Health Psychology MSc

The MSc Health Psychology was developed in 2003. This course is approved by the British Psychological Society (BPS) for accreditation towards becoming a Chartered Psychologist and can be undertaken on either a full-time or part-time basis.

The course will be of interest to those wishing to pursue a career as a professional health psychologist or to those with an interest in the psychological concomitants of physical health. Future career opportunities for health psychologists are increasing and are available in the NHS, in industry and in academic settings.

Course director

Dr Heather Buchanan, Division of Rehabilitation and Ageing, School of Medicine

Structure

Research project

Over the summer period towards the end of the course, you will undertake an applied research project. This is your opportunity to complete a major piece of independent research in a topic related to health psychology under the supervision of a suitably experienced member of academic staff.

You will be required to study the following core modules in semester one:

• C84CPH - Context and Perspectives in Health Psychology
• C84IRM - Introduction in Research Methods
• C84HTM - Understanding, Predicting and Changing Health Behaviour

Semester two covers the core modules listed below:

• C84CID - Chronic Illness
• C84HCC - Health Care Contexts

You will be required to study the following full year core modules:

• C84PSH - Professional Skills in Health Psychology
• C84QRM - Qualitative Research Methods
• C84QNT - Quantitative Methods

Please note that all module details are subject to change. 

The modules we offer are inspired by the research interests of our staff and as a result may change for reasons of, for example, research developments or legislation changes. This list is an example of typical modules we offer, not a definitive list.

Postgraduate Taught Funding

Financial support and highly competitive scholarships are available, and we encourage potential applicants to explore all funding possibilities. Please check the Graduate School for opportunities you may be eligible for in addition to those outlined here.

The University's Careers and Employability Service also provides a useful information service about further studies and sources of funding for graduates.

NB: Please note that scholarship applications cannot be considered until an offer has been made.

Government loans for masters courses

The Government offers postgraduate student loans for students studying a taught or research masters course. Applicants must ordinarily live in England or the EU. Student loans are also available for students from Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

International and EU students

Masters scholarships are available for international students from a wide variety of countries and areas of study. You must already have an offer to study at Nottingham to apply. Please note closing dates to ensure your course application is submitted in good time.

Information and advice on funding your degree, living costs and working while you study is available on our website, as well as country-specific resources.

Additional Funding Opportunities

Learning Beyond Registration (LBR) funding

Applicants who will be employed by the NHS in the East Midlands while they are undertaking their studies may be eligible to apply for Learning Beyond Registration (LBR) funding through the East Midlands Healthcare Workforce Deanery. Funding will be available for both full programmes and individual modules.

See also: Fees

Within the programme we focus on career development and through our Professional Development Centre you will have the opportunity to develop practical skills important for your future career development. The University of Nottingham remains one of the UK's 10 universities most targeted by recruiters. Some 2,000 employers approach the University each year. Together with the University'sCareers and Employability Service, we will help you plan your future.

Student destinations

Our MSc Health Psychology students have gone on to varied and interesting careers and further study, including:

• Working for the National Health Service (eg within health promotion such as drug awareness officers and smoking cessations advisors; chronic illness management eg in pain management clinics)
• Clinical psychology doctorate
• PhD programmes 
• Research assistant/associate (eg exploring binge drinking; obesity; aspects of chronic illness) 
• Stage 2 doctorate
• UK Government departments (eg Department of Health)

What our students say.

The quality of our graduates is widely recognised by employers and recent graduates have been recruited to a wide range of major UK organisations. Programme directors will be happy to provide general information about career prospects in relation to their courses and to advise you on the most appropriate course depending upon the career path you have in mind.

Average starting salary and career progression

In 2015, 93% of postgraduates from the Faculty of Medicine & Health Services who were available for employment had secured work or further study within six months of graduation. The average starting salary was £28,925 with the highest being £70,000.*

*Known destinations of full-time home postgraduates 2014/15. Salaries are calculated based on those in full-time paid employment within the UK.

Career prospects and employability

The University of Nottingham is consistently named as one of the most targeted universities by Britain’s leading graduate employers* and can offer you a head-start when it comes to your career.

Our Careers and Employability Service offers a range of services including advice sessions, employer events, recruitment fairs and skills workshops – and once you have graduated, you will have access to the service for life.

* The Graduate Market 2013-2016, High Fliers Research