Clinical Psychology PhD / MPhil

The Institute of Psychology, Health and Society conducts conducts internationally acclaimed research into many aspects of psychology and human behaviour, including perception, language development, pain, addiction, appetite, and offending behaviour.

We have a long and successful history of research links with NHS services, including a nationally unique psychology service for people in Liverpool who are affected by cancer, which is provided in partnership with the University. Therefore we are extremely well placed to help develop students’ clinical research expertise across a range of settings in mental and physical health care. Our experience is that people undertake research degrees within Clinical Psychology at different stages in their careers and for different reasons.

Our research students include those with first degrees in Psychology, those who already have professional qualifications in Psychology, graduates of disciplines other than Psychology and professionals in other, related disciplines. This reflects the commitment to multidisciplinary approaches, but makes it difficult to make generalisations about the career paths of graduates from research degrees in this area.

Some research students will go on to an academic career in research and teaching. Some students go on to undertake further training in an area of applied psychology (eg Forensic, Clinical) and to careers in, for example, the NHS. Some students are already working in the NHS and undertake a research degree part-time as part of their continuing professional development. For students who have BPS Graduate Basis for Registration, undertaking a research degree may fulfil some of the requirements for gaining Chartered Psychologist status.