MSc Health Psychology
Attendance
Full-time, Part-time
Online and class-based study
Full-time – 14 months
Part-time – 26 months
On campus study
Full-time students attend a block week on campus at the course start in January, plus 9 days across 9 months (Feb-June, Sept-Nov, Jan), usually the last Friday in the month.
Part-time students attend the first 3 days of the block week at the course start in January, plus 15 days across 26 months.
At a glance
About this course
This course is still recruiting.
Successfully completing this course allows you to progress onto stage two of the British Psychological Society (BPS) qualification in health psychology or a BPS-accredited doctoral programme in health psychology. Successfully completing stage two confers eligibility to apply to the Health Professions Council for registration as a health psychologist.
We designed the course to give you the knowledge, skills, values and academic approach to improve your work and study in health psychology.
You learn to
• critically evaluate and apply different approaches to psychological health-related issues
• develop advanced skills in research methods
• apply problem solving strategies to complex professional scenarios
• critically reflect on your practice, planning and personal development
You use your work or voluntary experience from within a health-related setting to aid your training, for example work-based reflection is part of your continuing personal development.
Associated careers
Health psychologists work in a variety of areas where they identify issues that can affect our health and wellbeing. They provide tailored interventions to address individual, group and community needs.
After successfully completing the course, you can progress onto stage two of the British Psychological Society's (BPS) qualification in health psychology or a BPS-accredited doctoral programme in health psychology. Successfully completing stage two confers eligibility to apply to the Health Professions Council for registration as a health psychologist.
The skills and knowledge you develop can also be used within health or in the wider area of psychology including • research • education • industry • health promotion. This qualification can open or progress career opportunities for you inside and outside the traditional health services.
Professional recognition
This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society.
Course content
Modules
Applications and practice of health psychology
You apply health psychology theory to practice to develop and assess a range of interventions to • illness prevention • health promotion • specific health-related conditions.
You consider the practical issues of ethics and the legal obligations and restrictions on health psychologists. You are assessed by a group project in which you design and evaluate a health intervention based on a given scenario.
Healthcare contexts: work-based reflection
The type of healthcare practice affects the professional and the service user and can contribute to shaping the relationship between them. You reflect on theory in practice to produce a professional development portfolio.
You need to be able to critically reflect on your experiences at work within a health setting as it is essential for your professional development, and for your future employability or further study (stage two training).
Health cognitions and behaviour
You focus on the health psychology models and theories that aim to explain health behaviours and reactions to symptoms and illness. As much of health psychology research is based on these models, you consider their contribution to practical applications, such as quitting smoking and coping with chronic disease. Assessment includes an essay and short answer test.
Individual differences in health and illness
Personality can influence how people deal with their health and illness. It is important for health psychologists to be aware of this when dealing with clients, designing healthcare interventions or health education campaigns.
You research this topic and write an essay on how individual differences impact on a health condition of your choice. You also produce a leaflet to educate the public about the key issues you identify.
Lifespan, gender and cross-cultural perspectives on health and illness
You discuss and analyse different health and illness theories and apply your understanding to health psychology practice. You study four areas including • lifespan development • the Biopsychosocial Model • health and illness across the lifespan • managing long-term illness and disability.
All these are related to gender and culture. Assessment is an essay and a problem-based learning task.
Perspectives, contexts and issues in health research and practice
You learn about health issues from sociological and epidemiological perspectives. This helps you to explore the complexities of health and health-related behaviours.
Psychobiological determinants of health
You focus on the biological mechanisms of health, stress and illness. Understanding the relationship between behaviour and these mechanisms can aid the development of new therapies and interventions.
You study the psychobiological explanations of health and illness, and learn how these explanations can inform the development of therapies.
Research methods and measurement issues in health psychology
You examine advanced qualitative and quantitative health research data analysis. You learn how to identify, select, explain and evaluate research methods within an ethical framework.
You study • health-related behaviour • quality of life • experimental design • cross sectional and longitudinal designs • health services research • individual case studies.
Health psychology research project
You conduct a self-directed piece of research supervised by a health psychologist. You present your findings verbally at a research conference, and in written form as a journal article. These are assessed.
Assessment
• essays • short answers • research reports • group projects • ongoing reflection by personal development portfolio • research project
Entry requirements
Normally you need one of the following
• BSc or BA Psychology giving Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society (BPS) with a 2.1 or above
• GBC by an alternative route, for example by examination, or by BPS acceptance of an overseas psychology degree.
If you do not have GBC for the BPS you can take a conversion course to gain GBC for the BPS before starting the course. We offer a PgDip Psychology conversion course. You should be enthusiastic about psychology and have a good of the British Psychological Society’s core areas.
If English is not your first language you typically need an IELTS 7.0 score with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills or equivalent. If your English language skill is currently below IELTS 7.0 we recommend you consider a Sheffield Hallam University Pre-sessional English course which will enable you to achieve an equivalent English score.
Fees
Home and EU students
2013/14 academic year
Typically £5,355 for the course
International students
2013/14 academic year
Typically £12,060 for the course
2014/15 academic year
Typically £12,150 for the course
How to apply
Complete the application form available at www.shu.ac.uk/study/form