University College London (UCL)
Mental Health Sciences Research MSc
London, United Kingdom
MSc
DURATION
5 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
GBP 39,800 *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* international students: full time £39,800 - part time £19,900| UK students: full time £16,000 - part time £8,000. Additional fees may apply
The MSc in Mental Health Sciences Research is designed to give students a solid foundation in understanding mental health conditions through scientific methods. It covers key areas like neuroscience, psychology, and research techniques. Students learn how to design and carry out studies, analyze data, and interpret results to better understand mental health issues. The program emphasizes critical thinking and practical skills, preparing students for careers in research, healthcare, or further study.
The program also provides opportunities to explore current mental health challenges, policies, and treatments. It encourages students to develop a research project based on topics they are passionate about, offering hands-on experience from project design to presentation. Throughout the course, students gain a deeper understanding of how scientific research can improve mental health outcomes and contribute to advancements in the field. It’s a friendly, supportive environment for those looking to deepen their knowledge and push forward in mental health sciences.
UCL Scholarships
There are a number of scholarships available to postgraduate students, including our UCL Master's Bursary for UK students and our UCL Global Master's Scholarship for international students. You can click the link below to search via the scholarships finder for awards that you might be eligible for. Your academic department will also be able to provide you with more information about funding.
External Scholarships
Online aggregators like Postgraduate Studentships, Scholarship Search, Postgraduate Funding and International Financial Aid and College Scholarship Search contain information on a variety of external schemes.
If you have specific circumstances or an ethnic or religious background, it is worth searching for scholarships/bursaries/grants that relate to those things. Some schemes are very specific.
Funding for disabled students
Master's students who have a disability may be able to get extra funding for additional costs they incur to study.
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through lectures, seminars and workshops, with considerable use of supporting online learning.
Assessment methods include unseen exams, coursework including designing questionnaires and systematic review strategies, developing protocols, analysing data, giving talks and presenting posters. There is a strong emphasis on developing practical research skills.
For full-time students, typical contact hours are around 12 hours per week. Outside of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials, full-time students typically study the equivalent of a full-time job, using their remaining time for self-directed study and completing coursework assignments.
Modules
Full-time
Full-time students should choose 180 credits to make up their MSc.
The compulsory modules are:
- PSBS0002 Core Principles of Mental Health Research (30 credits)
- PSBS0008 Practical Statistics for Mental Health Research (15 credits)
- PSBS0015 Final Project (Research Project) (60 credits)
Remaining credits can be obtained from optional modules.
You can choose the remaining credits from our home modules. You should choose at least 45 credits (and max 75 credits) from our optional home modules.
You can also choose from elective modules outside the Division of Psychiatry (max. 30 credits).
Part-time
Part-time students should choose 90 credits in their first year and 90 credits in their second year (180 credits in 2 years).
The compulsory modules are:
- PSBS0002 Core Principles of Mental Health Research (30 credits) – to be selected in the first year
- PSBS0008 Practical Statistics for Mental Health Research (15 credits)
- PSBS0015 Final Project (Research Project) (60 credits) – To be selected in the second year
Remaining credits can be obtained from optional modules.
You can choose the remaining credits from our home modules. You should choose at least 45 credits (and max 75 credits) from our optional home modules.
You can also choose from elective modules outside the Division of Psychiatry (max. 30 credits).
Flexible
Modular Flexible students can take between 1 to 5 years to complete their MSc, which is made up of 180 credits. The main core module must be taken at the beginning of the course, as it forms the basis of the course.
The compulsory modules are:
- PSBS0002 Core Principles of Mental Health Research (30 credits) - compulsory for all, should be taken at the beginning of the course.
- PSBS0008 Practical Statistics for Mental Health Research (15 credits) - compulsory for all, can be taken in any year of the course.
In the last year, students must take their final project.
- PSBS0015 Final Project (Research Project) - (60 Credits)
During the five years, students can choose from optional and elective modules to make up the 180 credits required for the MSc.
Remaining credits can be obtained from optional modules.
You can choose the remaining credits from our home modules. You should choose at least 45 credits (and max 75 credits) from our optional home modules.
You can also choose from elective modules outside the Division of Psychiatry (max. 30 credits).
Compulsory modules
- Core Principles of Mental Health Research
- Final Project (Research Project)
- Practical Statistics for Mental Health Research
Optional modules
- Current Research in Dementia
- Current Research in Depression and Anxiety
- Current Research in Psychosis and Bipolar
- Neuroscience of Mental Health
- Mental Health Care: Evaluation and Policy
- Current Research in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
- Culture and the Clinic
- Advanced Treatment and Management of Dementia
- Mental Health in a Social and Global Context
- Epidemiological Research Methods in Mental Health
- Current Research in Psychological Trauma and PTSD
- Current Research in Children's and Young People's Mental Health
Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment, and module content and availability are subject to change.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Mental Health Sciences Research.
Placement
We do not have formal assessed placements as part of the course, but many students spend a day a week volunteering in NHS or clinical research settings for all or part of the course, and we are happy to help people find suitable settings in which to undertake this voluntary experience.
What this course will give you
UCL has a cluster of international research leaders in mental health in fields including genetics, epidemiology, and applied clinical research. Optional modules provide an entrance to other renowned departments at UCL, e.g. in neuroscience and epidemiology.
The programme is strongly focused on student participation and the acquisition of the practical skills needed to embark on a career in research. The wide range of research interests within our division allows us to offer a programme that integrates biological and psychosocial approaches.
We offer opportunities to get involved in the work of internationally significant research groups in a stimulating, friendly and supportive atmosphere.
The foundation of your career
Our clinician MSc graduates have often entered academic training pathways, including Academic Clinical Fellowships and clinical PhD fellowships such as those funded by the NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research). Many have gone on to become clinical academics who combine teaching and research, including some notable clinical professors. Others are NHS clinicians with strong research skills and understanding, and they play a substantial part in carrying out research in the NHS.
Non-clinician graduates of this MSc have often also gone on to research pathways, including research assistant posts and PhD studentships. 100% of our graduates were in work or further study within 15 months of completing their studies (most recent Graduate Outcomes Survey 2022/2023)
Employability
As a graduate of this programme, you will be equipped with strong practical research skills and understanding of the current status and direction of mental health research in your area of interest, preparing you to pursue doctoral studies, including through applications for nationally funded fellowships.
Clinicians will be equipped to participate fully in collaborative studies and to begin to function as independent investigators. For those without clinical qualifications, the programme is likely to assist you in embarking on a career in mental health research by obtaining research posts and opportunities for PhD places.
You will be taught by and carry out projects with leading researchers at the cutting-edge of their fields, learning about research directly from experts rather than from textbooks. Previous Division of Psychiatry MSc graduates have had a strong track record of publishing papers based on their research projects in peer-reviewed journals, and of going on to further academic posts and to doctoral studies.
Networking
You will work with other students and tutors drawn from across the Faculty and University. Also, there is an alumni network for the Division of Psychiatry MSc graduates.