/ Postgraduate Taught /
Start date:
September 2025
Duration:
1 year (full-time)
2 years (part-time)
Number of credits:
180
Choose a master’s with a unique focus on human development from infancy to adulthood.
Did you know
You’ll learn from internationally renowned experts in the field of child and adolescent development.
Modules
This is a new course for 2025. More information about your modules will be added shortly. Please contact us with any questions.
- Cognition, biology and development
- Developing relationships and emotions
- Developmental differences and diversity
- Investigating development
- Current issues in developmental psychology
- Capstone project
September 2025 entry onwards: We are reviewing and updating our curriculum to ensure our programmes provide the skills, knowledge, and experience needed for the evolving job market.
The modules listed are a sample of those currently offered and may change through the review process. However, the core learning outcomes and themes will remain similar.
Skills
Become an expert in the key domains of cognitive and social development, from infancy through to adulthood.
Throughout your MSc, you’ll learn:
- The use of investigative tools to assess development.
- To conduct appraisals of educational and other applied issues.
- Empirical and reflective skills and apply this to your research project centred around your interests and ambitions.
This programme is an ideal choice if you want to pursue research or practice with further training in education, wellbeing and mental health care. If you’re a working professional in health or education, this programme will advance your knowledge in developmental psychology and its application to your work.
The topics you’ll study include:
- Social, emotional and behavioural development – examine the development of interpersonal and emotional processes and their impact on behaviour. Study attachment and parenting styles, temperament and personality, self and identity, social interactions and relationships, and transitions in adolescence and adulthood.
- Investigative methods and tools for developmental psychology – explore the ways human development can be investigated. Learn about research design and data types, measures and questions, and inquirer techniques and tools such as psychometric testing for children and parents.
- Developmental diversity – learn about developmental differences, including neurodiversity and maladaptive issues at different stages of human development.
Learning
Learn through interactive seminars and workshops on campus, as well as online lectures, giving you flexibility with your studies as well as in-person contact.
This includes:
- Seminars considering the role of special education, classroom management, and school counselling.
- Discussions on the ways in which developmental psychological theory and research can be applied in different contexts such as schools and universities, how to cater to diverse needs and care settings, and the use of different psychological interventions.
- Workshops where you will practice the use of tools and tests and go on to analyse developmental research data.
You’ll also spend time working with your supervisor who will advise and support you through your capstone research project.
You’ll be learning alongside academics from our Centre for Research in Psychological Wellbeing. Our research spans experimental and developmental psychology, cognitive neuroscience, counselling psychology, and the arts and play therapies. This includes our research in Applied Research and Assessment in Child and Adolescent Wellbeing. We work to promote better understanding and improving social and psychological well-being of children, adolescents, and their families, through innovative research into public health, health services, policy and practice. Find out more about our research in child and adolescent wellbeing.
Assessment
Become a specialist in your field.
Your assessments will build your expertise and advance your spoken, visual, written, analytical, technical and reflective skills. This includes:
- Written assignments, including essays, reports and reviews.
- Authentic assessments, such as presentations and posters.
- Independent work, including your ethical proposal and your capstone dissertation.
As part of your MSc, you’ll complete your Capstone Project. Following a literature review and discussion with a supervisor, you’ll develop and present a proposal based on an empirical investigation or practice evaluation. You’ll then complete the project using primary data research or reflective practice, such as in your workplace or shadowing practice elsewhere. This will be assessed through a dissertation on your findings and practice implications.
Careers
Advance your career in the field of developmental psychology.
As a graduate, you could go on to work within developmental psychology, education, or therapeutic services. You could also progress onto further study such as doctorial level training with the School of Education, or clinical or counselling psychology following an accredited general Psychology degree such as our MSc Psychology (Conversion), or PhD research.
Further work experience could include working as an assistant psychologist or research assistant (requirement of a further BPS-accredited psychology degree may apply), support roles in schools and other places of learning, professionals in youth or adult care settings, and mental health or wellbeing practitioners.
Open days
Get a real taste of our campus, community and what it’s like to study at Roehampton
Applying
Full-time UK postgraduate students apply through our direct application system.
Course subject to curriculum review and validation.
Specific entry requirements
A second-class honours undergraduate degree or equivalent.
General entry requirements
September 2025 entry tuition fees
Year one fees
To be confirmed.
We offer a wide range of scholarships and bursaries. See our 2024 financial support pages for UK students.
We also provide other ways to support the cost of living, including free buses and on-campus car parking, hardship support and some of the most affordable student accommodation and catering in London. Find out more about how we can support you.
International undergraduate students apply through our direct application system.
Course subject to curriculum review and validation. [REMOVE IF NOT NEEDED]
Specific entry requirements
A second-class honours undergraduate degree or equivalent.
General entry requirements
September 2025 entry tuition fees
Year one fees
To be confirmed.
We offer a wide range of scholarships and bursaries. See our 2024 financial support pages for international students.
We also provide other ways to support the cost of living, including free buses and on-campus car parking, hardship support and some of the most affordable student accommodation and catering in London. Find out more about how we can support you.
