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Psychology PGDip (Online)

Applied psychology for real-world impact

100% online

15 months (part-time)

120 credits

3 starts per year

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Develop advanced psychological expertise for professional impact

This Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology promotes the development of advanced theoretical knowledge and applied skills in contemporary psychology through engagement with professionals and applied contexts. You’ll explore core psychological theories, research methods, and evidence-based approaches to understanding human behaviour, cognition, and mental processes across personal, social, and professional contexts.

Diploma details

  • Join one of the UK’s leading institutions
  • Flexible entry and exit routes for lifelong progression
  • Curriculum built around psychological practice
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Curriculum built for applied practice

120 credits

8 courses

This online programme provides a structured exploration of core concepts in psychology while continually linking theory to real-world application. You’ll critically evaluate psychological research, develop expertise in research methods and data analysis, and learn to apply ethical principles to complex social and organisational challenges.

You will critically evaluate psychological research, develop expertise in research methods and data analysis, and learn to apply ethical principles to complex social and organisational challenges.

View Programme Specification

Required Psychology PGDip Courses

Phase 1

Explore how psychological phenomena can be understood from multiple perspectives – cognitive, social and personality psychology. The module emphasises the integration of theory with real-world applications, alongside a strong focus on ethics, scientific norms and communication skills. Through a portfolio-based assessment, you’ll demonstrate your understanding using different formats such as presentations or podcasts.

This module examines how the mind develops and functions through biological and developmental psychology, as well as through the lens of individual differences. It looks at psychological wellbeing, brain–behaviour relationships and how people change across the lifespan, with a strong emphasis on ethical considerations.
This module introduces the principles of psychological science, quantitative research methods and foundational statistical techniques. It prepares you to design, analyse and communicate quantitative research.
This module explores how psychological knowledge can be applied beyond academia to address real-world challenges. It emphasises ethical, practical and collaborative problem-solving, preparing you to design evidence-based solutions for diverse stakeholder groups.

Phase 2

This module extends your training in psychological research by teaching more advanced statistical techniques and introducing qualitative research methods. It prepares you to design, analyse and communicate both quantitative and qualitative research.
This module develops your ability to critically evaluate psychological research, understand the practical challenges of conducting studies and communicate scientific findings clearly to non-expert audiences. It emphasises applied research and effective public communication.
This module explores how psychological theories and evidence inform educational practice, development and policy. It examines typical and atypical learning, the work of educational psychologists and how to design assessments and interventions that support learners effectively.
This module examines how social psychological theories can be used to understand and address contemporary social issues. It emphasises analysing real-world problems, designing theory-driven interventions and communicating insights to varied stakeholders.

Please note that occasionally we may make changes to our programme curriculum. You may not always study modules in the order they are listed here.

Apply psychology where it matters

Graduates of this programme can pursue roles across health, education, organisational development, policy, research, and community-focused industries where psychological insight informs decision-making and practice.

Career pathways include wellbeing and mental health support roles, human resources and organisational strategy, behavioural research, education and student services, public policy analysis, and social impact work. There may be opportunities to work in organisations that rely on behavioural evidence and data-informed approaches as well.

The programme also provides a strong academic foundation for further postgraduate study in psychology or related disciplines.

Career details

Value of a Diploma (PGDip)

Postgraduate Diplomas are a great alternative to a master’s if you want to move forward without putting you career or finances on hold for longer than necessary. It gives you advanced, industry-relevant knowledge in a streamlined format, so that you can focus on what matters most for your career goals:

  • Study only what’s relevant to you – study only the modules that build the skills you need, without the added commitment of a dissertation or final project.
  • Qualify sooner – complete your studies in a shorter time frame and start applying your new expertise faster.
  • Manage your investment – benefit from lower overall tuition costs compared to a full master’s programme.
  • Stay career-focused – gain practical, applied skills that you can use immediately in your role or new industry.
  • Keep your options open – progress to a full masters later if it suits your ambitions.
  • Achieve a recognised Level 7 qualification – graduate with a respected postgraduate award that strengthens your CV and professional profile.

Programme outcomes

Upon completion, you will be able to apply advanced psychological knowledge to real-world contexts. You will develop strong research and analytical capabilities, alongside the critical thinking and ethical awareness required to use psychological evidence responsibly and effectively:

  • Develop advanced psychological insight to analyse complex human behaviour.
  • Demonstrate advanced understanding of psychological research methods and analytical techniques.
  • Integrate theory and empirical evidence to analyse complex behavioural and social phenomena.
  • Communicate psychological knowledge clearly and credibly to academic, professional, and public audiences.
  • Collaborate effectively in research and applied settings.

Entry criteria

We welcome graduates from psychology, social sciences, health, education, and related disciplines who wish to deepen their understanding of psychological theory and research. While we seek applicants with a bachelor’s degree, we do consider those with relevant work experience. For typical entry to this programme, you will have:

  • A BA or BSc Degree at level 2:1 (or equivalent) or above in any subject.

If you do not meet standard entry criteria, we may accept applications with a lower degree and significant work experience. Alternatively, we may recommend joining the PGCert in the first instance. Contact us to learn more.

English language proficiency requirement

If English is not your first language, you will need to supply an up-to-date English language test certificate. We accept IELTS certificates with an overall score of 6.5 and no less than 6.0 in any band. Alternative test certificates are also accepted, and exemptions can be made. Please contact us to find out more.

Admissions

Tuition and funding

The estimated total cost of this programme is £13,600 GBP for the full PGDip. You can pay in full or in instalments of £1,700 for each module. All costs are listed to help you make an informed decision.

Programme fees are reviewed annually and are subject to change each academic year. The fees listed above are for the academic year 2025-26.

Fees and Funding

We are excited to be offering discounts. Review our tuition and funding pages for more information.

Funding options

Meet your faculty

The faculty at the School of Psychology represent a broad, interdisciplinary blend of psychological and social-scientific perspectives that enrich the MA/MSc Psychology programme. Together, they cover biological, cognitive, developmental, social, political, cultural, and applied domains of psychology, offering students diverse ways of understanding human behaviour.

Bence Palfi

Dr Bence Palfi, Programme Convenor, MA in Psychology

Dr Bence Palfi

Bence is a Lecturer in Psychology whose research explores how people interact with AI systems to improve decision-making and real-world outcomes. He is particularly interested in the emerging field of metascience, examining how research practices can be made more credible through an emphasis on open and transparent science. He currently works on the development and validation of LLM-based tools to support rigorous preregistration and research practices.

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