MPhil/PhD
Psychology
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Why study MPhil/PhD Psychology at Goldsmiths
We're committed to developing our postgraduates into skilled researchers who can conduct rigorous research using a variety of methods and analytic techniques.
- Supervision can be offered in any of the areas of departmental activity.
- During your first year you may take a range of taught modules including research methods, theory, and statistics. Requirements will vary depending on any postgraduate training you have already undertaken.
- You will attend and contribute to research seminars, and through departmental and Goldsmiths-wide modules you will also be encouraged to develop practical skills such as public speaking, poster preparation, scientific writing, and how to interact with the media.
- You will meet regularly with your supervisor, and develop a structured approach to designing, executing, analysing and writing up your research.
- You will have access to the Department of Psychology's range of laboratories, testing rooms and research equipment.
- You will also have an annual allowance to contribute towards your research expenses and/or conference attendance.
Contact the department
If you have specific questions about the degree, contact potential supervisors or Madoka Kumashiro.
Length
3-4 years full-time or 4-6 years part-time
Fees
Home - full-time: £TBC
Home - part-time: £TBC
International - full-time: £19000
Department
What kind of research could I do?
We are able to support PhD research in most areas of psychology.
Some students have already formulated specific research ideas before they apply here, and find a supervisor in the department who is able to help them develop these into a doctoral research programme. If this applies to you, see information on the expertise of all our staff and contact any who you think may be able to help you to pursue these.
Other students are attracted by the research interests of our staff, and may decide to undertake a project that has been suggested by them and which relates to their ongoing research. To explore these or other research ideas, start by emailing the member of staff whose research interests you and make arrangements with them to discuss research ideas.
You need to agree on a research proposal with a potential supervisor before you apply to the programme, so the first step is to contact potential supervisors. You should provide them with an academic CV and inform them of your academic and research qualifications (including degree classification on your undergraduate and MSc degrees),. You should also mention if you need funding.
Staff research covers a broad range of psychological topics, including human behaviour and interaction, and individual differences.
Other staff specialisms relate to how and why people respond so powerfully to works of art and music.
You'll research
Our postgraduate students are offered a stimulating study environment in which to research their higher degree. We have a thriving postgraduate school with some 50 current students on full-time and part-time programmes, including mature students and international students.
Training and support
All our MPhil/PhD students are assigned a specific research supervisor (or sometimes joint supervisors).
Students undergo comprehensive training in psychological research methods (unless they already hold an MSc approved by the ESRC) in line with current ESRC training guidelines, including quantitative and qualitative research methods. This is mainly during the first year of registration (or first two years for part-time students). Students also attend various short generic research skills and methods training modules run by Goldsmiths.
Students have full access to the Department's excellent facilities for lab and field research, and first-rate technical support is available from the Department's team of full-time technical staff.
Progress and assessment
Students initially register for an MPhil until they achieve satisfactory upgrading to PhD status. This is dependent upon satisfactory progress reports, an upgrading report and a viva. The upgrading report is usually completed after 12 months full-time, or 24 months part-time. The report will include a plan of the thesis, a timetable, and one draft thesis chapter (or equivalent) and will be discussed at a presentation to the Departmental Postgraduate Committee.
Students will also be required to present their work at the Postgraduate symposium. Submission of the thesis is the final stage of the work, when your completed thesis is presented for examination (viva voce).
Most postgraduates take three years to complete a PhD full-time, and four to six years part-time. The maximum time period from registration to submission is four years of full-time study (eight years part-time). Your progress on your thesis is regularly monitored by the Department's Postgraduate Programmes Committee. The Head of Department can recommend suspension from the programme at any stage if progress is not satisfactory.
Enjoy a single-site campus experience just 10 minutes by train to Central or East London
Postgraduates have regular opportunities to meet with other students and to make contact with staff.
Postgraduate facilities
All full-time students have their own workplace and a networked computer with access to relevant software. Part-time students also have access to a networked computer, generally shared between two or three students. We also run a psychological test library for staff and students.
Seminars and presentations
Our postgraduates have regular opportunities to meet with other students and to make contact with staff. The department runs a number of active visiting lecturer seminar series. There are also several specialised research groups that hold regular meetings and talks that are open to staff, researchers and postgraduate students.
Postgraduates are also strongly encouraged to present their work as a paper or poster at national or international conferences and financial support is set aside for this.
Skills and careers
You will receive training in and develop wide-ranging research skills, including:
- Database searching and bibliographic skills
- Managing and analysing data
- Presentation and communication skills
- Quantitative and qualitative research methods
- Handling legal and ethical issues in research
- Research design
- Project management
Studentships and departmental funding
There are several scholarship and studentship opportunities you could be eligible for as a psychology research degree applicant.
It is important that you contact a potential supervisor as soon as possible as they can provide you with more information about potential research projects and can advise you on whether a particular source of funding is suitable for you. Please note that funding is extremely competitive, and successful students would usually be expected to have had considerable research experience (through their degrees and working or volunteering in research labs). Potential supervisors may also have funding through their grants or may be able to recommend additional funding sources. You will also not be admitted without supervisor support of your research proposal, so it is essential that you contact them first.
You must indicate on the Psychology Department PhD application form if you wish to be considered for one of these studentships (see the 'How to apply' section for information).
Departmental awards
Explore the postgraduate funding available from the Psychology Department. Application deadlines for departmental bursaries and SENSS studentship funding will typically be in December to start in the next academic year in September. There may be other funding available throughout the year, so please keep checking back, and contact potential supervisors as they may be aware of additional funding.
