I was wondering if anybody could help, im going to be taking a masters, but im unsure whether an MRes or an MSc is the best to take a PhD afterwards, or doesn't it matter which one i take?

Pick the one you would most enjoy and apply yourself to as this should show through in your marks which is the important thing. I have an MSc but it had a research methods module in it. I don't think this had an impact on my being offered a funded place but I do know the panel looked at my module grades.

Hi Laurajane! You do need to be a little bit careful with your selection. If you do an MSc that is part-taught, then you need to make sure that the research component is large enough for it to be accredited for certain funding companies (where you might be applying for PhD funding). The ESRC, for example, will only count the masters as a masters if a certain proportion of it is research-based- or at least that was the case a few years back, it might have changed since then. My MSc was part-taught and part-research (with a 50:50 split), and that was fine, but it is worth checking accreditations out etc. The MRes should be fine in terms of applying for a PhD, but of course you do miss out on some taught modules that might be beneficial. Best, KB

Having read KB's post I would add I was awarded funding based on an interview at a University and not through application to an external body.

To elaborate- like Delta, my funding wasn't actually from a research council- I won a national scholarship that required an MSc but didn't specify what the MSc had to entail so long as it was considered to be 'appropriate training'. But I applied for funding from several places to start with and I remember one of the research councils did require that the MSc had a certain accreditation. I honestly can't remember the exact details but it was definitely to do with how large the research component was....it might not be relevant to you but it is something you could just check out. I'm sure the department you apply to would be able to give you any such details. Best, KB

Hey again! Just had a look online- if you google 'ESRC accredited masters' and click on the first link, it takes you to another link for a list of courses that the ESRC will accept as providing sufficient training in research to apply for PhD funding with them. It might not be relevant to your subject area, and of course you could get funding from elsewhere, but the ESRC do fund a lot of psychology projects so might be worthwhile considering. Best, KB