Courses :: Course - PH.D. DEGREE SCIENCE, MHW02 (FT), MHW03 (PT), PHDS

	Details
	PhD students are an integral part of the academic life of MU�s Department of Psychology; we aim to deliver high-quality supervision and to produce research of international quality. The goal of the structured PhD programme is to provide a high-quality research experience with integrated taught support. Structured support is offered through transferable skills modules and specialist modules to provide students with academic and professional skills needed for employment and career progression within, and outside of, academia. Our Department makes an internationally distinctive and vibrant contribution to research and practice, for details see: Our Research \| Maynooth University Our PhD students gain training and experience in conducting high-quality empirical research in an environment characterised by a warm welcoming atmosphere. Closing date Research applications are accepted at any time. Commencement dates are restricted. Commences Applications for the PhD programme are considered on a rolling basis. The latest date for application is early August for September start, and the latest date for application is December/early January for February start. It is important to secure supervisor agreement well in advance of these dates.

Details

PhD students are an integral part of the academic life of MU�s Department of Psychology; we aim to deliver high-quality supervision and to produce research of international quality. The goal of the structured PhD programme is to provide a high-quality research experience with integrated taught support. Structured support is offered through transferable skills modules and specialist modules to provide students with academic and professional skills needed for employment and career progression within, and outside of, academia.

Our Department makes an internationally distinctive and vibrant contribution to research and practice, for details see: Our Research | Maynooth University

Our PhD students gain training and experience in conducting high-quality empirical research in an environment characterised by a warm welcoming atmosphere.

Closing date

Research applications are accepted at any time. Commencement dates are restricted.

Commences

Applications for the PhD programme are considered on a rolling basis. The latest date for application is early August for September start, and the latest date for application is December/early January for February start. It is important to secure supervisor agreement well in advance of these dates.

