Written by Ben Taylor
A Masters in Psychology is a versatile, open-ended qualification that can allow you to embark on a career as a psychologist or a similar profession, as well as a broad range of business sectors. Often taken as a postgraduate conversion course by people who studied a different subject at Bachelors level, a Psychology Masters can also be suitable for Psychology graduates wishing to specialise in a particular aspect of the discipline.
This page will give you an introduction to what jobs you can get with a Masters in Psychology. We’ve also used official data to work out what difference a postgraduate Psychology qualification could make to your earning potential.
What skills will I gain with a Masters in Psychology?
A Masters in Psychology will give you plenty of transferrable skills, as well as the specialist knowledge to pursue a career in psychological practice or academic research.
Psychology Masters are somewhat unique among postgraduate qualifications in that they can be either a Master of Arts (MA) or a Master of Science (MSc), depending on the focus of the programme. An MA in Psychology is more likely to take a Humanities-led approach to the subject, while an MSc will place more emphasis on scientific methodologies.
If you study a Masters in Psychology, you can expect to gain experience of the following areas:
- Different research methodologies
- Statistics and data
- Various psychological theories and approaches
- Critical reasoning and thinking skills
Depending on your interests, you may also want to specialise in a particular branch of Psychology, such as:
- Clinical Psychology
- Organisational Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Forensic Psychology
- Counselling
By the time you’ve finished your Masters in Psychology, you’ll have completed an extended research project and dissertation, which will show prospective employers that you can work independently on a substantial piece of work.
What jobs can I get with a Masters in Psychology?
The versatility of a Psychology Masters means that there are lots of different jobs you can get with a Masters in psychology, from practicing psychology itself to a whole range of industries in both the public and private sectors. Here's exactly what you can do with a Masters in Psychology.
If you want to go down the more traditional route of becoming a psychologist, you should make sure that you’re studying a programme that is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), allowing you to gain Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC). This qualification could either be a Bachelors degree in Psychology or a postgraduate conversion course for those who didn’t study Psychology at undergraduate level.
Once you have GBC, if you want to become a qualified psychologist you’ll need to complete a further three years of postgraduate study, usually in the form of a doctorate that combines academic and practical work.
These are some of the main branches of psychology you can find a job in after your Masters:
- Academia and teaching, embarking on research or working as a lecturer
- Clinical psychology, helping and advising patients with mental health issues
- Counselling psychology, offering different forms of therapy to individuals with mental health problems
- Educational psychology, supporting children and young people in schools and other educational settings
- Forensic psychology, dealing with criminal and civil law
- Health psychology, focusing on well-being and healthy lifestyles
- Neuropsychology, helping people with brain injuries and diseases
- Occupational psychology, helping companies identify ways in which they can support employees
- Sport and exercise psychology, assisting athletes and coaches with the psychological aspects of competitive sport
Of course, you aren’t limited to a career in psychology – many companies and industries don’t require job applicants to have studied a particular subject at postgraduate level, but will nevertheless welcome the transferrable skills you gained during your Masters. You could apply for a job in:
- The charity sector
- The civil service
- Law
- Local government
- Marketing
- Publishing
- Research
- Social care
- Teaching
How employable are Psychology Masters graduates?
Whichever route you decide to go down, statistics reveal that 87.9% of UK Psychology postgraduates from English universities are in employment and / or further study five years after graduation.
What salary could I earn with a Masters in Psychology?
It’s understandable that you’ll be keen to find out what difference a Psychology Masters could make to your future earning potential. Official data suggests that Masters graduates do earn a higher average salary than their undergraduate counterparts.
In terms of Psychology, data shows that:
- The median earnings of a Psychology Masters graduate (from English universities) five years after finishing their course were £28,800
- The median earnings of a Psychology first degree graduate (from universities in Great Britain, not just England) five years after finishing their course were £24,500
This means that, on average, Masters graduates in Psychology earn £4,300 per year more than Bachelors graduates – around 17.5% higher.
Data sources
This page uses official statistics for postgraduate salaries in the UK, based on information from HMRC that measures the earnings of UK postgraduates from English universities in the 2018-19 tax year. You should be aware that historical information doesn’t guarantee future career prospects and earnings. Many other factors also play a role in determining how well someone does with a Masters.
Search for a Masters in Psychology
Ready to begin your search for a programme? Browse the Psychology Masters listed on our website.
Last updated: 08 November 2022
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