Master's in Psychology & Behavioural Sciences

A master's in psychology is entered with a bachelor's degree and comes in several forms. Some are taught programmes that deepen a specialist area, such as clinical, counselling, forensic, organisational, child or neuropsychology. Others are research master's that train you in advanced methods and prepare you for a PhD. A third group, usually called conversion master's, is for graduates of other subjects who want a recognised grounding in psychology. Most taught master's take one year in the United Kingdom and Ireland and one to two years elsewhere, and all end with a substantial research project.

Professional training is the part students most often misunderstand. In many countries a taught master's in clinical or forensic psychology is an academic step, not a licence to practise. In the United Kingdom, practitioner titles are protected and usually require a professional doctorate or further accredited training before registration with the Health and Care Professions Council. Australia combines an accredited master's with supervised practice for registration, and in Canada some provinces register psychologists at master's level while others require a doctorate. In the United States, master's graduates often become licensed counsellors or therapists rather than psychologists.

Choose the type of master's around your goal. If you want clinical practice, check whether the programme is accredited by the relevant body in the country where you hope to work and whether it includes supervised placements. If research is the aim, look for strong methods training and the chance to work in an active laboratory. Organisational and user research roles reward programmes with consulting projects or industry links. Specializations on Universta at this level include Psychology, Clinical, Counselling, Forensic, Organisational and Child Psychology, and Neuropsychology.

Applicants usually need a bachelor's in psychology, ideally one accredited by the relevant national body, with a good overall grade. Conversion master's accept graduates from other subjects, often asking for some statistics. Applied programmes, especially clinical and counselling ones, look closely at relevant experience, for example voluntary or paid work in mental health, education, social care or criminal justice settings, and some interview shortlisted applicants. Indian applicants with a BA or BSc in psychology are generally considered, but each university decides how it treats three-year degrees.

Applications typically ask for transcripts, a personal statement explaining your motivation and experience, two references, an English test result and a CV. Programmes involving work with children or vulnerable adults may require a police clearance and, in some countries, health checks before placements begin. Places on practitioner programmes are limited and can be restricted for international students, especially where training is funded by a public health service, so check eligibility on each university's own page before applying.