	Research interest
	The following research interests and specialisms are within the Department of Psychology at Maynooth University: Dr Laura Coffey Exploring the views and experiences of people living with illness, disability and/or difference and finding ways to promote their autonomy, wellbeing and inclusion. Specific interests in amputation and prosthesis use, cancer survivorship, neurodivergence, intellectual disability, self-management and goal adjustment, supported decision-making, participatory autism research. Emphasis on qualitative and mixed methods approaches incorporating multiple stakeholders� perspectives and engaged research practices. Professor Se�n Commins The neurobiology of spatial navigation, learning and memory. Consolidation of long-term memories. Neural substrates of hippocampal-cortical interactions. Investigation of cognitive deficits following stroke and other disorders. Professor Louise Connell Cognition and cognitive science, especially the mental representation of concepts, sensorimotor grounding of cognition, and role of language and linguistic distributional knowledge in cognition. Interdisciplinary research that spans psychology (experimental and cognitive psychology, psycholinguistics), linguistics (cognitive and corpus linguistics), and artificial intelligence (computational modelling, distributional semantics). Professor Andrew Coogan We are interested in circadian rhythms and sleep, and their importance for health and wellbeing. Current research interests include assessing how circadian clocks may be involved in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adults, developing novel approaches towards the long-term monitoring of sleep/wake cycles examining the impacts of working time arrangements on sleep and psychological wellbeing, examining day-to-day variability in symptoms of conditions such as narcolepsy, migraine and bipolar disorder and examining how sleep and circadian rhythms can be used in clinical endocrinology to improve disease outcomes. Dr Michael Cooke Living and working with technology. Human factors and human-computer interaction. Understanding people living and working in complex systems (such as aviation, security, emergency management, health, manufacturing, energy production, critical infrastructures, or any sociotechnical system), the psychology of lived experience (phenomenological perspectives), activity theory, and sociocultural psychology. I am also interested in Critical Psychology and qualitative methods, and Poststructuralist theory. Dr Michael Daly Lifelong impact of childhood individual differences with a focus on self-control and mental health; psychological and health effects of major stressors (e.g. unemployment, poverty, weight discrimination, the COVID-19 pandemic); longitudinal data. Dr Constance de Saint Laurent Social media, internet cultures, and technological mediation: How digital technologies mediate social interactions and cognition. Social representations, misinformation, and memory: How we understand complex objects (covid, refugee crisis, generative AI), as well as the impact of misinformation and collective memory on how we understand our social environment. Professor Deirdre Desmond Psychosocial adjustment to illness, injury and disability; Outcomes measurement; rehabilitation; assistive technology. Dr Unai Diaz-Orueta Neuropsychological assessment using a process-based approach. Virtual reality applications in neuropsychological assessment. Cognitive rehabilitation procedures (both traditional and technology/game-based approaches). Research on the impacts and benefits of videogames in health and cognition. Cognitive assessment in populations with low literacy levels. Dr Emma Farrell Mental health and wellbeing. Psychology of obesity. Evidence for policy. Nature and wellbeing. Professor Philip Hyland My research interests fall in the general area of understanding mental health disorders. I primarily focus on disorders associated with stress related life events such as Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Complex Posttraumatic Disorder, and Prolonged Grief Disorder. I use quantitative research methods to study the nature of mental health disorders, how to measure them appropriately, to identify their causes, and to study their consequences. I tend to focus on cognitive models of psychopathology and am particularly interested in the cognitive-behavioural theory of psychopathology. Dr Dermot Lynott My research falls broadly within the areas of cognitive science and embodied cognition. I am interested in how people's linguistic, bodily and environmental experience shapes their mental representations and how this affects the way they process the world around them. This research includes investigations of the grounded and situated nature of concepts, the ability of language, body and environment to shape representations and behaviour, and the interplay of linguistic and simulation systems in human cognition. Current projects include modelling of implicit attitudes using language models, using sensorimotor representations to predict language processing, meta-research in open research practices, and developing open research resources. Dr Tadhg MacIntyre My approach as a scientist-practitioner has been to apply and test robust theoretical frameworks using pragmatic methods to address issues relating to societal challenges. My recent research outputs have included complimentary methods from psychological science and environmental science Converging methods can serve a purpose when the phenomenon in question is as complex and elusive as the challenges we face in cities relating to health, well-being and climate change. Interdisciplinary research, a hallmark of my approach to research, has guided my research on environmental psychology (e.g. nature-based interventions), mental health and well-being (e.g. resilience, climate hope) and motor cognition (e.g. metacognition, embodied cognition, and virtual nature. Current projects, both funded by the EU Horizon programme, include GoGreen Routes and GoGreen Next focus on urban health and nature-based solutions and interventions. Professor Mac MacLachlan Disability, impairment, ageing and chronic illness; service design, implementation and evaluation; social inclusion; assistive and connected technologies; human rights and global health; policy development and implementation; macropsychology; maritime psychology. Dr Rebecca Maguire Quality of life and psychological well-being in patients living with chronic illness and disability. Caregiver well-being and burden of care. Health-related decision making. Coping with uncertainty. Psychological appraisals. Public and patient involvement in research. Professor Sin�ad McGilloway Broadly: The psychological aspects and community context of health care and social problems across the lifespan. Specifically: Child and adult mental health and well-being in the community. Health services research. Intervention/service design, development and evaluation. The health and social care needs of vulnerable and socially excluded groups. Mental health and well-being aspects of palliative/end-of-life care. Systematic reviews. Dr Joanna McHugh Power Loneliness and social connection, mostly (but not limited to) later life; epidemiology of loneliness; impact of social connection and loneliness on health and mental health; etiology of loneliness. Dr Joanne McVeigh Organisational psychology, particularly organisational justice. Psychology & Global health, including human rights, equity, and social inclusion. Disability rights. Macropsychology, including the intersection between psychology and policies / law. Maritime psychology. Dr Katriona O�Sullivan My research focuses on digital equality, equity in education, and inclusion. My research uses quantitative and qualitative methods to examine, and understand, the impact of education interventions on education attainment. Research explores how digital skills can bridge educational gaps, particularly for underrepresented groups. My work explores gender issues in STEM, the impact of socio-economic status on educational outcomes, and the development of support structures for students entering higher education through alternative routes. Katriona collaborates with policymakers to influence educational policies and has been involved in significant projects aimed at promoting digital inclusion and equity. Professor Bryan Roche The experimental analysis of complex human behaviour, language and cognition (EAB). Experimental social psychology and implicit attitude measurement. Fear and avoidance conditioning models of human anxiety. Intelligence and the development of behaviourally oriented educational interventions. Dr Richard Roche Cognitive neuroscience/neuropsychology, particularly memory, ageing, dementia, brain injury and synaesthesia. Current research interests include the use of Reminiscence Therapy in preserving memory and cognitive function in older age and dementia, the use of Neuroeducation for people living with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Also interested in the intersection of the arts and sciences/neuroscience, and how the humanities can promote brain health across the life span. Dr Sadhbh Byrne Understanding experiences of giving and receiving support and care, focusing on young people. Support from friends, parents, or other caring adults (including healthcare providers), particularly in the context of mental health challenges (including self-harm, suicide, and loneliness). Specific questions include what makes support feel helpful or unhelpful, the roles of empathy and stigma, how non-professional supporters experience compassion fatigue or burnout, and digital contexts of support-giving. Approaching these questions through the lens of developmental psychology, and particularly using qualitative and/or participatory methods. Dr Peter Murphy Neural mechanisms of decision-making, working memory and cognitive control; relationships between them; and how they are affected under conditions of brain change (e.g. cognitive aging) and psychological disorder. Computational modelling of behaviour and neural circuits, including training and interrogation of artificial neural networks performing cognitive tasks. Influence of arousal and 'brain state' on cognitive function. Dr Siobhan Woods Athlete psychological health and well-being, in particular athlete burnout and the factors that predict the onset of burnout; burnout and additional factors impacting psychological well-being in other performance contexts; the role of physical activity in psychological health and well-being. For further details on the research specialisms within the Department please visit: https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/psychology/our-research

