To understand any psychological phenomenon fully you must first understand how it develops. Study the Developmental Psychology MSc at Kent to explore the psychological processes that affect the social, emotional and cognitive development of a person during their lifetime.
Our Master’s gives you a deep understanding of the advanced methods, analytical techniques, and theoretical and practical approaches to developmental psychology and developmental psychopathology. It provides a clear pathway to a career or postgraduate research in this fascinating field and the opportunity to help people of all ages in a range of settings.
We draw on the strengths of our academic staff and researchers working in the field of developmental psychology. Their expertise includes language development, representational ability and early social-cognitive understanding of others, singing, infant face processing, the development of prejudice and social exclusion, and developmental psychopathology.
A first or second class honours degree in a relevant subject or equivalent.
All applications are considered on an individual basis and additional qualifications, professional qualifications and relevant experience may also be taken into account when considering applications.
This programme includes a one-year statistics sequence which you must normally pass in order to receive your award. The teaching assumes that you are familiar with the following topics:
Therefore, your existing degree transcript should note that you have taken and passed a minimum of one term each in statistics and social science research methods courses (or two terms of a joint statistics and research methods course). A British Psychological Society-accredited degree will likely meet this requirement. Applicants with other degrees may be asked to provide additional evidence of training in statistics.
All applicants are considered on an individual basis and additional qualifications, professional qualifications and relevant experience may also be taken into account when considering applications.
Please see our International Student website for entry requirements by country and other relevant information. Due to visa restrictions, students who require a student visa to study cannot study part-time unless undertaking a distance or blended-learning programme with no on-campus provision.
This course requires a Good level of English language, equivalent to B2 on CEFR.
Details on how to meet this requirement can be found on our English Language requirements webpage.
Examples:
IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component
PTE Academic 63 with a minimum of 59 in each sub-test
A degree from a UK university
A degree from a Majority English Speaking Country
Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes through Kent International Pathways.
We’ve created the most progressive approach to higher education, developing and modernising our curriculum. For 2025 our courses will be designed with you at their heart to deliver a top-class student experience and career outcomes.
The following modules are what students will typically study, but this may change year to year in response to new developments and innovations.
You take all compulsory modules and choose two from a list of optional modules.
How can research methods and statistics to answer advanced research questions in psychology? As a postgraduate student, you will deepen your answers to these questions in this module. You will learn about the logic of qualitative analysis and the many different forms it takes, and gain a firmer understanding of quantitative analysis, sampling, and statistical inference. In preparation for understanding and conducting research, you will learn advanced insights about correlational and experimental methods to understand relationships, causes and effects among variables. Building on this understanding, you will learn in-depth how the simple correlation underlies understanding of multiple regression and its assumptions, and how regression in turn supports the general linear model, which is key to the other advanced topics taught in the module. The teaching will keep up-to-date with the latest advances in open science and transparent reporting of evidence. We will also use open source software to support practical lessons and assessments in data analysis, so that you can produce as well as understand the techniques being taught. Reporting your results through writing in APA style and appropriate data visualisation is an important skill, one that you will learn for a variety of analyses. There is also a special focus upon learning to identify which analysis technique is right for any given statistical problem.
How do we learn to think, reason, and understand others as we grow? In this module, you will explore groundbreaking research in cognitive development, examining how key cognitive and social-cognitive functions change throughout childhood and the unique psychological methods used to study them. By the end of this module, you’ll be equipped to critically assess research findings, understand the conceptual foundations, and analyse the strengths and limitations of various methodologies. Equipped with these advanced skills, you’ll have the tools to propose your own original research project on a topic that sparks your curiosity.
How does Developmental Psychology inform the work of clinical psychologists and other professionals who work directly with children? In this module you will learn how developmental psychology can be applied in professional settings (e.g clinical, education, healthcare, etc.) involving children and young people. You will receive lectures from clinical psychologists, educational psychologists, speech and language therapists, etc. These professionals will discuss with you the role developmental psychology plays in their professional settings, outline major theories that inform practice, and critically evaluate the role of developmental psychology in their work. Through Case Studies, you will have the opportunity to hear about specific instances where theories and methods from developmental psychology can be applied to a particular problem/issue in a professional setting with children and young people.
Current estimates suggest that up to 1 in 4 children are neurodiverse or experience some form of psychopathology, yet these children are often overlooked in our understanding of development. In this module, you’ll uncover the complexities behind common (neuro)developmental disorders and emotional/behavioural issues that arise in infancy, childhood, and adolescence. You’ll gain a deep understanding of how these disorders manifest and explore their potential psychological, neurobiological, and genetic or environmental causes. You’ll also examine key clinical approaches to supporting individuals with these challenges and learn how to evaluate research on developmental psychopathology, giving you the tools to critically assess study findings, theories, and methodologies. By the end of the module, you’ll be prepared to engage with this field on a deeper, more informed level.
Research forms the cornerstone of how we solve psychological problems. You will identify a burning question from a range of psychological sub-disciplines and design a research study that addresses the question using appropriate methodologies. This module will give you the skills to conduct research and communicate research in various forms. You will have the unique opportunity to conduct your research project under the supervision of experts across a range of psychological sub-disciplines. The skills learned in this module will prepare you for the completion of your dissertation and future as psychologists.
Students who have not completed an undergraduate degree in psychology work individually or in groups to identify a gap in the literature, design a study to fill that gap, collect data where appropriate and write up their findings. This work will be an opportunity to use all the research skills they have developed over this programme of study. Students will have an academic member of staff as a Project Supervisor. The area of research students work on will depend on their interests and those of their selected supervisor.
