MSc Positive Psychology
Course Overview
The University of Bolton's Master's degree in Positive Psychology takes you on an immersive journey into this relatively new subject area within psychology. The programme's modular nature allows you to take a flexible and fairly autonomous approach to learning, theorising, reflecting and researching.You'll get the chance to learn, debate and critically evaluate positive psychology's new techniques and research. You'll also have the opportunity to evaluate developing theories and applications in positive psychology, supported all the way by experienced and enthusiastic teaching staff with an excellent knowledge base. We offer expert training in research techniques, helping you to conceptualise, design and implement an independent research project that explores new ideas and approaches at the forefront of this increasingly popular subject.
Successfully completing this MSc in Positive Psychology should put you in a highly favourable position for seeking employment in relevant care professions and educational institutions, and for securing a place on a specialist psychology-related higher degree or doctorate programme.
Highlights
- We'll support you as you develop an in-depth and advanced knowledge of this emerging field of psychology and develop your own research projects.
- Many of our teaching staff for this programme are involved in significant and ongoing research in this subject.
- You'll have plenty of opportunities to develop highly sought-after skills in critical evaluation and reflection relating to theories and research techniques in positive psychology.
- Focused research training is designed to support and guide you in conceptualising, designing and implementing your own independent research in positive psychology.
- This postgraduate course is designed to enhance your employability, particularly in the health and care professions, or help you progress to further studies in psychology.
Key Features
- An enthusiastic, dedicated and supportive teaching team delivers this pioneering programme.
- The course curriculum allows you to explore issues from a diverse range of perspectives – all underpinned by a research-informed knowledge base.
- Learning and teaching are student-centred and involve small group sessions and one-to-one tutorials. Your studies will be supported and enhanced by the University's virtual learning environment.
- We've designed the programme to encourage and support your unique approach to research and critical enquiry.
- You can enjoy contributions from expert guest speakers on a range of subjects covered in this exciting postgraduate programme.
- By choosing to study with us, you'll have the chance to enjoy Bolton's many shops, bars, restaurants and leisure facilities. Manchester, one of the UK's most multicultural and lively cities, is less than 20 minutes away by train. Not forgetting, the North West of England is renowned for its beautiful countryside, coastline and heritage. This makes Bolton an ideal base from which to explore some of the best cultural and outdoor activities the UK offers.
Entry Requirements
- You should have an upper second class (2.1) honours degree (or above) in Psychology, which is accredited by the British Psychology Society for Graduate Basis for Registration (GBR) of the British Psychological Society (BPS).
- If you have a lower second class (2:2) honours degree in Psychology, you may be accepted to the programme following a successful interview. We may also ask you to provide a portfolio of your work as part of the application process.
- We'll also be happy to consider your application if you're a graduate of an alternative but related degree (for instance, nursing or health and social care). We'll require you to attend an interview, and we may ask you to provide a portfolio of your work to help determine your suitability for the course.
- Relevant work experience can also provide an advantage.
- We'll consider applications where appropriate work experience can be demonstrated in lieu of, or in addition to, the published academic qualifications in line with the University’s Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL) procedures.
- This course does not confer Graduate Basis for Registration (GBR) with the British Psychological Society (BPS) – if you're seeking to achieve GBR, please consider applying for our MSc Psychology (Conversion) programme.
- If English isn’t your first language, you’ll also need IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details.
Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.
Career Opportunities
The University of Bolton's MSc in Positive Psychology focuses on the scientific study of happiness, wellbeing, purpose and strength. It looks at the impact of positive emotions on a person's wellbeing and what makes people thrive.
The course aims to build your intellectual and thinking skills, problem-solving, interpersonal awareness, communication skills, ability to develop arguments supported by relevant evidence, and teamwork, IT and data-handling skills.
What can I do with this qualification?
The theory and transferable skills you could learn should also benefit your clinical work if you're a qualified clinical psychologist, counsellor, life skills coach, wellbeing practitioner, or psychotherapist. Teachers, youth workers and educators can also use positive psychology expertise in their work.
Some graduates choose to continue their education by completing a PhD. Continuing your education would allow you to develop your skills further and research your area of interest.
Alternative career options
Graduates can use the qualification to enter a range of other careers. Some of these roles may require relevant experience and/or postgraduate study. Possible careers include:
- Teaching and education
- Careers guidance
- Human resources
- Probation services
- Prison services
- Social work
- Counselling
- Family mediation and support
- Nursing
- Police
- Media and advertising
- Communications
- Sport and recreation
- Brand consultancy
- Advertising
- Child protection
- Sales
- Youth work
Fees & Funding
Please note the total course fee for a Home student starting this course in 2023/24 will be £7,920. As this is an 18-month course, the fees are £5,280 for the first year and £2,640 for the final semester.
Home/EU Fees
Home students starting this course in the first year will be required to pay a Home fee of £5,664 for the academic year 2025/26.
International Fees
Overseas students starting this course in the first year will be required to pay a Overseas fee of £17,500 for the academic year 2025/26.
Bursaries
Click here for more information on our Master's Bursaries.
Important note regarding tuition fees: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.
The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.
How to apply
Home Applicants
You may apply directly to the University using the University's online application form. Please select your chosen start date from the list below:
You should have to hand:
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Details of the educational establishments you attended and dates
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Your certificates for the qualifications you are using to gain entry to the course – you will need to enter the completion date and upload copies
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Details of any employment history including name, address, dates and role
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Personal statement – this can be either input into the relevant field or uploaded separately
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Details including e-mail addresses of two referees, at least one of which should be someone who can provide an academic reference
Please make sure any documents you wish to upload in support of your application are in pdf or jpeg format. Personal statements may be word documents.
Please ensure your data is correct at each stage of the application before you proceed to the next page. If you use the back button at any time during the application, you should check the validity of the data you have already input.
If you experience difficulties during the application process, contact the Admissions Team on 01204 903394 or admissions-team@bolton.ac.uk
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Apply online: University of Bolton MSc Positive Psychology - 22 September 2025
International Applicants
Thank you for your interest
In order to determine your suitability for this course as an international student and also to confirm you meet any initial eligibility criteria, we need you to answer a few short questions.
Teaching & Assessment
We adopt a blended learning and teaching style, including online delivery and engagement where appropriate. By using a diverse range of teaching methods designed to complement each other, we aim to help you achieve the course's intended learning outcomes. We offer lectures, seminars, workshops and one-to-one sessions. You'll need to undertake significant independent reading and investigation, complete seminar-related work, and prepare for workshops, presentations and group discussions. Some modules will require you to follow up on taught sessions by using online resources and completing complementary tasks.
Assessment methods are also varied, allowing you to demonstrate your learning in a number of ways. For example, module assessments may require you to complete reports, essays, presentations, literature reviews, or review journal articles, write up case interventions and treatment evaluations, complete short question-and-answer sessions relating to statistical analysis, and present reflective journals.
Modules
The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.
- Psychological and Social Research: Review, Evaluation and Design
- Quantitative Inquiry 1
- Quantitative Inquiry 2
- Qualitative Inquiry
- Foundations of Positive Psychology
- Positive Psychology in Practice
- Critical Positive Psychology
- Psychology Dissertation
Assessment methods
| Level | Assessment method |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Coursework 100% |
Learning Activities
| Level | Activity |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Guided independent study 85% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 15% |
The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.
