is prohibited under USA federal regulations. Find out more about American Student Loans and Federal Student Aid .

Part-time work

We advertise around 2,500 part-time jobs a year so you can make money and gain work experience. We have a special scheme to employ students on campus, wherever possible.

Find out more about careers and employability

How much does it cost?

Fees for self-funding students.

Home students: £4,786 per year for full-time students

Channel Islands and Isle of Man students: £4,786 per year for full-time students

International students: £25,000 per year for full-time students

Home PhD student fees are set at the level recommended by United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) annually, rising in line with inflation. Overseas fees are subject to an annual increase - see details on our tuition fees page

Additional costs

Note about additional costs.

Please note that all costs are best estimates based on current market values. Activities may be subject to unavoidable change in response to Government advice. We’ll let you know at the earliest opportunity. We review estimates every year and they may vary with inflation. Find out how to budget for student life .

Empirical research costs

On top of your PhD fees and living costs, you may also need to cover some research and training costs, relevant to your research project. These costs will depend on your research topic and training needs, but may include: - travel (to archives, collections or scientific facilities) - a laptop - overseas fieldwork costs (travel and accommodation, and language training) - conference costs (travel, registration fees and accommodation) - laboratory consumables and workshop materials - participant costs - transcription or translation costs - open-access publication costs. If you been awarded a scholarship from one of the UK Research Councils, from the University of Sussex, or from another source, this will typically cover these types of costs. You’ll receive details of how to claim this additional funding. If you're self funded, or if your scholarship doesn’t cover these costs, check with the Research and Enterprise Co-ordinator in your School for details of School or Doctoral School funding that may be available.

  • Living costs

Find out typical living costs for studying at Sussex

Find out about our terms and conditions

Explore our campus

Experience Sussex life in our virtual tour.

Start your virtual tour

PhD Information Sessions

Visit campus and chat to staff and students. Book your place

Online PhD Sessions

Join a live webchat. Book your place

International

Meet us in your country

Course enquiries

+44 (0)1273 876787

Send us a message

Admissions enquiries

If you haven’t applied yet:

+44 (0)1273 876638 psychologyphd-enquiries@​sussex.ac.uk

Find out about the School of Psychology

After you’ve applied:

+44 (0)1273 877773 [email protected]

Find out how to apply

Quick links

  • Guide to PhD study
  • PhD support
  • Academic facilities
  • Open Days and events
  • Accommodation
  • International students
  • Student life
  • Order a printed prospectus

What do you want to do next?

  • Courses Browse our courses by subject area
  • Sussex Life Find out about life at Sussex
  • Visit Come to a PhD Open Evening
  • Apply Find out how to apply

Department of Psychology

University | A to Z | Departments

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  • Postgraduate study
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  • Psychology home
  • About the Department
  • What is Psychology?
  • Why choose York?
  • Undergraduate study
  • Our philosophy
  • Research environment
  • Programme structure
  • How to apply
  • York-CITY Collaborative PhD
  • Taught Masters courses
  • International students
  • Student documentation
  • Staff documentation
  • Equality and diversity
  • News and events
  • Public Engagement

Funding opportunities

We regularly receive funding for PhD projects from research councils (ESRC, MRC, BBSRC), charities, the EU, and private companies. Funding normally covers research costs and tuition fees, and provides a maintenance grant for living expenses.  Some PhD projects already have specific funding allocated to them (e.g., from a grant). In other cases, supervisors do not have pre-arranged funding - these students can enter the departmental studentship competition.

If you have any questions about any of the funding or procedures please contact  [email protected]

PhD funding available (beginning September 2024) 

Departmental studentships.

Departmental studentships cover home fees and provide a stipend of about for three years starting in September 2024.  The studentships are open to all UK (home) students.  Recipients of these awards will be encouraged to complete 100 hours of teaching (tutorials, demonstrating in practicals, marking) each year in return for the studentship.

Applying for departmental studentships

Submit your  online application  before the deadline of  12 January 2024 . Initial interviews will be completed before 19 January 2024. Individuals with the strongest academic record, interview performance, relevant work experience, endorsement from their potential supervisor and summary research proposal (in terms of rigour and clarity) will be shortlisted and invited for a second interview on 7 or 8 February 2024.  We expect that successful candidates will be offered these awards by mid-March 2024. 

Before submitting your departmental studentship application

We select applicants whose interests fit closely with those of our staff, so research students can benefit from expert supervision. We cannot offer places to individuals who wish to work outside the areas of research expertise within the department. Postgraduate researchers join a research team composed of one or two faculty, postdoctoral scientists and other graduate students working on related topics. 

Before applying please look at the  research  and  staff webpages  and make contact with individuals who share your research interests and may be able to offer you supervision. Early contact with potential supervisors is critical, so that the supervisor can provide guidance and input into the research proposal, which forms a critical part of your application.

White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership ESRC studentships

In addition to submitting an application for departmental funding, you may be eligible to submit an application to the  WRDTP ESRC scheme , specifically the Advanced Quantitative Methods award. Please speak to your potential supervisor about your eligibility, and if eligible work with your supervisor to produce an application. 

University funding for international applicants

Further information on funding for international students is available from the  International Office .

Opportunities for self-funding students

Funding is very competitive, so if you are not successful in obtaining a full studentship and decide to join us on a full or partial self-funding basis there are a number of ways in which you can aid your financial situation and gain valuable experience on the way.

Graduate teaching positions

Each semester our PostGraduates Who Teach (PGWT) coordinator matches PhD students who want to teach with teaching jobs in the department.  The teaching roles available will vary, but may include leading tutorials with small groups of undergraduates, demonstrating in undergraduate practical classes and marking and providing feedback on undergraduate work.  All teaching work is paid at around £15 per hour + holiday pay. 

College life advisor positions

For postgraduates who have a keen interest in student welfare there are opportunities to become college life advisors. College life advisors are a vital part of the team, responsible for the welfare of undergraduates.  This role usually requires 15 hours of your time each week and you are expected to live in the college (where accommodation is provided at reduced cost).

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

  • Schools & departments

School of Health in Social Science

PhD Clinical and Health Psychology

The PhD Clinical and Health Psychology programme provides the opportunity to do a substantial piece of research in an area linked to clinical and health psychology and to develop excellent research skills in the process

Please check the  postgraduate Degree Finder  to see the specific entry requirements, start date and application deadlines. 

The PhD programme offers the possibility to work with and be supervised by a range of clinical academics across many areas of psychology, who have international reputations and outstanding publications in their areas of expertise. Our programme is undertaken over three years full-time or six years part-time.   

In the first year, students typically choose a number of optional taught postgraduate courses from within the School of Health in Social Science, or other Schools within the University, as appropriate to their research programme, and as agreed with their supervisor. Subsequent years of the PhD programme primarily focus on the completion and analysis of the main research, which can then be written up and completed by the end of the third year. 

Current Student Research

Why choose this programme      .

The PhD programme allows you to conduct an independent research project that makes a significant contribution to your chosen field of study and to further develop your research skills. We provide expertise in a variety of research methods including qualitative and quantitative approaches.

A vibrant and inclusive research environment

The University of Edinburgh is a world-leader in research and innovation and an international centre of academic excellence. Students on this programme will become part of an active and diverse research community in the School of Health in Social Science and will have access to the wide-range of learning environments and outstanding resources that the University has to offer. Our postgraduate researchers work in close proximity to each other, enabling them to pool their expertise and knowledge to tackle complex challenges and push the boundaries of discovery. Students will be encouraged to engage with a wide range of seminars, talks, and events, and often have the opportunity to present their own research at national and international conferences. Our student-led postgraduate research blog provides a snapshot of the activities and events our PGR students organise and are involved in.

Find out more about ongoing research in our School

The expertise of our academics in Clinical and Health Psychology cover the whole of the lifespan, focusing on childhood to adult and older adult mental health and emotional wellbeing as well as the psychological impact of chronic physical ill health. Our research involves national and international collaborations, with many projects involving NHS partnerships.

  Supervisor Specialties:

Applied developmental psychology , forensic psychology , health psychology , psychological therapies and interventions, phd by distance.

There is also an opportunity to undertake this programme through our PhD by Distance option. The PhD by Distance is available to suitably qualified applicants in the same areas as our on-campus programmes: Clinical and Health Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy, Health in Social Science and Nursing Studies.

The programme allows students who are unable to commit to basing themselves in Edinburgh full time to study for a PhD in a field of Health in Social Science from their home country or city - however this is not intended to be a fully online distance learning programme.

