What this programme is about
A PhD Psychology is built around original research into behaviour or mental processes, and the exact experience depends heavily on the subfield you choose.
You might work in cognition, social psychology, development, neuroscience, health, organisations or another research area.
Doctoral students spend far more time designing studies, analysing data and writing than simply attending lectures.
Replication, measurement and statistical choices matter because psychological findings can be sensitive to how a study is designed.
That makes methodological discipline essential. An interesting result is not enough if the evidence cannot support the conclusion.
If your long-term goal is professional clinical practice, check the specific accredited pathway in your country because a research PhD and a practitioner doctorate may lead to different outcomes.
Inside the curriculum
Skills you'll build
Where this can take you
What studying this programme is like
Experimental research can investigate cognition, perception, memory, decision-making or social behaviour.
Developmental projects may follow changes across childhood, adolescence, adulthood or ageing.
Biological and neuroscience research can combine behavioural measures with physiological or imaging methods.
Applied research may examine health, work, education or community settings.
Advanced methods can include multilevel modelling, psychometrics, longitudinal analysis or qualitative approaches.
The dissertation must make an original contribution to psychological science through rigorous, ethical research.
Is this likely to suit you?
Good fit if you...
- You want to conduct original psychological research.
- You enjoy methods and statistics.
- You are curious about a specific psychological question.
- You can work independently for several years.
- You care about rigorous and ethical evidence.
Think twice if you...
- You mainly want practitioner training without checking the professional route.
- You strongly dislike statistics or research design.
- You want a short taught programme.
- You are not interested in publishing or defending original research.