Studying our Health Psychology MSc course will equip you with the in-depth knowledge and skills to examine the psychological, social and biological factors in the areas of health and illness. In core areas of study, you will be exposed to Advanced Research Methods for Psychologists that will equip you with advanced qualitative and quantitative research methods and statistical analyses using relevant software. To introduce you to the foundations of this course, our Health Psychology in Context unit will provide you with a broad understanding of health psychology as a discipline and profession including the models and methods used in the field. Integrated with areas of biology, you will develop a basic understanding of the biological mechanisms associated with a range of body systems and disorders in our Mechanisms of Health and Disease unit. You will then be introduced to the socio-cognitive models of health behaviours to understand how these can be predicted by health beliefs and psychological factors in our Perceptions and Actions unit.

This includes exploring theories surrounding different areas in health psychology such as exercise, alcohol, AIDS, smoking and weight loss. More importantly, you will question the role of health psychology in Public Health and how this science can be used to promote the prevention of disease and illness among the UK population. Furthermore, you will critically examine the impact of Lifestyle and Individual Differences on health and illness to identify the role played by demographic variables, such as culture, in predicting disease. Similarly, you will consider the ways that stress can impact psychological and physical wellbeing in our Stress, Coping and Chronic Disease unit. Finally, you will complete a Dissertation (Health Psychology) that will give you the opportunity to carry out a substantial piece of research into a specialised area of health psychology that is of interest to you. To prepare you for your career, our Professional Skills for Health Psychologists unit will equip you with an excellent grounding in the professional skills you need to work in health psychology.

Advanced Research Methods For Psychologists

This unit aims to provide students with:

• an explanation of how the scientific research process may elucidate behaviours and help to lead to new questions, predictions and hypotheses;
• in-depth coverage of advanced qualitative and quantitative research methods and statistical analyses;
• supervised experience in the use of quantitative and qualitative software to analyse varieties of data;
• opportunities to debate personal responsibility, ethics and professional codes of conduct when conducting research.

Relevance

The elements of this unit cover core requirements of the Accreditation through partnership handbooks: Guidance for health or forensic psychology programmes (BPS 2017). The content reflects staff expertise and published output from staff is used to support teaching.

Perceptions And Actions

Behavioural factors are important determinants of the progression of chronic and infectious illnesses. In this unit students will be introduced to socio-cognitive models of health behaviours, which illustrate how these behaviours can be predicted by health beliefs and other psychological factors. The usefulness of these theories and models in different areas in Health Psychology including exercise, alcohol consumption, vaccination uptake, breast self-examination, and smoking cessation will be demonstrated.

These theoretical models are central to the practice of Health Psychology as they typically form the basis of a range of health interventions and promotion initiatives delivered by health care practitioners. Developing an awareness of the advantages and disadvantages of each will be essential in guiding students’ future work in practice.

The aims of this module are to provide students with:

• a broad understanding of the general principles associated with the social-cognition paradigm of behavioural change with an overview of all key socio-cognitive models.
• a critical appreciation of the use of the models in primary and secondary prevention and in different areas of Health such as adherence and recovery from illness.
• a critical appreciation of the theories in different areas within Health Psychology such as; exercise, alcohol, AIDS, breast self-examination, smoking cessation and weight loss and the associated strengths and weaknesses of each theory and its practical application.

Health Psychology In Context

This unit provides student with a broad understanding of the growth of health psychology both as a discipline and a profession alongside other disciplines delineating career opportunities for health psychology both nationally and internationally. . It provides students the opportunity to apply the field of health psychology and associated skillset to a wide range of work roles thus enhancing employability. This unit will develop skills required by reflexive practitioners in ongoing personal and professional development.

The aim therefore is for students to demonstrate a critical awareness of historical and contemporary approaches to models and methods in health psychology. This unit will consider the contexts in which health psychologists work, emphasizing clinical settings and the role of professional and statutory bodies including the BPS and the HCPC as well as the application of Health Psychology in different clinical and medical contexts. 

