Course Description Document

Subject to Programme Review

Course Title	Health Psychology (2025-26)
Course Code	4881
Award Title	Master of Science (MSc)
Awarding Body	University of Southampton
Teaching Institution	University of Southampton
Regulated by	Office for Students
Accreditation	British Psychological Society (BPS)
Regulations	The Regulations of the University can be found on the University's Governance Webpages: https://www.southampton.ac.uk/about/governance/regulations-policies
Location of study	Southampton
Length of the course	1 Years
Tuition Fees	Fees for students can be located by the student fees page. https://www.southampton.ac.uk/studentservices/money-matters/student-fees/index.page

Course Overview

Health psychology is the educational, scientific, and professional contributions of psychology to: understanding the promotion and maintenance of health and the aetiology of illness, the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of physical illness, the study of psychological, social, emotional, and behavioural factors in physical illness, the improvement of the health care system, and formulation of health policy. This Masters in Health Psychology programme aims to train people who will become scientist-practitioners working in a range of health settings.

Aims of the Course

The MSc provides the first step towards Chartered Psychologist status for those students with the British Psychological Society (BPS) Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership. Successful completion of an accredited Stage 2 programme subsequently will complete the requirements.
The aims of the MSc programme are:
•To provide you with a sound understanding of the theoretical bases of, and research literature in, health psychology;
•To facilitate your development of appropriate skills in health care communication, teaching and training;
•To promote ethical working practices and to equip you with the skills of a competent research worker.
By the end of the programme, you will have the ability to:
•Identify, set up and use a variety of learning strategies, including interactive and group work
•Interpret, conceptualise and critically evaluate health psychology literature, and relate it to practice
•Synthesise models and research findings
•Formulate and test new ideas from a variety of approaches, including scientific and interpretative, and justify the foundations of those ideas
•Test ideas and models, using a variety of research designs, methodologies, measurements and techniques of analysis - for example, in planning, carrying out, and reporting on a health-related intervention
•Present ideas and research findings in a well-structured and convincingly argued way, as oral presentations or written papers
•Plan, execute and report a significant piece of research
•Understand and debate ethical issues and work to ethical guidelines
•And you will have developed independent judgement and critical self-awareness

Course Structure

The tables below provide a list of the modules that make up your course.

Each module is worth a specified number of credits: you can take a combination of core and compulsory modules enabling you to cover key subject knowledge. Some courses have option modules which enable you to develop your own interests.

Your programme requires a certain number of credits. The number of option modules you can take depends on the number of core and compulsory modules and this is also influenced by the requirements of the regulatory requirements for professionally accredited courses. Some courses also have pre and co-requisites, and these are included in individual module information.

Your learning will be led by the latest research, and modules can change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline. You can always find the most up-to-date information about your modules and who is teaching them via the information on our webpages and, post enrolment, via the Faculty hub.

If we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an option module, it may not be offered. If an option module will not be run, we will advise you as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.

The core and compulsory modules available on your course are as follows:

