MSc Developmental Psychology

Study Mode Part-time
Year of Entry 2025/26
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MSc

Developmental Psychology

Part-time Psychology

Gain a greater understanding of human development across all stages of life – mentally, socially and behaviourally – on this conversion course accredited by the British Psychology Society (BPS).

Everything you need to know...

  • Pound sign

    What is the fee?

    Home: £10,620 for the course
    International/EU: £17,725 for the course

  • Time

    How long will I study?

    2 Years

  • Location

    Where will I study?

    City Campus

  • Date

    When do I start?

    September 2025


Where will I study?

This course is moving into one of our new buildings at City campus. Teaching will be delivered at our Collegiate campus during the 2024/25 academic year while we get our new facilities ready. After that you will study in brand new facilities at City campus.  

Course summary

  • Gain an advanced understanding of human psychological development.
  • Develop research skills applicable to real-world psychological challenges.
  • Study psychological theories and methods, such as cognitive and social development.
  • Balance on-campus lectures with flexible independent study.

This BPS-accredited conversion course provides a solid foundation in core areas of psychology, with a particular focus on developmental contexts. You’ll explore how humans grow mentally, socially and emotionally, from childhood through to later life. Upon successful completion of the course, you’ll be eligible for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC), which is the first step towards becoming a Chartered Psychologist.

Accredited by
  • British Psychological Society (BPS)

This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and confers eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC), provided you achieve an overall mark of at least 50 per cent and pass your dissertation. This is the first step towards becoming a Chartered Psychologist.



Graduate View
MSc Developmental Psychology graduate Matthew Robinson

‘I was a bit nervous going back to university after taking time out of education, but the lecturers made me feel at ease and supported me throughout the course. I am now working as an assistant educational psychologist in a local authority.’

Matthew Robinson, MSc Developmental Psychology, 2017 graduate

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How you learn

The course is designed with flexibility in mind, allowing you to balance your studies with existing commitments. You can choose to study full-time, attending two days a week for one year. Or you can study part-time, attending one day a week, which is ideal for professionals looking to advance their career.

You’ll be taught by lecturers who are experts in developmental psychology and allied areas. They’ll guide you through a flexible, blended learning experience that combines on-campus teaching with online learning. 

You learn through:

  • lectures and seminars 
  • workshops
  • online learning and Virtual Learning Environments (VLE)
  • presentations
  • independent study
  • discussion boards and research forums
  • online support

Throughout the course, you’ll be assessed through various methods, including essays, research proposals, presentations, case studies, applied writing, and writing for publication. This approach ensures your learning is applied and practical, preparing you for real-world challenges in psychology.

Key themes

As a BPS-accredited course, we’ll cover all core areas of psychology – including biological, cognitive, social psychology and individual differences – all through the lens of developmental psychology. You’ll also develop a strong foundation in both quantitative and qualitative research methods. The modules are designed to complement each other, allowing you to consolidate your learning within broad and cohesive conceptual and methodological frameworks. 

In trimester one, you'll develop key skills such as critical analysis, communication, ethical practice, and an understanding of research, alongside a number of core BPS areas. You’ll expand these foundations in trimester two when you go on to study quantitative and qualitative research methods in more detail. Then in trimester three you’ll complete your final research project. 

In addition to skills development and the core BPS requirements, you’ll also cover a non-core area each semester, such as exploring how childhood attachment can influence relationships throughout the lifespan, and the theory and practice of counselling and psychotherapy.

Course support

You’ll be supported in your learning journey towards highly skilled employment through a number of key areas. These include:

  • access to dedicated student support advisers including academic, employability and personal advisers
  • online resources and Skills Centre for assignment help
  • access to Technical Operations, Resources and Services (TORS), supporting your own independent research

Course leaders and tutors

Diarmuid Verrier
Diarmuid Verrier
Senior Lecturer in Psychology

Applied learning

Lectures on the course are primarily focused on core knowledge and theoretical content – while seminars and workshops provide the opportunity for you to apply understanding through discussion and practical-based activities. You’ll complete a large-scale research project under the supervision of a member of staff, which allows you to put your psychological knowledge and research skills into practice. 

You may be offered the opportunity to assist with undergraduate teaching and/or staff research projects (subject to availability). This will especially suit those interested in a career in academia. You’ll also have many other opportunities for volunteering within the university and through other organisations. 

Networking opportunities 

The course helps you make the necessary links between the skills you’re developing and those required by professionals in psychology. To help we offer sessions that promote reflective skills, as well as more fundamental employability skills such as identifying the kind of jobs that the course opens up to you.


Future careers

This MSc is an ideal career progression route and conversion course, equipping you with the core academic and subject-specific skills you’ll need to access postgraduate training courses for a career in psychology. 

This course provides Continuing Professional Development for individuals employed in areas working with specific age groups, and prepares you for a career in:

  • education settings, such as teaching and SEN 
  • academia, such as a PhD in psychology and related disciplines  
  • doctorate roles in clinical or educational psychology 
  • research work within academic settings 

Where will I study?

