MSc in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Research) | University of Oxford (2024)

MSc in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Research) | University of Oxford (1)

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1 Oct 2024

HomeAdmissionsGraduateCoursesMSc in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Research)

  • About
  • Entry requirements
  • Department
  • Funding and Costs
  • College preference
  • How to Apply

About the course

This courseguides students through the process of developing and implementing an independent research project in their own clinical setting.

To apply to this course you must have already completed or be in the process of completing the University'sPGDip in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (see Entry requirements for further details). Your Postgraduate Diploma will be subsumed by the MSc in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Research).

MSc in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Research)is a two-year, research-based extension to thePGDip in Cognitive Behavioural Therapyand provides a foundation for carrying out research and publishing an academic paper.

This course is designed to help you achieve certain aims. By the end of the course you should be able to:

  • display knowledge and understanding of general research principles and methodology, and demonstrate how these may be used within your own clinical work, and in the design and completion of an independent research project
  • interpret and evaluate theoretical literature relevant to the provision of cognitive therapy or cognitive therapy services
  • use established bodies of knowledge as a basis for developing your own ideas for research
  • understand the value of an evidence-based approach to psychological treatment, including the distinctive contributions of efficacy and effectiveness research trials to clinical practice, and the use of clinical audit and other service evaluation approaches
  • show evidence of the capacity to apply knowledge of research principles and practice in designing and carrying out an independent research project, using appropriate methodology and analysing and discussing results
  • use and interpret a variety of appropriate psychometric instruments to assess patient pathology and evaluate progress and outcome in treatment
  • write clear and literate assignments (research project proposal and final dissertation) that comply with established conventions of presentation and referencing.

Some of the teaching days on this strand of the course may be made available to a wider audience as publicly bookable workshops via the Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre. All participants will be expected to have an appropriate level of competence to participate fully.

Attendance

This course is part-time. Part time students are required to attend course-related activities in Oxford, including residential sessions.

The teaching element of this strand of the course is provided through tutorials. These are spread out over two years with an initial three-day meeting followed by one- or two-day tutorials several times during the year. Supervision is additionally provided on a one-to-one basis throughout the course.

Resources to support your study

As a graduate student, you willhave access to the University's wide range of world-class resources including libraries, museums, galleries, digital resources and IT services.

The Bodleian Libraries is the largest library system in the UK. It includes the main Bodleian Library and libraries across Oxford, including major research libraries and faculty, department and institute libraries. Together, the Libraries hold more than 13 million printed items, provide access to e-journals, and contain outstanding special collections including rare books and manuscripts, classical papyri, maps, music, art and printed ephemera.

The University's IT Services is available to all students to support withcore university IT systems and tools, as well as many other services and facilities. IT Services also offers a range of IT learning courses for students,to support with learning and research.

All students have free access to the full catalogue of Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre online training library, comprising an extensive programme of video demonstrations and tutorials on a range of CBT skills and clinical presentations.

The virtual learning platform for the course contains a wide variety of resources to supplement the live teaching and to direct self-study. The department provides various IT facilities, including the Student Computing Facility which provides individual PCs for your use.

TheRewley House Continuing Education Library, one of the Bodleian Libraries, is situated in Rewley House. The department aims to support the wide variety of subjects covered by departmental courses at many academic levels. The department also has a collection of around 73,000 books together with periodicals.The Jessop Reading Room adjoining the library is available for study.

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre and this role will usually be performed by the Course Director. Students usually meet with their supervisors when required.

Supervisors include Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre core staff and associates.It is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. A supervisor may be found outside the Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre.

Field supervisors, or local supervisors, give practical guidance in the workplace and advise and support students in carrying out the research. Students should have ready access to local supervisors for guidance regarding research practicalities in their area.

Each student will be allocated a supervisor from Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre staff during the academic year, although the practical emphasis for supervision rests with the field supervisor.

Assessment

To complete the Research strand of the MSc in CBT , you will need to submit a dissertation, which comprises:

  • a research paper, which is prepared to a standard that is acceptable for submission to a peer reviewed journal; and
  • a reflective critique of the research experience.

The reflective critique is an opportunity for you to look back over your experience of carrying out a piece of research and taking it to the point of submission. You will need to demonstrate what you have learnt from your experience, what you would do differently with hindsight, and how your experience will inform your practice from now on.