Students enrolled on this programme will be expected to come to Edinburgh at least once per year of study to meet with their supervisors. The length and timing of these visits are negotiable but students should expect to spend at least two weeks at the University of Edinburgh during each year of study.

Find out more about the PhD by Distance

The School of Health in Social Science offers several fully funded MScR and PhD studentships each year. A variety of scholarships are available, which vary from full scholarships covering tuition fees and a stipend to cover living expenses, to partial scholarships.

Find out more about our scholarships and funding opportunities

Beyond the programme 

The research degrees within Clinical and Health Psychology are designed to help you develop your skills for a successful future in research, as an academic or in a related profession. 

The PhD Clinical and Health Psychology is typically suitable for those who wish to pursue a career in academia or research, however, graduates from PhD programmes are also increasingly sought after in private, public and third sector organisations. 

The PhD Clinical and Health Psychology is an academic/research based qualification. The training for it does not entail clinical work, or training in therapeutic interventions and therefore does not entitle graduates to work as a psychologist in any clinical or applied capacity. Applicants interested in an applied career should consider the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. 

  • Department of Psychology
  • Postgraduate study

PhD opportunities

Discover the PhD opportunities currently available within the department.

A Psychology PhD student works with MRI

Our projects cover clinical psychology, cognition and cognitive neuroscience, computational neuroscience and robotics, developmental psychology, forensic psychology, social, health and environmental psychology and systems neuroscience.

Some of our projects come with specific funding (eg, from a research council or Centre for Doctoral Training) to cover your tuition fees and living expenses. If you apply and are selected for one of these projects, you will be automatically awarded the funding.

If a project does not come with specific funding, you may be able to apply for a scholarship . Once you have found a project you want to apply for, find out  how to apply .

If you have your own idea for a project, you can find a potential supervisor by visiting  our research pages . Contact a member of academic staff to find out about PhD opportunities in their area.

Faculty of Science Research Prize Scholarship

The scholarship is open to applicants who have received an offer to study on any programme that does not come with an attached funding package including self proposed projects. 

Deadline: Now closed - check back again in November 2024.

Further details can be found on the  Science Graduate School webpage .

Upcoming deadlines - Scholarship opportunities for 2025/26 entry

Scholarships are closed and will reopen in November 2024. The deadline for applications for the Department of Psychology is  6 January 2025 . This is a strict deadline. You must have an offer of study in place to be considered for the scholarship. The scholarship opportunities can be found below:

  • Sheffield–China Scholarships Council PhD Scholarship Programme
  • White Rose ESRC DTP Open Competition Scholarships

Funding your PhD

Search for PhD opportunities at Sheffield and be part of our world-leading research.

School of Psychological Science

Scholarships for phd and msc by research applicants, further information.

  • Postgraduate master's loan
  • Postgraduate Master's Loans - A Complete Guide
  • Funding for postgraduate study

General application process

  • Make contact with a  potential supervisor or supervisors  to gain their support in the application.
  • If you do not have funding, you can be considered for scholarship opportunities
  • Self-funded students currently receive £600 pa for research costs, and the School Research Committee will contribute towards the costs of presenting your research at conferences.
  • Your nominated supervisor(s) and Director of Postgraduate Research Studies assess your online application. The assessment process is likely to include an interview.
  • If successful, you will receive an offer letter from the Faculty of Life Sciences. This is not an offer of a scholarship.
  • If you applied for a scholarship - and are eligible - you will be included in the selection process along with other candidates. We will notify you of the outcome.

Previous scholarship opportunities

Looking for 'not' where there isn't one: development of counterfactual language in young children

Application Deadline: 28 th April 2022

Primary Supervisor: Dr Nina Kazanina

About the Project

Understanding how children develop understanding of complex language is important for the study of both typical and atypical development. We focus on a class of linguistic expressions such as "I wish John came yesterday" for which the surface form is misleading: whereas the sentence states "John came yesterday", the real meaning is "John did not come yesterday, which I regret”. One could describe such expressions as having a hidden negation in them, or counterfactual. The project explores when and how children learn which expressions have a hidden negation component and whether this process is influenced by their cognitive control and theory-of-mind development.

Please use the link provided on this page to apply online:  PhD Psychology | Study at Bristol | University of Bristol

When making your application, please indicate the supervisor name and the project title on the form. Ensure you provide all supporting documents as per the programme admissions statement.

An upper second-class honours degree (or equivalent) in psychology or a related discipline is required for entry to this programme. English language requirements: please refer to the entry requirements as detailed on the postgraduate prospectus.

Funding Notes

This studentship is funded by the University of Bristol Studentship scheme

To be eligible to apply, you must be an international (non-UK) student

The studentship is for 4 years

Tuition and bench fees are included

The studentship includes a stipend of £15,609 per year to support living costs

Kazanina, N., Baker, S., & Seddon, H. (2020). Actuality bias in verb learning: The case of sublexically modal transfer verbs. Linguistics, 58(5), 1413-1446.

Rouvoli, L., Tsakali, V., & Kazanina, N. (2019). If they had been more transparent, the child would have discovered them more easily: How counterfactuals develop. In Proceedings of the 43rd Boston University Conference on Language Development, ed. Megan M. Brown and Brady Dailey (Vol. 549, p. 560).

Be still, my churning stomach: Exploring supplement interventions on the gut-brain axis to help NHS workers overcome daily disgust

Supervisor: Dr Edwin Dalmaijer

Disgust is a potent emotion that cleaners, nurses, and many others face every day. While disgust typically does not habituate (or only very limitedly), recent work suggests it can be overcome by a combination of disgust exposure and a drug that normalises gastric rhythm. This project will investigate the physiological response of stomach and brain using electrogastrography and electroencephalography while participants experience disgust on and off this drug. It will then test whether brief courses of domperidone (dopamine antagonist), tryptophan (serotonin precursor), or ginger (serotonin agonist) can inspire long-term disgust reductions for NHS staff.

This project offers hands-on experience with eye tracking, physiological recordings of the brain and the gut, psychopharmacology, and translation of basic science into a societally relevant application. The ideal candidate has an affinity for cognitive and affective science, interoception, and gut-brain interactions. Experience with programming (particularly in Python) is a plus, but not a requirement.

An upper second-class honours degree (or equivalent) in psychology or a related discipline is required for entry to this programme. For English language requirements, please refer to the entry requirements as detailed on the postgraduate prospectus.

'- Dalmaijer, E.S., Lee, A., Leiter, R., Brown, Z., & Armstrong, T. (2021). Forever yuck: Oculomotor avoidance of disgusting stimuli resists habituation. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 150(8), p. 1598–1611. https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0001006

- Nord*, C.L., Dalmaijer*, E.S., Armstrong, T., Baker, K., & Dalgleish, T. (2021). A causal role for gastric rhythm in human disgust avoidance. Current Biology, 31(3), p. 629-634. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2020.10.087

Developing a smartphone-based tool to assess and provide personalised normative feedback on portion size – the key to successful clinical intervention for the treatment of obesity?

Application Deadline: 28th April 2022

Primary Supervisor: Dr Dani Ferriday

A longstanding technical problem in human dietary research has been assessing amount of food consumed. Laboratory measured portion size is highly accurate but cannot be applied on a population basis and lacks ecological validity. By contrast, self-report diet diaries can be applied across a population but it is difficult to extract precise portion size estimates. This PhD project will validate a smartphone-based portion size assessment tool with a novel 'live feedback' feature (participants will be informed how their portion compares with population norms). This project will be supervised by Dr Dani Ferriday with co-supervision from Dr Laura Johnson, Professor Julian Hamilton-Shield (second supervisor), and Professor Jeff Brunstrom. Dr Laura Johnson (Director of Research at NatCen Social Research) will host a three-month placement to analyse population normative data in the National Diet and Nutrition Survey dataset. Professor Julian Hamilton Shield (second supervisor) will provide access to the Care of Childhood Obesity Clinic in Bristol to trial the tool in a clinical context. Professor Jeff Brunstrom has technical expertise in programming and the development of online psychophysical tools.

Goal maintenance and inhibition in atypical development

Primary Supervisor: Prof Christopher Jarrold

Controlled behaviour requires us to maintain our goals in mind while inhibiting inappropriate actions prompted by the environment. These ‘executive functions’ are widely studied in human psychology and child development, and may develop atypically in a number of conditions such as autism and Down syndrome. However, few studies manipulate goal maintenance and inhibitory demands within a single task, raising concerns about the reliability of previous work in this area . In this project you will develop novel ways of measuring executive function that systematically combine maintenance and inhibitory demands and that can be applied to a range of developmental conditions.

