Post-graduate Research Degree Opportunities
School of Psychology, UCD
Introduction
For prospective post-graduate research students, the School of
Psychology offers a comprehensive range of research facilities
(e.g., a “state of the art” Eye-Tracking system ” in its Research
Laboratory) and a network of links with local and regional
psychological services.
Master’s degrees by Research
Depending upon a student’s first qualification in Psychology (e.g. BA, BSc, Higher Diploma in
Psychology, the School offers an M.Litt, an MSc and an MPsychSc (by research). The School also
offers an MSc in Disability Studies (by Research) for graduates from cognate disciplines. These
research degrees are typically two-year full-time programmes, where the key requirement is a major
thesis conducted under the supervision of a member of the academic staff of the School.
Three criteria are used to select applicants for these research degrees:
(a)
A good honours (i.e. upper second class honours standard) in their primary qualifications.
(b)
A detailed and viable research proposal, which must be approved by the School Research
Committee.
(c)
The agreement of a supervisor competent in the proposed area of research.
A limited number of students will be accepted each year, and the nature of the supervisors’ and the
research students’ responsibilities will be as per the School of Psychology Guidelines Governing
Research Degree Supervision, and those laid down by the University.
PhD degree
The School of Psychology also offers a PhD programme in both Psychology and in Disability Studies.
Applicants for this degree will normally be required to have obtained an honours standard in their
Master’s degree by research (i.e., M.Litt/./M.Sc./M.Psych.Sc.), but suitably qualified students may be
admitted to the PhD programme following completion of a taught Master’s programme, or transferred
into our PhD programme following successful completion of at least one year on one of our Research
Master’s programmes.
Conditions (b) and (c) above will also govern entry to the doctoral programme. From time to time,
research funding (external and internal) may be available through the School to assist students with
particular research interests.
Research Degree Programme: UCD School of Psychology
The School’s staff and post-graduate research programme is currently organised into three
specialist streams:
1. Culture and the Dynamics of Psychological Change
 Dr. Adrian Brock
 Dr. Suzanne Guerin
 Dr. Eilis Hennessy
 Dr. Geraldine Moane
 Dr. Mick O’Connell
 Dr. Joan Tiernan
2. Psychology and the Facilitation of Optimal Health
 Dr. Teresa Burke
 Dr. Jessica Bramham
 Professor Alan Carr
 Ms. Margaret Daly
 Dr. Barbara Dooley
 Dr. Suzanne Guerin
 Dr. Geraldine Moane
 Professor Aidan Moran
 Dr. Gary O’Reilly
3. Cognitive Processes and Performance
 Dr. Nuala Brady
 Dr. Jessica Bramham
 Dr. Teresa Burke
 Dr. Tina Hickey
 Professor Aidan Moran
Staff research interests
Full Details of Staff Research Interests can be found at:
http://www.ucd.ie/psychology/staff.htm
and are summarised below:
Application Process:
Full details of the Application Process for these research programmes are available at:
http://www.ucd.ie/psychology/postgraduate.htm or from: Ms. Mary Boyle, e-mail: mary.boyle@ucd.ie
Tel: +353 1 716 8369
Staff research interests
*Nuala Brady, BA (Dub), Ph.D. (Cornell):), Visual Perception & Cognition, Social
cognition: face recognition, perception of biological motion, perception and action.
*Jessica Bramham, BA, MA (Cambridge), DClinPsy, PhD (KCL), CPsychol :
Clinical neuropsychology; Social cognition including theory of mind and empathy;
Adulthood neurodevelopmental disorders; Response inhibition and executive functioning.
*Adrian Brock, BSc (CNAA), M.Phil. (Cambridge), PhD (York, Toronto) –History of
psychology and related disciplines; Historical psychology; Theoretical/Philosophical
psychology; Cultural psychology, International Psychology.
*E. Teresa Burke, BSc., PhD, Clinical neuropsychology, Neurodegenerative disorders and
associated neurocognitive problems, Construct validity and psychometric properties of
neuropsychological tests, Forensic Neuropsychology.
* Alan Carr, BA, MA, PhD (Queens, Kingston), ECP, Reg FT (FTNI), C.Psychol,
AFBPsS, Reg. Psychol. FPsSI, - Clinical and psychology; Family therapy; Positive
Psychology.
*Margaret Daly, BA, HDipEd., DipPsych., MPsych., Reg.Psychol. – Bereavement;
Psychological trauma; Counselling and Psychotherapy. Stress and Burnout, Professional
and ethical issues in counselling.
*Barbara Dooley, BA, PhD. HDipStats (Dub) Reg.Psychol. AFPsSI – Eating Disorders,
Conduct Difficulties in Children, Psychometric Assessment of Standardised Instruments in
Irish population, Cognitive Group Therapy and Social Phobia.
*Suzanne Guerin BA, PhD – Qualitative and mixed methods research, real world research,
programme evaluation, child and adolescent mental health, parenting & child development
and bullying among children.
*Eilis Hennessy, BA, PhD., C.Psychol., Reg.Psychol (Head of School) – Children’s
understanding of mental health, early childhood care and education, out-of-school services
and child centred research methods.
Geraldine Moane, MSc., PhD (Calif) –Life-span developmental psychology; Gender and
sexuality; Post-colonial psychology; Irish personality and culture; Feminist theory.
*Tina Hickey, M.A. PhD – Second language learning and first language acquisition
(including Irish); Bilingualism and bilingual families; Language maintenance and loss in
migrants; Immersion education; Reading in a first and second language; Supporting EAL
children; Language and gender; Exceptionally talented children.
*Aidan Moran, BA, MA, PhD, Reg. Psychol., FPsSI, AFBPsS –Director of Psychology
Research Laboratory. Cognitive psychology (expertise, attention, eye-tracking); Sport
psychology; Mental imagery; Concentration.
*Michael O’Connell, BA (TCD), MSc (LSE), PhD (TCD), - Social psychology including
attitudes, widespread beliefs and intergroup relations; media representations; political
psychology; psychological aspects of the criminal justice system and the perception of crime.
*Gary O’Reilly, BA, MA, M. Psych Sc., PhD, Clinical psychology, Cognitive-behavioural
interventions for children and adolescent, Intelligence, Developing emotional competence
programmes for young people with offending behaviour, Forensic psychology and sexual
offending.
* Joan Tiernan, BA, PhD, Dip Stats (Dub) Reg. Psychol. AFPsSI, C.Psychol. AFBPsS –
Work and organisational psychology; organisational development and change; leadership;
health and wellbeing at work.