Graduate destinations

Completion of the course provides access to a growing network of course graduates and to an ongoing programme of follow- up workshops on CBT and related topics. Further supervision through OCTC may also be negotiated, for example, for participants wishing to achieve accreditation by the British Association of Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies as a therapist, supervisor and/or trainer.

Changes to this course and your supervision

The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made if a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency occurs. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.

Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.

For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.

Entry requirements for entry in 2025-26

Proven and potential academic excellence

The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our interactive tool to help youevaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive.

Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying.

Degree-level qualifications

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:

  • a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours ina relevant subject; and
  • aPGDip in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, completed successfully at the University of Oxford (provided in collaboration with the Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre).

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.5 out of 4.0.

If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.

GRE General Test scores

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience

Applicants are normally expected to haveat least two year's post-qualification clinical experience,and:

  • be qualified members of one of the main National Health Service professions, eg clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, general practitioners, occupational therapists, or other recognised professions, eg social worker;OR
  • hold the equivalent of a core profession as defined byBABCPs Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes criteria.

Applicants will need to demonstrate that they have:

  • a research proposal which can be implemented in their clinical setting. It is imperative that applicants have developed a realistic proposal; therefore, applicants are required to submit their proposal with their MSc application so that it can be reviewed prior to interview;
  • a ‘field’ supervisor for their research, ie a supervisor who is local to the student and the project, and who is sufficiently experienced in research to oversee the work; and
  • maintained their continued professional development as CBT practitioners, as is required by the BABCP, since completing their Postgraduate Diploma.

Publications are not expected.

English language proficiency

This course requires proficiency in English at the University'shigher level. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement.The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.

Minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level requirement
TestMinimum overall scoreMinimum score per component
IELTS Academic (Institution code: 0713)7.57.0

TOEFL iBT, including the 'Home Edition'

(Institution code: 0490)

110Listening: 22
Reading: 24
Speaking: 25
Writing: 24
C1 Advanced*191185
C2 Proficiency191185

*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE)
Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)

Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide providesfurther information about the English language test requirement.

Declaring extenuating circumstances

If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.

References

You will need to register three referees whocan give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course.TheHow to applysection of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Supporting documents

You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. TheHow to applysection of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Performance at interview

Interviews are normally held as part of the admissions process.

Applicants will be shortlisted in accordance with their ability to meet the criteria for admissions. Interviews will usually be held four to six weeks after the application deadline.

Interviews will normally be held in person, but may be conducted via video-conferencing, andwill be conducted by two members of the course team. They will usually last about 45 minutes and include questions about your professional background and submitted research proposalfor the research strand, and either a role-play to assess clinical skills or a brief presentation on a relevant topic for the clinical strand.

If you are invited to attend an interview, you may be asked about your ability to commit sufficient time to study and fulfil all elements outlined in the course description (eg completing coursework, assessments, and attending course and University events and modules).

Offer conditions for successful applications

If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer willoutline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines.These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our 'After you apply'pages provide moreinformation about offers and conditions.

In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:

Financial Declaration

If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete aFinancial Declarationin order to meet your financial condition of admission.

Disclosure of criminal convictions

In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare anyrelevant, unspent criminal convictionsbefore you can take up a place at Oxford.

Evidence of ability to study for employed part-time applicants

If you are currently employed, you may be asked to provide evidence that your employment will not affect your ability to study and that you can commit sufficient time to fulfil all elements outlined in the course description. You may be asked to provide details about your pattern of employment and provide evidence to show how you will fulfil your commitment to make time available to study, to complete coursework, and attend course and University events and modules. You may also be asked to obtain a statement from your employer confirming their commitment to make time available for you to study, to complete coursework, and attend course and University events and modules.

Other factors governing whether places can be offered

The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:

  • the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the About section of this page;
  • the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
  • minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.

Department for Continuing Education

The need for new learning opportunities throughout life is recognised throughout society. An intensive, initial period of higher education is not always enough, or possible, in times of rapid social, economic and technological change. The Department for Continuing Education is known worldwide as a leading provider of extended learning for professional and personal development.

The department provides high-quality, flexible, part-time graduate education, tailored for adults.Students can undertake graduate-level certificates, diplomas and taught master’s degrees in a wide range of subjects. Increasing numbers of courses are delivered in mixed mode, combining intensive periods of residence in Oxford with tutored online study.