Keywords: Experimental Psychology, Cognitive Psychology

Please use the link provided on this page to apply online:   PhD Psychology | Study at Bristol | University of Bristol

Jarrold, C., Wang, T., & Li, K. (2021). A novel approach to measuring the developmental interactions between working memory and inhibitory control in young cChildren. PsychArchives. https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.4588

Smith, E., Hedge, C., & Jarrold, C. (2019). A novel framework to measure executive function in Down Syndrome with applications for early clinical diagnosis of dementia. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 124, 354-373. doi:10.1352/1944-7558-124.4.354

How does becoming a new parent affect our wellbeing?

Primary Supervisor: Prof Claire Haworth

Little is understood about how parenthood impacts positive aspects of our wellbeing, such as life satisfaction and meaning in life. This project will explore 1) how parenting perturbs our basic psychological needs of competence, relatedness and autonomy; 2) how parenting may have different impacts on hedonic versus eudaimonic aspects of our wellbeing; and 3) how genetic and environmental predictors can be used to explore resilience to the transition to parenthood. The project will use data on 1000s of young adults available in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, with the opportunity for further data collection in other samples.

Keywords: Health Psychology, Mental Health and Wellbeing

Nelson, S. K., Kushlev, K., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2014). The pains and pleasures of parenting: When, why, and how is parenthood associated with more or less well-being? Psychological Bulletin, 140, 846-895.

Technology, Democracy, and Cognition

Primary Supervisor: Prof Stephan Lewandowsky

Democracy is at risk around the world. The reasons for this decline are complex, but the role of misinformation, spread via social media, cannot be ignored. Social media has been linked to increasing polarization and other outcomes that are detrimental to democracy, but it has also been heralded as “liberation technology”. This paradox—that the internet is both saviour and executioner of democracy—can be understood by through the lens of cognitive science and analyzing the pressure points between human cognition and online technology. This project involves a systematic exploration of those pressure points.

Kozyreva, A.; Lewandowsky, S. & Hertwig, R.

Citizens Versus the Internet: Confronting Digital Challenges With Cognitive Tools

Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 2020, 21, 103-156

Lewandowsky, S. & Pomerantsev, P.

Technology and democracy: a paradox wrapped in a contradiction inside an irony

Memory, Mind & Media, 2022, 1

The company one keeps: Understanding social context effects in 'other-race' face recognition

Primary Supervisor: Dr Susanne Quadflieg

The so-called ‘other-race’ effect in face perception is one of the best replicated phenomena in psychology. Though well known to generalize across populations and research paradigms, little is known about the effect’s real-world prevalence and context-dependency. It remains particularly unclear how getting to know strangers in social situations (e.g., accompanied by same-race or cross-race friends) modulates our ability to remember their faces. Drawing on contemporary models of motivated perception and relational impression formation, the current project therefore aims to scrutinize how recognizing others depends on the social circumstances of our first encounter with them. The project will rely on experimental techniques from behavioural science in order to clarify how social context can benefit (or hinder) facial recognition. It may, for example, involve quantitative studies that expose adult perceivers to different types of relationship photographs as commonly found on social media platforms (e.g., on Instagram) in order to investigate how viewers’ memories for other people’s faces depends on the photographs’ racial diversity. The project is ideal for a person who is interested in receiving advanced training in experimental and social psychology. The successful applicant will be based at the School of Psychological Science at the University of Bristol and train under the primary supervision of Dr. Susanne Quadflieg.

Keywords: Social Psychology, Experimental Psychology, Cognitive Psychology

The neural substrates of executive function development during the first 2.5 years of life

Primary Supervisor: Dr Karla Holmboe

Executive functions are a set of core cognitive skills that allow us to control our behaviour and make adaptive decisions in everyday life. Given the importance of such skills, it is perhaps not surprising that executive functions in early childhood are key predictors of children’s academic success and socio-emotional wellbeing. In the past, executive functions were considered too complex to be meaningful and measurable in infancy and toddlerhood. However, recent work from my lab has demonstrated that with appropriate tasks we can in fact measure executive functions much earlier than previously thought. In this fully funded PhD, you will use a neuroimaging method called functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to investigate the neural substrates of executive functions as they emerge during infancy and toddlerhood. You will have the opportunity to work closely with Dr. Holmboe and her team on a new longitudinal study of 200 infants who will be assessed across four time points using a full battery of executive function tasks alongside eye-tracking and neuroimaging measures. Full training in running fNIRS test sessions with infants and in analysing fNIRS data will be provided. If you are interested in applying for this studentship, please contact Dr. Karla Holmboe at [email protected]

Impact of maternal and paternal mental health on infant executive function development

Maternal depression has a major negative influence on children’s cognitive and emotional development. However, due to limited research in infancy, it is still unclear how and when such impacts emerge and whether they are specific to maternal mental health. Furthermore, previous research has looked extensively at associations with child temperament and later socio-emotional and cognitive outcomes (Fiske et al., 2021; Rigato et al., 2020; Kingston & Tough, 2014), however, relatively little is known about how parental mental health impacts cognitive development during the first 2 years of life. This collaborative project will investigate the impact of parental mental health (anxiety and depression) on infant executive functions, a set of key regulatory skills which include inhibitory control, working memory and cognitive flexibility. The early development of these skills is key because executive functions have been shown to be predictive of later academic, social and health outcomes. The project will be jointly supervised by Dr. Karla Holmboe at the University of Bristol and Prof. Ron Rapee at Macquarie University in Sydney, and the student will spend 2 years at each university. Dr. Holmboe specialises in early executive function development and Prof. Rapee specialises in childhood mental health. If you are interested in applying for this position, please in the first instance contact Dr. Holmboe at [email protected].

UoB supervisor: Dr Karla Holmboe ( [email protected] )

MQU supervisor: Professor Ron Rapee ( [email protected] )

Please note that this PhD studentship is fully funded for home fees and stipend at UKRI rate

When making your application, please use the programme title Psychology (PhD) (Macquarie), indicate the supervisor name and the project title on the form. Ensure you provide all supporting documents as per the programme admissions statement.

Application deadline 29th April 2022.

When spelling goes wrong, what does the way we fix it tell us: Exploring the architecture of spelling through interventions

In English words, relationships between letters and sounds are not always regular (e.g., yacht). Even so, knowledge of regular relationships between letters and sounds can influence how successfully people learn to spell “irregular words” – in other words, sub-lexical knowledge can influence orthographic (written) and phonological (spoken) lexical knowledge. The precision and quality of lexical knowledge is also influenced by the way it is taught (for example, writing a word or sounding it out to create a ‘spelling pronunciation’ can lead to better orthographic learning than just seeing and hearing a word). We are interested in exploring what happens to lexical knowledge when people are exposed to competing orthographic and phonological lexical representations and/or competing phoneme-to-grapheme conversions (e.g., when there are two possible spellings for a sound in English, or when bilingual speakers learn competing phoneme-to-grapheme conversions), and what this might tell us about the architecture of our reading and spelling system. This project will investigate interventions with typical and atypical children (and adults) to examine how we acquire and integrate lexical and non-lexical orthographic representations and processes. The funding will enable the student to spend the first two years of the project at the University of Bristol and years 3 and 4 at Macquarie University. If you are interested in applying for this position, please in the first instance contact Dr Polly Barr ([email protected]).

UoB supervisors: Dr Polly Barr ( [email protected] ) & Professor Markus Damian ( [email protected] )

MQ supervisors: Dr Saskia Kohnen ( [email protected] ) & Dr Danielle Colenbrander ( [email protected] )

Application deadline 29th April 2022

Cognitive control of behaviour in neurodivergent populations

This project will apply new experimental methods to the study of cognitive control of behaviour among children with one or more neurodevelopmental conditions. A better understanding of the profile of strengths and weaknesses in this area will inform ways of supporting individuals’ ability to inhibit inappropriate actions and to act in line with their internal goals. Both Prof. Jarrold (University of Bristol) and Assoc. Prof. Porter (Macquarie University, Sydney) have experience of working with neurodivergent populations including autism, Down syndrome, and Williams syndrome. In this project you will benefit from their collective experience but also shape the precise research questions being asked. The funding will enable the student to spend the first two years of the project at the University of Bristol and years 3 and 4 at Macquarie University.