Mechanisms Of Health And Disease

This unit aims to:

• Provide a basic grounding in general biological mechanisms associated with a range of body systems and disorders
• Develop a broad understanding of current thinking surrounding the role of psychological factors in the development and management  of illness
• Develop a critical appreciation of the complex interaction between biological and psychological factors in maintaining health and managing illness

Relevance

The elements of this unit cover core requirements of the Accreditation through partnership handbook: Guidance for health psychology programmes (BPS, 2017).  The content reflects staff expertise and published output from staff is used to support teaching.

Lifestyle And Individual Differences

The aims of this unit are to:

• critically examine the impact of individual differences on health and illness;
• introduce some of the dispositional variables that have been found to predict health and illness;
• examine the individual difference factors that have been found to mediate or moderate the relationship between psychosocial stressors and illness;
• assess the role played by demographic variables and health behaviours in predicting disease;
• critically examine theories and models that attempt to elucidate relationships between individual difference variables and health and disease processes;
• assess in depth the role played by culture in the cause and experience of health and disease;
• encourage a holistic approach to the various bio-psycho-social influences on health and disease and a critical awareness of how these factors interact to predict health status.

Relevance

Relevance

The elements of this unit cover core requirements of the Accreditation through partnership handbook: Guidance for health psychology programmes (BPS, 2017).  The content reflects staff expertise and published output from staff is used to support teaching

Public Health

What role does health psychology have in public health? This unit introduces you to the discipline of public health and demonstrates the role that health psychology can play in relation to the promotion of health and prevention of disease and illness among the UK population
Drawing on the research of staff, this unit will provide you a critical insight into developing and evaluating the role of psychology driven and interventions in the remit of facilitating positive health behaviour change. Moreover you will acquire a critical appreciation of public health policies, methodologies and epidemiological concepts.

Stress, Coping And Chronic Disease

How might stress and coping styles impact on people’s experiences of health and disease?

This unit aims to develop a critical appreciation of the ways in which psychosocial stressors can impact on psychological and physical wellbeing. It focuses specifically on the following issues: (1) historical and contemporary models of stress; (2) the key mechanisms that link psychosocial stressors and health outcomes; (3) coping styles and their implications in sickness and health; (4) the ways in which stress can be alleviated and (5) the research methods utilised in the field and their strengths and weaknesses.

Professional Skills For Health Psychologists

What professional roles and competencies do health psychologists need in the UK?  How can health psychology be applied in practice? 

This unit aims to bring alive the academic knowledge base of health psychology and offers clear linkages between theory, research and practice.  Based on the foundations of staff expertise in applied practice this unit aims to provide students a portfolio of professional skills focusing on four core aspects; (1) teaching and training, (2) communication strategies in healthcare (3) consultancy and (4) research and presentation skills.  This unit provides students an excellent grounding of the professional skills required in health psychology, preparing students for the core competencies that underpin the Stage 2 Health Psychology Qualification.

Dissertation (Health Psychology)

Aim

The overall aim of this module is to give students the opportunity to experience the research process in a systematic, supervised way, from start to finish. 

In particular:

to foster autonomous research skills;

to offer students the chance to research an area of health psychology systematically and in depth

to provide students with an opportunity to carry out a substantial, independent research project in health psychology

to promote scholarly activity necessary to produce a substantial research report approaching publishable standard and expanding / redefining current knowledge;

to develop skills in planning, managing and critically reviewing the research process

to provide a platform for the further development and application of advanced qualitative and /or quantitative research skills to real health psychology research questions

Relevance

This unit covers a core requirement of the Accreditation through partnership handbook: Guidance for health psychology programmes (BPS, 2013)and in line with the recommendations for further enhancement outlined in BPS post accreditation visit report (2014).The research expertise of the programme team is used to support teaching and supervision.