
Opleiding: MSc Clinical Health Psychology
Learning purpose
Clinical Health Psychology is a branch of Health Psychology that focuses on the relationship between psychological variables and biomedical conditions. It deals with the processes of the psychological treatment of, and response to physical illness of patients in the health care system. In particular, students develop counselling skills to apply to working with clients in the health care system. As such the programme takes a scientist-practitioner approach and thus students develop both skills in research methodology and a range of professional and practical skills.
During the course you will study counselling skills; chronic illness and its management; working with patients in the health care system; health-related behaviour, addiction and treatment; public health, health promotion and behaviour change interventions; stress and stress management; and research methods. You will have access to some of the best and most up-to-date psychology specialist postgraduate computer, laboratory and library study facilities for teaching and research in the UK.
Target audience
This course is intended for those with or without a degree in psychology but without the Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society (BPS) (normally obtained through completing a psychology degree in the UK). Those with GBC may prefer to apply for our BPS accredited MSc Health Psychology, which includes a placement.
Programme
For full-time students teaching is on Tuesdays and Thursdays and for part-time students it is on Tuesdays in year 1 and Thursdays in year 2.
Coursework includes case studies, health behaviour journal, designing health promotion materials, laboratory reports, research proposals and essays.
- Advanced Psychology Dissertation (60 Credits) - Compulsory
- Research Methods in Applied Psychology (30 Credits) - Compulsory
- Counselling and psychotherapy (30 credits) - Compulsory
- Applications of Health Psychology (15 Credits) - Compulsory
- Processes of Illness and Health Care Delivery (30 Credits) - Compulsory
- Psychosocial Foundations of Health and Illness (15 Credits) - Compulsory
Entry Requirements
This programme will be of interest to students who are interested in health and/or counselling psychology and/or those who have a background or currently work in a health care, mental health or other health-related setting.
Both UK and international students and those with and without a psychology degree may apply. Entry qualifications include a degree (2:2 or equivalent or above) in a relevant area and an English language qualification (for home students this is Grade C GCSE or an equivalent qualification, and for overseas students this is usually IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL (paper based) 550 or TOEFL (internet based) 79 with specified minimum scores for each component).
English language requirements
You must have competence in English language and we normally require Grade C GCSE or an equivalent qualification. The most common English Language requirements for international students are IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL (paper based) 550 or TOEFL (internet based) 79 with specified minimum scores for each component.
Professional perspective and employment market
After completion of the MSc students may work in the health service, public health, organizations, and academia. Work may include helping people to manage and cope with illnesses such as diabetes, pain, cancer, stroke, coronary heart disease etc.; health promotion in communities, schools or the workplace; designing and delivering interventions for weight loss, smoking cessation, stress management, improving uptake of screening for cancers etc.; research and teaching.
In addition, graduates may also pursue further postgraduate training and-or study and those who have the Graduate Basis for Chartership with the British Psychological Society may, for example, pursue clinical training.