Fees and funding
Annual tuition fees
These are the PG fees for students starting their programme in the 2025/2026 academic year.
- Home - full-time: £TBC
- Home - part-time: £TBC
- International - full-time: £19000
If your fees are not listed here, please check our postgraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office, who can also advise you about how to pay your fees.
It’s not currently possible for international students to study part-time under a student visa. If you think you might be eligible to study part-time while being on another visa type, please contact our Admissions Team for more information.
If you are looking to pay your fees please see our guide to making a payment.
Funding opportunities
A number of funded studentships are available through the ESRC SENSS Doctoral Training Centre or Department of Psychology Bursaries. The deadline for both source of funding is 6 December 2024 (5pm UK time). You can apply to both at the same time and indicate on the department application form which funding you are applying for.
There are also a number of other funding opportunities offered by the university, and your potential supervisor may advise you of other sources of funding. The first step is to contact a potential supervisor, who can provide you with more information. You will not be admitted without supervisor support.
ESRC funded SENSS Doctoral Training Centre
The Department of Psychology is part of the ESRC SENSS Doctoral Training Centre. This covers tuition (including for international applicants) and a stipend, though the number of places for international students are limited. This also covers 1+3 (MSc+PhD) studentships. SENSS encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.
Psychology is eligible for the following themes: Health, Well-Being & Social Care; Justice, Institutions & Social Change; Digital Social Sciences; and Advanced Methods in Social & Economic Research.
Visit the to SENSS website for more details of this scholarship.
You first must apply and be accepted onto a programme within the Department of Psychology by 6 December 2024. Once accepted, you must apply to SENSS by 22 January 2025 to be considered for funding.
Please contact a potential supervisor to discuss this funding opportunity, as you will not be admitted without supervisor support.
Departmental bursary
This funding will involve teaching psychology undergraduate and/or MSc students and marking papers for certain number of hours per year. It covers domestic tuition fees and stipend – international students can apply but must cover the difference between home and international fee. The funding is eligible to students researching any topic.
Students are only eligible for +3 PhD training. Anyone interested in pursuing a MSc should apply to the MSc programme. You will need to contact a potential supervisor first.
Goldsmiths scholarships and studentships
Explore the Goldsmiths scholarships finder to find out what other funding opportunities you may be eligible for.
Paying your fees
Find out about paying your tuition fees.
Additional costs
In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page.
There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments.
Entry requirements
You should normally have (or expect to be awarded) a taught Masters (upper second-class or Merit, equivalent to a B) in a relevant subject area in order to be eligible for a Departmental studentship.
Students with a relevant Bachelors degree are eligible for a 1+3 ESRC studentship, which will cover the costs of a taught MSc degree and PhD. Similarly, a taught Masters is not required for applications for a self-funded PhD although you will be required to complete modules in research methods and statistics as part of your degree.
You might also be considered for some programmes if you aren’t a graduate or your degree is in an unrelated field, but have relevant experience and can show that you have the ability to work at postgraduate level.
International qualifications
We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.
If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.5 with a 6.5 in writing and no element lower than 6.0 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for postgraduate study.
How to apply
You apply directly to Goldsmiths using our online application system.
Please contact a potential supervisor first as your application will not be considered without supervisor support.
Before submitting your application you'll need to have:
- A completed copy of the Psychology Department PhD application form, which you should attach to your online application (see guidance below)
- Details of your education history, including the dates of all exams/assessments
- The email address of your referee who we can request a reference from, or alternatively an electronic copy of your academic reference
- Contact details of a second referee
- A personal statement – this can either be uploaded as a Word Document or PDF, or completed online
- If available, an electronic copy of your educational transcript (this is particularly important if you have studied outside of the UK, but isn’t mandatory)
Please note that your application will not be considered unless all of this information is included in your application.
You'll be able to save your progress at any point and return to your application by logging in using your username/email and password.
Psychology Department PhD application form
For this will need to provide:
- A research proposal
- A proposed timeline for your PhD
- A personal statement
- The name of your proposed supervisor at Goldsmiths
- A statement of support from your proposed supervisor at Goldsmiths
- The name of your proposed second supervisor (you can consult with your primary proposed supervisor about who
- would be suitable)
- Funding eligibility
- Any training needs you might have
- Whether you're intending part-time or full-time study
- A copy of your CV
When to apply
The deadline for applications for departmental studentships (Departmental Bursary and ESRC SENSS student-led studentships) will be 5pm (UK time) 6 December, 2024. All materials, including from external sites such as transcripts, references, and your supervisor’s statement of support need to be submitted by this time, though IELTS scores (for some international students) will be accepted until early January. Don’t forget to submit the departmental application form.
Other funding may be announced by the university or through external sources, so please check external sources or with your supervisor about deadlines and requirements.
Applications from candidates who are self-funded are accepted throughout the year, with students having the option of starting at the beginning of an academic term (typically September, January, and April). Interviews (typically online) will be arranged on an ad hoc basis. Decisions will normally be made within two weeks of the interview.
For both self-funded and funded studentships, your first point of contact should be your proposed supervisor or the contact provided on the external funding website. Alternitively, you can contact Dr Madoka Kumashiro, M.Kumashiro (@gold.ac.uk), Psychology Department PhD director, for more information.
Selection process
Admission to the programme is based on an interview (typically online) and the panel’s assessment of your application.
Further guidance
Find out more about applying.