Research interest

The following research interests and specialisms are within the Department of Psychology at Maynooth University:

Dr Laura Coffey

Exploring the views and experiences of people living with illness, disability and/or difference and finding ways to promote their autonomy, wellbeing and inclusion. Specific interests in amputation and prosthesis use, cancer survivorship, neurodivergence, intellectual disability, self-management and goal adjustment, supported decision-making, participatory autism research. Emphasis on qualitative and mixed methods approaches incorporating multiple stakeholders� perspectives and engaged research practices.

Professor Se�n Commins

The neurobiology of spatial navigation, learning and memory. Consolidation of long-term memories. Neural substrates of hippocampal-cortical interactions. Investigation of cognitive deficits following stroke and other disorders.

Professor Louise Connell

Cognition and cognitive science, especially the mental representation of concepts, sensorimotor grounding of cognition, and role of language and linguistic distributional knowledge in cognition. Interdisciplinary research that spans psychology (experimental and cognitive psychology, psycholinguistics), linguistics (cognitive and corpus linguistics), and artificial intelligence (computational modelling, distributional semantics).

Professor Andrew Coogan

We are interested in circadian rhythms and sleep, and their importance for health and wellbeing. Current research interests include assessing how circadian clocks may be involved in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adults, developing novel approaches towards the long-term monitoring of sleep/wake cycles examining the impacts of working time arrangements on sleep and psychological wellbeing, examining day-to-day variability in symptoms of conditions such as narcolepsy, migraine and bipolar disorder and examining how sleep and circadian rhythms can be used in clinical endocrinology to improve disease outcomes.

Dr Michael Cooke

Living and working with technology. Human factors and human-computer interaction. Understanding people living and working in complex systems (such as aviation, security, emergency management, health, manufacturing, energy production, critical infrastructures, or any sociotechnical system), the psychology of lived experience (phenomenological perspectives), activity theory, and sociocultural psychology. I am also interested in Critical Psychology and qualitative methods, and Poststructuralist theory.

Dr Michael Daly

Lifelong impact of childhood individual differences with a focus on self-control and mental health; psychological and health effects of major stressors (e.g. unemployment, poverty, weight discrimination, the COVID-19 pandemic); longitudinal data.

