Health Psychology (MSc)

You’ll need a 2:1 degree in Psychology or in a closely related subject. 

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 full-time master’s course. You’ll study for 12 months, from September to the following September.  

You'll study the taught part of your course over semesters 1 and 2. This is made up of modules that everyone on the course takes, and 1-2 modules we’ll ask you to choose from out of a list of 10, these include topics include: 

• cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) 
• apprenticeships in health psychology 
• ageing societies 
• social policy 

You’ll also attend bespoke skills workshops, focusing on: 

• psychological interventions 
• research skills (including interviewing)
• communication to support behaviour change
• practicing professional skills 

During semester 2 you’ll also begin preparing for your dissertation.  

For the last 3 months, over the summer, you’ll work independently to research and write your dissertation. You’ll have one-to-one meetings with your supervisor during this time to discuss your progress. 

Part-time study

The part-time study option of this course runs for 27 months, starting in September and running to December the following year.  

You’ll study the taught part from September to May of year 2, and the remaining months are spent on your dissertation. 

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

Learning

You’ll learn through lectures and seminars, both with active class discussion. You’ll take part in individual, paired and group activities, debates and presentations.  

As part of this project management MSc you’ll take part in interactive workshops to help you develop your practical skills.    

You’ll be encouraged to undertake independent study to consolidate your learning and grow your knowledge on topics.   

Assessment

We'll assess you through:  

• a behaviour change diary 
• a mini systematic review 
• 3 skills portfolios; containing professional development plans and training logs 
• research methods reports on your own mini qualitative project and the analysis of quantitative datasets 
• essays 
• exams 

Dissertation

As part of this course, you’ll complete a 10,000-word dissertation project. 

Expert supervisors will present their research expertise and opportunities to you so you can select a supervisor for the dissertation. 

You'll choose from a wide range of subject areas under the supervision of an expert in the field.  Find out more about the health psychology research that our staff undertake at the Centre for Applications of Health Psychology. 

Students have also been supervised by colleagues from other subject areas in The University of Southampton, including:

• Macmillan Survivorship Research Group
• psychologists based in medicine 

Academic Support

We’ll assign you a personal tutor, and you’ll have access to a senior tutor. 

MSc Health Psychology graduates work in a variety of settings such as the NHS, Higher Education, health promotion, schools or industry. 

Our graduates progress to a diverse range of employment and further training in the UK and overseas, including working in universities and other educational settings, human health activities including specialist medical and hospital-based activities, care work, and business.   

Many of our graduates have also been successful in securing funding for PhD study.  

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

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.

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