Postgraduate Open Event
Join us on Wednesday 18 November 2026, 17:00 - 19:00
Key information
Start
September
Location
Canterbury
Study mode
MSc 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time; PhD 3 to 4 years full-time, 6 to 7 years part-time
Typical offer
2.1 or above
Overview
A Master's by research degree focuses on research expertise and prepares you for professional work or PhD study. A PhD is a doctorate of philosophy based on mostly independent study.
Both research degrees are assessed formally on the basis of one piece of work, a dissertation (or thesis), that reports your original thought and research. You must also successfully complete all required training.
Choosing a topic
Although sometimes we have specific PhD research projects related to funding awards, most of our research students choose their own research topics. Once you have decided on the nature of your project, it is important to contact a staff member whose expertise matches your area of interest with a CV and research proposal to discuss your proposed project and potential supervisory arrangements. Master's by Research applicants should also follow this procedure.
You then work with your proposed supervisor on refining your research proposal which provides the starting point for your subsequent research.
Supervision
During your research, you are supported by your supervisory team, normally comprising one main supervisor and a secondary supervisor. Your will have agreed your main supervisor, based on their compatibility with your research interests, prior to registration. Typically, you have one formal meeting per month with your main supervisor to discuss your work and progress (bi-monthly for part-time students).
Training
Through the Graduate School, you have access to training in research-specific and broader transferable skills, including academic writing, career management and presentation skills.
PhD students in receipt of a teaching studentship (GTA), must also complete the Associate Fellowship Scheme (AFS). The AFS registration period is one year.
The Statistics and Methodology module from our taught MSc programme is available for doctoral students who have not already completed an advanced statistics and methods course. Master's by Research students are usually required to undertake this module.
The School of Psychology
Kent's School of Psychology conducts both basic and applied research in several areas, and we are highly regarded as a leading European centre for postgraduate research. We have a strong international reputation in cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, forensic psychology and social psychology. This is complemented by our strengths in organisational psychology and political psychology.
PhD funding
The School attracts excellent visiting scholars and postgraduate students from both within the UK and overseas. Some of our PhD students are self-funded, and others are funded by grants or awards either from the School, the University, UK research councils or their countries of origin.
The School has a strong track record of attracting ESRC research studentship funding, which involves partnerships with external organisations such as the Anne Frank Trust.
The course
How you'll study
Our postgraduate research programmes give you the freedom to explore your interests in depth, with support from expert supervisors along the way. You’ll build advanced research skills, deepen your knowledge, and make a meaningful contribution to your field.
Entry requirements
2.1 or above
Before making your application, you are required to contact and confirm supervision with a staff member within the School of Psychology. Please note, if this is not completed and noted on your application, our admissions team will not be able to process your application until supervision is confirmed.
A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree with:
a. Adequate level of academic achievement
A final degree classification (grade average) of at least a 2.1 or Merit in the UK system (the second highest classification after First/Distinction). Results from institutions in other countries will be assessed individually according to this standard.
Your existing degree does not have to be in psychology as long as the statistics training requirement is met (please see below) and your proposed supervisor and the Director of Graduate Studies (Research) are satisfied with the suitability of your academic background. If it is in a different subject, or if it is not accredited by the British Psychological Society, please ask your academic referee to complete our Pro-forma for graduate research programmes and email it to hsssadmissions@kent.ac.uk.
b. Statistics and research methods training in the social sciences
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:
- Means and standard deviations
- Distributions, hypothesis testing and statistical significance
- t-tests
- Correlation coefficients
- Variables and measurement
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).
It is possible to be exempted from the statistics training at Kent if there is sufficient evidence that you have already completed equivalent training in a previous qualification.
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.
Fees and funding
The 2027/28 annual tuition fees for this course are:
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.
The 2027/28 annual tuition fees for UK postgraduate research courses have not yet been set by the Research Councils UK. This is ordinarily announced in March. As a guide only, the full-time tuition fee for new and returning UK postgraduate research courses for 2026/27 is £5,238.
Your fee status
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.
Funding
Postgraduate research is a fantastic opportunity and significant investment in your future, enabling you to expand your knowledge, skills and career options – all while making a meaningful impact and contribution to an area you are passionate about.
At Kent, we also recognise the significant financial investment that comes with postgraduate study, and we offer a range of scholarships for our postgraduate researchers, to help keep your mind on your studies, and off your finances.
Scholarships can be broad, or specific to your situation, background or even country – so please do use our scholarships finder to discover the options available to you.
We also have research partnership funding with research councils and government schemes in specific areas of interest that can help you take your research to the next level with additional financial support.
Find out more on our fees and funding page and discover what option is right for you.
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.
General additional costs
Find out more about student 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:
- University and external funds
- Scholarships specific to the academic school delivering this programme.
Research
Kent is a leading research university, meaning that you will be informed about new discussions and developments by the people making them. This means your work will have real potential to make a difference.
Staff research interests
Kent’s world-class academics provide research students with excellent supervision. The academic staff in this school and their research interests are shown below. You are strongly encouraged to contact the school to discuss your proposed research and potential supervision prior to making an application. Please note, it is possible for students to be supervised by a member of academic staff from any of Kent’s schools, providing their expertise matches your research interests. Use our ‘find a supervisor’ search to search by staff member or keyword.
Full details of staff research interests can be found on the School's website.
Your future
Our postgraduate students commonly go into the fields of health, teaching or further education. For instance, many of our graduates take up roles as assistant psychologists in the NHS with a view to becoming a professional clinical or forensic psychologist.
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.
Postgraduates earn
£5,000
more per year than graduates (Graduate Labour Market Statistics, 2024).
A degree can boost average lifetime earnings by over
£300,000
Graduate employment outcomes - Universities UK
Ready to apply?
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.