Overview
In order to understand the deeper workings of the human mind and to recognise why we are who we are, it is important to look closely at two of the most fundamental and powerful influences on behaviour - culture and evolution.
As part of the Psychology, Culture and Evolution MSc you will delve into evolutionary and cross-cultural psychology, analysing how an external influence can create an internal choice or characteristic within individuals. You will look at personal relationships and how we choose a mate, morality and belief systems such as how we conclude our standing on politics and religion, and conflict and cooperation and how inequality can become a source of social conflict.
This master's programme will give you the analytical research skills, knowledge and expertise you'll need to pursue a PhD in fields such as cross-cultural psychology, evolutionary psychology, anthropology, behavioural ecology, human ethology, comparative sociology, and multicultural and cross-cultural counselling.
Dean’s International Scholarship: This course is eligible for a £2,000 fee waiver, per academic year, subject to availability. This Scholarship is for full-time international students only. Find out more.
You can explore our campus and facilities for yourself by taking our virtual tour.
Course content
The Psychology, Culture and Evolution MSc consists of a variety of optional modules, allowing you to choose which taught aspects you'd like to specialise before you undertake your dissertation.
Compulsory
- Introduction to Psychological ScienceThis module introduces students to the principles and scientific foundations of psychology. Students will learn a conceptual overview of how psychology has developed as an academic discipline and will understand the the principle research methodologies used in psychological research.
- Cross-Cultural and Evolutionary Research MethodsThis module presents an up-to-date overview of major research methods and statistics associated with the study of culture and evolution.
- Evolutionary Perspectives on Culture
- Foundations of Evolutionary Psychology
- Foundations of Cross-Cultural Psychology
- Research Methods and Statistics for Psychology
- Dissertation in Psychology, Culture and Evolution
This course can be studied 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time, starting in September.
Please note that all modules are subject to change.
Read more about the structure of postgraduate degrees at Brunel
Careers and your future
You’ll gain transferable cognitive, analytical, and research skills that will enhance your employability in careers related to global and public health, international agencies including governmental and nongovernmental research institutes, creative industries such as advertising and market research, international business and intercultural communication, as well as general private sector employment (e.g. management training programmes).
You can also pursue further PhD study using the knowledge and expertise gained on this degree, in fields such as cross-cultural psychology, evolutionary psychology,anthropology, behavioural ecology, human ethology,sociology, and multicultural and cross-cultural counselling.
UK entry requirements
- A UK 2:2 Honours degree (or overseas equivalent) in Psychology, Anthropology, Biology, or a related subject in the Psychological, Social, Behavioural, or Life Sciences (as single honours, or as major components of a joint honours degree).
Applicants with good other Honours degrees, and/or with relevant work experience, are also eligible to apply.
EU and International entry requirements
If you require a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK, you must prove knowledge of the English language so that we can issue you a Certificate of Acceptance for Study (CAS). To do this, you will need an IELTS for UKVI or Trinity SELT test pass gained from a test centre approved by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and on the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) list. This must have been taken and passed within two years from the date the CAS is made.
English language requirements
- IELTS: 6.5 (min 6 in all areas)
- Pearson: 59 (59 in all subscores)
- BrunELT: 63% (min 58% in all areas)
- TOEFL: 90 (min 20 in all)
You can find out more about the qualifications we accept on our English Language Requirements page.
Should you wish to take a pre-sessional English course to improve your English prior to starting your degree course, you must sit the test at an approved SELT provider for the same reason. We offer our own BrunELT English test and have pre-sessional English language courses for students who do not meet requirements or who wish to improve their English. You can find out more information on English courses and test options through our Brunel Language Centre.
Please check our Admissions pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants. This information is for guidance only and each application is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Entry requirements are subject to review, and may change.
Fees and funding
2024/25 entry
UK
£12,650 full-time
£6,325 part-time
International
£23,615 full-time
£11,805 part-time
More information on any additional course-related costs.
Fees quoted are per year and are subject to an annual increase.
See our fees and funding page for full details of postgraduate scholarships available to Brunel applicants.
Scholarships and bursaries
Teaching and learning
Teaching will be on campus to help you build a sense of belonging to a thriving psychology community.
A full programme of teaching for all modules / study blocks will be delivered through lectures, seminars, workshops and practical sessions taking place on campus. Lectures will be recorded, with recordings made available after the session has taken place. Seminars, workshops and practical sessions may not be recorded. This will be at the discretion of the session leader, depending on the nature of the content and activities. For example, it is not feasible to record some interactive activities and group work and in other cases recording might inhibit student discussions. However, in the event a session is not recorded, we will make the teaching materials used in the session available to students online.
To supplement our full timetable of on-campus teaching, learning will be supported with a range of resources on our new Brightspace Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) including, for example, videos, interactive activities and quizzes. Module / block leaders may offer additional briefing, revision, and/or Q&A sessions on online platforms where appropriate.
Feedback & consultation hours, personal tutoring hours, and project supervision discussions will be offered both in-person on-campus and via online platforms. This will allow you to easily receive feedback, advice and guidance without having to travel to campus on a day that you might otherwise not be attending.
Please note that while recordings and online resources will help if you are unable to attend a particular teaching session, learning from the online materials only will not be an adequate substitute for certain aspects of the in-person learning experience. For example, online learning will not be able to replace the experience of being an active participant in a lively in-person seminar discussion on campus. Keep in mind that this is a campus-based degree programme, not an online programme – and attendance on campus will be essential for some events (e.g. for examinations).
Access to a laptop or desktop PC is required for joining online activities, completing coursework and digital exams, and a minimum specification can be found here.
We have computers available across campus for your use and laptop loan schemes to support you through your studies. You can find out more here.
This psychology master's programme is research-intensive, and is linked closely to Brunel's research centre the Centre for Culture and Evolution (CCE). Our academics are renowned for their research on evolutionary and cross-cultural psychology, and you'll become immersed as you learn and study alongside them.
As part of this course, you'll have the opportunity to work closely with an international research collaborator from the CCE when you collect your dissertation data. This may involve travel to international research sites for data collection and fieldwork.
The Psychology, Culture and Evolution MSc is carried out through lectures, seminars, group discussions and student presentations. There is also a large amount of self-directed independent study expected.
Should you need any non-academic support during your time at Brunel, the Student Support and Welfare Team are here to help.
Assessment and feedback
You will be assessed on a combination of coursework essays, quantitative reports, synoptic seen examinations, seminar presentations, and your dissertation.
Throughout the course, you will also have the opportunity to engage with formative assessment tasks which do not count towards your final grade. These will provide you with feedback which will help with your marked work.
Read our guide on how to avoid plagiarism in your assessments at Brunel.