The department recruits adult students of all ages on a regional, national and international level. Many courses are offered jointly with other academic departments around the University. Courses are offered in the following areas:

  • Humanities
  • Mathematical, physical and life sciences
  • Medical and health sciences
  • Social sciences.

All postgraduate students on the department's courses are members of its Graduate School. The department's Graduate School aims to provide a stimulating and enriching environment for learning and research. It also supports intellectual and social interaction between graduates of different disciplines and professions from the UK and around the globe. Interdisciplinary research seminars, training opportunities and other events are offered by the Graduate School in support of this goal.

The department's Graduate School will help you make the most of the wealth of resources and opportunities available, paying particular regard to the support and guidance needed if you are following a part-time graduate programme. The department’s graduate community comprises over 600 members following taught programmes and more than 70 undertaking doctoral research.

The department is located in a block of attractive Victorian houses in Wellington Square in central Oxford close to some of the University's major libraries and museums and to the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter. The city's historic sites, colleges, shops and restaurants are only a few minutes' walk away. The modernised and extended site has its own fully equipped seminar rooms, library, reading room, student computing facility, graduate school study/social room, dining-room, common- room, garden seating areas and short-term student accommodation. Depending on the programme you are taking with the department, you may require accommodation at some point in your student career. The department has 35 en-suite study bedrooms, all with high quality amenities, including internet access.

The Rewley House dining room has seating for up to 132 people. A full meal service is available daily. The department operates a Common Room with bar for students.

All masters' and DPhil applicants are considered for Clarendon Scholarships. The department is committed to seeking scholarship support for other students wherever possible.

View all coursesView taught courses View research courses

Funding

For entry in the 2025-26 academic year, the collegiate University expects to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across a wide range of graduate courses.

If you apply by the January deadline shown on this page and receive a course offer, your application will then be considered for Oxford scholarships. For the majority of Oxford scholarships, your application will automatically be assessed against the eligibility criteria, without needing to make a separate application. There are further Oxford scholarships available which have additional eligibility criteria and where you are required to submit a separate application. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential.

To ensure that you are considered for Oxford scholarships that require a separate application, for which you may be eligible,use our fees, funding and scholarship search toolto identify these opportunities and find out how to apply.Alongside Oxford scholarships, you should also consider other opportunities for which you may be eligible includinga range of external funding,loan schemes for postgraduate studyand any other scholarships which may also still be available after the January deadline as listed onour fees, funding and scholarship search tool.

Details of college-specific funding opportunities can also be found on individual college websites:

Please refer to the College preference section of this page to identify which of the colleges listed above accept students for this course.

For the majority of college scholarships, it doesn’t matter which college, if any, you state a preference for in your application. If another college is able to offer you a scholarship, your application can be moved to that college if you accept the scholarship. Some college scholarships may require you to state a preference for that college when you apply, so check the eligibility requirements carefully.

Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the department's website.

Costs

Annual fees for entry in 2025-26

Fee status

Annual Course fees

Home£5,915
Overseas£5,915

Information about course fees

Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges.

Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.

Where can I find further information about fees?

The Fees and Fundingsection of this website provides further information about course fees, including information about fee status and eligibilityand your length of fee liability.

Additional information

This course has residential sessions in Oxford. You will need to meet your travel and accommodation costs in attending these sessions. Further, as part of your course requirements, you may need to choose a dissertation, a project or a thesis topic. Depending on your choice of topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.

Living costs

In addition to your course fees and any additional course-specific costs, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.

Living costs for part-time study

Your living costs may vary depending on your personal circumstances but you will still need to cover your cost of living on a full-time basis for the duration of your course, even if you will not be based in Oxford throughout your studies. While the range of likely living costs for a single, full-time student living in Oxford is between £1,425 and £2,035 per month, living costs outside Oxford may be different.

Part-time students who are not based in Oxford will need to calculate travel and accommodation costs carefully. Depending on your circumstances and study plans, this may include thecost of a visitor visa to attend for short blocks of time (assuming that visitor visa eligibility criteria are met).

Further information about living costs

The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. For study in Oxford beyond the 2025-26 academic year, it is suggested that you budget for potential increases in living expenses of around 4% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. For further information, please consult our more detailed information about living costs, which includes a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs.