Part I Programme Structure The programme structure and content was informed by the BPS core curriculum in Health Psychology. The structure of the programme and the modules currently offered are set out below. Of the modules shown against each year of your programme, some are compulsory (i.e., enrolment is automatic) and others are optional. You are directed to which modules are compulsory and which are optional. The option modules shown below constitute an indicative list; there will always be choice but the options might vary between years. A full list of modules and rules will be available to you via the Student Record Self-Service system once you enrol at the University. Programme Content There are five major themes to the programme, reflected in the programme structure and modules. The first theme, psychology and health, is delivered through the module PSYC6001, in which the major theoretical and research developments around health protective behaviour are explored. The second theme, psychology, illness and disability, is delivered through module PSYC6003, in which the role of psychosocial factors in the onset, progression, management and outcome of diseases and disabilities are considered – again, with a focus on theories and research findings. The third theme, psychology and the delivery of health care, is delivered through module PSYC6002, in which issues around communication in consultations, in the design of written and other information and the training of health professionals are explored. The fourth theme is research methods, which is delivered in a series of modules, PSYC6174; PSYC6176; PSYC6177 and the dissertation. The research methods modules use a combination of lectures, workshops, and tutorials and cover research design, qualitative methods, and quantitative methods. You will be supported in applying your learning of research methods to health psychology topics. An important component of research methods training, the Philosophy of Science, is integrated within the three health psychology modules (PSYC6001; PSYC6003; PSYC6002). The dissertation (PSYC6022) is an original piece of health-related psychological research designed, run, analysed and reported on over 6 months (April-September). Students are given support in identifying a dissertation topic and supervisor. The fifth theme is skills development. While you will develop skills throughout your studies with us, we also have a dedicated module, PSYC6145, in which we deliver skills workshops and a journal club. Typical Programme Delivery The MSc Health Psychology full-time programme runs for 12 months, from the end of September to the end of September of the next year. The taught component is completed by May, and the rest of the time is devoted to the dissertation. The programme is modular, and all core teaching takes place on set days (Mondays and Wednesdays) in Semesters 1 and 2. Students are also expected to be in the department for departmental seminars, small group work, tutorials and practicals. This pattern of delivery is common to the accredited health psychology MSc programmes in other institutions and is designed to enable students to take opportunities to gain practical experience (e.g., as hospital and hospice volunteers) and also to enable some part-time working for those who need a source of income. Approximate, Indicative, Timetable Semester 1 (October - January): Mondays: PSYC6176 Qualitative Research Methods for Psychology; PSYC6174 Designing Research for Psychology; PSYC6001: Biopsychosocial aspects of health Wednesdays: PSYC6003: Psychosocial aspects of illness and disability; PSYC6145: MSc Health Psychology Skills Training Programme Semester 2 (January - May) Mondays:PSYC6177 Quantitative Analysis for Psychologists Wednesdays: PSYC6002: Psychology and the delivery of health care; PSYC6145: MSc Health Psychology Skills Training Programme You will also be working on your dissertation under individual supervision. This will start in Semester 1, and the time you allocate to the dissertation work will increase as the taught modules finish in semester 2. Over the summer, you will be working full time on your dissertation (PSYC6022) which is then submitted in September for full-time students. Option modules may run on any weekdays. Different option modules run in Semester 1 and Semester 2, as shown on the module profiles and the Student Record Self-Service system (once you enrol at the University). When choosing your options, you should consider your workload across the year. If you select semester 1 option(s), you will have a higher workload in semester 1 than in semester 2. If you select semester 2 option(s), your workload will be more evenly balanced across the two semesters. Individual tutorials will be scheduled in consultation with your personal academic tutor. You will also organise times and venues for research group work.
Part I Core
Code	Module Title	ECTS	Type
PSYC6002	Psychology & The Delivery of Health Care 2025-26	10	Core
PSYC6174	Designing Research for Psychology 2025-26	5	Core
PSYC6176	Qualitative Research Methods for Psychology 2025-26	5	Core
PSYC6177	Quantitative Analysis for Psychology 2025-26	10	Core
PSYC6001	Biopsychosocial Aspects of Health 2025-26	10	Core
PSYC6003	Psychosocial Aspects of Illness and Disability 2025-26	10	Core
PSYC6145	MSc Health Psychology Skills Training Programme 2025-26	0	Core
Part I Optional Core Select 20 CATS/10 ECTS from the following set of options. These modules become CORE once chosen and can therefore not be compensated. All modules must be passed at 50% or above.
Code	Module Title	ECTS	Type
PSYC6046	Advanced Statistical Methods in Psychology 2025-26	10	Optional
PSYC6178	AI Applications in Psychology 2025-26	10	Optional
PSYC6175	Building Digital Health Interventions L7 2025-26	10	Optional
PSYC6128	Apprenticeship in Health Psychology 2025-26	5	Optional
PSYC6106	CBT for Anxiety Presentations (Short) 2025-26	5	Optional
PSYC6109	Concepts & Skills 2025-26	10	Optional
PSYC6160	Evidence Synthesis 2025-26	10	Optional
PSYC6144	Human Sexual Diversity 2025-26	10	Optional
PSYC6104	Introduction to CBT Theory & Skills 2025-26	5	Optional
PSYC6169	Moral Psychology 2025-26	10	Optional
PSYC6136	Open Science in Psychology 2025-26	10	Optional
RESM6001	Philosophy of Social Science Research 2025-26	5	Optional
RESM6006	Qualitative Methods 2 2025-26	5	Optional
PSYC6056	Social and Psychological Approaches to Understanding Sexual Health 2025-26	10	Optional
PSYC6055	Statistical Programming in R 2025-26	10	Optional
Part II
Part II Core
Code	Module Title	ECTS	Type
PSYC6022	MSc Dissertation 2026-27	30	Core

Learning and Teaching

Your overall workload consists of class contact hours, independent learning, and assessment activity, with each ECTS credit taken equivalent to 20 hours of student effort. While your actual contact hours may depend on the option modules you select, the information available on our webpages give an indication of how much time you will need to allocate to different activities.

When not attending lectures, seminars and other timetabled sessions you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically, this will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking research in the library, preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and for other types of assessments and examinations.

Full information about contact hours is provided in individual module information.

How we'll assess you

Your course provides you with opportunities to test your understanding of the subject informally before you complete the formal assessments that count towards your module mark. Each module normally contains at least one piece of practice or formative assessment for which you receive feedback.

Formative assessments are developmental, and any results do not count towards your module mark, but they are an important part of your learning.

Summative assessments usually take place at the end of each module, although some may have interim assessments throughout. Assessment methods might include written examinations and a range of coursework assessments such as essays, reports, portfolios, performance, presentations and projects for example. The marks from summative assessments count towards your module mark.

The information available on our website gives an indication of the assessment methods used on your course.

Staff involved in delivering the different elements of the course

You will be taught by an experienced teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on your course. The team includes senior academics, professional practitioners with industry experience, demonstrators and technical officers.

Postgraduate research students who have undertaken appropriate training may also contribute to the teaching of seminars if their research specialism is directly related to the topic of the module and may also be involved in practical classes, project work and field trips. All contributions will be carried out under the supervision of the module leader.

