PhD Social Psychology at University of Kent

Programme overview

The PhD in Social Psychology is a research degree based mostly on independent study, assessed through a thesis reporting original research, with required training completed alongside. It is taught in the School of Psychology at Canterbury, which has research laboratories including eye-tracking, brain stimulation and virtual reality facilities.

Department: School of Psychology | Duration: 3 to 4 years full-time, 6 to 7 years part-time | Intake: September, January, April | Study mode: full-time or part-time (Canterbury) | Location: Canterbury, England, United Kingdom

What you will study

Independent thesis research on a self-chosen topic or a funded project, with a one-year statistics sequence that students normally must pass.

Career pathways

Postgraduate students commonly go into health, teaching or further education, and many graduates take roles as assistant psychologists in the NHS on the route to clinical or forensic psychology.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Typical offer: 2.1 or above. Applicants must contact a staff member in the School of Psychology and confirm supervision before applying. A Bachelor's or Master's degree with at least a UK 2.1 or Merit (or equivalent); the degree need not be in psychology provided the statistics requirement is met and the supervisor and Director of Graduate Studies (Research) are satisfied with suitability. The transcript should show at least one term each of statistics and social science research methods (or two terms of a joint course), unless exempted for equivalent prior training. A CV and research proposal are discussed with the prospective supervisor. English language (international applicants): B2 on CEFR, for example IELTS 6.0 with at least 5.5 in each component, or PTE Academic 63 with at least 59 in each sub-test; a UK degree or a degree from a majority English-speaking country may also satisfy the requirement. All applicants are considered individually and additional qualifications, professional qualifications and relevant experience may be taken into account.

International applicants: GBP 21,950 a year (2027/28). Full-time annual tuition fee from the 2027/28 fee table Source

Intake: September, January, April

Duration: 3 to 4 years full-time, 6 to 7 years part-time

Apply through the official page: https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/apply

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