Which psychology masters degree from Surrey is right for you?

Behaviour Change MSc

On our Behaviour Change MSc, you’ll learn how to understand, predict and change human behaviour. With its roots in psychology, this course examines theory- and evidence-based solutions for supporting people to change their behaviour, with an emphasis on real-world application.

This course is a good fit if...

You’re curious about behaviour change science and how this can be applied to different aspects of society, and you’re interested in turning psychological knowledge and techniques into real-world impact. You have an undergraduate degree in a relevant behavioural science discipline such as psychology, politics, sociology, economics, business, marketing or communications.

Career pathways

This course will set you up for any career with analysing and changing behaviour at its core. This includes healthcare, civil service, education, human resources, policymaking, charitable work, and Government.

Clinical Psychology and Mental Health MSc

Our Clinical Psychology and Mental Health MSc will help you develop as a reflective practitioner, with a strong grounding in psychological principles and approaches. You’ll study critically relevant topics such as neurodiversity, evidence-based psychological interventions such as CBT and third-wave therapies, and global perspectives on mental ill health and wellbeing.

This course is a good fit if...

You have a strong interest in clinical psychology and how mental ill health is understood and treated, both in the UK and globally. You may have an undergraduate degree in psychology and want to specialise, or you may have professional experience in a clinical setting and want to strengthen your practice. You’ll be ready to actively participate in workshops and seminars, working closely with fellow students and interacting with visiting lecturers and people with lived experience of mental ill health.

Career pathways

This degree can act as a stepping stone to further study if you want to become a clinical psychologist or mental health practitioner, or you want to work in the psychological professions. It’s also a great foundation for pursuing a role in the wider mental health and social care sectors. Find out more about what you can do with a masters in Clinical Psychology and Mental Health.

Environmental Psychology MSc

Surrey is a pioneer in environmental psychology. Our Environmental Psychology MSc, established in 1973, was the first of its kind in the world and remains the only such programme in the UK. You’ll gain an in-depth understanding of how people think, feel and behave in the context of their physical surroundings, including sustainable and 'green' behaviours. You'll also learn how to create spaces that benefit people and the planet. 

This course is a good fit if…

You’re interested in the relationship between people and the environment, and you want to learn how to make a difference in this space. You may have studied – or currently have a job in – architecture, psychology or a related social science, or sustainability. The most important thing, however, is a demonstrable interest in environmental psychology and its relevance to your career plans.

Career pathways

This degree is relevant to a range of jobs typically in sectors such as Government, charities and NGOs, consultancy, architecture, and academia. Other relevant fields include sustainability, social responsibility, communications and marketing, and health and wellbeing.

Health Psychology MSc

Our Health Psychology MSc is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), which means our curriculum meets the standards required to provide Stage 1 training in health psychology. You’ll explore how psychological factors – such as thoughts, emotions and behaviours – affect our physical health and wellbeing, and you’ll learn how you can help people with health-related issues. An accredited degree is necessary if you wish to pursue a career in the psychological professions.

This course is a good fit if…

You want to deepen your understanding of the psychology behind physical health and explore ways to help people stay healthy, manage illness, and improve the healthcare system. You want to study health psychology at masters level because it will be relevant to your career or you want to become a health psychologist. You’ll have an undergraduate degree in psychology or an international equivalent. If you want to become a health psychologist, your undergraduate psychology degree (or conversion course) must be accredited by the BPS or the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI), and you must have Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership with the BPS.

Career pathways

Career paths include jobs in behavioural analysis, wellbeing, public health, charities and academia. If you want to be a health psychologist, you will need to complete stage 2 training once you graduate from this course (which counts as stage 1 training). More information can be found on the BPS website.

Occupational and Organizational Psychology MSc

Based in Surrey Business School, our BPS-accredited Occupational and Organizational Psychology MSc equips you to apply psychological principles in the workplace – from managing performance and engagement, to evaluating leadership approaches and conducting psychological assessments.

This course is a good fit if…

You’re interested in understanding the psychology behind performance, wellbeing, and engagement at work. Combining psychology with business, this programme prepares you to make a meaningful impact within organisations. You’ll have a psychology undergraduate degree or a degree in a related field with psychology content, such as human resource management, business or sociology.

Career pathways

With this degree you could pursue a variety of roles across industry and academia, including health and wellbeing lead, talent manager, behavioural analyst, HR manager, or recruitment director. You may also want to pursue stage 2 training to become an occupational psychologist.

Psychology (Conversion) MSc

Our BPS-accredited Psychology (Conversion) MSc will introduce you to the theories and practical applications of contemporary psychology. You’ll focus on the core areas of psychology, including cognitive, developmental and social psychology, and develop your research and statistical skills.

This course is a good fit if…

You didn’t study psychology at undergraduate level and/or want to pursue a career or further study in psychology which requires Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership with the BPS.

Career pathways

Once you’ve completed this degree, you’ll be able to specialise in an area of psychology through further study. You’ll also gain transferable skills that can be used in roles such as teaching, recruitment, human resources, advertising, or consultancy.

Psychology in Games Design and Digital Innovation MSc

Our Psychology in Game Design and Digital Innovation MSc explores how psychological science informs the design, evaluation and impact of games, immersive technologies, and digital experiences. You’ll examine how interactive and gameful systems influence learning, behaviour, and engagement, with opportunities to explore extended reality (XR), design research-led interactive prototypes, and conduct user research studies grounded in psychological theory.

This course is a good fit if…

You’re curious about how games, immersive technologies and digital systems shape human behaviour and learning, and you want to apply psychological theory to the design and evaluation of interactive experiences. You’ll also be interested in user research, engagement science, serious and educational games, XR, or behavioural innovation. You’ll have a background in psychology, design, digital media, human–computer interaction, product development, education, computer science or related fields.

Career pathways

Graduates of this course pursue roles such as UX/user researcher, player or experience researcher, digital behaviour or engagement specialist, educational games designer, and digital health associate. The course also provides strong preparation for doctoral study.

Social Psychology MSc

On our Social Psychology MSc, you’ll explore why we think, act and behave the way we do in social contexts. As well as studying the core theories and principles of social psychology, you can choose from a wide range of optional modules on topics such as behaviour change, psychological aspects of healthcare, digital tech and human behaviour, and morality and emotions.

This course is a good fit if…

You’re fascinated by how humans interact with each other and you’re interested in aspects of group behaviours such as discrimination, stereotypes, stigma, emotions, and identity. You’ll have studied psychology or have a social sciences degree such as sociology or political science.

Career pathways

A degree in social psychology can give you skills that are useful in a range of organisations, including charities, Government, media, or academic institutions. After graduating, you could pursue a role such as researcher, behavioural scientist, policy consultant, HR manager, EDI consultant, disability adviser, or teaching assistant. You may also want to pursue further study with a PhD.

Find out more about our psychology masters courses