CourseOverview
Click here to contact us for a link to a Live Q&A event on 14th Feb at 1pm to find out more and meet the lecturers from the MSc Health Psychology programme.
Health psychology focuses on the roles of psychology, biology and social or environmental factors on health and health related behaviour. Health psychologists promote healthier lifestyles and seek to improve well-being by understanding the impact that health related thoughts, feelings and behaviour can have on the individual.
Health strategy has been shifting from the treatment of disease to the maintenance of health and prevention of illness. The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act (2015) aims to improve the nation’s social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being. This is particularly important given that relative to the rest of the UK, Wales has more older people and high burden of chronic illness (Public Health Wales Observatory, 2018).
This Masters degree In Health Psychology aims to produce high quality graduates that are in a good position to improve health and well-being by using specific psychological knowledge and skills. The programme is specifically designed with future employability in mind and provides a student-centred approach to preparing graduates for future training and / or careers. Some graduates go on to complete further training to become qualified health psychologists, but many others go on to work in health-related career roles including health promotion, education, health and well-being at work, research or develop their own businesses.
The MSc Health Psychology programme includes some formal lectures, but the majority of the programme is taught interactively, with students actively involved in each session. Group work, seminars, presentations and practical workshops all help to engage students and ensure they are developing the knowledge and skills required for stage 1 training in health psychology and also develop the confidence to use what they learn to the benefit of themselves and others.
The MSc Health Psychology programme is taught on two days each week (Thursday and Friday), for full time students, and on one day each week for part time students (Thursdays year 1 and Fridays year 2). Much of the teaching takes place in the Psychology Postgraduate and Research Centre (PARC) which provides computers that students can use for private study and also a social space and kitchen area for students to make use of. PARC also includes a number of cubicles with software and other technology for use in research.
All of the course materials for the Programme are made available via the Virtual Learning Environment, Moodle, there is also a Facebook page and Twitter site (@cardiffhealthps) for the programme.
All students are allocated a personal tutor during their first week on the programme. Personal tutors will initiate a meeting with the students during the first term and will also invite students to come and see them regarding their PDP (Personal Development Portfolio) during term 2. In addition students are more than welcome to make an appointment to see their personal tutor, module leader or programme director whenever they wish. The programme team all adopt an open door policy and welcome students to come and talk to them about any issues related to the course or their welfare at any time.
The MSc Health Psychology programme at Cardiff Met has a partner programme at City Unity College in Athens. It may be possible for students to engage in a visit to our partner programme, to share workshops alongside their Greek counterparts. For two years the university funded 80% of the cost of the trip for 6 - 8 students from the MSc Health Psychology programme, and we are hoping that this funding will be available again for the coming year.
The MSc Health Psychology programme is accredited by the BPS and as such constitutes stage 1 training in health psychology. Talks about careers in health psychology, and stage 2 training will be included as part of the programme and graduates from the programme will provide information about their own experiences and career development.