PhD Opportunities in Psychology at the University of Winchester

Join the dynamic and growing Winchester Psychology team with our portfolio of internationally excellent research spanning the breadth of contemporary psychology, led by passionate and expert academics.

Over the last six years, the Department of Psychology has more than tripled in size and research capacity to become a vibrant and inclusive research environment organised around four research groups and one research centre with a focus on psychological research that contributes to social good. We invite prospective PhD students looking to embrace the opportunities to develop new research agendas, and help shape the next generation of psychological research, to come and share in our work.

Find out more about our staff, research groups and specific PhD project opportunities by visiting the group webpages. In addition, we welcome proposals for PhD research topics from prospective students that align with our research expertise.

• Our Centre for Forensic and Investigative Psychology focuses on vulnerable witnesses (e.g. child, autism, intellectual disability), intoxicated witnesses, investigative interviewing, eye witness identification, detecting deception and the psychology of offending behaviour.
• The Healthy Lives Research Group focuses on 'behaviour', including health behaviours, such as sleeping and eating plus aspects such as patient decision-making and healthy working practices in organisations.
• The Brain and Cognition Research Group focuses on the role of cognitive processes in complex cognition and contexts including creative thinking, spatial cognition, social cognition, mental health and head injury.
• The Child and Youth Psychology Research Group focuses on children's and adolescents' social, emotional and cognitive development with the aim of improving psychological wellbeing, relationships at home and school, and academic achievement.
• The Social and Organisational Research Group focuses on well-being, social identities, group processes, interpersonal interaction, citizenship, political and civic engagement, culture, leadership, and organisational behaviour.

The Department has been recently refurbished and has a range of state-of-the-art research facilities and dedicated office accommodation for PhD students. The University provides extensive training and development opportunities for PhD students in addition to the bespoke training provided by the supervisory team.

About Winchester

The University of Winchester began life in 1840 as a diocesan training school for elementary schoolmasters and has since grown to become a values led institution of five faculties and approximately 8,000 students. The University site includes a range of landmark historic listed and award winning modern architecture, including our stunning new West Downs Centre, surrounded by beautiful landscaped grounds, providing a high quality environment in which to live and study.

Winchester was the first capital city of England with origins dating to pre-historic times and is known for its impressive architecture, including city walls dating from the Roman period and historic cathedral, and its stunning surrounding countryside. It is often considered one of the most desirable places to live in the UK and further benefits from being just an hour from London by train and having Southampton airport close by.

Get in touch!

Please do get in touch with your questions and to learn more about PhD opportunities and research in the Department of Psychology by contacting the Research Lead, Professor Paul Sowden: paul.sowden@winchester.ac.uk

Applicant notes

We have both September 2021 starts (applications close 31st May 2021) and April 2022 starts (applications close 31st December 2021)

Applicants will normally have a track record of high academic achievement in psychology or a cognate discipline, demonstrated by a first class or high upper second undergraduate honours degree and/or a master's degree (or equivalent) and supported by two academic references. We welcome international applicants.

To find out more about Postgraduate Research at the University of Winchester, including further details of entry requirements and how to apply please visit our webpages, email our Postgraduate Research team at PGRAdmin@winchester.ac.uk or call them on +44 (0) 1962 827483.