UoB supervisor: Professor Chris Jarrold ( [email protected] )

MQ supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Melanie Porter ( [email protected] )

Decolonising the Psychology Research Methods Curriculum: Cotutelle PhD Studentship (University of Bristol, UK, and Macquarie University, Australia)

This PhD studentship will explore, develop, and test strategies for approaching decolonisation in the psychology research methods curriculum. It will provide four years’ funding (tuition fees plus stipend) for a home (UK), EU or international student to design, undertake and disseminate a programme of research that will have impact on psychology research methods pedagogy in the UK and internationally. Members of historically under-represented, ethnically, culturally, and linguistically diverse populations are strongly encouraged to apply. The successful candidate will spend the first half of their studentship at the University of Bristol (UK), and the second half at Macquarie University (Sydney, Australia). 

The successful candidate will have:

- A first or strong upper second-class honours degree (or international equivalent) in psychology or a related discipline.

- A demonstrated interest in at least one of the following: (a) decolonisation in higher education; (b) psychology research methods pedagogy; (c) programming web applications.

- Extensive knowledge of psychological research methods.

- Strong computational skills, ideally with some experience of programming.

This studentship presents an excellent opportunity to make a meaningful positive contribution to the future of psychology education, whilst simultaneously developing a broad range of research skills. Given the subject matter of the studentship, it is also anticipated that the successful candidate will become involved in a range of teaching and learning activities at both institutions and have a strong commitment to building international collaborations and networks.

In your one-page personal statement, in addition to demonstrating how you are ready to study at a doctoral level, please ensure that you clearly describe and illustrate the knowledge, skills, experiences and personal characteristics that make you a good fit for this specific studentship. In your 250-word research statement please sketch out a programme of research that would address the aims of this project, as outlined above. However, please understand that the actual nature of the project will be shaped in consultation with the project supervisors and other stakeholders during the early months of the studentship.

The deadline for applications is 20 May 2022. Shortlisting will take place in the final week of May, followed shortly thereafter by interviews (which will be conducted online). It is anticipated that the successful candidate will begin their studentship in Bristol in September 2022.

Apply online at: https://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/2022/life-sciences/phd-psychology-/

When making your application, use the programme title Psychology (PhD) (Macquarie), indicate Dr Peter Allen as supervisor and include the project title on the form. Please ensure you supply all supporting documents to your application as specified in the admissions statement.

For any queries, please contact Dr Peter Allen at [email protected]

Supervisors :

Primary: Prof Stephan Lewandowsky

Secondary: Prof Adam Finn, Dr Emma Anderson, Dr Harriet Fisher

You have the opportunity to

  • complete a PhD at an internationally renowned research university
  • take part in a contemporary project with high practical relevance
  • work in a large collaborative team dedicated to top-tier research and fostering a positive atmosphere
  • partake in career development, including mentoring, feedback, and (international) conferences
  • develop broad skills through professional engagement and teaching experience

Full Project Detail:

The project is called JITSUVAX. It is funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme and addresses vaccine hesitancy—the delay or refusal of vaccination without medical indication. Hesitancy has been cited as a serious threat to global health by the World Health Organization (WHO), identifying misinformation on the internet as a contributing factor. JITSUVAX leverages those insights to turn toxic misinformation into a potential asset based on two premises: 1. The best way to acquire knowledge and to combat misperceptions is by employing misinformation as a teaching tool, 2. HCPs (health care professionals) form the critical link between vaccination policies and vaccine uptake.

The principal objective of JITSUVAX is to leverage misinformation about vaccinations into an opportunity by training HCPs to neutralize misinformation among HCPs and enabling them to communicate more effectively with patients. The findings from JITSUVAX will be disseminated with the aid of collaborators within WHO and UNICEF to leverage new knowledge for global impact.

The PhD student will be based in Bristol and will conduct laboratory research locally or online. The research will involve a mix of quantitative and qualitative behavioural methods. The project involves additional nodes in Cambridge, France, Finland, Germany, and Portugal with the PhD student potentially spending time at other nodes as the project requires.

Find out more:  https://sks.to/c19vax  &  h ttps://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2021/february/vaccine-hesitancy.html

Entry requirements:  Applicants need a first or upper second-class honours degree (or equivalent) in Psychology or related discipline (e.g., cognitive science).

Funding information: The studentship provides a stipend at the standard rate (approximately £15,000 per annum) for the duration of the studentship (3 years) plus tuition fees at the UK rate.

Contact details for informal enquiries:  [email protected]

How to apply:   http://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/ .

About the Project:  A 3 x year fully funded (stipend and fees) EPSRC PhD studentship for UK/EU students (Conditions may apply to non-UK students) in the area of Relationship Science.

In contemporary societies such as the UK, young adults increasingly report feelings of social isolation, with feelings particularly high in ardent social media users. The current project therefore aims to adopt an experimental approach to scrutinize the psychological impact of social media use. Drawing on contemporary models of social impression formation and attachment theory, in particular, it aims to investigate how high (vs. low) exposure to overly positive relationship displays as common on social media affects young adults’ own relationship ideals, satisfaction, and investment.

The project will use behavioural science experimental techniques to clarify how social media can benefit (or hinder) close relationship formation and maintenance. For more details, please discuss with the project lead.

Background:  The studentship is based in the lab of Dr Susanne Quadflieg, in collaboration with Dr Angela Rowe, based at the School of Psychological Science at the University of Bristol, UK. In the 2014 REF, it was one of the UK's top ten universities for its research in psychology, psychiatry, and neuroscience. The supervisory team has an international reputation for their work in social psychology.

The person:  The project is ideal for a person who is interested in receiving advanced training in experimental and social psychology. The person would ideally have an undergraduate or Master’s degree in a relevant discipline (Psychology or Computer Science). Due to the interdisciplinary nature of this work, applicants with a different scientific background but a strong interest in the topic will also be considered. Prior experience with statistical computing software (e.g., SPSS, R), behavioural presentation software (e.g., PsychoPy), and/or image processing software (e.g., Adobe Photoshop) would be desirable.

Further details and contact:  Standard EPSRC eligibility rules apply. The post will ideally start in July 2021, but is flexible. This advert will remain open until a suitable candidate is recruited with shortlisting at the end of each month. For informal enquires about this post email:  [email protected]

Funding Notes:  Please make an online application for this project at  http://www.bris.ac.uk/pg-howtoapply . Please select < PhD Experimental Psychology>  on the Programme Choice page. You will be prompted to enter details of this EPSRC-studentship in the Funding and Research Details sections of the form. Please ensure that in this section you write “I would like to be considered for the EPSRC funding award in the School of Psychological Science” and specify the name of the supervisor: Susanne Quadflieg.

Microsoft Funded PhD: Using AI to develop joint attention in blind children

Application information : We are seeking a person with an interest in employing human-computer interaction methodologies to evaluate new AI technologies and their impact on children over time. The ideal person would have an undergraduate or Master’s degree in a relevant discipline such as Computer Science, Psychology or Social Science and would be interested in both quantitative and qualitative methods. Strong background in design and evaluation, experience working with children, disability, or minority population as well as demonstrated capability for research (e.g. through publication) are particularly desirable.

Funding : The post must start by September/October 2020 and will be funded over 4 years. The award covers an enhanced EPSRC stipend, home-based student fees and a substantial budget for consumables, travel and subsistence. The person will also have an opportunity to intern at Microsoft Research.

Eligibility:  Standard EPSRC eligibility rules apply: Normally, to be eligible for a full award a student must have no restrictions on how long they can stay in the UK and have been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least 3 years prior to the start of the studentship (with some further constraint regarding residence for education). There is limited flexibility of universities to include EU students and international.  

Applicants are encouraged to contact us as soon as possible. For further details or to discuss this contact  Dr Oussama Metatla  including a full CV and any relevant details.

  The Chinese Scholarship Council-University of Bristol Joint Scholarship Scheme

Forty (40) fully-funded PhD scholarships for up to 48 months of research at the University of Bristol.

Eligibility: Chinese students already studying in the UK (or other countries). Chinese students attending their home universities.

Candidates  apply directly to Bristol  

Deadline : Midday (UK time) on 25 January 2021.

University of Bristol Alumni Scholarship Scheme

A  10% discount on postgraduate tuition fees  for University of Bristol graduates.

Students must start the programme within 10 years of graduation and be progressing from the final year of an undergraduate programme or taught masters programme. Eligible programmes include PhD and MSc by Research.

