Methodology and Statistics in Psychology (MSc)

Bunga Citra Pratiwi

Former Methodology & Statistics for Psychology student

This master pushes you to your limits. It’s a challenging and at times a bit rocky but fun ride if you like everything about data!

Wouter Weeda

Assistant Professor

'I am working at the University doing research in fMRI Methodology & Statistics. What we know in psychology comes from research. To do proper research, you need to know about methodology and statistics. If we didn’t teach it, students wouldn’t know how to interpret and assess research.'

'In clinical practice, you might not use statistics at all, but if, let’s say, a new study comes out saying that cognitive behavioral therapy doesn’t work, as a clinical therapist you want to know whether this is true or not. You have to be able to understand how the research was done and how to interpret the results. In that sense, statistics is fundamental for psychologists, even if you’re not going towards a research job.'

What does this master's programme entail?

The objective of the programme is to equip you with advanced training in research methods and professional skills. This will prepare you both for a career involving psychological research as well as for the application of scientific knowledge and methods in various professional settings. Training is provided in all relevant skills:

• Reviewing the relevant literature
• Applying theoretical knowledge to analyse practical problems
• Developing hypotheses and writing research proposals
• Designing and carrying out empirical studies
• Designing and evaluating the effectiveness of interventions
• Conducting advanced statistical analyses
• Presenting results and recommendations
• Consultancy

Reasons to choose Methodology and Statistics in Psychology at Leiden University

• With the master's specialisation Methodology and Statistics in Psychology you will have a great chance at finding a job; no one will be able to draw conclusions from datasets like you can.
• You will be taught to think crititally and creatively about analysing data, in a pragmatic, data-driven, non-linear fashion.
• Because Methodology and Statistics is one of the smaller departments of Psychology, teachers and students will work together like a team.

Why Leiden University?

Methodology and Statistics in Psychology: the right programme for you?

The distinctive feature of the programme at Leiden is that the teaching is not restricted only to the theory of research. Within a scientist-practitioner model, these insights are always connected to their behavioural consequences and intervention issues. In this way, not only do you develop your knowledge of psychology and methodology as a science, you also learn to apply this knowledge in order to understand practical problems, and to develop effective interventions for dealing with them.