Foundations of Clinical Psychology (MSc)

You'll need:

• a 2:1 degree in psychology
• a 2:1 in all statistics modules
• relevant experience in a mental health setting

Other degrees are considered in conjunction with an approved British Psychological Society conversion course.

Find the equivalent international qualifications for your country.

English language requirements

If English isn't your first language, you'll need to complete an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to demonstrate your competence in English. You'll need all of the following scores as a minimum:

We accept other English language tests. Find out which English language tests we accept.

Got a question?

Please contact us if you're not sure you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.

Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000

This is a 1-year full time course split into 2 semesters. You'll be taught between November and mid-June when you'll complete your dissertation.

Teaching is scheduled on a Monday and Tuesday during term time to allow you to complete relevant placements or work experience necessary for the course. There is also usually a one week teaching block in November. If there are any additional teaching sessions we'll give you enough time to plan around your studies.

You'll study 5 clinical modules 4 main research modules throughout both semesters. 

You'll be supported in finding a placement where you'll be expected to complete a minimum of 50 hours of placement time ideally before the end of May. You can also work in a job which is relevant to your masters and this will count as a placement.

Want more detail? See all the modules in the course.

Learning

During your studies, you'll gain a strong understanding of the National Health Service (NHS) and get an overview of mental health service provision for adults within the UK. You'll also find out about the development of mental health provision for adults in low and middle-income countries, and the role and responsibilities of clinical psychologists.

Focus on ethical practice and requirements for registration with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) will form a key part of your learning.

You'll also learn about cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and carry out exercises to put your theoretical knowledge into practice. This will prepare you for working with adults with anxiety and depression in a number of different areas.

Our leadership and management module will teach you to apply your understanding of psychological models to change management and working in teams.

You’ll participate in lectures, seminars and you’ll complete independent study and practical assignments throughout the course.  

There are a variety of different activities to help you learn, including:  

• group tasks 
• peer assessment  
• workshops and seminars 
• roleplay exercises 
• small group presentations

Assessment

The course is mainly assessed by coursework and assignments, rather than exams. You’ll be assessed by a combination of the following methods:  

• reports 
• video  
• essays  
• feedback on role play exercises 

Explore course modules for full details of learning and assessment.

Dissertation

You’ll complete a research-based dissertation in the style of a journal article reporting original data. Your research question will generate new knowledge for the field. The target is to write a clear and concise dissertation which is no more than 10,000 words. Researching and writing your dissertation will require around 600 hours.

Academic Support

You'll be given a personal tutor and you'll be able to choose a researcher supervisor. You'll also receive support from the Enabling Services and the Psychology Student Support Services.

Use this course as a step towards a psychologist career path in applied psychological therapy skills. Our students have found work in a variety of different types of psychology careers both within the UK and worldwide - with UK students going on to become assistant psychologists or psychological wellbeing practitioners.

Other students have pursued a career in research by studying a PhD in the field, others have used this course to successfully supplement their applications to the Doctoral Programmes in Clinical Psychology. 

Graduates from this course are working in the following roles:

• Cognitive Psychologist for the Ministry of Defence, graduated in 2018
• Assistant Psychologist in health psychology, graduated in 2018
• Trainee on the Doctoral Programme in Clinical Psychology, graduated in 2016
• Support worker for people with trauma, graduated in 2016

Doctoral Programme in Clinical Psychology

If you're hoping to become a clinical psychologist, you'll need to study a doctoral programme in clinical psychology. Although this MSc won't guarantee you an offer, it should help your application.

Careers services at Southampton

We're a top 20 UK university for employability (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022). Our Careers, Employability and Student Enterprise team will support you throughout your time as a student and for up to 5 years after graduation. This support includes:

• work experience schemes
• CV/resume and interview skills workshops
• networking events
• careers fairs attended by top employers
• a wealth of volunteering opportunities
• study abroad and summer school opportunities

We have a thriving entrepreneurship culture. You'll be able to take advantage of:

• our dedicated start-up incubator, Futureworlds
• a wide variety of enterprise events run throughout the year
• our partnership in the world’s number 1 business incubator, SETsquared

Tuition fees

Fees for a year's study:

• UK students pay £9,250.
• EU and international students pay £26,352.

Check fees for other versions of this course.

What your fees pay for

Your tuition fee covers the full cost of tuition and any exams.

Find out how to pay your tuition fees.

Accommodation and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees. Explore:

• accommodation costs
• living costs
• budgeting advice

10% alumni discount

If you’re a graduate of the University of Southampton you get a 10% discount on your postgraduate tuition fees.

Postgraduate Master’s Loans (UK nationals only)

This can help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate master's course. Find out if you're eligible.

Southampton Psychology Postgraduate International Scholarship

A scholarship of £3,000 is available to international students studying for a postgraduate master’s in Psychology.

Find out more about Southampton Psychology Postgraduate International Scholarship, including eligibility and conditions.

Other postgraduate funding options

A variety of additional funding options may be available to help you pay for your master’s study. Both from the University and other organisations.

Funding for EU and international students

Find out about funding you could get as an international student.

1. Use the 'apply for this course' button on this page to take you to our online application form.
2. Search for the course you want to apply for.
3. Complete the application form and upload any supporting documents.
4. Submit your application.

Application deadlines

In your application, please provide information on the statistical techniques and software you have learned as part of your degree, or as part of other research experience. Please also indicate if you have completed a research dissertation, or been involved in research project activities; additionally provide information about the project topic, methods used, analysis techniques, and what the findings were. 

This course is now closed to new applications for 2023 entry.  

Each year we get many high-quality applications and places for many of our courses are very competitive.  

Search similar degrees for 2024 entry by browsing our course finder.

Application assessment fee

We’ll ask you to pay a £50 application assessment fee if you’re applying for a postgraduate taught course.

This is an extra one-off charge which is separate to your tuition fees and is payable per application. It covers the work and time it takes us to assess your application. You’ll be prompted to pay when you submit your application which won’t progress until you've paid.

If you're a current or former University of Southampton student, or if you’re applying for certain scholarships, you will not need to pay the fee. PGCE applications through GOV.UK and Master of Research (MRes) degree applications are also exempt. Find out if you’re exempt on our terms and conditions page.

Supporting information

When you apply you’ll need to submit a personal statement explaining why you want to take the course. 

You’ll need to include information about: 

• your knowledge of the subject area
• why you want to study a postgraduate qualification in this course
• how you intend to use your qualification

You'll also need to send 2 academic references. 

Please include the required paperwork showing your first degree and your IELTS English language test score (if you are a non-native English speaker) with your application. Without these, your application may be delayed.

You may also be asked to provide:

• a degree transcript
• a degree certificate
• an English language qualification
• a personal statement

What happens after you apply

You'll be able to track your application through our online Applicant Record System.

We'll assess your application on the strength of your:

• academic achievements
• relevant professional experience
• personal statement
• academic references

We will aim to send you a decision 6-8 weeks after you have submitted your application.

If we offer you a place, you will need to accept the offer within 30 working days. If you do not meet this deadline, we will offer your place to another applicant.

Unfortunately, due to the volume of applications we receive, we may not be able to give you specific feedback on your application if you are unsuccessful.

Equality and diversity

We treat and select everyone in line with our Equality and Diversity Statement.

Got a question?

Please contact us if you're not sure you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.

Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000