Start date
22 September 2025
12 January 2026
18 May 2026
Duration
2 years part-time
About the course
Reasons to study
- Knowledge – gain in-depth, Master’s level, knowledge in psychology without any previous subject area study.
- Teaching excellence – be taught by research-active academics where many are award-winning and have a wealth of industry experience.
- Convenience – this course is delivered 100% online giving you the flexibility to fit your studies around your family and work commitments, and study from any location.
Whether you’re aiming to kick start your career in psychology, enhance your current career, or simply understand yourself and others better to make a positive impact in the world, this Psychology MSc Conversion will help you realise your ambitions.
This 100% online course will give you an understanding of psychological principles surrounding human behaviour, emotions, and cognition. With a health psychology focus, you will delve into how behavioural, psychological, and social processes influence physical health and wellbeing.
You will be taught by academics with expertise and research interests in applied psychology across a wide range of areas such as health psychology, brain behaviour and cognition, developmental psychology, and individual differences.
- An application for accreditation has been submitted to the British Psychological Society.
- You will explore quantitative and qualitative research methods, as well as data analysis to prepare you to conduct your own research tailored to your personal interests and career goals, supported by our expert teaching staff.
- Ethics is an integral part of psychology; therefore, you will be taught research ethics and the wider application of ethics to the workplace and society.
Discover more about Distance Learning at Huddersfield.
Course detail
Social Psychology and Personality (Individual Differences)
You will explore and apply contemporary perspectives in social psychology. Through developing and applying your knowledge and understanding and with a critical focus you will research and offer solutions to current ‘real-world’ topical issues. This will consist of your solutions to a ‘real-world’ topical issue and will be pre-dominantly relevant to human social life.
Psychological Difficulties and Clinical Psychology
This module explores psychological difficulties and ways in which clinical psychologists (and psychiatrists) have tried to understand, explain and manage behaviour that is perceived as ‘abnormal’ or ‘atypical’. You'll study the classification and management of different mental illnesses, such as personality disorders, eating disorders and schizophrenia. You'll be introduced to the diagnosis and aetiology of the mental illnesses by considering biological, psychological and social perspectives in understanding these difficulties.
Developmental Psychology and Professional Development
In the developmental psychology part of the module you will be supported to build on your knowledge of human development across the lifespan in a variety of contexts. You will learn about different methodological approaches to studying human development and how to critique them. In the professional development part of the module, you will reflect on your personal and professional skills development and how psychology-related skills can be used beyond university.
Research and Analysis Skills in Psychology
In this module you will have the opportunity to acquire a critical understanding of the range of statistical approaches to research and data analysis in Psychology. You will develop the ability to identify, apply appropriate statistical methods to data from various designs and interpret the results.
Brain-Behaviour and Cognition
In this module you will develop a critical understanding of cognitive and biological explanations of human behaviour. You will explore a diverse range of topics including psychopharmacology, behavioural genetics, memory and human perception.
Health Psychology
Health psychology is the study of how behavioural, psychological and social processes influence physical health and illness. This module introduces you to the exciting discipline of health psychology through lectures, seminars and directed study. You will explore some key theories, concepts and research through one piece of coursework. The module is aligned with the scientist-practitioner model, with its emphasis on evidence-based approaches to treatment, as well as research methods and skills which is reflected in the module content and the case study assessment.
Research Project in Psychology
In this module you will be supported in order to develop your ideas for your research proposal and carry out an independent piece of research under the supervision of a member of Psychology staff who has Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of the British Psychological Society. You will submit a proposal for ethical approval for research involving human participants or data derived from them. You will have the opportunity to develop the ability to manage the process of constructing and carrying out a piece of research, analysing and interpreting the empirical data derived from it and communicating your findings in an appropriate report format.
Learning and teaching is delivered online through a variety of methods including lectures, tutorials and, student led seminars as well as tailored tasks such as quizzes and exercises to monitor your learning. You will be allocated a supervisor for one-to-one support during the first term. The nature of assessment varies across modules but includes a combination of essays, reports, presentations and examinations.
Your module specification/course handbook will provide full details of the assessment criteria applying to your course.
