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Department of Psychology

How to Apply

 

  • Formulate your project and placement interest statement, which takes the place of the Personal Statement for this course.
    • There is no need to include personal background information, justifications of your interest in the course, or description of your strengths and weaknesses: the Personal Statement section should be used exclusively to outline your research interests and research plans with regard to this MSc.

 

  • There are three options for how formulate a project and placement interest statement:
    1. Contact two individual potential supervisors (one for the project, one for a placement (usually term 2 placement), and negotiate with them what you will do before applying.
      • A list of the department's main research groups can be found hereLink opens in a new window. The complete list of academic staff can be found hereLink opens in a new window. To find out a staff member's research interest, follow the link to their homepage.
      • Normally, these will be two different individuals, but if a specific academic justification is given, one placement supervisor can be the same as the project supervisor.
      • First, contact a potential project supervisor. The project supervisor must be an academic member of staff. Your email should contain a rough project outline: no methodological details, just something that is specific enough that an academic can decide whether it could be developed into a worthwhile project, and if so, whether they are willing to supervise such a project.
        • Even if the person you contact first might not be able to supervise you, they might at least be able to point you towards an alternative supervisor in the department.
      • Next, contact a potential placement supervisor to ask if they currently have placement capacity in their lab in term 2 and would be able and willing to supervise you.
      • This approach has by far the highest chance of resulting in an offer.
    2. Only contact a potential project supervisor - but not a placement supervisor - and negotiate with them what your project will be before applying.
      • In this case, the Personal Statement will describe only the project, not the placements.
      • Please see above (Option 1) for the links to our academics and their research interests, and instructions on how to contact a potential supervisor.
      • The Department will then take into account the availability of appropriate complementary placements in considering your application, and will select your placements (if suitable supervision is available.
    3. Give a broader statement of the range of your potential interests without having contacted any potential supervisors directly.
      • Note that individual potential supervisors must not be named if they have not agreed supervision.
      • The Department will then take into account the availability of relevant supervision in considering your application, and will select your placements and project, provided that suitable supervision is available.
      • This approach has the lowest chance of resulting in an offer, as it requires three academics to agree 'blind' to the supervision of an unknown person.

 

  • Use the online application system to apply to P-C8P9 Psychological Research, which is listed under Psychology in taught options (as the course is assessed by modules, not by thesis). Ensure that your personal statement includes a project and placement interest statement that follows one of the three options above.

Selection for entry will be a two-stage process. In the first stage, your application form will be reviewed by the Course Director. If your application meets the entry requirements and the requirements listed above, you will then be invited to attend an online interview at Warwick.

The Department will endeavour to honour negotiated supervision arrangements, but changes may be beyond its control, due to, for example, unforeseen leave by the supervisor.

Applications can normally only be considered if received on or before 11th July for entry the same year, and will be considered during the summer. Only full-time entry at the beginning of the Autumn Term is available.

Applications for 25/26 entry will close on Friday 11th July 2025.