A University of Bristol-Macquarie University Cotutelle PhD Scholarship Programme

Funded PhD opportunity at the University of Bristol

Area: Optimised acquisition and coding for future immersive formats Funder: EPSRC/BBC R&D iCASE award: Supervisor: Professor David Bull, Professor Iain Gilchrist Funding: EPSRC iCASE award with BBC Research and Development

For further information about this studentship, please contact:

[email protected]

Trust, identity, privacy and security in large-scale infrastructures (TIPS-at-scale)

Computational Statistics and Data Science – COMPASS

Fully funded PhD studentships in Robotics and Autonomous Systems

Fully funded PhD studentship in Digital Health and Social Care

  • Postgraduate Research

Psychology PhD / MPhil

  • Part time available: yes

Studying in:

  • institute-of-population-health
  • Faculty of Health and Life Sciences

The Department of Psychological Sciences conducts world-leading research on mind, brain and behaviour. Our research students are at the heart of what we do.

Why study with us?

(joint) in the UK for our 'world leading' (4*) environment in the latest Research Excellence Framework (2021)

staff members.

postgraduate students.

The Department of Psychological Sciences conducts world-leading research on mind, brain and behaviour. We currently have over 100 staff, with expertise in experimental, applied and clinical domains. Research in the department is concentrated around a number of research groups, some of which represent the largest concentration of expertise in the UK.

Our research interests

We welcome research proposals that match those of our researchers. The department has research groups with concentrations of expertise in the following areas:

  • Appetite and obesity
  • Forensic & Investigative Psychology
  • Language, Cognition and Expertise
  • Mental Health
  • Perinatal, infant and child mental health
  • Psychology of Healthcare.

Research themes

Our research themes include:

  • Health-related behaviours
  • Learning and expertise
  • Mental health.

Our Department has extensive and well maintained research facilities including eye tracking, EEG, a bar lab, appetite research unit, facilities dedicated to collection and analysis of biological samples and supported access to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technologies at MARIARC.

Research groups

  • Centre for Critical and Major Incident Psychology
  • The Centre for Investigative Psychology
  • Tactical Decision-making Research Group

Study options and fees

The fees stated in the table above exclude potential research support fees also known as ‘bench fees’. You will be notified of any fee which may apply in your offer letter.

* Please note that if you are undertaking a PhD within the Faculty of Science and Engineering the fee you pay, Band A or Band B, will reflect the nature of your research project. Some research projects incur a higher fee than others e.g. if you are required to undertake laboratory work. You will be informed of the fee for your programme in your offer letter.

^ Self-funded, full-time international students studying a PhD programme classified as Band A will receive a £2,000 reduction in their fees for the first year only.

Entry requirements

Applicants should hold a good (2:1 or first class) degree in Psychology or a related discipline. Applicants should also be able to demonstrate an ability to write coherently (and may be asked to provide examples of their written work).

English language requirements

Additional requirements.

Applicants will be expected to match their proposed research to one of the department’s stated areas of research interest and expertise. Projects will always be subject to appropriate ethical approval and potential students should be aware that for certain projects criminal record checks may also be necessary. Prospective applicants should contact potential supervisors in their area of interest before submitting a formal application.

How to apply

Research degree applications can be made online.  You'll also need to ensure that you have funding to cover all fees.

Applications are  open all year round .

More about applying for research degrees

Apply online

Before you apply, we recommend that you identify a supervisor and develop a research proposal

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To find an appropriate staff member, take a look at our research groups .

Need help finding a supervisor? Contact us

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Doctoral Training Partnerships support future researchers with funding and a rewarding learning environment where you can collaborate with leading researchers.

  • ESRC - NW Social Science DTP

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Organizational Psychology

Application options include:

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 Organizational Psychology aims to train you to conduct research of a high academic standard and to make an original contribution to the subject through your thesis. It will not only prepare you to undertake research for your own dissertation, but will also equip you to be able to evaluate research results and reports more widely.

Our research interests include: selection and assessment; training; organisational communication; organisation studies and organisational sociology; well-being and emotion; technology development and organisational change; human resource management; employment and psychological contracts; pay; careers and innovation. We also have expertise in, and are committed to, both qualitative and quantitative research techniques.

Please note, the PhD in Organizational Psychology is a research degree. If you are a practitioner, our Professional Doctorate in Occupational Psychology and associated British Psychological Society and Health and Care Professions Council accreditations might be more suitable.

Before submitting an application, please ensure that you read the submission guidelines carefully, and note that research proposals should be no longer than 1500 words (excluding references).

Key information

Organizational psychology mphil/phd: 7 years part-time, on campus, starting 2024-25.

  • October 2024
  • January 2025

Organizational Psychology MPhil/PhD: 4 years full-time, on campus, starting 2024-25

Find another course:

  • Birkbeck is  one of the world’s leading research-intensive institutions . Our cutting-edge scholarship informs public policy, achieves scientific advances, supports the economy, promotes culture and the arts, and makes a positive difference to society.
  • Birkbeck’s research excellence was  confirmed in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework  with 83% of our research rated world-leading or internationally excellent.
  • You will get access to superb library resources, including: Birkbeck Library , including our electronic library, the British Library , Senate House ( University of London) Library and libraries in the Bloomsbury area .

Entry Requirements

Good first degree or Master's qualification in a relevant subject area.

Applicants who do not hold a Master's degree in a relevant subject may be required to take some MSc modules.

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 6.0 in each of the sub-tests.

If you don't meet the minimum IELTS requirement,  we offer pre-sessional English courses, foundation programmes and language support services  to help you improve your English language skills and get your place at Birkbeck.

Visit the International section of our website to find out more about our  English language entry requirements and relevant requirements by country .

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 for our full-time courses 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 as a student on Birkbeck's part-time courses (with the exception of some modules).

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.

Organizational Psychology MPhil/PhD: 7 years part-time or 4 years full-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2024-25

Academic year 2024–25, starting october 2024, january 2025, april 2025.

Part-time home students: £2,539 per year Full-time home students: £4,786 per year Part-time international students : £7,525 per year Full-time international students: £14,885 per year

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 .

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 £26,000 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.

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 .

Our research culture

Birkbeck was the first institution in the UK to establish teaching and research in occupational psychology over 60 years ago. We continue to play a distinctive role in British occupational psychology - and, increasingly, within organisational behaviour. We engage in significant collaborative research and have excellent contacts with many public and private sector organisations, professional bodies and researchers at other academic institutions.

As a research student, you will receive  training in theory and research methodology  during your first year (full-time) or two years (part-time), provided partly by Birkbeck and partly by other University of London institutions. You will also complete an annual report on your progress. You will be invited to attend research student seminars held four or five times each term at Birkbeck in the evenings. We offer a wide range of  student support and study facilities .

Find out more about  studying for an MPhil/PhD in Organizational Psychology at Birkbeck.

Read more about  our vibrant research culture .

Contact our admissions tutor,  Dr Rebecca Whiting , for further details.

Follow these steps to apply to an MPhil/PhD research degree at Birkbeck:

1. Check that you meet the entry requirements, including English language requirements, as described on this page.

2. Find a potential supervisor for your MPhil/PhD research. You can look at the Find a Supervisor area on this page for an overview, or  search our Experts’ Database  or  browse our staff pages  for more in-depth information. You may also find it helpful to  view the research projects of our current students . 

3. Contact the academic member of staff - or the department 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 .

4. 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.  Find out more about writing a research proposal .

5. Apply directly to Birkbeck, using the online application 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 . 

Application deadlines and interviews

You can apply at any time during the year. Entry months for the programme are October, January and April 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.

Apply for your course

Apply for your course using the apply now button in the key information section .

Finding a supervisor

A critical factor when applying for postgraduate study in organisational psychology is the correlation between the applicant’s intellectual and research interests and those of one or more potential supervisors.

To find out more about the research interests of our academic staff, please see our  staff  pages

Please be aware, however, that not all staff are taking new PhD applicants, for example, if they are already at doctoral supervision capacity or intending to retire in the next academic year or so.

Related courses

  • Psychology (MPhil/PhD)

The University of Manchester

Alternatively, use our A–Z index

Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (ClinPsyD) at The University of Manchester

Attend an open day

ClinPsyD Doctorate in Clinical Psychology / Overview

Year of entry: 2024

  • View full page

A degree (minimum Upper Second (2:1)) in single honours Psychology, or joint honours where psychology constitutes at least fifty per cent of the course, is required.

