Course Summary
Our MA in Applied Psychology gives you an advanced understanding of the discipline of psychology in applied settings.
The course is designed to help you appreciate the potential and values of applied psychology, think critically about psychological theory and practice, and give you the opportunity to explore your own particular interests.
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
Applicants must:
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.
For Applicants with Qualifications Completed Outside of Ireland
Applicants must meet the required entry academic grade, equivalent to Irish requirements. For more information see our Qualification Comparison page.
International/Non-EU Applicants
For full details of the non-EU application procedure visit our how to apply pages for international students.
• In UCC, we use the term programme and course interchangeably to describe what a person has registered to study in UCC and its constituent colleges, schools, and departments.
• Note that not all courses are open to international/non-EU applicants, please check the fact file above. For more information contact the International Office.
English Language Requirements
Applicants who are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the university-approved English language requirements.
Application Details
Fees
The EU fee for this course is €7,130.
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.