Health Psychology Masters - MSc

Health psychology focuses on the roles of psychology, biology and social or environmental factors on health and health related behaviour. Health psychologists promote healthier lifestyles and seek to improve well-being by understanding the impact that health related thoughts, feelings and behaviour can have on the individual.

Health strategy has been shifting from the treatment of disease to the maintenance of health and prevention of illness. The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act (2015) aims to improve the nation’s social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being. This is particularly important given that relative to the rest of the UK, Wales has more older people and high burden of chronic illness (Public Health Wales Observatory, 2018).

This Masters degree In Health Psychology aims to produce high quality graduates that are in a good position to improve health and well-being by using specific psychological knowledge and skills. The programme is specifically designed with future employability in mind and provides a student-centred approach to preparing graduates for future training and / or careers. Some graduates go on to complete further training to become qualified health psychologists, but many others go on to work in health-related career roles including health promotion, education, health and well-being at work, research or develop their own businesses.

Career

An MSc in Health Psychology is the first step (stage one) towards Chartered Psychology status for students who are eligible to hold the Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society (BPS). The MSc in Health Psychology will provide the knowledge base and research skills, which will underpin stage two of the process towards Chartership with the BPS (two years of supervised practice). Completion of stage two with the BPS also confers eligibility to become a Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registered Health Psychologist. All practitioner psychologists are regulated by the HCPC. Health psychologists work in all areas relevant to health, illness and health care delivery. However, the majority of students do not pursue this route. Graduates from the programme have gone on to work or train in a number of areas including health promotion, research, teaching or private consultancy. Many graduates go on to complete PhDs, some have gone on to complete clinical psychology training and many work or train in a range of roles that promote health and well-being. The MSc in Health Psychology can either be used as a launch pad for further training and development or can provide the knowledge and skills that are valuable in a range of employment roles. Careers options are explored extensively throughout the programme.