The degree must have already been awarded at the time of application; candidates who are currently undergraduates will not be short-listed for interview.

For candidates with degrees that do not constitute at least 50% psychology, a BPS accredited Psychology conversion course must be obtained (original award grade will remain the same therefore the minimum of a 2.1 award remains applicable).

Candidates must establish their eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society before making an application.

A minimum of 12 months of paid FTE clinically relevant experience such as work in a healthcare setting or a background in clinical research involving direct contact with patients delivering assessments and/or treatments and/or service development work  at the time of submitting an application  is considered essential.

Formal consent to participate as service users in practical and clinical teaching will be required as a condition of entry to the programme.

Full entry requirements

Overseas applicants who do not meet the criteria for home fee status should also apply through the clearing house system.

Programme options

Programme overview.

  • Learn from some of Europe's leading researchers while undertaking your own project.
  • Access some of the best research facilities in the world at both the University and in hospitals around Greater Manchester.
  • Undergo training in transferable skills critical to developing early-stage researchers and professionals through the Doctoral Academy's training programme.
  • Conduct research at a university ranked 6th in the UK (QS World University Rankings 2023).

To be announced.

Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE Currently, trainees are fully funded by NHS England and are full-time employees of Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust. They have annual leave and other benefits in line with usual NHS entitlements and are subject to the normal policies and procedures of the employing Trust. On entry to the programme all trainees commence on the first spine point of Band 6 of the Agenda for Change pay scales.

Additional expenses

Contact details, programmes in related subject areas.

Use the links below to view lists of programmes in related subject areas.

Regulated by the Office for Students

The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website .

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website .

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PhD by Distance Learning

Student with books

The University of Birmingham's College of Life and Environmental Sciences now offers PhD by Distance Learning.

This means that wherever you are in the world, you may now be able register with the University of Birmingham for your Doctoral qualification but undertake the majority of your studies in your home location.

Why study by distance learning? 

The main advantage of studying by distance learning is the flexibility. Financial and practical implications of moving closer to the campus make distance learning a more feasible option and could allow you to combine study with other commitments, including work and family.  Similarly, your research could be related to your area of residence and therefore moving would be detrimental to your capacity to carry out the research.

Is the distance learning route for you? 

The distance learning route to PhD study is not for everyone.  You have to have a very clear idea of your project and be able to motivate yourself.  Undertaking PhD study off campus can sometimes be quite isolating, so the ability to proactively seek out connections from within relevant research communities is important.  This route is well-suited to those who have a research project associated with their work or particular interests and where resources are available locally, over via the internet, to support your research e.g. appropriate archives and data collections.

How will I be supported? 

You will receive the same level of support and supervision as on-campus students.  The only difference is that supervisory sessions will take place via audio and visual communication services such as Skype or Facetime, rather than in person.

What is the cost?

We charge an annual tuition fee which is the same as our standard on-campus PhD but includes:

  • Economy class flights to and from Birmingham for the compulsory two-week campus visit in September
  • Accommodation at the University for the compulsory two-week campus visit in September
  • Economy class flights to and from Birmingham at the end of the study period for the three-day PhD viva examination
  • Accommodation at the University for the three-day viva examination

How often will I need to be on campus?

Although you may be able to undertake the majority of your study at an off campus location, you will be fully funded to make one compulsory visit to the University.  This will enable you to meet your supervisory team, undertake intensive research skills training and make a start on your doctoral studies. You will then be invited to attend the University for annual ‘in-person’ meetings which give you the opportunity to interact with other doctoral students both socially and academically, undertake important progress meetings and carry out necessary training. You will also generally be required to be present on campus for your viva voce.

Am I eligible?

Before we can offer you a place it is important that you have agreement from your potential supervisor and that they are satisfied that you will be able to undertake the PhD on an off campus basis. This may mean that slightly different entry requirements apply, such as English language and more extensive research skills training. Agreements will also need to be reached regarding some of the more practical aspects of undertaking the PhD in this way (for example attendance requirements, suitability of the chosen residency etc). It is important that arrangements are discussed early so that all parties involved know what to expect and to ensure you are able to successfully complete your studies. 

Can I study by distance learning anywhere?

Distance Learning courses can be undertaken from anywhere in the world, including the UK. 

However, it is worth noting that supervisory sessions for Distance Learning students will take place via audiovisual communications, such as Skype or Facetime, rather than in person. 

While we have found that these 21st Century methods have proved popular, for those applicants who would prefer to visit the campus for face-to-face meetings with their supervisor, the traditional part-time study option may be more appropriate. 

How to apply?

Find the programme that you wish to apply for in our course finder and click on the 'Apply' button. 

As part of the application process, we will ask you to provide evidence to demonstrate that you have the time, commitment, facilities and experience to study for a PhD by Distance Learning. Please be prepared to provide evidence, and details, of the following:

  • Examples of your postgraduate research experience and ability to work independently e.g. papers/presentations at professional and academic conferences or publications in professional journals or previous completion of an independent research project, etc. 
  • Full reasons (academic and personal) for registering for the distance learning mode of study rather than by standard full or part-time on-campus options. In particular, how you will be able to carry out your project in your chosen location. 
  • Access to local library facilities (where needed)
  • Access to IT facilities
  • Access to communications, including e-mail, and audiovisual communication media e.g. Skype and Facetime
  • Access to facilities to support any study-related disability (where appropriate)

Please visit the course finder for a full list of subject areas available to study via distance mode.

Doctorate in Clinical Psychology DClinPsy

Students walking out of the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience building

Key information

The three-year, full-time Doctorate in Clinical Psychology is based within the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN). Trainees spend three days a week on supervised clinical practice placements and two days a week are dedicated to teaching, study and research.

Aims & philosophy

To benefit service users, carers and wider society by training clinical psychologists who:

  • are skilled in evidence-based psychological assessment and intervention
  • produce applied research of the highest quality and impact
  • progress to become leaders within the NHS, clinical academia and beyond

The training programme values the reflective scientist-practitioner model as a basis for clinical psychology. There is a strong emphasis on integration of theory, research and practice in all aspects of the programme.

The biopsychosocial framework underpinning the Programme identifies biological, psychological and social factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of psychological difficulties and mental disorders across the lifespan. Our understanding of the framework is that it is linked to a continuum view of psychological difficulty. Thus, the programme seeks to understand these difficulties from an assumption of commonality of experience and human potential to support wellness and resilience.

The programme takes cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) as its primary therapeutic modality, reflecting the world-leading research expertise within the IoPPN and its evidence base. Family therapy/systemic practice is the second therapeutic modality.

The Programme is based predominantly within King's Health Partners (an Academic Health Sciences Centre) which comprise King's College London and three of the highest rated NHS Foundation Trusts in the country: South London and Maudsley, King's College Hospital, and Guy's and St Thomas'. A particular strength of the programme is the cohesive and comprehensive range of local and national specialist placement opportunities across these trusts and other placement services. In line with the goals of the NHS long term plan, placements offer trainees opportunities to work in local clinical pathways improving access to services for people from our diverse local communities.

The IoPPN DClinPsy Training Programme is committed to the principle of equality of opportunity for all trainees and staff. The Programme values and positively promotes equality, inclusion and diversity. At the IoPPN and local Trusts, there is much expertise relating to Culture, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) in clinical, research, and teaching activities.

Additional information

The programme meets the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) education and training standards – the statutory regulator for practitioner psychologists in the UK, and has full accreditation from the British Psychological Society (BPS).

The course is also accredited by the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) – Level 1 (for all trainees) and Level 2 (for a subset of trainees), alongside the Association of Family Therapy and Systemic Practice (AFT) – Foundation Level (for all trainees).

On successful completion of the programme trainees are awarded the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. The award confers eligibility to apply for registration with the HCPC to practise as a clinical psychologist in the UK, and graduates are able to apply for full membership of the Division of Clinical Psychology from the BPS.

Trainees are full-time professionals in the NHS, registered students at King's College London and key stakeholders whilst training. Throughout the training programme, trainees are encouraged to synthesise and reflect on different aspects of their learning and work as part of their professional development and integration of their personal and professional aspects. Key contributors to this process are the use of clinical supervision, discussions in teaching workshops, meetings with personal tutors and appraisers, and reflections in their logbook and clinical assessments.

Trainees help to shape the Programme's development and evolution through representation and participation in the majority of the Programme committees. There are also a number of opportunities for trainees to begin working as partners and leaders whilst training via involvement in working parties and groups focused on priorities within clinical psychology training.

