This exciting new MSc programme aims to provide students with a strong knowledge and experience base for progressing to or within health service careers, including clinical psychology, clinical research, and health service management. It will seek to equip students with an up-to-date knowledge of relevant theory and practical issues in UK health services (both NHS and privately provided), and develop the knowledge and skills necessary to undertake research and development in healthcare settings, including service evaluations, clinical audit, and intervention evaluations.

This programme is intended for graduates in Psychology or related disciplines who are interested in progressing to careers in the health professions as practitioners, researchers or managers. It is also suitable for current health service professionals with a degree in Psychology or related disciplines who wish to enhance skills and knowledge in the areas covered by the programme as part of their continuing professional development. Please note, however, that the MSc itself does not lead to a clinical qualification.

What you study

The programme is comprised of core and optional courses over one year of full-time study:

Core courses

Contemporary Issues in Mental Health Services
This lecture course will introduce Psychology to a range of issues relating to the provision of mental health services, and to the roles played by psychologists and health professionals. Lectures and seminars will be delivered by external health service professionals, including clinical practitioners, managers, and clinical researchers.

Statistics
This lecture course will cover the foundations of statistical theory and practice in research. Students will cover statistical techniques in the lectures, and learn to implement these techniques using statistical software in computer-based tutorials and workshops.

Clinical Research Design and Analysis
This lecture course will introduce students to the fundamentals of clinical research design and further develop knowledge and skills in data analysis, particularly pertaining to the analysis of clinical data. The lectures in this course will be supplemented by several computer workshops designed to develop and enhance practical skills in data analysis, and further develop familiarity with relevant statistical software.

Research Project
The research project is an opportunity to further develop and apply the research design and analysis skills taught in the programme to a clinical issue or question in psychology. Students can potentially focus on a clinical service audit/evaluation; this would involve students developing a detailed understanding of the way in which a particular clinical service operates on a day-to-day basis. Students could utilise existing data gathered by the service to describe demographic, clinical and functional characteristics of the service, and to evaluate the outcomes for the client/patient group. In some cases, and subject to feasibility in the setting, they could gather some additional data from staff and/or clients. They would analyse and interpret these data in the context of relevant empirical literature pertaining to services for that group, and draw out the implications for future service developments. Alternatively, students could use existing facilities and resources in the Department of Psychology to carry out an empirical research project with a strong clinical focus.

Optional courses

In addition to the core courses described above, students will complete three optional courses from offerings within the Department of Psychology. This could potentially include study in the following areas: Addictive Behaviours, Psychopathology, Organisational Behaviour and Health, Neuro-developmental Disorders, Topics in Neuropsychology, Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience and Behaviour Genetics.

Assessment

Written and multiple-choice examinations, coursework, oral presentation, research dissertation.

Register your interest

If you register your interest in this programme we will keep you informed about open days and send you relevant further information. If you subsequently decide to apply for this programme you will be able to use the same login details to apply.