Consumer Psychology with Business MA/MSc

Psychology is at the core of some of the hottest areas in marketing. For instance, areas like new product development, internet advertising, and branding all involve psychological processes. Whether it is understanding memory, decision-making, aesthetics, price-perceptions, or social media, more and more companies are coming to realise the central role that psychology plays in our day-to-day lives. One aspect of consumer psychology that appeals to some is the broad nature of the field. The questions addressed by consumer psychologists range from the simple (how to choose a chocolate bar?) to the massively complex (how should the national health service better advertise and use behaviour-change interventions?). And, in addition, the techniques used to help answer such questions also cover a wide range: from simple focus groups, to questionnaires, to crowd-sourced data, to laboratory experiments, to brain imaging. The variety of skills, methods, theories, areas, and techniques makes this field exciting, dynamic, and relevant. In terms of career prospects, students who study consumer psychology go in many directions, including: marketing, advertising, new product development, market research, and brand-development. They go on to work in public, private, charity, or social-enterprise sectors. Many of today’s most forward-looking companies are now coming to value the insights that consumer psychology can provide. In the first semester, Consumer Psychology and Business studies will be in equal proportions, however in Semester 2 there will be a greater focus on consumer psychology, and the dissertation is undertaken in this field. It is also possible to undertake a Business with Consumer Psychology Masters degree that will involve a dissertation in Business. Candidates may choose between the MA or MSc routes, ,which are differentiated by the nature of the dissertation. The MSc dissertation will involve undertaking empirical research, whilst the MA dissertation will involve an extended literature review.