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. 

Got a question?

If you're not sure that you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course please contact our enquiries team; we're very happy to help.

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 2019). Our Careers and Employability Service 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 vibrant 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/EU students pay £9,250.
• International students pay £23,136.

Check fees for other versions of this course.

What your fees pay for

Your tuition fee covers the full cost of tuition and all examinations.

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 and EU 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.

Funding your postgraduate studies

A variety of additional scholarships, grants and bursaries  may be available to help you fund your master’s study, both from the University and from other organisations.

You can apply directly through our online form by using the apply button on this page.

Application deadlines

You must get your application to us by the end of the day on 31 July 2021. You must supply all supporting documentation at least 2 weeks before starting your course.

We cannot guarantee you'll be able to start your course if you do not meet these deadlines.

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.

Learn more about how to apply with our postgraduate application guide.

What happens after you apply

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

We will assess your application on the strength of your:

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

We'll get back to you within 6 weeks with a decision about your application.

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