MSc Data Science (Psychology)

1 Years On Campus Masters Program

University of York

Program Overview

The MSc Data Science (Psychology) at University of York combines psychological insight with data-science tools to analyse human and behavioural data. It suits psychology or related-discipline graduates who want to build advanced data-analysis, machine-learning and research skills for work in industry, government, health, or academia.

Curriculum Structure

In the first part of the programme, students take Data Analysis and Programming in the Biosciences — learning R programming, data cleaning, statistical analysis and preparing for handling real-world behavioural datasets. They also study Big Behavioural Data and Advanced Methods in Behavioural Research, where they explore large-scale data sources (e.g., social media, neuroimaging, surveys), apply machine-learning and advanced statistical techniques, and learn to interpret complex human-data patterns.

Towards the end, the course emphasizes Ethics and Data Governance and Data Visualisation to ensure students handle sensitive human data responsibly and communicate results clearly for both specialist and non-specialist audiences. Finally, each student completes an MSc Project — an independent empirical dissertation that integrates learned skills to analyse behavioural data.

Focus areas (string):
“Behavioural data analysis, programming & statistics, machine learning, big human datasets, data ethics, visualisation, independent data science research”

Learning outcomes (in a string):
“Analyse and interpret large-scale human-behaviour data; apply modern statistical and machine-learning methods; manage ethical and governance issues in human data; visualise and communicate findings clearly; design and complete high-quality independent data-science projects.”

Professional alignment (accreditation):
The programme equips graduates to work as data scientists, analysts or researchers handling human-behaviour datasets — a growing demand across sectors like health, government, media, marketing, and non-profits.

Reputation (employability rankings):
The Department of Psychology at York is ranked 8th in the UK for research, and 2nd for research-output quality in REF 2021 — giving strong academic credibility to the degree. york.ac.uk

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students gain practical research skills through hands-on projects in York's dedicated psychology labs, focusing on educational applications and child development research. This applied learning is central to the programme, with key experiential components including:

Research Project: Conducting an empirical dissertation using the department's specialised facilities.
Laboratories: Access to York's baby and child development labs for observational research.
Software: Training in statistical packages like R for data analysis.
Professional Development: Curriculum designed to provide British Psychological Society (BPS) Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership.
Specialist Facilities: Use of the York Neuroimaging Centre for educational neuroscience research where relevant to projects.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates of the MSc Data Science (Psychology) at University of York develop specialized skills to work with human-related data and behavioral datasets, qualifying for roles such as data scientist, research analyst, behavioural data consultant, and science policy advisor:

The university’s Careers and Employability Service offers CV workshops, interview coaching, and opportunities to build a professional data science portfolio.
Graduates enter competitive job markets in government, healthcare, business, and non-profits, with salaries ranging from £28,000 to over £40,000 based on role and experience.
Strong links with the Smart Data Donation Service and interdisciplinary research teams provide practical experience with large-scale behavioural datasets.
The program offers training in advanced data analysis, AI, ethics, and data governance, ensuring long-term value and adaptability.
Graduates produce high-quality projects demonstrating cutting-edge data science competencies applied to psychology.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can pursue PhD research in data science, behavioural analytics, or applied psychology, or progress to roles in academic research, policy development, and industry consultancy.