Applied Developmental Psychology (MSc)

About the Course

The MSc in Applied Developmental Psychology focuses on cultivating developmental psychologists who are equipped to navigate the complex and multidimensional nature of promoting life chances and improving people's wellbeing.

At the heart of our programme lies an ethos of embracing diverse perspectives, we empower our students to gain fresh insights and develop original ideas rooted in core principles of developmental psychology as we firmly believe that these ideas have the potential to bring about positive changes for young people and their families. To enable this our programme has several unique features.

Communities of Practice  Our programme provides an enriching blend of advanced academic and practical training, designed to deepen your understanding of theoretical frameworks and key research. Through active engagement with multidisciplinary perspectives such as education, health, social work, law, and criminology, we emphasize the importance of research findings across communities and organisations. This emphasis enables you to connect research with policy and practice through our vibrant Communities of Practice. 

Placement The placement is mandatory and students will have the opportunity to engage with a placement within an external partner organisation, specialising in supporting young people and families. This invaluable experience allows you to apply developmental science and problem-solving capabilities in a multi-professional environment. 

Research with Impact Throughout the programme, we provide a series of workshops to nurture your advanced research skills, which are essential for both the placement intervention and the development of critical questions to explore in your dissertation. Our goal is to equip you with the necessary tools to become a proficient researcher and a catalyst for positive change.

Modules

Applied Developmental Science, Policy and Practice (40 Credits compulsory)

The application of developmental science to a range of experiences encountered by young people and their families, requires an inter-disciplinary approach and collaboration with policy-makers and practitioners. Therefore, it is critical to promote such opportunities for students to gain experience and expertise to solve problems within the local community of Liverpool and beyond

To this end, the module will be a weekly Community of Practice and act as a living curriculum through which a set of common problems will be shared. Students will participate in sessions involving developmental psychologists, interdisciplinary teams from the university, policy-makers, and practitioners, related to three main themes important to the lives of young people such as:

• Literacy and self-regulation
• Relationships and belonging
• Life chances and equality

It aims to promote the interest of all members, guide learning and meaningful actions.

Critical aspects of psychological interventions will be systematically considered in the context of the main themes, to support the negotiated placement objectives students will be undertaking during the programme. The information gathered will guide responses to a relevant case study. Students' work from this module will be published on the programme webpages and accessible to the wider community to enhance its impact.

Applied Developmental Psychology Placement (40 Credits compulsory)

This module enables students to gain valuable experience, and  provides an opportunity to put developmental science and problem-solving capabilities into practice in a multi-professional environment. The placement runs for 8 weeks for 2-3 days per week. Students will be able to work in partnership with an external organisation  to transfer their knowledge (e.g., Strawberry Field, The Reader, Writing on the Wall, PSS, Schools) to an intervention designed for young people and families; this will allow them to actively seek feedback from individuals, families, carers, communities and colleagues regarding the placement activity; negotiate the individual scope of their practical involvement within legal, ethical, professional and organisational policies, governance and procedures, with a focus on managing risk and upholding safety into a placement contract; and can involve using assessment methods appropriate for identifying risk factors and measure change. 

Advanced Research Design and Analysis (40 Credits compulsory)

The module is delivered as part of the Masters in Psychology Integrated Masters programme (BPS accredited) and will be cross-validated for the current programme. It aims to support students in developing advanced skills in both quantitative and qualitative methods and analysis appropriate for Level 7 study.

Applied Developmental Psychology Dissertation (60 Credits compulsory)

The module will require students to design, implement and write-up an independent empirical project in the area of developmental science that seeks to develop a nuanced understanding of the perspective of young people in society. In order to support this process students will develop a research proposal in collaboration with young people and external agencies. They will be required to apply for ethical approval in the university and to undertake an enhanced check with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). It is very important that the findings and conclusions should be communicated to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

Entry Requirements

A minimum of a Second-Class Honours degree in Psychology or a related subject with a research methods component awarded by a UK university, or an equivalent higher education qualification.

An Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (formally the Criminal Records Bureau – CRB) is a requirement of entry onto this course

International Entry Requirements

Possess a degree from an overseas institution that is judged by the Registrar or Nominee to be equivalent to an upper second class honours degree from a UK University.

For students whose first language is not English there is a language requirement of IELTS 6.5 overall with 6.0 minimum of all components. In addition to this, we also accept a wide range of International Qualifications, for more information please visit our English Language Requirements page.

For additional information about country specific entry requirements visit the your country pages. 

Teaching and Research

The Developmental Psychology Research Group comprises a multidisciplinary team.  Our research makes innovative contributions to understand the factors that shape young people’s academic attainment, positive relationships and ultimately their wellbeing.  The team enhances the vibrancy of research in the University by conducting different projects on those topics and supervising EdD and PhD candidates.  We connect with communities in Liverpool by volunteering, running events and workshops, as well as co-creating projects.  The team has been awarded funding by the British Academy, Education Endowment Fund, Local Authority and COST Action. We have also supported Nuffield Research Placement Scheme to enable young people to work at the heart of important questions.

UK/Channel Island Tuition Fees

2025/26

Tuition fees for Home students are £9,500

Funding

We offer a number of scholarships and loans to help fund your postgraduate studies. Visit our scholarships pages for more details.

EU/Non EU International Tuition Fees

2025/26

Tuition fees for EU/Non-EU International students for 2025/26 are £16,500

Please be aware that the UK’s departure from the EU may affect your tuition fees. Learn more about your fee status and which tuition fees are relevant to you.

Careers

The programme provides a strong scientific background in developmental psychology that can be applied across all chartered professional and research areas in psychology and related disciplines. The potential to work with key stakeholders across a wide range of academic and applied settings places students in the best position to translate understanding of child development to multidisciplinary fields as well as engage in networking. 

There is a strong focus on developing transferable skills; alongside effective communication, critical thinking, time management; we believe that the course offers a number of key opportunities to develop digital literacy and active citizenship skills.