The details

Course: Political Psychology

Start date: October 2025

Study mode: Full-time

Duration: 1 year

Location: Colchester Campus

Based in: Government

Politics is about psychology.

Everything – tweeters sharing fake news, protestors chaining themselves to railings, delegates refusing to budge on climate targets, leaders invading their neighbours – boils down to the opinions, decisions and behaviour of individuals, and understanding those is the territory of psychology.

The MSc in Political Psychology at Essex is two things. First, it is a thorough introduction to that growing and thriving subfield of politics, covering topics such as emotions, identities, polarisation, authoritarianism, radicalisation, and even neuropolitics. Second, the MSc provides you with state-of-the-art training in quantitative research methods in political science, allowing you to develop skills which are highly valued by future employers and which also can serve as basis for continuing study at the PhD level.

If you want to be at the cutting edge of political science, investigating how the personal becomes societal and the inner-most thoughts of an individual shape national and global politics, welcome home.

If you are interested in Political Psychology but would like your studies to have a lesser focus on quantitative methods and instead focus on political science more generally, find out more about our MA Political Psychology course.

Why we're great.

Study an exciting, up-and-coming branch of politics
We are 2nd in UK for research outputs in politics and international studies (Grade Point Average, REF 2021)
Develop your quantitative research method skills, highly sought after by employers

Our expert staff

Some of the biggest names in the field work at Essex, giving you unparalleled access to some of the best minds in politics. Our staff are advising the CIA on counter-terrorism, training politicians and civil servants in democratising countries, and commentating on political events in national and international media.

Our academic staff work on topics ranging from international conflict and violence to British elections, and from the obligations of the younger generation to why authoritarian leaders welcome natural disasters.

Specialist facilities

Laboratories of networked computers featuring extensive software for political analysis
ESSEXLab provides opportunities for experimental lab research
Student societies for politics, debating, and Model UN
We organise the Essex Summer School in Social Science Data Analysis

Your future

All Essex politics graduates have the distinction of a qualification from one of the world's leading politics departments.

Our MA Political Psychology can lead you to a career in a number of areas such as market research, the media, central and local government and private sector. You will develop key employability skills including analytical reasoning, research design and essay-writing.

Recent graduates have gone on to work for the following high-profile organisations:

The Civil Service
Local government
The World Bank
The United Nations
NATO
YouGov and YouGov America

We also work with the university's Employability and Careers Centre to help you find out about further work experience, internships, placements, and voluntary opportunities.

UK entry requirements

A 2.2 degree or international equivalent in one of the following subjects:

American Studies
Economics
Finance
International Relations
International Studies
Political Science
Political Studies
Statistics
United States Politics

A 2.2 degree in any subject which includes study in two relevant modules. Relevant modules include, but are not limited to:

Comparative Political Systems
Constitutional Democracy
Contemporary World Affairs
Current Affairs
Democratic Theory
Econometrics
European Integration/ Dynamics of Integration
Foreign Policy/ Comparative Foreign Policy
Game Theory
Governmental Processes/ Systems
Human Rights
Ideology and Political Analysis
International Economic Law
International Economic Relations
International Trade/Business Law
International Law
International Public Relations
International Security
International Trade/Business Law
Law of Armed Conflict
Micro/Macro Economics
Peace Studies
Philosophy (MA Political Theory only)
Political Conflict
Political Decision Making
Political Economy
Political Sociology
Political Studies
Public Administration
Public International Law
Public Policy Analysis
Quantitative Reasoning
Security Studies
Strategic Studies
Terrorism
Theories of Development

The following may also be considered:

Applicants with a degree in an unrelated subject and have at least 5 years of work experience, such as working with a NGO, UN, or government. Please provide your CV.
Applicants with a lower class degree where relevant modules have been studied with marks of 2:2 or above.
Applicants who have achieved a first class degree in any subject.

International & EU entry requirements

We accept a wide range of qualifications from applicants studying in the EU and other countries. Get in touch with any questions you may have about the qualifications we accept. Remember to tell us about the qualifications you have already completed or are currently taking.

Sorry, the entry requirements for the country that you have selected are not available here. Please contact our Graduate Admissions team at pgquery@essex.ac.uk to request the entry requirements for this country.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, we require IELTS 6.5 overall with a minimum score of 5.5 in all components.

If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.

Additional Notes

The University uses academic selection criteria to determine an applicant’s ability to successfully complete a course at the University of Essex. Where appropriate, we may ask for specific information relating to previous modules studied or work experience.

Course structure

Our research-led teaching is continually evolving to address the latest challenges and breakthroughs in the field. The following modules are based on the current course structure and may change in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.

We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision for you. We'll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities as described on our website and in line with your contract with us. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to significant disruption, we'll let our applicants and students know as soon as possible.

Components

Components are the blocks of study that make up your course. A component may have a set module which you must study, or a number of modules from which you can choose.

Each component has a status and carries a certain number of credits towards your qualification.

Status	What this means
Core	You must take the set module for this component and you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Core with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component but you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Compulsory	You must take the set module for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Compulsory with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Optional	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.

The modules that are available for you to choose for each component will depend on several factors, including which modules you have chosen for other components, which modules you have completed in previous years of your course, and which term the module is taught in.

Modules

Modules are the individual units of study for your course. Each module has its own set of learning outcomes and assessment criteria and also carries a certain number of credits.

In most cases you will study one module per component, but in some cases you may need to study more than one module. For example, a 30-credit component may comprise of either one 30-credit module, or two 15-credit modules, depending on the options available.

Modules may be taught at different times of the year and by a different department or school to the one your course is primarily based in. You can find this information from the module code. For example, the module code HR100-4-FY means:

100

The department or school the module will be taught by.

In this example, the module would be taught by the Department of History.

The module number.

The UK academic level of the module.

A standard undergraduate course will comprise of level 4, 5 and 6 modules - increasing as you progress through the course.

A standard postgraduate taught course will comprise of level 7 modules.

A postgraduate research degree is a level 8 qualification.

The term the module will be taught in.

AU: Autumn term
SP: Spring term
SU: Summer term
FY: Full year
AP: Autumn and Spring terms
PS: Spring and Summer terms
AS: Autumn and Summer terms

COMPONENT 06: COMPULSORY WITH OPTIONS

(15 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 07: OPTIONAL

(45 CREDITS)

Teaching

Courses are designed to provide you with an advanced understanding of either the politics of a geographical area or an aspect of the discipline
Courses include both compulsory and optional modules, so the course can be tailored to fit your interests and aspirations
Learn through discussion and problem-solving
Lab sessions allow you to improve your technical research skills
We encourage students to attend national conferences to meet researchers and discuss their work

Postgraduate students in the Department of Government generally have a one-hour lecture and a one-hour seminar for each module every week or a two-hour seminar (in the case of smaller modules), but there are variations in place depending on the module.

Assessment

Your coursework comes in the form of essays, simulations, presentations and in-class tests

At Essex we pride ourselves on being a welcoming and inclusive student community. We offer a wide range of support to individuals and groups of student members who may have specific requirements, interests or responsibilities.

Find out more

The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its programme specification is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to courses, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include, but are not limited to: strikes, other industrial action, staff illness, severe weather, fire, civil commotion, riot, invasion, terrorist attack or threat of terrorist attack (whether declared or not), natural disaster, restrictions imposed by government or public authorities, epidemic or pandemic disease, failure of public utilities or transport systems or the withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to courses may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications. The University would inform and engage with you if your course was to be discontinued, and would provide you with options, where appropriate, in line with our Compensation and Refund Policy.

The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.