Dr Constance de Saint Laurent

Social media, internet cultures, and technological mediation: How digital technologies mediate social interactions and cognition. Social representations, misinformation, and memory: How we understand complex objects (covid, refugee crisis, generative AI), as well as the impact of misinformation and collective memory on how we understand our social environment.

Professor Deirdre Desmond

Psychosocial adjustment to illness, injury and disability; Outcomes measurement; rehabilitation; assistive technology.

Dr Unai Diaz-Orueta

Neuropsychological assessment using a process-based approach. Virtual reality applications in neuropsychological assessment. Cognitive rehabilitation procedures (both traditional and technology/game-based approaches). Research on the impacts and benefits of videogames in health and cognition. Cognitive assessment in populations with low literacy levels.

Dr Emma Farrell

Mental health and wellbeing. Psychology of obesity. Evidence for policy. Nature and wellbeing.

Professor Philip Hyland

My research interests fall in the general area of understanding mental health disorders. I primarily focus on disorders associated with stress related life events such as Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Complex Posttraumatic Disorder, and Prolonged Grief Disorder. I use quantitative research methods to study the nature of mental health disorders, how to measure them appropriately, to identify their causes, and to study their consequences. I tend to focus on cognitive models of psychopathology and am particularly interested in the cognitive-behavioural theory of psychopathology.

Dr Dermot Lynott

My research falls broadly within the areas of cognitive science and embodied cognition. I am interested in how people's linguistic, bodily and environmental experience shapes their mental representations and how this affects the way they process the world around them. This research includes investigations of the grounded and situated nature of concepts, the ability of language, body and environment to shape representations and behaviour, and the interplay of linguistic and simulation systems in human cognition. Current projects include modelling of implicit attitudes using language models, using sensorimotor representations to predict language processing, meta-research in open research practices, and developing open research resources.

Dr Tadhg MacIntyre

My approach as a scientist-practitioner has been to apply and test robust theoretical frameworks using pragmatic methods to address issues relating to societal challenges. My recent research outputs have included complimentary methods from psychological science and environmental science Converging methods can serve a purpose when the phenomenon in question is as complex and elusive as the challenges we face in cities relating to health, well-being and climate change. Interdisciplinary research, a hallmark of my approach to research, has guided my research on environmental psychology (e.g. nature-based interventions), mental health and well-being (e.g. resilience, climate hope) and motor cognition (e.g. metacognition, embodied cognition, and virtual nature. Current projects, both funded by the EU Horizon programme, include GoGreen Routes and GoGreen Next focus on urban health and nature-based solutions and interventions.

Professor Mac MacLachlan

Disability, impairment, ageing and chronic illness; service design, implementation and evaluation; social inclusion; assistive and connected technologies; human rights and global health; policy development and implementation; macropsychology; maritime psychology.

Dr Rebecca Maguire

Quality of life and psychological well-being in patients living with chronic illness and disability. Caregiver well-being and burden of care. Health-related decision making. Coping with uncertainty. Psychological appraisals. Public and patient involvement in research.

Professor Sin�ad McGilloway

Broadly: The psychological aspects and community context of health care and social problems across the lifespan. Specifically: Child and adult mental health and well-being in the community. Health services research. Intervention/service design, development and evaluation. The health and social care needs of vulnerable and socially excluded groups. Mental health and well-being aspects of palliative/end-of-life care. Systematic reviews.

Dr Joanna McHugh Power

Loneliness and social connection, mostly (but not limited to) later life; epidemiology of loneliness; impact of social connection and loneliness on health and mental health; etiology of loneliness.

Dr Joanne McVeigh

Organisational psychology, particularly organisational justice. Psychology & Global health, including human rights, equity, and social inclusion. Disability rights. Macropsychology, including the intersection between psychology and policies / law. Maritime psychology.

