Teaching methods

Studying online gives you the freedom to study when and where it suits you – at home, during your lunch hour or anywhere else you have internet access.

Our courses are delivered through a virtual learning environment (VLE) instead of a traditional campus. This means you will have access to your study materials 24/7, including:

• multimedia lecturecasts made up of written content, short videos, animation, audio recordings, infographics, short tests and mini-assignments
• discussion forums for you to chat about the course content with fellow students
• live skills workshops with your tutors
• a comprehensive eLibrary of textbooks and academic journals
• support from academic staff and your dedicated Student Support team

To ensure you receive the support you need from your tutor, we cap our class sizes at 20 students.

Assessment methods

Rather than fretting about exams, you will be assessed exclusively through assignments. This can be by engaging in discussion forums throughout your modules, completing reflective journal entries, or by submitting longer written pieces.

We are committed to providing frequent and transparent feedback through the following ways:

• Our assessment criteria are designed to be simple and transparent.
• You will always be aware of your current provisional grade, right from the start of the programme.
• You will be able to view your marks clearly in your gradebook whenever you log onto the learning platform.
• There is a 7-day turnaround for marking and feedback of assessed work.
• You will have regular contact with your Student Support team, with whom you can discuss any concerns as soon as they arise.

Study duration

Our MSc Psychology has an indicative study duration of 2 years, which is a guide to how long your course will take to complete. The actual duration may be longer or shorter depending on your speed of study, study options chosen and module availability.

It’s possible to complete your studies faster than the indicative course duration by doubling up on modules at certain times; however, minimum study durations do apply.

Our academic year is organised into modules, typically with a one- or two-week break between modules and a structured three-week break for the Christmas period. Students will receive a course timetable during the application process.

All of our courses have regular start dates throughout the year.

On successful completion of your degree, you will be invited to attend a graduation ceremony at the University of Essex, Colchester Campus.

An education in psychology can be useful in a wide array of fields, including counselling, marketing, the civil service, healthcare and the legal system.

You can also pursue further education in psychology in order to enter one of the many career paths within the field, such as investigative and forensic psychology, neuroscience, healthcare, clinical roles, child development and education, sports, exercise and occupational psychology. This degree will also be beneficial within academia, research or training.

We know that many people from non-traditional backgrounds would succeed on our courses! That’s why we offer two different entry routes, taking into account your prior work experience and relevant qualifications. You will also need to meet our English language requirements.

Additionally, you will need to pass your first assignment set within your two-week induction period of the course in order to continue with your studies.

Academic entry route

In order to satisfy the academic entry route requirements for our MSc Psychology, you must have the following qualifications as a minimum:

• an undergraduate degree from an approved institution, equivalent to a UK Honours degree, or a relevant professional qualification

Work experience entry route

In order to satisfy the work experience entry route requirements for our MSc Psychology, you must meet the following criteria:

• at least 3 years’ experience (voluntary or paid) within a relevant field, supported by 2 appropriate references. A relevant field may include one in Health, Mental Health, Social services, Counselling services, Schools and Education, Policing, Data analysis and Statistics. This is not an exhaustive list and will be reviewed on an individual basis by the academic team.

English language requirements

As our courses are delivered in English, a high proficiency with English is required. If English is not your first language, your English ability should be equivalent to an IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5. Don’t worry if you don’t hold an IELTS or equivalent qualification – we offer a free online English test to assess your proficiency.

You don’t need to prove your English ability if you are a national of, or have completed a qualification equivalent to a UK degree in, any of these countries.

Full tuition fee: £11,836 (2022-23) Δ

• Designated for postgraduate student loans in England.
• Simple monthly payment plan available, enabling you to spread the cost over the duration of your studies.
• Full payment discount of 5% if you pay upfront.
• Partial scholarship available for international students residing in specific regions outside of the UK.
• Alumni discount of 10% of the tuition fee available if you are a previous graduate with the University of Essex or University of Essex Online.
• 10% corporate discount available when three or more of your employees study with us. 

Please note that a maximum of two discounts or scholarships can be applied. The corporate discount can only be used in combination with our upfront payment discount, but not in conjunction with any other discount or scholarship. Find out more information about our discounts and scholarships here.

Our course fees are fully inclusive – all teaching materials and required reading are included, and there are no hidden charges for assessments or resits. We also charge the same fee for domestic and international students.

Δ All tuition fees shown are net of any applicable sales tax payable by you in your country of residence. Where we are required to add sales tax at the local statutory rate, this will be added to the tuition fees shown and confirmed during the payment process.

Subject specialists, industry authorities and experienced academics: the tutors who teach modules on our MSc Psychology are experts in the field of psychology.