MSc by Research in Counselling Studies

It provides students with a comprehensive understanding of research design, data collection and data analysis for counselling research. Students complete a programme of research training courses and submit a dissertation on an approved topic.

This degree can be taken as a stand-alone qualification or, alternatively, as a foundation for PhD study (usually referred to as 1+3 registration route).

The University of Edinburgh is a leading research university and an international centre of academic research. It is also Scotland's premier research University, and was graded within the top five British Universities in the 2008 National Research Assessment Exercise, and it, therefore, provides an excellent environment and outstanding resources for researchers.

We have a longstanding commitment to original empirical and theoretical research that engages critically with the practices of counselling and psychotherapy and are especially keen to encourage research examining the interface between counselling, psychotherapy and social, cultural and political life, as well as research that draws directly on practitioners’ own therapeutic work with clients.

We specialise in qualitative, reflexive and critical research approaches, and our research portfolio is highly interdisciplinary, integrating concepts, practices and scholarship from counselling and psychotherapy, psychology, sociology, philosophy, education, cultural studies, health and social care, and other social sciences.

Studying at a world-class institution, you will benefit from outstanding resources to support your learning on this established and recognised programme.