Dr Katriona O�Sullivan

My research focuses on digital equality, equity in education, and inclusion. My research uses quantitative and qualitative methods to examine, and understand, the impact of education interventions on education attainment. Research explores how digital skills can bridge educational gaps, particularly for underrepresented groups. My work explores gender issues in STEM, the impact of socio-economic status on educational outcomes, and the development of support structures for students entering higher education through alternative routes. Katriona collaborates with policymakers to influence educational policies and has been involved in significant projects aimed at promoting digital inclusion and equity.

Professor Bryan Roche

The experimental analysis of complex human behaviour, language and cognition (EAB). Experimental social psychology and implicit attitude measurement. Fear and avoidance conditioning models of human anxiety. Intelligence and the development of behaviourally oriented educational interventions.

Dr Richard Roche

Cognitive neuroscience/neuropsychology, particularly memory, ageing, dementia, brain injury and synaesthesia. Current research interests include the use of Reminiscence Therapy in preserving memory and cognitive function in older age and dementia, the use of Neuroeducation for people living with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Also interested in the intersection of the arts and sciences/neuroscience, and how the humanities can promote brain health across the life span.

Dr Sadhbh Byrne

Understanding experiences of giving and receiving support and care, focusing on young people. Support from friends, parents, or other caring adults (including healthcare providers), particularly in the context of mental health challenges (including self-harm, suicide, and loneliness). Specific questions include what makes support feel helpful or unhelpful, the roles of empathy and stigma, how non-professional supporters experience compassion fatigue or burnout, and digital contexts of support-giving. Approaching these questions through the lens of developmental psychology, and particularly using qualitative and/or participatory methods.

Dr Peter Murphy

Neural mechanisms of decision-making, working memory and cognitive control; relationships between them; and how they are affected under conditions of brain change (e.g. cognitive aging) and psychological disorder. Computational modelling of behaviour and neural circuits, including training and interrogation of artificial neural networks performing cognitive tasks. Influence of arousal and 'brain state' on cognitive function.

Dr Siobhan Woods

Athlete psychological health and well-being, in particular athlete burnout and the factors that predict the onset of burnout; burnout and additional factors impacting psychological well-being in other performance contexts; the role of physical activity in psychological health and well-being.

For further details on the research specialisms within the Department please visit: https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/psychology/our-research

	Entry requirements
	Applicants must have a recognised primary degree which is considered equivalent to Irish university primary degree level. Minimum English language requirements: Applicants for whom English is not their first language are required to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study. For information about English language tests accepted and required scores, please see here. The requirements specified are applicable for both EU and International applicants. Information regarding fees and funding opportunities is available here: https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/study-maynooth/postgraduate-studies/fees-funding-scholarships Maynooth University's TOEFL code is 8850

Entry requirements

	How to apply
	Online application only. To make an application please click here. Please note: All research applicants should contact the respective department before applying to ensure their research proposal aligns with departmental interests and criteria. Approval in principle for research supervision is required before an application can be made. The first step before making a PhD by Research application is therefore to identify a topic for the research project and to find a supervisor with expertise in that research area who is available in the required timeframe and who is willing to supervise the work. You may need to send a research proposal and CV. However, it is best to contact the potential supervisor first, as requirements differ. Staff research interests are detailed here: https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/psychology/our-courses/phd-psychology, (under the �research interests� tab) and their contact details are here: https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/psychology/our-people There is also a general guide to the steps to be taken before application: https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/graduate-studies/apply-research-masters-phd To apply for your chosen postgraduate study at Maynooth University, please ensure you have the following documents to make an application: Evidence of your primary degree Academic transcripts A copy of your passport Proposed Thesis Title and Summary A personal statement An academic letter of recommendation A professional letter of recommendation

How to apply

	Career and postgraduate options
	Career options: The structured PhD is a research-oriented programme associated with a wide range of career options, depending on the subject area. Your prospective supervisor will be able to offer advice on specific career options. Before undertaking any programme of study, candidates who subsequently wish to pursue professional training, accredited training pathways, or professional registration (e.g. CORU) should check with relevant providers and/or societies that the qualifications meet their entry or registration requirements. Postgraduate options: For further information on Postgraduate options please go to the Graduate Studies site

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