College preference

Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs).

If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our briefintroduction to the college system at Oxfordand ouradvice about expressing a college preference.

If you are a current Oxford student and you would like to remain at your current Oxford college, you should check whether it is listed below. If it is, you should indicate this preference when you apply. If not, you should contact your college office to ask whether they would be willing to make an exception. Further information about staying at your current college can be found in our Application Guide.

The following colleges accept students on the MSc in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Research):

  • Campion Hall

  • Kellogg College

  • Reuben College

  • Wycliffe Hall

Before you apply

Our guide to getting started provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. You can use our interactive tool to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive.

If it is important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under the January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance. Check the deadlines on this page and the information about deadlines and when to apply in our Application Guide.

Application fee waivers

An application fee of £75 is payable for each application to this course. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:

  • applicants from low-income countries;
  • refugees and displaced persons;
  • UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and
  • applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.

You are encouraged tocheck whether you're eligible for an application fee waiverbefore you apply.

Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?

You do not need to make contact with the department before you apply but you are encouraged to visit the relevant departmental webpages to read any further information about your chosen course.

Completing your application

You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents.

For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application.

If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.

Referees:
Three overall, at least one professional and one academic

Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.

A professional reference from your current clinical supervisor is required and at least one of your references should be academic.

Your references will supportintellectual ability, academic achievement, motivation, ability to work in a group and clinical ability.

Official transcript(s)

Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.

More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.

Statement of purpose/personal statemen and research proposal
Statement of a maximum of 1500 words and a proposal of a maximum of 1,500 words

Your statement of purpose/personal statement and research proposalshould be submitted as a single, combined document with clear subheadings. Please ensure that the word counts for each section are clearly visible in the document.

Statement of purpose/personal statement

Your statement should be written in English and explain your motivation for applying for the course at Oxford. You should explain your relevant experience and education, and the specific areas that interest you. This statement should include how you anticipate the training will enhance your practice and what you hope to gain from the course.

You should provide evidence of your ability to commit sufficient time to study and fulfil all elements outlined in the course description (eg completing coursework, assessments, and attending course and University events and modules).

If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.

Your statement will be assessed for:

  • your motivation for applying to this particular courses
  • your relevant academic, research, or practical experience;
  • your ability to commit sufficient time to study and fulfil all elements outlined in the course description if you are applying for part-time study; and
  • the areas of study within the subject that interest you.

Research proposal

Your research proposal should be an outlined proposal for a research study, written in English, that is appropriate to the aims of the course, well-designed and feasible.

If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.

Your proposal should identify your proposed research project and outline the scope and treatment of the project.It will be normal for your ideas subsequently to change in some ways as you investigate the evidence and develop your project. You should nevertheless make the best effort you can to demonstrate the extent of your research question, sources and method at this moment.

Start or continue your application

You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, pleaserefer to the requirements aboveandconsult our Application Guide for advice.

Apply Continue application

After you've submitted your application

Your application (including the supporting documents outlined above) will be assessed against the entry requirements detailed on this course page. Whether or not you have secured funding willnotbe taken into consideration when your application is assessed.You canfind out more about our shortlisting and selection processin our detailed guide to what happens next.

Find out how to manage your application after submission,using our Applicant Self-Service tool.

ADMISSION STATUS

Open to applications for entry in 2025-26

Deadlines

12:00 midday UK time on:

Wednesday 29 January 2025

Latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships

Tuesday 4 March 2025

Final application deadline for entry in 2025-26

Key facts
Part Time Only
Course codeTM_GT9P9C5
Expected length2 years
Places in2025-26c. 2
Applications/year*5
Expected start4 September 2025
English languageHigher level required

*Two-year average (applications for entry in 2021-22 and 2022-23)

Further information and enquiries

This course is offered by the
Department for Continuing Education

  • Course page on the department's website
  • Funding information from the department
  • Academic staff
  • Departmental research
  • Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre
  • Continuing Education Graduate School
  • Postgraduate applicant privacy policy

Course-related enquiries

Advice about contacting the department can be found in the How to apply section of this page

[emailprotected]
+44 (0)1865270388

Application-process enquiries

Application guide

MSc in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Research) | University of Oxford (2024)
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