Feedback (usually written) is normally provided on all coursework submissions within three term time weeks – unless the submission was made towards the end of the session in which case feedback would be available on request after the formal publication of results. Feedback on exam performance/final coursework is available on request after the publication of results, where available.
As a Distance Learning student, you must provide and have access to the following IT equipment and facilities to access your Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and to fully participate on your course.
- Personal computer. Courses are designed for personal computers. Some content may not be fully accessible via mobile devices including but not limited to assessments and where there is a need install supplementary software on your personal computer.
- Internet connection with sufficient bandwidth to allow video streaming (4Mps minimum).
- Microphone and webcam.
Browser
Your course can be accessed using the latest versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, or Microsoft Edge. Full functionality cannot be guaranteed in older or less commonly used browsers. JavaScript must be enabled in your preferred browser.
Minimum Specifications
Your personal computer and webcam will require the following minimum specifications to access your course and study materials:
Hardware
- Headphones, soundcard and speakers, microphone, and webcam. (If you are uncertain if your system meets the requirements, please check with the manufacturer or at the place of purchase).
- Minimum Intel Core i5 (Minimum Dual Core 2 GHz) or AMD A10 or equivalent, 4GB of RAM (recommended 8 GB for better overall experience), with a screen resolution of at least 1280x800px.
Operating systems
- Windows: Windows 10 or later. Mac: OS X 10.13 or later.
- Linux: 64-bit Linux distribution of Ubuntu 16.04+LTS, Fedora 30+ Workstation, RHEL 8+ Workstation or CentOS 8+.
- Android: OS 10, 11 or 12.
- iOS: iOS13 or iOS14.
Internet connection
Our distance learning courses can be studied from any location, however we recommend a broadband/high speed connection of 10 Mbps download and 5 Mbps upload speed. (If you are unsure if your internet connection speeds meet requirements, please speak with your internet service provider for clarification).
Other software requirements
- Microsoft Teams, Adobe Creative Cloud and Office 365. Access to these applications will be provided to you as a University of Huddersfield student. Please note that some software, including Adobe Creative Cloud, will need to be downloaded and installed. You may be required to have full administrator rights to do this, which could be restricted if using an employer’s computer or shared device.
- Please see the requirements for Microsoft Teams (Hardware requirements for Microsoft Teams - Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Learn)
Mobile App
The University’s VLE, Brightspace, has a mobile Pulse app that can help students stay connected and on track with their course in Brightspace.The Pulse app only works with some core features of Brightspace. The Pulse app may not work on all Brightspace features. Third-party tools may not work as well. Mobile devices are not suitable for all courses, or some coursework. Users may need to complete some tasks on other non-mobile devices meeting the system requirements.
Costs
The costs of IT equipment and internet access are not included in the tuition fees and are your sole responsibility. For more information visit What’s included in your tuition fee? - University of Huddersfield
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Triple proof of teaching excellence: our staff rank in the top three in England for the proportion who hold doctorates, who have higher degrees, and hold teaching qualifications (HESA 2024). So, you’ll learn from some of the best, helping you to be the best.
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We are joint first in the country for National Teaching Fellowships, which mark the UK’s best lecturers in Higher Education, winning a total of 23 since 2008 (2024 data).
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We won the first Global Teaching Excellence Award, recognising the University’s commitment to world-class teaching and its success in developing students as independent learners and critical thinkers (Higher Education Academy, 2017).
Read more about academic staff at the University of Huddersfield
Entry requirements
You must satisfy the following requirements as defined by the BPS and have either:
- An Honours degree (2:2 or above) in Psychology (or a similar subject) that has not been accredited by the British Psychological society (BPS) as leading to the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC).
- Or an Honours degree (2:2 minimum) in a subject other than Psychology and GCSE Maths (or the equivalent at grade C or above).
Due to the BPS requirements, it is not possible for you to gain accreditation for your prior learning.
In addition, if you pass the course with 180 credits, the MSc Psychology provides you with the basis for professional recognition, such as Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) with the British Psychological society (BPS). Further advice on the specific skills and abilities needed to successfully undertake this course can be found by visiting the profession’s website at www.bps.org.uk and by contacting the course leader.