The Programme has a number of support systems in place to help ensure that trainees are well supported and to create a stimulating and rewarding environment for trainees to develop personally and professionally during their training.

  • Before joining the Programme, each new trainee is contacted by their ‘buddy’ (one of the current first year trainees) to facilitate their transition onto the Programme.
  • Trainees will be line managed by a Clinical Director on the Programme
  • Each trainee is allocated a personal support tutor and mentor – a qualified clinical psychologist available for confidential advice and support who is available to meet at least once per term throughout training. The personal support tutor, where possible, is matched to trainee career interests to allow for mentoring alongside pastoral support.
  • Each trainee is also allocated a clinical tutor who will visit them on placement throughout the three years to maximise continuity, support and development.
  • Each trainee is allocated an appraiser from within the Programme team to support progression across all aspects of the Programme.
  • Each trainee is allocated a research tutor from the Programme team to support them with any questions or concerns about any aspect of their research.
  • Reflective practice groups and themed reflective case discussions run throughout training, which provide an opportunity for trainees to reflect on training and the impact of clinical work.
  • Dedicated reflective spaces are offered to trainees from racially and ethnically minoritised (REM) backgrounds. These spaces aim to offer support in a safe environment.
  • Trainees’ identifying as White will be invited to attend a dedicated reflective space to consider the impact of their identity in training.
  • A support group is available for trainees with childcare responsibilities, which includes drop-in meetings with clinical tutors.
  • Orientation meetings are scheduled in the timetable to facilitate transition into the following year of study. At the end of the final year there is an exit meeting to allow trainees to reflect with the Programme Team about their experiences of the training programme.
  • Trainees with disability support needs can book a confidential appointment with a Disability Adviser at King’s College London Disability Support . This will help develop an Inclusion Plan which summaries aspects your disability and provides recommendations of support strategies to ensure we can best support you throughout your training experience.

As a course, we care about the psychological well-being of our trainees and aim to ensure we can best support trainees who may be experiencing difficulties or have additional support needs. We recognise that whilst training you are likely to experience periods of increased stress given the various pressures that need to be managed across different components of the course, as well as any additional stressors including physical and mental health concerns, or other personal factors that may impact on well-being. We have a number of sources of support available to our trainees as well as resources and signposting of services.

  • How to apply
  • Fees or Funding

UK tuition fees

Home applicants who meet the above entry requirements criteria are eligible for an NHS funded place and are not required to pay tuition fees.

International tuition fees 2023/24

Full time tuition fees: £31,260 per year

International tuition fees 2024/25

Full time tuition fees: £33,450 per year

These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.

If you receive an offer for this programme, you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure your place. Deposit payments are credited towards the total tuition fee payment.

The International deposit is £2000.

  • If you receive an offer before March, payment is due by 20 March.
  • If you receive an offer between 1 March and 20 May, payment is due within one month of receiving the offer.
  • If you receive an offer between 21 May and 15 July, payment is due within two weeks of receiving the offer.
  • If you receive an offer between 16 July and 15 August, payment is due within one week of receiving the offer.
  • If you receive an offer from 16 August onwards, payment is due within three days of receiving the offer.

If you are a current King’s student in receipt of the King's Living Bursary you are not required to pay a deposit to secure your place on the programme. Please note, this will not change the total fees payable for your chosen programme.

Please visit our web pages on fees and funding for more information.

  • Study environment

Base campus

NEV-main-Denmark-Hill-Campus

Denmark Hill Campus

Home to the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience

The Doctorate is intensive, running for three years full-time. The programme consists of academic, clinical and research components, and trainees are required to pass in all areas..

Academic teaching, research supervision and clinical supervision are mainly carried out by members of the Department of Psychology or other departments within the Institute of Psychiatry, or by clinical psychologists working within King's Health Partners, giving the programme an overall cohesion and sense of community. The Programme also receives specialist contributions to its academic teaching from invited outside speakers and experts.

For departmental and Institute research interests visit the IoPPN webpages.

In each year, trainees spend three days per week on supervised clinical placements (Tuesdays to Thursdays, 9:00 – 17:00) with Mondays and Fridays dedicated to teaching and research. Trainees undertake six 6-month placements. The four ‘core’ areas of the programme are Adult and Child Mental Health, (year 1) and Older Adults and Intellectual Disability (year 2). The third year comprises two specialist or supplementary placements.

Attendance at all course components is mandatory. Trainees are also expected to undertake their own independent learning.

The length of the Programme cannot be reduced through the accreditation of prior learning or experience. All trainees are required to complete the full Programme of training in order to qualify and while on the Programme, all trainees take annual holiday entitlement within set time periods to fit in with teaching and placement attendance requirements.

Academic curriculum

The curriculum comprises of teaching streams that are led by academic clinicians and NHS service-based specialist clinicians. This curriculum is revised through consultation processes with NHS specialists, trainees, service users and NHS commissioners. A foundational theme that sits across all the teaching streams is that of culture, diversity, equality, and inclusion. The specific teaching streams fall under the following headings:

  • CBT Fundamentals
  • Adult General
  • Adult Addictions
  • Adult Anxiety
  • Adult Forensic
  • Adult Psychosis
  • Clinical Health Psychology
  • Clinical Skills
  • Clinical Neuropsychology
  • Culture, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
  • Family Therapy
  • Intellectual Disability & Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Additional Therapy Approaches
  • Professional Issues
  • Reflective Practice & Reflective Case Discussions
  • Research, Assessment and Methodology
  • Supervision

The programme delivers teaching based on research, theoretical literature, practice-based experience and lived experience (expert by experience and carer input). Teaching is provided in lectures, workshops, seminars and tutorials. Methods of delivery include, discussions, polls, case examples, role-plays, video displays, and didactic teaching. This is designed according to the material to be covered and the stage of training. Trainees are encouraged to contribute to the process; significant aspects of learning and development will come from each other.

Clinical practice placements

Trainees undertake six 6-month placements. The four ‘core' areas of the programme are Adult and Child mental health (year 1) and Older adults and Intellectual disability (year 2); the third year comprises two specialist or supplementary placements. The majority of placements are located within South London and are accessible via public transport links. Trainees prior experience and future career preferences are taken into consideration in placement allocation.

The third year comprises two specialist or supplementary placements. There is a wide, exciting range of specialist placement opportunities for trainees to choose from, at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM), King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (KCH), Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (GSTT) and in other organisations. SLaM provides the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK.

Placements are offered in a variety of specialisms and settings, including primary care, secondary care, inpatient, secure settings and non-statutory organisations. We are fortunate to have many national services across the Trusts, meaning that trainees have access to a number of specialist placements. Placements may be based in the community or hospital settings.

By May of the final year, trainees are required to submit a doctoral level research thesis of between 25,000 to 55,000 words.

The thesis is comprised of:

  • Service-Related Project
  • Empirical Project
  • Systematic Review

The Service-Related Project is completed in the first year, supervised by a clinical placement supervisor. Trainees gain experience of conducting an NHS-related project that will inform service development. Recent projects have directly investigated issues of equality and diversity in service provision.

The Empirical Project and Systematic Literature Review are completed in the second and third year, supervised by a main and second supervisor. Staff in the Department of Psychology and wider Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience offer research expertise and supervision in a wide range of clinical topics. Most trainees are able to choose their research topic based on their interests and learning needs, and to co-create a research project with their supervisors. Trainee research is supported by the rich research environment at King’s, including close links with the department of Biostatistics & Health Informatics.

A developmental, competency-based approach is taken to assessment, combining formative and summative assessment methods. Please note that a number of the summative assessments undertaken by trainees in the third of training will be dependent on their pathway (either BABCP Level 2 or AFT Intermediate).

The failure of two placements, or of an examination resit, or resubmitted/resat case studies, case conferences or assessments of clinical competence, or the viva examination, will constitute a Programme failure. No lesser exit award is available under the Programme.

Summative Assessments (all trainees)

  • Qualifying examinations are held in June of the first year. The pass mark is 50% and trainees who fail are allowed to re-sit on one occasion in August.
  • Case Conferences : In the first year of training, trainees are asked to present a case that demonstrates their CBT knowledge and skills. In the second year of training, trainees are asked to present a case where they have worked with more than one person in the room, and to offer a systemic formulation and treatment plan to assess their knowledge and skills in systemic practice.
  • Case Studies : Early in the second year of training, trainees will need to submit a CBT case study that will demonstrate theory practice links and reflection on their learning and development as CBT therapists.
  • All six practice placements are graded Pass/Fail by placement supervisors.
  • The research thesis is assessed at a viva by two external examiners.
  • Research Progress Report trainees submit a report on their research progress every 6 months, which is formally reviewed by their supervisor and a panel of research tutors; a satisfactory outcome of the review is required for progression.

