Welcome to MSc Developmental Psychology
The MSc Developmental Psychology focuses on developmental pathways throughout the life-span (children, adolescents, young adults, older adults), and is designed for graduates who want to expand their knowledge in several different areas of development while also acquiring a specialism in this area.
The School of Psychology has a growing reputation as a centre of expertise in developmental psychology, with research expertise in cognitive development, language acquisition, autism, motor development, and human-animal interaction. Research in the School is finding immediate real-world applications. For example, studies into the misinterpretation of canine facial expressions have led to a prevention tool to reduce instances of children being bitten by dogs.
Students may have access to the specialist Lincoln Infant and Child Development Lab, which is equipped with facilities for preferential looking, listening, and eye-tracking, as well as a motor lab and other research facilities for examining aspects of psychological development.
How You Study
Teaching is predominantly delivered on two days per week for full-time students, with part-time students expected to be present for one day per week. Delivery times are subject to time-tabling constraints.
On some occasions, teaching is shared with other Master's programmes, providing opportunities to interact with students from MSc Forensic Psychology and MSc Psychological Research Methods, supporting a rich postgraduate environment.
The composition and delivery of the course is different for each module and may include lectures, seminars, workshops, independent study, practicals, research, and one-to-one learning.
Postgraduate level study involves a significant proportion of independent study, exploring the materials covered in lectures and seminars. As a general guide, for every hour spent in class, students are expected to spend at least two to three hours of independent study. For more detailed information please contact the Programme Leader.
The School of Psychology also has a thriving research seminar programme in which national and international researchers present their work, in many cases linking to issues in developmental psychology.
An Introduction to Your Modules
† Some courses may offer optional modules. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by staff availability.
Entry Requirements 2023-24
The admissions criteria for the programme are a minimum 2:2 undergraduate degree and the equivalent to a C in GCSE maths. Applicants with non-standard entry requirements will also be considered, including those with relevant experience (for example, mature students with work experience). These applicants will be requested for additional information to assess their aptitude for the programme and are invited for interview.
Applicants may be interviewed before they are accepted on the course, to make sure that they are suitable for the course. Students can study this programme either full-time (one year), or part-time (normally two years).
If you have studied outside of the UK, and are unsure whether your qualification meets the above requirements, please visit our country pages for information on equivalent qualifications.
https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/studywithus/internationalstudents/entryrequirementsandyourcountry/
Overseas students will be required to demonstrate English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. For information regarding other English language qualifications we accept, please visit the English Requirements page.
https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/studywithus/internationalstudents/englishlanguagerequirementsandsupport/englishlanguagerequirements/
If you do not meet the above IELTS requirements, you may be able to take part in one of our Pre-session English and Academic Study Skills courses. These specialist courses are designed to help students meet the English language requirements for their intended programme of study
https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/studywithus/internationalstudents/englishlanguagerequirementsandsupport/pre-sessionalenglishandacademicstudyskills/
Facilities
Specialist psychology research facilities include a sleep laboratory, motor lab and EEG laboratories, a psychophysiology laboratory and Lincoln Infant and Child Development Lab – a specialist area for the study of child development.
Students have access to ICT suites and technical staff are on hand to aid in the design and execution of experiments and provide assistance with specialist software.
Career Opportunities
Specialists in the field work in a range of settings, such as hospitals, children and adult care services, schools, and non-governmental organisations. In addition, for those students who do not yet have a British Psychological Society (BPS) accredited degree (Graduate Basis for Chartership; GBC), this Master's programme opens up opportunities for further postgraduate study requiring GBC, such as Forensic Psychology, Counselling, and Clinical Psychology. This programme also benefits graduates who want to further their careers by undertaking a PhD in a specific area of developmental psychology.
Careers Services
The University Careers and Employability Team offer qualified advisors who can work with you to provide tailored, individual support and careers advice during your time at the University. As a member of our alumni we also offer one-to-one support in the first year after completing your course, including access to events, vacancy information and website resources; with access to online vacancies and virtual and website resources for the following two years.
This service can include one-to-one coaching, CV advice and interview preparation to help you maximise your future opportunities. The service works closely with local, national and international employers, acting as a gateway to the business world.
Visit our Careers Service pages here https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/studentlife/yourfuturecareer/.
How you are assessed
Assessments for this course are varied and may include a research proposal, essay, case study, literature review, research report, or presentation. Exams are not part of our assessments.
The University of Lincoln's policy on assessment feedback aims to ensure that academics will return in-course assessments to students promptly - usually within 15 working days of the submission date.
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Fees and Funding
For eligible students, there are more ways than ever before to fund your postgraduate study, whether you want to do a taught or research course. For those wishing to undertake a Master's course, UK students can apply for a loan as a contribution towards the course and living costs. Loans are also available to those who wish to undertake doctoral study. The University offers a number of scholarships and funded studentships for those interested in postgraduate study. Learn how Master's and PhD loans, scholarships, and studentships can help you fund your studies on our Postgraduate Fees and Funding pages.
Programme-Specific Additional Costs
For each course students may find that there are additional costs. These may be with regard to the specific clothing, materials or equipment required, depending on the course. Some courses provide opportunities for students to undertake field work or field trips. Where these are compulsory, the cost for the travel, accommodation, and meals may be covered by the University and so is included in the fee. Where these are optional students will normally (unless stated otherwise) be required to pay their own transportation, accommodation and meal costs.
With regards to text books, the University provides students who enrol with a comprehensive reading list and students will find that our extensive library holds either material or virtual versions of the core texts that they are required to read. However, some may prefer to purchase some of these and will be responsible for this cost.
Postgraduate Events
Find out more about how postgraduate study can help further your career, develop your knowledge, or even prepare you to start your own business at one of our postgraduate events.
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