Methodology and Statistics in Psychology (MSc)
About the programme
The master's specialisation Methodology and Statistics in Psychology includes courses, a thesis and an internship. Teaching takes place in the form of seminars and small-group lectures and practicals, and is assessed primarily by written coursework and reports of empirical projects carried out individually and in groups.
Programme overview
We offer a very diverse programme that takes you through all the indispensable elements of Methodology and Statistics in Psychology. You can find a short summary below; for a detailed overview of this Master, please read our Prospectus.
In the master's specialisation Methodology and Statistics in Psychology you will take four mandatory courses. Please read more information about the programme structure.
Students need to do an internship of 10 ECTS. A 10-ECTS internship has to be supplemented by two elective courses. In the mandatory internship, students gain hands-on practical experience or research experience in an area of their own interest within the domain of their master’s specialisation. As one of the final parts of their training to become a ‘scientist - practitioner’, students have to familiarize themselves with the professional activities of a psychologist, either by focusing on applying scientific insights in the field, or by focusing on conducting applied or fundamental research. You can find more information about the internship in the Prospectus.
Your master's thesis will be the crown on your university education. Your thesis will enable you to go in depth on a related topic and you may get the opportunity to obtain experience with all the phases of empirical research. Alternatively, some staff members have access to large and rich datasets, which will enable you to write a thesis without collecting new data. Staff members will offer research topics related to their own research interests, for which students can sign up. The exact topics and the participating staff varies from year to year.
Jeroen Janssen
Former Methodology & Statistics for Psychology student
The structure of the Leiden program invites and encourages you to independently engage with the theory, be critical about what you are taught, and actively apply this theory to both everyday practical situations and structured research settings.
During my time as an M&S student, I developed myself both as a statistician and a researcher in psychology. You see the fascinating world of statistics – the world beyond ANOVAs – from many different perspectives, from latent variable modeling to multilevel regression analyses and modern statistical learning techniques, allowing you to find and develop your personal field of interest. The M&S program both extents your knowledge of familiar techniques and shows what other possibilities there are to handle certain data structures.
As my current job as teacher and researcher in the M&S department, I directly apply the gathered knowledge to both research and teaching. Having multiple viewpoints on the same subject helps you to really get a grasp of what is going on, and – hopefully – clearly communicate that to students.
Educational methods
We use various modes of instruction to augment the learning experience:
- In the lectures the literature you have read will be applied to real life, by examples, to enhance your knowledge of the subject at hand.
- In the small (10 to 24 students, depending on your specialisation) work group sessions you'll delve deeper into the course material. There is room for discussion. Work groups sessions require active participation and attendance is therefore mandatory.
- In practical sessions you'll work on your skills. You'll gain, for example, skills in interviewing, observation and using statistical computer programmes (depending on your specialisation). Attendance is also mandatory in these practical sessions.
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In the online course environment students review their peers’ assignments and prepare for examinations with online mock exams and recorded lectures.
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The assigned material will be discussed during lectures -
In small work group sessions you will delve deeper in the course material -
Master students spend a lot of time studying the material by themselves -
Practical sessions vary from interview skills training to lab tests -
Theory becomes practice during these wide-ranging practicals
Student support services
Perhaps you have questions about your master’s, or could use some extra help, or maybe you’d like some support of a more personal nature? At Leiden University we have people and departments who will be glad to help in any and all of these areas.
Study adviser
Your study adviser is an expert on all aspects of your study programme, for example exam regulations, planning, academic issues, study delay etc. With the study adviser you discuss problems of any kind relating to the studies or any personal circumstances which might trouble your study.