You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.

City Campus

City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.

City Campus map | City Campus tour 


City Campus map
Location

Howard Street
Sheffield
S1 1WB

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Adsetts library

Adsetts Library is located on our City Campus. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.

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Psychology Facilities Tour

Take a look around Sheffield Hallam University's psychology facilities with student Angelica.

Equipment and facilities

The new City Campus offers a flexible and contemporary teaching and learning environment to encourage both staff-student contact and peer-to-peer engagement.  

We also have a dedicated Technical Operations, Resources and Services (TORS) team who provide numerous resources to our students as well as access to laboratories for experimental research.  

You’ll also use learning environments and digital and online resources to support your learning. 

You’ll have access to our specialist research facilities, such as:    

  • an observation suite  
  • an eye-tracking laboratory  
  • a BioPac psychophysics laboratory  
  • a low-level vision laboratory  
  • a food laboratory  
  • electroencephalography (EEG) equipment 
  • transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS)

Entry requirements

All students

A 2:2 degree or above or equivalent in any subject.

We may consider graduates with relevant work experience.

If you do not have these qualifications, or you are unsure whether you have the equivalent, please contact us. You may also be able to claim credit points which can reduce the amount of time it takes to complete your qualification at Sheffield Hallam. Find out more

International students

Typically you need qualifications equivalent to the above, and if English is not your first language you must have an IELTS score of 6.5 overall with a minimum 6.0 in writing and a minimum of 5.5 in all other skills. For equivalencies see our English language entry requirements web page.

If your English language skill is currently below IELTS 6.5 we recommend you consider a Sheffield Hallam University Pre-sessional English course which will enable you to achieve an equivalent English score.

If you do not have these qualifications, or you are unsure whether you have the equivalent, please contact us.

Additional information for EU/International students

If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.

For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.


Modules

Important notice: The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.

Year 1

Compulsory modules

Module
Credits
Assessment
Applied Developmental Psychology
Credits 15
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Fundamentals In Design And Statistics
Credits 15
Assessment
Lifespan Attachment Theory: Research And Application
Credits 15
Assessment
Qualitative Research Design And Analysis
Credits 15
Assessment
Research Issues In Developmental Psychology
Credits 15
Assessment
Final year

Compulsory modules

Module
Credits
Assessment
Developmental Cognitive Psychology
Credits 15
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Developmental Psychobiology
Credits 15
Assessment
Psychology Of Differential Development
Credits 15
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Psychology Of Social Development
Credits 15
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Research Project In Developmental Psychology
Credits 30
Assessment
Theory And Practice In Counselling And Psychotherapy
Credits 15
Assessment Coursework(100%)

Fees and funding

Home students

Our tuition fee for UK students starting part-time study in 2025/26 is £10,620 for the course. The tuition fee displayed above is for the full course. If the full course is more than one year in duration, the fee will be divided into annual payments which will then be rounded. This may mean the total fee you pay is slightly higher than the fee stated above. If you take a break in study or have to re-take part of the course, you may also be charged an additional fee and will be notified of this at the time. Our tuition fee for UK students starting part-time study in 2025/26 are: Year 1: £7,080 Year 2: £3,540.

If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.

International students

This course is not eligible for full-time Student visa sponsorship. International/EU students may apply for part-time Student visa sponsorship on an individual basis. Please contact Admissions for further advice. Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting part-time study in 2025/26 is £17,725 for the course. The tuition fee displayed above is for the full course. If the full course is more than one year in duration, the fee will be divided into annual payments which will then be rounded. This may mean the total fee you pay is slightly higher than the fee stated above. If you take a break in study or have to re-take part of the course, you may also be charged an additional fee and will be notified of this at the time. Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting part-time study in 2025/26 are: Year 1: £11,820 Year 2: £5,910.

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Postgraduate student loans

Up to £12,471 is available in 2024/25 for home students on most masters courses.

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Additional course costs

The links below allow you to view estimated general course additional costs, as well as costs associated with key activities on specific courses. These are estimates and are intended only as an indication of potential additional expenses. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.

General course additional costs

Additional costs for Sheffield Institute of Social Sciences (PDF, 154.4KB)

Legal information

Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.

 

How do I apply?

You apply for this course via our online application form.

Apply for September 2025

You can also use the application form above to apply for future years of entry.

Not ready to apply just yet?

Why not come to our next open day? Open days are the perfect place to talk to staff and students, visit our campuses and get all the information you need. Alternatively, feel free to ask us a question.

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Why choose us?

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Teaching

We are Gold rated in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) for the outstanding quality of our teaching and student outcomes

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Tailor

Tailor your degree to the career you want by choosing one of our three specialist routes

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Facilities

Study in award-winning facilities and state-of-the-art psychology labs and contribute to groundbreaking psychological research

Where next?

Find out more about Sheffield Hallam's postgraduate opportunities and community.

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Information for international students including entry requirements by country and funding.

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