Fees

What your fees pay for

Your tuition fees pay for the full cost of tuition and standard exams.

Extra costs you may experience

Accommodation and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees. There may also be extra costs for retake and professional exams.

Depending on the nature of your course, you may be able to choose modules which may have additional costs, such as field studies, travel overseas or industrial placements which will change the overall cost of your course. Details of these costs can be found in module information.

Please also ensure you read the section on additional costs in the Fees, Charges and Expenses Regulations.

The following course-related costs are not included in your fees:

Type	Details
Calculators	Where a calculator is required, all Casio Calculators are allowed but they must be Non-Programmable, Scientific models. More information is available in the Examination Regulations https://www.southampton.ac.uk/studentadmin/assessment/assess-overview/exam-regulations.page
Stationery	You will be expected to provide your own day-to-day stationery items, e.g. pens, pencils, notebooks, etc. Any specialist stationery items that you may need will be specified in the relevant module profile.
Textbooks	Where a module specifies essential texts, the Library will identify the optimal option(s) to support the module via the course Reading List. This may include e-books (ideally with unlimited concurrent usage) or a digitised chapter extract, supported by a limited number of print books (where available). You may request that the Library purchases additional print copies via 'suggest a book', borrow an additional copy via our inter-library-loans service or you may prefer to buy your own copies for high demand titles.
Printing	In most cases, written coursework such as essays and projects are submitted online. However it may be necessary to submit a hard copy of some projects, business projects and dissertations. The costs of printing a hard copy for submission of such work will be your responsibility. You will also have to cover the cost of photocopying. https://www.southampton.ac.uk/isolutions/students/printing.
Anything else not covered elsewhere	Students may apply to the programme director for funding to support well-justified costs associated with the Dissertation research. Such costs might include, for example, travel involved in data collection (your own or participants') and/or payments or other incentives for participants and/or printing of questionnaires/consent forms etc. Typically the programme is able to support applications of up to £50, but this is subject to the quality of applications.
Conference expenses	The Psychology Postgraduate Conference is free of charge and the cost of printing posters to present at this conference is covered by Psychology. Should students wish to attend external conferences they would be expected to self-fund this. The cost of such conferences varies considerably.
Occupational Health, DBS checks or vaccinations	Any student doing work (e.g. dissertation or apprenticeship) in an NHS setting will need a research passport. To obtain a research passport, students may need a Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) Check (which costs approximately £25), may need to undertake a Good Clinical Practice course (free online course available), and may need to obtain occupational health clearance which may involve providing evidence of appropriate vaccination history. Some doctors levy a charge for providing a vaccination history; the cost of this varies by doctor. The cost of the DBS check may be funded by the programme. Any cost associated with obtaining a vaccination history would be funded by the student.
Optional Visits (e.g. museums, galleries)	For any optional visits organised by the course students are expected to self-fund travel costs
Parking costs (including on placements at hospitals)	Should students wish to apply for a parking permit at the University they would be expected to fund this themselves. For further information see: https://www.southampton.ac.uk/transport/parking/student-parking-permits.page
Recording Equipment	Photographic and video and audio recording equipment is available on loan from the Psychology department. There is no cost for this.
Travel Costs for placements	Students are expected to self-fund any travel expenses associated with the (optional) Apprenticeship module or the Dissertation. Not all apprenticeships or dissertations involve travel costs.

Bursaries, scholarships and other funding

We award scholarships and grants for travel, academic excellence, or to students from underrepresented backgrounds.

You may be able to get a University of Southampton bursary to help with your living costs.

If you are a care leaver or estranged from your parents, you may be able to get a specific bursary.

You may be able to get a scholarship or grant that's linked to your chosen subject area.

Financial Support

The Student Services Centre offers support and advice regarding student finances. You may be able to access our Student Support fund and other sources of financial support during your course. You can find more information about financial support via our webpages: https://www.southampton.ac.uk/studentservices/money-matters/student-support-fund/index.page

Academic support

The Student Support Hub is your first point of contact when it comes to seeking support. The team will answer your questions or concerns about your wellbeing, fees and funding, accommodation and visas. The team will help make sure you receive the support you need, guiding you to further support services where required. You can find more information about student support via our webpages:

https://www.southampton.ac.uk/studentservices/index.page

One of the most important people you will meet while you are a student at Southampton is your Personal Academic Tutor, who will be allocated to you for your arrival at the University and who is normally a member of academic staff in your own or a closely related subject area. Your Personal Academic Tutor will offer one-to-one support and advice throughout your time at Southampton and will support you in your studies or with other issues you may have. You can find out more via our webpages:

https://www.southampton.ac.uk/studentadmin/academic-support-guidance/personal-tutor.page

Disclaimer

As a research-led University, we undertake a continuous review of our courses to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. As a result, this course may be revised during a student's period of registration; however, any revision will be balanced against the requirement that the student should receive the educational service expected. Please read our Disclaimer to see why, when and how changes may be made to a student's course.