Child Psychology

Entry requirements

• Normally a 2:1 honours degree or above in psychology or a closely related discipline.
• Students must also be able to demonstrate mathematical competency equivalent to grade C or above at GCSE level.

Months of entry

September

Course content

Our course looks at research in child psychology, focusing on the advanced study of psychological development in children and the implications of psychological theory and research for policy and practice.

Areas of expertise include: psychosocial issues concerning living with facial disfigurement and impairment in childhood and adolescence; children's expertise in describing and recalling faces; reading development in blind children; phonological awareness and letter knowledge in reading development; bullying; the development of biological at-risk children (very pre-term); children's regulatory problems (crying, feeding, sleeping) and ADHD; autism, face processing and ‘Theory of Mind'; anxiety disorders; learning and the role of cognitions in fears and anxiety; language development in typical development and developmental disorders; pre-verbal infant cognitive, social and emotional development; and development of numerical abilities.

Reasons to choose Kingston University:

• Facilities include an observation/test room, monitoring room, and eye-tracking technology.
• You can gain relevant work experience. Students have had placements in nurseries, schools, mental health services, play therapy, and charities for people with disabilities.
• Kingston has links with local schools and external organisations for conducting applied research.

What you will study:

Taught by researchers active in the field of child psychology, this MSc has a strong research focus, and you will be encouraged to approach empirical research critically.

You will be introduced to the theories of child psychology, considering them in relation to the real world, and will cover the empirical research and theories of developmental psychology, focusing on implications for policy and practice. You will also study the application of developmental psychology to social policy, such as social issues, education and school issues and health, and the factors influencing the development of children's relationships. You will consider both typical and atypical development, including a range of developmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorders, dyslexia, etc.

The dissertation gives you the chance to study an area of interest in greater depth and gain valuable research skills. For example, past students have studied social communication difficulties in children and adolescents with autism.