Why do we study the brain? This module will provide you a coherent foundation for understanding the biological bases of human behaviour and on how different cognitive processes are instantiated in the brain. You will learn how to critically appraise the contribution of the various disciplines that comprise cognitive psychology and neuropsychology to our understanding of the human mind and behaviour. You will achieve this while by studying some of the methodological and theoretical issues that are currently considered important in the study of cognitive psychology and neuropsychology such as body perception, emotion, memory and psychopathology.
What role do sensory and motor systems play in human cognition? In this module you will survey cutting edge research on their role as well as learning about the relations between brain, mind and body from physiological, experimental, philosophical, linguistic, and neuroscientific perspectives. You will learn about areas such as sensorimotor interactions, interoception, brain plasticity, body representation, body ownership, the sense of agency, influence of the vestibular system on the self-consciousness, as well as embodied cognition. Implications for cognition, social behaviour and clinical conditions will be emphasised. At the end of this module you will be able to critically read and analyse articles of scientific journals, clearly and concisely communicate your own ideas and discuss advanced methodological and theoretical topics in cognitive psychology/neuroscience.
How can we investigate the mental processes that allow us to think, understand, remember and perceive the world around us? What are the best methods for addressing different research questions on the relationship between brain and mind? This module will provide you with a theoretical foundation and practical experience in some key advanced research methods appropriate for scientific research in cognitive psychology/neuroscience. You will learn how different cognitive psychology/neuroscience methodologies are applied in practice, including their strengths and weaknesses, and how they relate to and complement each other. This will provide you with the core knowledge base needed for interpreting and critically evaluating empirical research in the field, as well as planning your own research studies.
Accurately measuring people’s psychological attributes, for example, their personality, abilities and performance is a key goal in quantitative research, educational testing, and organisational selection. In this module, you will gain a postgraduate-level foundation in the theory of psychological tests, measurements, and modelling. You will learn the concepts, methods, and computational techniques needed to effectively evaluate and apply standardized measures in clinical, organisational, educational and research settings. You will be introduced to the fundamental principles of Classical Test Theory such as ‘true score’ and ‘error of measurement’, and key techniques needed for evaluating reliability and validity of test scores. The module covers factor analysis in depth, as a core method to evaluate what the test measures. It also introduces ‘measurement by modelling’ using a Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) framework. Within this framework, you will learn techniques for multivariate data analysis such as path analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, basic longitudinal analysis and multiple-group analysis. You will explore data analysis applications from various fields of behavioural studies, and learn how to model/test statistically complex phenomena such as spurious and indirect effects, growth and change, measurement invariance, and others.
The programme includes lecture, workshop, and seminar-based teaching, as well as practical demonstrations of modern methods for studying child development (eg behavioural techniques, eye-tracking, electroencephalography), and an individually supervised empirical research project. Assessment is mainly by coursework assignment, examination, plus the dissertation.
For course aims and learning outcomes please see the course specification.
The School has excellent facilities for both laboratory and field research, including advanced laboratory and teaching facilities. Resources include:
All students registered for a taught Master's programme are eligible to apply for a place on our Global Skills Award Programme. The programme is designed to broaden your understanding of global issues and current affairs as well as to develop personal skills which will enhance your employability.
Our Developmental Psychology MSc graduates commonly go into the fields of health, teaching or further education. Many of our graduates take up roles as assistant psychologists in the NHS with a view to becoming a professional clinical psychologist, or pursue doctoral study and academic careers at higher education institutions. Because the MSc Developmental Psychology programme is taught by academics and professionals, it offers students wide opportunities to pursue a variety of careers.
The programmes we offer help you to develop general critical, analytic, and problem-solving skills that can be applied in a wide range of settings. For example, last year’s graduates have taken up full-time salaried/funded positions as assistant psychologists, as PhD trainees, as healthcare advisers/workers in the private sector and in Childhood and Adolescent Mental Health Services, and as specialist charity workers.
All of our taught Master’s (MSc) programmes have been recognised by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) as meeting the nationally recognised criteria for preparation training for PhD research.
Full-time: Home - £10,000 | EU - £20,700 | Overseas - £23,500
Part-time: Home - £5,000 | EU - £10,350 | Overseas - £11,750
See the Tuition Fees table for the most current information.
For students continuing on this programme fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.* If you are uncertain about your fee status please contact information@kent.ac.uk.
The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
Tuition fees may be increased in the second and subsequent years of your course. Detailed information on possible future increases in tuition fees is contained in the Tuition Fees Increase Policy. If you are uncertain about your fee status please contact information@kent.ac.uk.
You'll need regular access to a desktop computer/laptop with an internet connection to use the University of Kent’s online resources and systems. We've listed some guidelines for the technology and software you'll need for your studies.
Find out more about accommodation and living costs, as well as general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.
Search our scholarships finder for possible funding opportunities. You may find it helpful to look at both:
We have a range of subject-specific awards and scholarships for academic, sporting and musical achievement.
Next steps
Learn more about the application process or begin your application by clicking on a link below.
You will be able to choose your preferred year of entry once you have started your application. You can also save and return to your application at any time.
Supporting your success
Kent ranked top 40 in The Times Good University Guide 2025.
Fees and funding
Kent has risen 11 places in THE’s REF 2021 ranking, confirming us as a leading research university.
Accommodation
