The aim of the MSc Developmental Psychopathology is to provide advanced research training for those interested in pursuing careers in the field of research, developmental psychology, neurodiversity and clinical or educational psychology.
The subject-specific and generic postgraduate training, provided by the course, enables you to develop the knowledge, skills and understanding required of a professional conducting research in neurodiversity, clinical, child development or other fields.
Research training forms a key focus of the MSc course. In addition to providing training in basic research, the course aims to integrate research perspectives from the fields of developmental psychology, neurodiversity, clinical and educational psychology. This distinctive emphasis is reflected in the learning outcomes, structure and assessment of the course.
Course structure
Core modules:
Advanced Developmental Psychology Review teaches the skills to create and deliver literature reviews as well as providing analysis of key topics in the field of developmental psychology, including research skills, data handling, writing styles and methods of presentation.
Critical Research Practice is fundamental to learning and provides the knowledge and skills required to design, conduct and communicate research in psychology, ensuring it is conducted ethically. This module also teaches the analytical skills needed to evaluate research findings.
Research Design in Child and Clinical Psychology provides an introduction to the methods and design used in child and clinical psychology and offers practical training in the transferable skills relevant for professional and personal development.
Current Issues in Developmental Psychology and Psychopathology provides in-depth knowledge of current theoretical stances and methodological issues within the fields of developmental psychology and neurodiversity. The aim is for you to gain a broad understanding of typical development and then consider different development pathways.
Statistics for Psychology and the Behavioural Sciences teaches the core statistical methods that are commonly used across psychology and the behavioural sciences, as well as developing your confidence in identifying and applying appropriate statistical techniques. This module will also develop your ability for statistical programming. Advanced Statistics for Psychology and the Behavioural Sciences likewise provide an understanding of a set of advanced statistical methods that are used across psychology and the behavioural sciences and enable you to identify and apply appropriate statistical techniques.
The Dissertation enables you to design, implement, analyse and finally discuss an empirical project relevant to your field of study, giving you the opportunity to apply the theoretical knowledge you have acquired and to gain experience of collaborating with other researchers and undertaking research and project management. The Department provides excellent support and opportunities for conducting a significant piece of independent research.
The course is delivered predominantly through a mixture of lectures, seminars and workshop classes. Lectures provide key information on particular topics in the area of typical and atypical development. Seminars are held in order for smaller group teaching to take place, with focused discussion on specific topics. Finally, practical and workshop classes allow students to gain direct experience, particularly in how to use statistical tools.
The balance of this type of activity varies as a function of the module. This is a one year course, with students having a summer term to work on their dissertation-related activities. Students typically attend approximately 12 hours a week comprising lectures, tutorials and seminars. Outside timetabled contact hours, students are also expected to undertake their own independent study to prepare for their classes and broaden their subject knowledge, as well as completing their dissertation. Independent study is a key element to the course, with complex factors raised in lectures that do assume some prior knowledge of the topic area.
The course is divided into three parts. One third, comprising three modules, is of subject specific topics related to developmental psychology and developmental psychopathology (with a specific focus on neurodevelopmental conditions). A further three modules focus on research skills, such as critical thinking abilities and statistical knowledge, that are necessary to understand developmental psychology and developmental psychopathology. The final third of the programme is the dissertation module, which reflects the culmination of learning and practical endeavours from throughout the course via the production of an independent and original body of research material. This is performed under supervision with a member of staff, with meetings varying in duration and frequency throughout the year as a function of the needs of the research project and the student.
Entry requirements
2:1 in Psychology or Psychology related subject (or equivalent).
If you are an international student who does not meet the requirements for direct entry to this degree, you may be eligible to take a pre-Masters pathway course at the Durham University International Study Centre.
The tuition fees shown are for one complete academic year of full time study, are set according to the academic year of entry, and remain the same throughout the duration of the programme for that cohort (unless otherwise stated).
Our Masters qualifications provide the essential skills and understanding to progress to research at a higher academic level or to launch a professional career.
Our students enter the workplace with knowledge relevant to careers in psychology but also with the transferable skills in analysis and problem-solving that are valued by employers.
Such skills are highly sought after in a range of professions and our postgraduates have progressed to roles that include consultants, advisors, human resources professionals, talent managers, business analysts, market researchers, public relations professionals, marketeers, administrators, managers, civil servants, coaches, trainers and teachers.
In addition, the broad nature of the Department means that some of our postgraduates also qualify for careers in clinical and healthcare settings.
Department information
Psychology
The Department of Psychology provides a world-class teaching and research environment for postgraduates who are interested in understanding more about the thoughts, feelings and motivations that lie behind actions and human behaviours and the processes that trigger them.
Our academic team are leading experts in their specialisms and provide outstanding supervision for postgraduate learning and research in key areas of psychology including Developmental Science, Cognitive Neuroscience and Quantitative Social Psychology.
Our range of taught Masters qualifications offer the opportunity to focus on a specific aspect of psychology be it biological, cognitive, social, developmental or neuroscience-related and to learn key approaches to the discipline including statistical training. For those who are interested in pursuing their own research interests we offer the MA/MSc by Research which offers a direct route to the PhD.
All postgraduate taught courses include a postgraduate dissertation in a chosen subject, supported by a member of staff with expertise in that area. Students also have access to state-of-the art technical, clinical and experimental facilities to support learning and research.
In the Department, we are proud to have passionate and committed teachers, who love their subjects and want to share that passion. We encourage collaborative working on new ideas so that together we can make new discoveries about human behaviour.
Facilities in the Department are outstanding. They provide state-of-the-art support for postgraduate work in understanding mind and behaviour through high precision experimental methods and ecologically valid controlled environments.
Postgraduate students have access to dedicated laboratory space equipped with opportunities for training in eye-movement recording, motion capture and psychophysics.
Other specialist facilities include transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), electroencephalography (EEG), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and a number of laboratories.
The Department of Psychology is located close to many academic departments and University services, and is within walking distance of Durham’s historic centre, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
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