Universities United Kingdom University of Stirling Courses MSc Health Psychology

MSc Health Psychology
at University of Stirling

Stirling, United Kingdom

Tuition Fee £ 19,145
Country Rank#52
Duration12 Months
Score IELTS: 6.5 TOEFL: 80

Program Overview

Health psychology is the study of psychological and behavioural processes in health, illness, and healthcare. It is concerned with understanding how psychological, behavioural, and cultural factors contribute to physical health and illness.

Health Psychologists promote healthier lifestyles. They try to find ways to encourage people to improve their health and also to improve the healthcare system as a whole. For example, helping people to lose weight or stop smoking, or advising doctors on better ways to communicate with their patients.

You’ll learn to use your knowledge of psychology to promote general wellbeing and understand physical illness. We will teach you the skills needed to help people deal with the psychological and emotional aspects of health and illness, and to support people who are chronically ill.

Our MSc Health Psychology has a strong experiential focus and emphasises the application of health psychology to real world settings. The course includes contributions from healthcare practitioners. You will carry out a brief placement in a healthcare setting, which can include the NHS, third sector (charities) or industry, and you’ll usually arrange this placement yourself with support from the course team. You are encouraged to carry out research in healthcare contexts where possible.

This Masters in Health Psychology is designed to meet the British Psychological Society’s requirements for Stage 1 training towards professional Health Psychologist status. Through formal teaching and practical experience, you’ll acquire relevant skills and core competencies as a basis for professional training in health psychology (Stage Two) or other applications of psychology to health issues.

Course Content
Modules

The module information below provides an example of the types of course module you may study. The details listed are for the current academic year (September 2021). Modules and start dates are regularly reviewed and may be subject to change in future years.

Year 1, Autumn semester

Compulsory module
- Perspectives in Health Psychology (HPSP111) 20 credits
Compulsory module
- Applications of Health Psychology: Communication, Systems and Context (HPSP112) 20 credits
This module runs over Autumn and Spring

Compulsory module
- Quantitative Analysis Methods in Psychological Research (HPSP131) 20 credits
Year 1, Spring semester

Compulsory module
- Individual, Social and Cultural Differences (HPSP114) 20 credits
Compulsory module
- Qualitative Analysis Methods in Psychological Research (HPSP132) 20 credits
Compulsory module
- Approaches to Illness, Disability and Coping (HPSP115) 20 credits
Dissertation

Select 60 credits from Research Project list
- Research Project (HPSP116) 60 credits
Entry Requirement
English language requirements

If English is not your first language you must have one of the following qualifications as evidence of your English language skills:
- IELTS Academic or UKVI 6.5 with a minimum of 6.5 in reading and writing and 6.0 in speaking and listening
- Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) 176 overall with a minimum of 176 in reading and writing and 169 in speaking and listening
- Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE) 180 overall with a minimum of 180 in reading and writing and 169 in speaking and listening
- Pearson Test of English (Academic) 62 overall with a minimum of 62 in reading and writing and 60 in speaking and listening
- IBT TOEFL 80 overall with a minimum of 19 in reading, 24 in writing, 21 in speaking and 19 in listening
- IBT TOEFL Special Home Edition Test 80 overall with a minimum of 19 in reading, 24 in writing, 21 in speaking and 19 in listening
- Trinity ISE II Pass overall with a minimum of Merit in speaking and listening and distinction in reading and writing, ISE III Pass overall and in all sub-skills, ISE IV Pass overall and in all sub-skills
- Aptis (4 skills) CEFR B2 overall and B2 in all sub-skills
- Duolingo 105 overall with a minimum of 105 in reading and writing and 95 in speaking and listening
- LanguageCert International ESOL B2 Communicator - High Pass with a minimum of 152/200 overall including 38 in reading and writing, and 33 in speaking and listening
Undergraduate

Direct Entry to 1st Year:

Year 12 Grade – cumulative score of 65% and above from the following state boards:
- CBSE
- ISC/ICSE
- Metro state boards (Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal)
Students from other state boards will require Year 12 Grade – cumulative score of 75%.

Advanced Entry to 2nd Year:

Year 12 Grade – cumulative score of 75% and above from the following state boards:
- CBSE
- ISC/ICSE
- Metro state boards (Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal)
Advanced entry is possible on a range of courses. Student applications will be considered on a case by case basis.

Please note that advanced entry options for students who have scored 35 in the International Baccalaureate or GCE A-Levels ABB in one sitting will also be considered on a case by case basis.

Postgraduate

Students who score 70% in English in Year 12 from the following exam boards won't be required to submit IELTS, if studied within 5 years of our course start date:
- CBSE
- ISC/ICSE
- Metro state boards (Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal)
Students from other state boards will either need 80% in English if studied within 5 years of the course start date, or a UKVI SELT, IELTS Academic or PTE Academic, depending on the state board, taken within 2 years of our course start date.

Students who meet the above criteria, but Year 12 scores are between 6 and 10 years old, will also be required to submit an official letter from their university or college, stating that the medium of instruction (MOI) was in English, and confirming graduation is within 5 years of our course start date.
Fees & Scholarships
Overseas (non-EU) students

2022/23 - £19,145
2023/24 - £19,645

Course fees

Fees shown are for a full-time, one-year Masters course.
- If you need to extend your period of study, you may be liable for additional fees.
- If you are studying part time, the total course fee will be split over the years that you study. The total fee will remain the same and will be held at the rate set in your year of entry.
Cost of living
If you’re domiciled in the UK, you can typically apply to your relevant funding body for help with living costs. This usually takes the form of student loans, grants or bursaries, and the amount awarded depends upon your personal circumstances and household income.

European Union and overseas students won’t normally be able to claim living support through SAAS or other UK public funding bodies. You should contact the relevant authority in your country to find out if you’re eligible to receive support.
Career Prospect
Health Psychology is one of the fastest growing areas of applied psychology and our Masters provides you with the first stage of professional training towards becoming a health psychologist. Students intending to go on to become registered Health Psychologists can achieve this by working in healthcare or in academic posts. Scotland is unique in offering a two-year NHS-funded training course for Stage Two health psychology trainees. A Professional Doctorate Health Psychology (Stage 2; 3 years full time) is also now offered at the University of Stirling.

Health Psychologists are employed in various settings:
- health assessments and management strategies for chronically ill patients, for example, those with cancer or chronic pain
- rehabilitation programmes, e.g. for patients with coronary heart disease
- working with patients and carers in palliative care
- working with primary health care teams in the community
- health education and health promotion in educational or industrial settings
- conducting evaluative research in order to provide a research evidence base for health policy decisions.
- influencing health behaviours, for example in smoking cessation programmes, weight reduction, or sexual health
- carrying out teaching and research in academic settings
- teaching and training health care providers

Cost Of Studying At University of Stirling

Interest rates as low as 8.9% ^*

250K+

Students Assisted

800Cr+

Loan Amount Disbursed

5000+

Loans Sanctioned

Check Loan Eligibility

MSc Health Psychology at University of Stirling