Health Psychology

Entry requirements

2:1 or higher in an undergraduate degree in Psychology conferring Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) from the British Psychological Society.

If you’re unsure if you have GBC from your undergraduate programme, you can check here.

Months of entry

January, September

Course content

Overview

Bridging the gap between medicine and psychology, the course focuses on understanding the behavioural processes around health and sickness. This programme will allow students to develop the knowledge and skills necessary for research and practice as a Health Psychologist. The programme covers a wide-range of approaches, from advanced research methods, through to a working and evidence-based knowledge of theory and behaviour change interventions.

Much like our undergraduate programme, this course will adopt a personalised teaching style built on creating relationships between students and staff. All modules use a tutorial style of teaching, in which students are taught weekly in groups of 7 or fewer, allowing for regular quality contact time with your lecturer. It is through this method that students can achieve excellence in their qualification in a supportive environment.

Over the course of the programme, you will develop a strong knowledge base and skill-set appropriate for professional practice in Health Psychology. You’ll learn to analyse, debate, discuss and devise behaviour change interventions for use in primary, secondary and community care. We encourage autonomy in design and analysis of research, allowing you to develop your skills towards becoming an independent researcher, with an increased awareness of the practical reality of working with short- and long-term health conditions.

This is a one year, full-time programme accepting students in both September and January. Alongside the taught modules, there will be opportunities for you to gain practical work experience from our collaborations with Milton Keynes, Stoke Mandeville and Northampton General Hospitals. Taught modules include:

• Health Communications and Context
• Health Promotion and Behaviour Change
• Managing Chronic Illness
• Professional Skills: Health Psychology in Practice
• Physiology, Epidemiology and Neuroimmunology
• Advanced Qualitative Methods
• Advanced Quantitative Methods
• Research Project in Health Psychology

All modules are assessed by a combination of two assignments. Assignments differ according to the module requirements, but include a variety of assessment styles over the programme including written examinations, research reports, critical reflections and role plays.

Further information can be found on the University Course Finder: www.buckingham.ac.uk/sciences/msc/health-psychology

BPS Accreditation

This MSc programme is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) as providing Stage 1 training in Health Psychology, a pre-requisite for Stage 2 training, registration with the Health and Care Professions Council, and Chartered Psychologist status.

Information for international students

We are happy to consider all international applications and if you are an international student, you may find it useful to visit our international pages for details of entry requirements from your home country.

The University is a UKVI Tier 4 Sponsor.

Fees and funding

Please visit our website for the latest information relating to our tuition fees, scholarships and bursaries.