University of Birmingham - College of Arts and Law
MSc in Philosophy, Mental Health and Psychology
Birmingham, United Kingdom
MSc
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
28 Aug 2026*
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
GBP 11,250 / per year **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* for UK students | 3 July 2026 for international students
** UK: £11,250 : full time | £5,625: part time | international: £27,090 full-time
Key Summary
Discover why we are the UK university most targeted by top graduate employers ('Graduate Market in 2024' and 'Graduate Market in 2025' High Fliers reports) at our on-campus Postgraduate Open Day.
Study issues affecting the modern human psyche in a world-leading research environment including the Institute for Mental Health and the Centre for Human Brain Health. You’ll learn from experts across Philosophy and Psychology as you pursue original research and specialise with a variety of optional modules.
At Birmingham, you'll bridge psychology, mental health and philosophy through a flexible choice of engaging modules covering the latest debates in these fields.
You can choose to learn the ethics of intervention, research and practice; explore the neurobiology of mental illness; or take a philosophical approach to the mind, mental health and psychology.
- Join active communities in the Department of Philosophy, School of Psychology and the Institute for Mental Health.
- Design the course around your interests with a range of optional modules available across philosophy, mental health and psychology. Choose between a Philosophy dissertation, or a project in either Mental Health or Psychology.
- Take part in research activities, including research seminars and events like our speaker series, reading groups and conferences.
By studying a postgraduate degree in Philosophy at Birmingham, you’ll develop transferable skills suited to a range of career paths. These skills include the ability to articulate your ideas clearly, analytical skills, and the ability to present a strong argument.
Our Philosophy graduates enter many roles, including:
- Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Victims Adviser
- Policy Advisor
- Deputy HR Manager
- Tutor
Employers our Philosophy graduates have worked for include:
- Regional police forces
- University of Birmingham
- Migrant Help
Please be aware this course is not BPS accredited.
Careers Network
Get ready for tomorrow, with advice, guidance and opportunities at every step of your studies. From developing new skills to preparing for a PhD, our Careers Network can help you gain an advantage in the job market or advance in your field.
Whatever you plan to do after your degree, the Careers Network offers a range of events and support services including networking opportunities, career coaching, one-to-one guidance, careers fairs and links with leading graduate recruiters. We also offer subject-specific careers consultants and a dedicated careers website for international students.
Please visit the course webpage below for up-to-date information on modules.
To help you afford your studies, we’ve put more than £33 million into student support and scholarships. We also offer a range of advice on searching for funding and managing your finances.
Scholarships for international students
At Birmingham, we believe in removing all barriers to education, so all of our talented students can achieve their full potential. As an international student, you can take advantage of our wide range of University-run scholarships as well as the many scholarships and bursaries from external funding organizations.
Our Philosophy Department has the highest ranked research in the UK in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework based on Grade Point Average (Times Higher Education).
Join a global community and discover a course that matches your interests and aspirations with our huge range of postgraduate programmes in the College of Arts and Law.
Study options
We offer full time or part time study for many of our courses. We're proud to offer many courses by distance learning so you can access our exceptional teaching and resources from anywhere in the world.
Looking to study for a shorter period? Some of our courses offer PGCert and PGDip qualifications.
Innovative postgraduate degrees
Benefit from our interdisciplinary approach with opportunities to develop your skills. Whichever programme you pick, you’ll expand your knowledge and be ready for your next career step.
The University of Birmingham is the top choice for the UK's major employers searching for graduate recruits, according to The Graduate Market in 2024 and 2025, High Fliers report.
Ways you can enhance your career prospects include:
- Placement opportunities on the MA Film and Television: Research and Production
- Optional public history placement module on our MA History courses
- Practice-based dissertation options on MA International Law, Ethics and Politics
First-class facilities
Take your learning to the next level at Birmingham. Benefit from our incredible facilities available to College of Arts and Law students including:
- The Film Editing Suite: Access content creation and podcasting studios, professional cameras, and filming equipment with beginner friendly training by media technicians.
- The Barber Institute of Fine Arts: Our on-campus art gallery with paintings spanning seven centuries, from Botticelli to Monet and Van Gogh. The History of Art and Art History and Curating programmes are taught in the Barber for direct access to artwork. [The galleries of the Barber Institute are currently closed due to essential building works. Teaching will recommence in the galleries from autumn 2027.]
- Bramall Music Building and our Music Hub offering state-of-the-art performance, concert and rehearsal spaces.
- Shakespeare Institute: Our Shakespeare Studies students access a wealth of resources and a dedicated library at our Shakespeare Institute, based in Shakespeare’s hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon.
- Classics, Ancient History and Archaeology Museum including over 2,000 archaeological objects and an environmental archaeology collection.
Experts in distance learning
You don’t need to be in Birmingham to make the most of our outstanding teaching and research. Study from anywhere in the world through our range of distance learning options.
With over 25 years’ experience delivering distance learning courses, we’ll make sure you’re supported from day one.
You won’t be alone in your studies – on our taught programmes you’ll connect with your peers through our Virtual Learning Environment. If you choose a postgraduate research degree by distance learning, you’ll access remote research supervision meetings.
“I studied International Heritage Management as a distance learning student. My time at the University of Birmingham had a profound impact on my life, both personally and professionally. From start to finish, the experience was exceptional.” – Josh, MA International Heritage Management by Distance Learning alumnus and Senior Operations and Events Executive at Historic Royal Palaces.
Birmingham Law School
For almost a century Birmingham Law School has led the way in legal education and research. Today, we continue to provide our students with innovative, challenging, and research-driven education.
We are a truly global, civic and diverse community reflected through our staff and students who have important impacts around the world through research, teaching and enterprise.
The Shakespeare Institute
An internationally renowned research institution based in the heart of Shakespeare's beautiful Stratford-upon-Avon. Established in 1951 to push the boundaries of knowledge about Shakespeare studies and Renaissance drama. Study in Stratford-upon-Avon or online.
The University of Birmingham is engaged in an exciting collaboration with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC). This pioneering project is the result of the longstanding relationship between the RSC and the University of Birmingham which amongst other things has seen the reinstatement of the iconic RSC studio theatre, The Other Place.
At Birmingham, research and teaching go hand-in-hand. Lecturers and professors continue to research in their field, offering valuable expertise in Philosophy.
- Taught modules - each module represents a total of 200 hours of study time, including preparatory reading, homework and assignment preparation.
- Seminars - modules are mainly taught by small group teaching.
- Final project - there are three options for your final project. You can choose to undertake a 15,000-word Philosophy dissertation in an area that interests you, or you can undertake a research dissertation with group and individual components working on a project linked to the Institute for Mental Health, or you can undertake a supervised research project in Psychology. This involves group-based research, leading to a 6,000-word research thesis.