ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳

Nils Mallock, MSc Behavioural Science (2020)

As part of the first cohort of students in the MSc Behavioural Science programme graduating in 2020, I came to ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ anticipating an intense learning experience and insights into what motivates people’s behaviour. While the course fulfilled these expectations, it proved to go much further. In particular, I found the Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science to be a fascinating and open space, brought to life by world-class researchers and passionate staff in charge of the MSc programme. This environment encouraged intellectual curiosity and outside-the-box approaches to real-world problems, which were kept at the core of discussions and coursework.

Our cohort of students is best characterised by an enormous diversity of personal, professional and academic backgrounds, which turned out to be the greatest highlight of our time at ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳. For the same reason that the MSc is open to such widely diverging profiles, this also ensured that everyone who enrolled in the programme was enthusiastic about behavioural science and could contribute new ideas. Ultimately, the programme’s high flexibility allowed for pursuing individual research interests as well, which resulted in a broad portfolio of dissertation projects and papers.

I firmly recommend the MSc in Behavioural Science to prospective students who wish to develop robust expertise and skills in quantitative social science research, particularly if you are passionate about applying behavioural insights to a specific field.

Louisa Dunwiddie, MSc Behavioural Science (2020)

I chose the MSc in Behavioural Science at ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ for a few reasons. The modules and suggested readings were topics I was exploring and thinking about on my own before the programme, and I wanted to gain a more well-rounded and rigorous perspective, underpinned by a scientific approach to asking questions and a quantitative skillset I wanted to develop further. The professors' own areas of study were also fascinating to me, and I was excited to become a part of a broader academic community.  Finally, the field felt like an important and growing area to solving some of the worlds' most critical problems.  

I feel more confident in my own expertise and approach to asking and answering questions, and I feel completed support by an outstanding set of peers, professors, and the University.  It was building these relationships that was the highlight, making connections with others from around the world who are bright, curious, and kind that made the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ experience and in particular, the MSc in Behavioural Science, a unique and valuable year of study.

Bertie Cairns, MSc Organisational and Social Psychology (2021) |

I read the MSc in Organisational and Social Psychology and graduated in 2021. I chose the course because I had become interested in developing people and organisations while working in schools. The course offered a fascinating mixture of areas to explore. As an English teacher, I was particularly drawn to the work done on narratives by Lucia Garcia-Lorenzo. However, the culture unit gave some profound insights which led me to devise a safeguarding culture model for schools. I enjoyed the freedom to explore within the units. I spent quite a lot of time thinking about the nature of power and creativity. 

As a more mature student, I really enjoyed the way the course continually revealed insights about my experiences as a manager and as a leader of change. I do think the course feels different depending upon your level of experience in the world of work. The less experience you have, the more theoretical the course will feel because it is harder to ground the new knowledge in lived experience. It was also a real pleasure to have time to think, read and write away from the hurly burly of working life. The teaching was well planned and delivered and it was great to spend time with experts in their field who were also passionate about their subject. 

Theresa, MSc Organisational and Social Psychology (2020)

I chose the programme because I was curious to learn more about the "mysteries" of organisational life: How do people organise themselves? How do they work together effectively? What makes teams teams? What roles do culture and values play? I was curious to deep-dive into all these questions and learn more about people in organisations. 

The programme provided me with the ability to work with data (forms of collection, evaluation, and critical interpretation of data). It taught me to always question the underlying basic assumptions of literally everything. It also taught me to write in a structured manner and it gave me a lens through which I can now look at organisations and see structures, patterns and practices I had not noticed before. 

My number 1 tip? Be confident. You might question whether you are good enough to get in, or you might question whether you are smart enough to pass. However you may realise, once you are at ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ that you are in a room full of people who are incredibly smart and have done the craziest things at the age of 22. If you dare to take the plunge you will be rewarded with a unique collection of individuals who will challenge you, broaden your horizon and who you will learn from incessantly.

Lauren Deckelbaum, MSc Organisational and Social Psychology | 

I chose the programme because of ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳'s global reputation, the school's incredible location, and the reputed quality of teaching. It felt right. It felt like a choiceless choice.

At ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳, I was reminded that the world is big and has much to offer. I learned to maintain an excited curiosity and commitment to lifelong learning, and to practice a sense of work as play. I have learned to think critically and for myself. I learned how to craft a well-written argument. I have started to read again. 

I am working as an organisational psychology consultant for an education software start-up and am starting my own project with one organisational psychologist and one business coach. I am also in the process of applying for jobs at behavioural science consultancy firms. 

My top tip? Like anything else, what you give is what you will get back with this programme. If you commit to attending talks, going to professor office hours, doing your readings, networking, and taking the content seriously, this program will be rewarding. The learning in this programme is extremely self-directed. If you are prone to taking short-cuts, you can get by in this programme, but with far less reward.    

What made me feel part of ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳? Professors knowing me by first name, joining the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ gym, Simon from the used bookshop, and the friends that I met and hope to know forever. 

Saransh Ahuja, MSc Psychology of Economic Life (2023) |

I opted for the MSc Psychology of Economic Life at ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ because it encompasses a wide range of topics in social science, endorses cutting-edge problem-solving methodology, and takes a human-centric approach to behavioural science. It pushes you to address complex global challenges, and think creatively and critically to craft viable, sustainable, and equitable solutions. It is a thoughtfully curated programme, woven with threads from psychology, economics, sociology, philosophy, anthropology, and copious amounts of real-world experience. Gaining exposure to different schools of thought in Economics and Psychology, and discussing the temporal, environmental and social sustainability of ideas for economic life have to be my favourite things about MSc PEL.    

At ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳, I have always felt that my opinion is welcome, valued, and respected, not just within the department but in the wider ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ events. Be it careers events, skill development workshops or networking sessions, the shared ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ identity transcends disciplines and cohorts to foster a culture of growth, learning and creating impact.  

My top tip for new students embarking on the MSc PEL journey would be to unfasten your seatbelts and allow the academic storm of fresh perspectives, underrated ideas, and contrarian thoughts jolt you. The sooner you become comfortable with complexity, the better your learning experience will get.

Maitrayee Das-Mazumdar, MSc Psychology of Economic Life (2020)

Psychology and Economics had always been my favourite subjects and the course Psychology of Economic life just spoke to me. It felt like an adventure that I needed to embark on. And ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ had always been my bravest of dreams and coming to ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ was like living my oldest dream.

The highlight would be the lectures that transcended us from reality and the conversations that followed in the legendary post lecture socials. ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ is an experience. I have met some of the most interesting and important people in my life here and that sums up ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳, it is a home away from home. Also, the societies and cultural nights at ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ were the most beautiful amalgamation of cultures. In all honesty, ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ will give you so many beautiful experiences that words will never be enough to note them down.

I am interested in user research and behavioural marketing and I plan to work as a user experience researcher, market researcher or in the field of behavioural or sensory marketing. The long-term goal is to be an entrepreneur and create the change in the world that I have been studying about.

Manvi Laddha, MSc Psychology of Economic Life (2023)

Embarking on the MSc Psychology of Economic Life at ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ was a natural choice for me, blending my passion for economics and politics with a deep curiosity about the psychological underpinnings of economic decision-making. What captivated me most was PEL's unique emphasis on not only understanding these nuances but also on leveraging this knowledge to instigate positive change in the world. The programme's pragmatic approach, equipping us to be effective change-makers, resonated profoundly with my aspirations.

Undoubtedly, the programme's highlight was the liberating atmosphere that fostered creativity and critical thinking. Every assignment encouraged us to apply our learning to real-life scenarios, prompting us to scrutinize and enhance aspects of the world that might have escaped our notice before. The richness of thought invested in crafting coursework made the learning experience truly transformative.

Feeling a genuine sense of belonging at ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ was facilitated by the institution's remarkable diversity which was also reflected in my cohort. As students, we were encouraged to share our multitude of backgrounds and cultures, both within and outside the classroom, which provided a holistic and invaluable experience.

To incoming PEL students, my advice is to embrace curiosity, question convention, and allocate time for introspection. There is no learning experience similar to MSc PEL anywhere else, so enjoy the journey, ask questions, and don't lose sight of the profound impact your insights can make.

