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The Health Psychology MSc, accredited by the British Psychological Society, aims to equip students to apply the scientific and theoretical principles and ideas of health psychology using a scholarly and critical approach, and to develop the practical skills and knowledge required for employment or research in the field.
Key information
Programme starts
September 2019
Modes and duration
Application dates
Tuition fees (2019/20)
Note on fees:
The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website.
The MSc programme is stage 1 accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) as meeting the learning requirements for registration as a Chartered Health Psychologist in the UK.
Entry requirements
A minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree in psychology from a UK university, or overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. A lower second-class UK Bachelor's degree or equivalent may be accepted with evidence of further study or relevant work experience.
Applicants are encouraged to have Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society (BPS) if they want to pursue a career as a Chartered Health Psychologist in the UK.
English language requirements
If your education has not been conducted in the English language, you will be expected to demonstrate evidence of an adequate level of English proficiency.
The English language level for this programme is: Good
Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.
International students
Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.
International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below.
Select your country:
About this degree
The programme provides a thorough grounding in theories, concepts and empirical findings central to current health psychology. Students are encouraged to develop their own area of specialisation and are given formal training in quantitative and qualitative research methods. The programme is regularly reviewed by an advisory board including world-renowned experts in health psychology.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of eight compulsory modules (120 credits) and a research dissertation (60 credits). Please see departmental website for more details.
Compulsory modules
- Effective Research Practice
- Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods 1
- Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods 2
- Health-related Behaviours and Cognitions
- Individual, Social and Cultural Perspectives in Health Psychology
- Stress, Mental Health and Ageing
- Chronic Illness from the Health Psychology Perspective
- Health Care and Intervention Delivery
Optional modules
- There are no optional modules for this programme.
Dissertation/report
All students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation written up as a mock paper submission to the British Journal of Health Psychology.
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, class exercises, project work, training workshops, journal clubs and hands-on computer-based teaching on statistical analysis techniques. Assessment is through coursework (including critical reviews and essays), one unseen examination and the research project. Students are also offered a short work placement.
Funding
The department is offering the Jane Wardle studentship for students undertaking the Health Psychology MSc. The award will commence in September 2018 and the studentship will consist of £3,750 towards tuition fees.This scholarship has been endowed in memory of Professor Jane Wardle (1950-2015), professor of clinical psychology and co-director of the Health Psychology MSc.
Scholarships relevant to this department are displayed below.
MSc Health Psychology Jane Wardle Studentship
- Value:
- £3,750 (total)
- Eligibility:
- UK, EU, Overseas
For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.
Careers
Many graduates of the programme continue to PhD-level study, or find work as researchers or in roles allied to psychology, healthcare services and delivery.
Employability
Given the academic nature of the programme, our students are advantaged when attempting to secure funded PhD studentships or clinical doctorates. As the focus of the MSc is on improving healthcare and delivery, students also take up positions within the public or private healthcare sector.
Why study this degree at UCL?
The programme is the longest-running Health Psychology MSc in the UK, and is delivered by leading experts in their field. It offers graduates a research-based BPS-accredited Stage 1 qualification.
UCL's Research Department of Behavioural Science and Health based within the Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, helps to coordinate the Health Psychology MSc. The department is one of the largest health psychology research groups in the UK, and aims to advance understanding of behaviours that have a major impact on health, and contribute to the development of interventions to promote healthy lifestyles. Within the department, the Psychobiology Group is a multidisciplinary group concerned with the pathways through which sociodemographic and psychosocial factors influence physical disease processes.
This environment provides students with opportunities to be taught by specialists in their field, and to complete relevant placements in clinical, academic or policy-related settings. In addition, students are encouraged to integrate themselves into the research groups and networks closely associated with the programme as these can provide invaluable real-world research experience and potential collaborations with national and international leaders in health psychology and related disciplines.
Accreditation:
The MSc programme is stage 1 accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) as meeting the learning requirements for registration as a Chartered Health Psychologist in the UK.
Department: Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care
Application and next steps
Applications
Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.
There is an application processing fee for this programme of £75 for online applications and £100 for paper applications. Further information can be found at: www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/taught/application.
Who can apply?
This programme is suitable for students seeking a thorough grounding in health psychology as preparation for a subsequent research degree or employment in a related field. Completion of the MSc satisfies Stage 1 of Health Psychology Training.
Application deadlines
- All applicants
- 26 July 2019
For more information see our Applications page.
Apply nowWhat are we looking for?
When we assess your application we would like to learn:
- why you want to study Health Psychology at graduate level
- why you want to study Health Psychology at UCL
- how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this programme
- where you would like to go professionally with your degree
Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.
Contact information
- Mrs Madiha Sajid, Programme Administrator
- m.sajid@ucl.ac.uk
- +44 (0)20 7679 5683
- Ms Rosemary Koper, Programme Administrator
- rosemary.koper.15@ucl.ac.uk
- +44 (0)20 7679 1804
Page last modified on 14 November 2017 by UCL Student Recruitment Marketing