Donate

We are now taking applications for the 2023/24 intake starting in September 2023. 

The UCL–Yale Doctoral Training Programme in Developmental Neuroscience and Mental Health is a unique graduate program for exceptional students in the field of developmental psychology, neuroscience, and mental health. It brings together two of the world’s leading research universities, with an outstanding track record of research across these domains (both UCL and Yale are consistently ranked in the top 10 universities world-wide in psychology) in partnership with the Anna Freud Centre and the Child Study Centre at Yale.

The focus of this fully-funded four-year international PhD programme on developmental psychopathology drawing on multidisciplinary perspectives, with a specific emphasis on neuroscience. Students spend their first two years in London, based at the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families and UCL and years 3 and 4 at Yale University in New Haven, USA.

Who can apply?

We would like to invite applications from candidates with:
i) An upper second class honours degree of a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard obtained after a programme of study extending over not less than three years in a university (or educational institution of university rank), in a subject appropriate to that of the programme to be followed; or
ii) A registerable qualification appropriate to the programme to be followed awarded by a UK university; or a qualification of an equivalent standard appropriate to the programme to be followed awarded by a university (or educational institution of university rank) outside the UK; or
iii) A Masters degree from a UK University in a subject appropriate to the programme to be followed; or
iv) A professional or other qualification obtained by written examinations and approved by UCL as an appropriate entrance qualification for the MPhil or PhD degree in question.

Applicants should also consult the relevant departmental/divisional admission requirements.
In addition to meeting the above criteria, candidates with a strong academic background in psychology, neuroscience, medicine or related disciplines are encouraged to apply and your application would be welcomed.

Applicants are required to briefly outline a research proposal for their PhD. The proposal should include sections on theoretical background as well as a proposed methods. Applicant should consider the fit with the broader remit of the programme but without a specific supervisor in mind. The proposal should be no longer than 750 words.

Career Prospects

Many students who complete a PhD in the Division stay in academia, either going on to become postdoctoral researchers or research assistants, and ultimately lecturers. Some go on to further training in fields such as clinical psychology, educational psychology, consultancy or applied research. A PhD degree taken here is recognised both nationally and internationally as a qualification of the highest status. 

Further Information

For more information about the programme, including content, structure or to make an application, please visit the UCL website.

Contact

For all enquiries related to this programme, please contact the Programme Officer.

Our use of cookies

We use necessary cookies to make our site work. We’d also like to set optional analytics to help us improve it. We won’t set optional cookies unless you enable them. Using this tool will set a cookie on your device to remember your preferences.

For more detailed information about the cookies we use, see our Cookies page


Necessary cookies

Necessary cookies enable core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility. You may disable these by changing your browser settings, but this may affect how the website functions.


Analytics cookies

We’d like to set non-essential cookies, such as Google Analytics, to help us to improve our website by collecting and reporting information on how you use it. The cookies collect information in a way that does not directly identify anyone. For more information on how these cookies work, please see our Cookies page. If you are 16 or under, please ask a parent or carer for consent before accepting.