Head of group/division

Professor Katharine Rimes

Contact for information

Kayleigh Rawlings, Programme Coordinator

[email protected]

Important Information:

Before contacting the programme, please note we are unable to offer individual advice on how to create a successful application or advise on what route applicants should take. There are many different routes onto the Doctorate, therefore the pathway undertaken should be the applicant’s choice, based on their interests and career aims.

Contact email

Further resources:

  • DClinPsy Clearing House Profile
  • KCL-DClinPsy information about applying (padlet.org)
  • Twitter: @KingsDClinPsy
  • Entry requirements

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Find a supervisor

Search through a list of available supervisors.

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Accommodation

Discover your accommodation options and explore our residences.

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

Connect with a King’s Advisor

Want to know more about studying at King's? We're here to help.

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Learning in London

King's is right in the heart of the capital.

  • Careers and employability

Available funded PhD studentships

Details of currently funded PhD scholarships open for applications.

There are currently no open opportunities

fully funded psychology phd programs uk

How to apply

To apply for any of the funded PhD studentships, please visit our main PhD page.

School of Psychology

We provide outstanding undergraduate and postgraduate teaching informed by our leading research in psychology and neuroscience.

Our location

School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Tower Building, 70 Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT

Connect with us

  • Inside Psych

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COMMENTS

  1. PhD Clinical Psychology

    For entry in the academic year beginning September 2024, the tuition fees are as follows: PhD (full-time) UK students (per annum): Standard £4,786, Low £11,000, Medium £17,500, High £23,000. International, including EU, students (per annum): Standard £27,000, Low £28,500, Medium £34,500, High £40,500. PhD (part-time)

  2. Psychology (fully funded) PhD Projects, Programmes ...

    Applications are invited for a fully funded 3-year PhD studentship under the supervision of Dr. Paul Rauwolf in the School of Psychology and Sport Science at Bangor University, commencing between October 2024 and January 2025. Read more. Supervisor: Dr P Rauwolf. 31 May 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (Students ...

  3. PhD Psychology programme

    Psychology at Edinburgh brings together world-class researchers approaching the scientific study of mind and behaviour through a range of topics - from language development to dementia, personality to paranormal beliefs. The department benefits from a vibrant postgraduate community and strong interdisciplinary links with colleagues in medicine ...

  4. Psychology (fully funded) PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

    Ariel University Department of Behavioral Sciences & Psychology. We are recruiting a 4-year PhD student (fully funded) focusing on cognitive and social neuroscience. The project focuses on the exploration of interpersonal synchrony, aiming to understand the mechanism of governing self and coordinating with others.

  5. Psychology PhD : University of Sussex

    Home students: £4,786 per year for full-time students. Channel Islands and Isle of Man students: £4,786 per year for full-time students. International students: £25,000 per year for full-time students. Home PhD student fees are set at the level recommended by United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) annually, rising in line with inflation.

  6. PhD funding

    Some PhD projects already have specific funding allocated to them (e.g., from a grant). In other cases, supervisors do not have pre-arranged funding - these students can enter the departmental studentship competition. If you have any questions about any of the funding or procedures please contact [email protected].

  7. PhD Clinical and Health Psychology

    The PhD Clinical and Health Psychology programme provides the opportunity to do a substantial piece of research in an area linked to clinical and health psychology and to develop excellent research skills in the process. Please check the postgraduate Degree Finder to see the specific entry requirements, start date and application deadlines.

  8. Scholarships

    Please direct queries to: [email protected]. The deadline for PhD applications in the Department of Psychology is Tuesday 9 January 2024 . The final deadline for the scholarship application is 24 January 2024 at 17:00 (GMT) but please note that a PhD offer must be secured in advance of your scholarship submission.

  9. PhD opportunities

    The deadline for applications for the Department of Psychology is 6 January 2025. This is a strict deadline. You must have an offer of study in place to be considered for the scholarship. The scholarship opportunities can be found below: Sheffield-China Scholarships Council PhD Scholarship Programme. White Rose ESRC DTP Open Competition ...

  10. PhD/MPhil Psychology • City, University of London

    City Doctoral College. [email protected]. City, University of London Northampton Square London EC1V 0HB United Kingdom. The Psychology PhD/MPhil from City, University of London offers you the chance to develop a substantial and original body of new research involving the discovery of new facts.

  11. Psychology (fully funded PhD for international students) PhD ...

    Applications are invited for a fully funded 3-year PhD studentship under the supervision of Dr. Paul Rauwolf in the School of Psychology and Sport Science at Bangor University, commencing between October 2024 and January 2025.

  12. PhD Scholarships

    The Chinese Scholarship Council-University of Bristol Joint Scholarship Scheme. Forty (40) fully-funded PhD scholarships for up to 48 months of research at the University of Bristol. Eligibility: Chinese students already studying in the UK (or other countries). Chinese students attending their home universities.

  13. Psychology PhD / MPhil

    ^ Self-funded, full-time international students studying a PhD programme classified as Band A will receive a £2,000 reduction in their fees for the first year only. Entry requirements Applicants should hold a good (2:1 or first class) degree in Psychology or a related discipline.

  14. Organizational Psychology

    Organizational Psychology MPhil/PhD: 7 years part-time or 4 years full-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2024-25 Academic year 2024-25, starting October 2024, January 2025, April 2025 Part-time home students: £2,539 per year

  15. ClinPsyD Doctorate in Clinical Psychology / Overview

    Doctor of Clinical Psychology. Duration. 3 Years. Entry requirements. A degree (minimum Upper Second (2:1)) in single honours Psychology, or joint honours where psychology constitutes at least fifty per cent of the course, is required. The degree must have already been awarded at the time of application; candidates who are currently ...

  16. PhD by Distance Learning

    The main advantage of studying by distance learning is the flexibility. Financial and practical implications of moving closer to the campus make distance learning a more feasible option and could allow you to combine study with other commitments, including work and family. Similarly, your research could be related to your area of residence and ...

  17. Doctorate in Clinical Psychology

    The three-year, full-time Doctorate in Clinical Psychology is based within the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN). Trainees spend three days a week on supervised clinical practice placements and two days a week are dedicated to teaching, study and research. Aims & Philosophy. To benefit service users, carers and wider ...

  18. Psychology PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships in the UK

    Project ID. SATCH1. Possible Selves theory (Markus & Nurius, 1986) explores how individuals imagine and aspire to become versions of themselves in the future. Read more. Supervisor: Prof C H Harwood. 31 May 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only) More Details.

  19. Fully Funded PhD Programs in Psychology

    Rutgers University, PhD in Psychology (Piscataway, NJ): All admitted PhD students are guaranteed 5 years of funding (4 years for those with a Master's degree), provided they remain in good standing. Financial aid covers tuition and includes a 10-month stipend or salary. Additional summer funding is available through teaching or grant funding.

  20. Available funded PhD studentships

    School of Psychology. We provide outstanding undergraduate and postgraduate teaching informed by our leading research in psychology and neuroscience. Contact us. [email protected]. +44 (0)29 2087 4007. Our location.

  21. Clinical Psychology (funded) PhD Projects, Programmes ...

    We have 14 Clinical Psychology (funded) PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships in the UK. More Details. Last chance to apply. Psychological understandings of bipolar disorder. Masters by Research, Psychology (Funded). Project Ref 5091. University of Exeter Department of Biosciences. Psychological understandings of bipolar disorder. Masters by ...

  22. Psychology (fully funded PhD) PhD Projects, Programmes ...

    Bangor University School of Psychology and Sport Science. Applications are invited for a fully funded 3-year PhD studentship under the supervision of Dr. Paul Rauwolf in the School of Psychology and Sport Science at Bangor University, commencing between October 2024 and January 2025. Read more. Supervisor: Dr P Rauwolf.

  23. fully funded PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships for UK ...

    15 Fully Funded PhD Scholarships in Engineering, Informatics and Cognitive Science. University of Sussex. Outstanding applicants are invited to apply to our range of 15 fully funded scholarships. For September 2024 entry, these scholarships are in the fields of Engineering, Informatics, and Cognitive Science. Read more.