Course Summary
Our MA in Applied Psychology gives you an advanced understanding of the discipline of psychology in applied settings.
College Link
Career Sectors
This course prepares you for working in the Career Sectors below. Follow the links to get a fuller understanding of the sectors you are preparing for.
Entry Requirements
1. Hold a Second Class Honours Grade 1 in a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8) in Psychology.
2. Satisfy the eligibility requirements for graduate membership of either the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) or the British Psychological Society (BPS). This must be demonstrated by the applicant by providing evidence that your undergraduate degree/qualification(s) is accredited by the PSI or by the BPS. Applicants whose undergraduate degree/qualification(s) is not listed as an accredited qualification by either the PSI or the BPS are required to provide evidence from the PSI or the BPS that they (the PSI or the BPS) consider your undergraduate degree/qualification(s) to be equivalent to the PSI/BPS degree, in terms of granting you eligibility for graduate membership of the society. This evidence must be sought by the applicant by applying directly to either the PSI or BPS for graduate membership as appropriate.
3. Provide an academic reference. Once you have submitted your online application you will be requested to provide the name and email address of 1 academic referee. A communication will issue immediately from UCC to your referee requesting the that they submit a reference directly to UCC.
4. Supply statements detailing:
A research proposal, which must include details that would ordinarily be contained within an abstract. Your research proposal is very important for your application as it demonstrates your potential to undertake and successfully complete a research dissertation. The research proposal requires significant detail and must include: a research topic and demonstrate your ability to identify a research problem and design a study to address it; an average word count of ~500 is expected.
Motivation and readiness, which should include information on:
Your understanding of what applied psychology entails
Reasons for applying to the programme and how your reasons fit with your experience and career objectives.
Consideration under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) may also be given to applicants who do not meet the minimum academic entry requirements as stated above but who present with a Second Class Honours Grade 2 in a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8) in Psychology and have significant and directly relevant work experience or has performed impressively in a relevant Master's degree acceptable to the School selection committee. In such cases, the applicant must clearly set out the grounds upon which they wish to be considered in the motivation and readiness statement.
Applicants may be interviewed and will be selected based on the following:
academic performance,
evidence of research capacity,
academic reference,
commitment to the area of applied psychology
Please note that:
If you are in the process of completing your undergraduate degree in Psychology or a conversion/Masters degree you must be in receipt of your final results (whether undergraduate or postgraduate) before 31st July.
Application Details
The closing date for non-EU applications is 30 June 2023
How Do I Apply
1. Check Dates: Check the opening and closing dates for the application process in the fact file boxes at the top of the page.
For Irish and EU applicants we operate a rounds system and you can check the rounds closing dates here.
Note that not all our programmes are subject to the rounds system so check the opening and closing dates for your specific programme in the fact file boxes above.
2. Gather Documents: Scanned copies of supporting documents have to be uploaded to the UCC online application portal and include:
Original qualification documents listed on your application including transcripts of results from institutions other than UCC.
Any supplementary items requested for your course if required.
3. Apply Online: Apply online via the UCC online application portal. Note the majority of our courses have a non-refundable €50 application fee.
Any questions? Use our web enquiry form to contact us.
Additional Requirements
Please note you will be required to provide additional information as part of the online application process for this programme. This will include the following questions:
You may enter the details of professional or voluntary positions held. We strongly encourage you to complete this section with all relevant work experiences that will support your application.
In addition to your previously declared qualifications, please outline any additional academic courses, self-learning, and professional training relevant to this programme.
Please describe your motivation and readiness for this programme. Applicants should demonstrate in their motivation statement, an understanding of what applied psychology entails and their reasons for applying to the programme, and how this fits with the applicant's experience and objectives.
Briefly describe a research proposal that may form the basis of your dissertation. The research proposal should include a proposed topic for the research dissertation and demonstrate your ability to identify a research problem and design a study to address it.
Please ensure that you complete the form in its entirety, each section is considered important in the decision-making process.
Your research statement should be strong as it demonstrates your ability to complete a large research dissertation in a busy course of study - consider including situating your research question in the relevant literature, statement of a research question, proposed method and analytic approach, and potential implications (i.e. a very short research proposal using the wordcount available to you - 500 words max).
Accreditation
All applicants are required to have an undergraduate degree/qualification which is evidenced as an accredited qualification by the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) or the British Psychological Society (BPS).
A list of accredited qualification lists can be found on the PSI and BPS websites:
Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI)
British Psychological Society (BPS)
If your undergraduate degree/qualification(s) are accredited by the PSI or BPS please locate them on the relevant PSI or BPS website, linked above, and upload a screenshot via your application of your degree as listed on that webpage, as evidence of accreditation.
If your undergraduate degree/qualification(s) are not evidenced as accredited qualifications by the BPI or PSI, as mentioned above, evidence is required from the PSI or BPS that they consider your undergraduate degree to be equivalent to a PSI/BPS degree, in terms of granting you eligibility for graduate membership of the society.
This can be evidenced by applying either to PSI (see PSI- Non-Irish courses) or BPS (see BPS- Non-UK courses) and uploading official documentary evidence via your application showing that the society deems you eligible for graduate membership.
The name and contact details (email) of two referees (one academic and one professional/experience) will be required and may be contacted during selection (written references will be required for placement interviews later).
Deferrals
Deferrals are not permitted on this programme.
Start Date 9 September 2024
Fees
The Non-EU fee for this course is €18,800.
Deposits
If your course required a deposit, that figure will be deducted from your second semester fee payment in January.
EU student fee payment
Fees for EU students are payable in two equal instalments. First payment is at registration in August and the second in January.
International student fee payment
International Students can pay in two equal instalments once they have paid the appropriate deposit. The initial payment is due on registration and the balance usually by the end of January.
How can I pay?
You can pay by Credit/Debit card online or by credit transfer.
Questions?
If you have any questions on fee payment email our Fees Office at [email protected].
The Student
Career Interests
This course is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests. If these interests do not describe you, this course may prepare you for work you may not find satisfying.
Social
The Social person's interests focus on interacting with the people in their environment. In all cases, the Social person enjoys the personal contact with other people in preference to the impersonal dealings with things, data and ideas found in other groups.
Many will seek out positions where there is direct contact with the public in some advisory role, whether a receptionist or a counsellor. Social people are motivated by an interest in different types of people and like diversity in their work environments. Many are drawn towards careers in the caring professions and social welfare area, whilst others prefer teaching and other 'informing' roles.
Investigative
The Investigative person will usually find a particular area of science to be of interest. They are inclined toward intellectual and analytical activities and enjoy observation and theory. They may prefer thought to action, and enjoy the challenge of solving problems with sophiscticated technology. These types prefer mentally stimulating environments and often pay close attention to developments in their chosen field.
Career Progression
On completion of this MA programme you will have acquired many skills including:
The ability to critically appraise psychological research and practice in a range of settings;
Advanced knowledge of the professional and ethical issues that may arise in the application of psychology;
Competence in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with colleagues;
Skills in planning and implementing an effective research course.
Further competencies developed through this course include interview, assessment, communication, and presentation skills.