Kayla Evans, MSc Social and Cultural Psychology (2020) |

I completed the 2019-2020 MSc Social and Cultural Psychology (SCP) programme immediately after finishing my undergraduate degree in Psychology in the United States. I applied because I found the programme to be a great combination of the cross-disciplinary interests — primarily in psychology, anthropology, and sociology — I’d developed in undergrad, and I wanted a foundation of quantitative and qualitative research skills. I’m really happy with how the program panned out;  the coursework and dissertation process gave me the chance to learn and apply theoretical lenses that I’d never encountered during my undergraduate degree and, now as an alumna, I feel prepared to further explore my dissertation topic and related ones in the future. 

My favourite part of studying at ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ was definitely the people. The diversity of perspectives I gained from classmates in lectures and seminars (but also around campus and at the pub!) was very refreshing. I also appreciated the scope of topics covered in SCP and the ridiculous number of talks and events by ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ every week. I am leaving ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ having gained an arsenal of theoretical frameworks, practical tools (via the quant and qual methods courses), and paradigm-shifting perspectives from classmates. All in all, I enjoyed my MSc experience from start to finish, even despite COVID, but I recognize that this was in large part because the programme fit my academic interests and goals very well.

For those considering applying to SCP, I recommend continuing to browse the course website, checking out syllabi, and speaking to past students to get the best idea of how your interests and goals match those of the programme. 

Monica Magpantay, MSc Social and Public Communication (2020) |

I chose MSc in Social and Public Communication because I wanted to feel more certain about my communication skills. I knew I had the soft skills for communicationss, but before graduate school, I had always approached it from a creative point of view. Hence, I was adamant to infuse more deliberate measures to my craft because I really wanted to understand other factors that drive communications, for example: journalism, post-truth, and technology. As this programme is under the Psychological and Behavioural Sciences department, I had tremendous confidence that I was on the right track. My dissertation has actually been very useful to me as I continue to discuss its results with some journalists I know. They are very open to new information that could help make journalism more robust.

Analysis, technical reading, and writing were the main skills I gained from this programme. That sounded very generic, but these skills proved very useful and efficient now that I am directing, managing, and strategizing with a communications team at the Philippine Senate. I feel more relaxed and composed at my job knowing that I am operating on the basis of qualitative and quantitative studies that I encountered when I was in class, writing my essays, and of course, researching for my dissertation. The library access, while it was only available to me for half the school year, is such a tremendous advantage especially for practitioners of the social sciences.

The highlight of my time at ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ was meeting my cohorts, definitely. I had the best time building meaningful connections with them. I was embraced by a culturally diverse group so I felt very encouraged to explore and ideate projects with them. Our shared learning experience may have been cut short by the lockdowns, but I will treasure our network forever. 

The highlight of my time in London, however, was the lockdown. In the beginning, everything felt hopeless and constricting, with all the activities and places closed down. Plus, I was very long way from home. As a journalist, I found some solace making vlogs in between writing my essay and dissertation. 

Khatab Alrawhani, MSc Social and Public Communication (2020)

My experience at ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ is a bit unique. I came with extensive practical experience and I thought a year master program would be a good refresh for my career, however, I was shocked by the amount of theoretical content in my program. I questioned my decision to join ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ in the first month and whether someone with field expertise should go back to the theory, but by the end of the year, I started to question my career prior to the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ whether someone can work in the communication field with a little theoretical background. It’s, without doubt, a fundamental academic journey that will reshape my approach and methods of work and I can already see it happening.

Denise Baron, MSc Social and Public Communication (2016)

Having worked for a few years, I realised that I wanted to gain some new skills and insights that just weren’t available in my industry. I work in political communications and campaigning, and I wanted to be able to design my own studies and polls. I knew that I need both a more theoretical understanding of communication as well as some practical research methodology skills, and so this programme was perfect for what I wanted to learn.

I really love the social science community, and ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ is at the heart of that. The curious yet critical culture of social science research is such an interesting and inspiring community to be a part of. That includes meeting dozens of fascinating and talented people from all around the world. I thought that I would come to ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ to learn some specific new skills, but I ended up becoming a part of a new global community that has given me access to so many new ideas, concepts, and perspectives.

Since doing my masters, I’ve gone on to design public opinion research programmes for nationally relevant political campaigns in the UK and US, including a national political party here in the UK, a governor’s race in the US, and more.