This course also welcomes international applicants who meet the required entry criteria. It is our aim to provide excellent support mechanisms for you, so that you can integrate into the course and engage with fellow students. This will be achieved by ensuring you are provided with clear pre-course information, support and induction instructions. The variety of inclusive learning and teaching approaches will help enable you to feel integrated and supported within the course.
If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum of IELTS 6.5 overall with no element lower than 6.0, or equivalent, or Duolingo English certificate, score 105 or above. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our International Entry Requirements page.
What our students say
"I’m grateful for the steadfast support provided at Huddersfield. The integrity and dedication of the tutors have been instrumental in my academic journey, offering invaluable guidance and mentorship. Their passion for teaching and commitment to student success have deeply inspired me. As I embark on the final leg of my journey, I am filled with confidence and gratitude, knowing that I am part of an institution that prioritises academic excellence and personal growth." - Justyna Golak, Psychology MSc.
Distance Learning Blog
Learn more about distance learning by visiting our blog, where students, staff, and academics share valuable insights on a wide range of interesting topics.
Student Profiles
Read our student profiles to learn about the experiences of our distance learning students.
Facilities
Student support
At the University of Huddersfield, you'll find support networks and services to help you get ahead in your studies and social life. Whether you study at undergraduate or postgraduate level, you'll soon discover that you're never far away from our dedicated staff and resources to help you to navigate through your personal student journey. Find out more about all our support services.
Important information
Although we always try and ensure we deliver our courses as described, sometimes we may have to make changes for the following reasons
When you enrol as a student of the University, your study and time with us will be governed by our terms and conditions, Handbook of Regulations and associated policies. It is important that you familiarise yourself with these as you will be asked to agree to them when you join us as a student. You will find a guide to the key terms here, along with the Student Protection Plan.
Although we always try and ensure we deliver our courses as described, sometimes we may have to make changes for the following reasons
Changes to a course you have applied for but are not yet enrolled on
If we propose to make a major change to a course that you are holding an offer for, then we will tell you as soon as possible so that you can decide whether to withdraw your application prior to enrolment. We may occasionally have to withdraw a course you have applied for or combine your programme with another programme if we consider this reasonably necessary to ensure a good student experience, for example if there are not enough applicants. Where this is the case we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible and we will discuss with you other suitable courses we can transfer your application to. If you do not wish to transfer to another course with us, you may cancel your application and we will refund you any deposits or fees you have paid to us.
Changes to your course after you enrol as a student
Changes to option modules:
Where your course allows you to choose modules from a range of options, we will review these each year and change them to reflect the expertise of our staff, current trends in research and as a result of student feedback or demand for certain modules. We will always ensure that you have an equivalent range of options to that advertised for the course. We will let you know in good time the options available for you to choose for the following year.
Major changes:
We will only make major changes to non-optional modules on a course if it is necessary for us to do so and provided such changes are reasonable. A major change is a change that substantially changes the outcomes, or a significant part of your course, such as the nature of the award or a substantial change to module content, teaching days (part time provision), type of delivery or assessment of the core curriculum. For example, it may be necessary to make a major change to reflect changes in the law or the requirements of the University’s regulators or a commissioning or accrediting body. We may also make changes to improve the course in response to student, examiners’ or other course evaluators’ feedback or to ensure you are being taught current best practice. Major changes may also be necessary because of circumstances outside our reasonable control, such as a key member of staff leaving the University or being unable to teach, where they have a particular specialism that can’t be adequately covered by other members of staff; or due to damage or interruption to buildings, facilities or equipment, or pandemics.
Major changes would usually be made with effect from the next academic year, but may happen sooner in an emergency. We will notify you as soon as possible should we need to make a major change and will carry out suitable consultation. If you reasonably believe that the proposed change will cause you detriment or hardship we will, if appropriate, work with you to try to reduce the adverse effect on you or find an appropriate solution. Where an appropriate solution cannot be found and you contact us in writing before the change takes effect you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the University without liability to the University for future tuition fees. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so.
In exceptional circumstances, we may, for reasons outside of our control, be forced to discontinue or suspend your course. Where this is the case, a formal exit strategy will be followed in accordance with the student protection plan.
The Office for Students (OfS) is the principal regulator for the University.