Mental Health: Psychological Therapies MSc

Across the UK there’s a need for professionals of all kinds to gain expertise in psychological therapies. This course is an ideal next step for those who are already working in mental health, who want to go on to train as therapists, who want to complete research and those who work in related areas, such as social work, human resources or the voluntary sector.

On this MSc, you’ll have the opportunity to critically examine different approaches to understanding mental disorder. We’ll build your confidence in using psychological therapies but also develop your ability to understand the evidence base for these therapies – and assess which therapies might work for different types of disorder.

You’ll gain the knowledge to assess mental health problems, understand their origins and how to help recovery. You’ll learn about psychological therapies including individual cognitive behavioural therapies, cognitive analytic therapies, psychodynamic therapies, as well as group and family therapies.

Your course placement will give you experience of supervised practice and will develop your ability to work with emotional, behavioural and psychological distress.

You’ll also develop your research skills and complete a research project. By the time you complete the programme, you’ll be a skilled communicator, adept at expressing your ideas in spoken or written form.

This MSc is an academic course and does not lead to clinical accreditation.

Mental Health: Psychological Therapies is also available to study to PgDip level.

Additional costs

You may have to pay for travel to placements.

Some placement providers may ask you to provide your own DBS assessment, which will cost between £30 and £50, depending on the provider.

This programme gives you a range of career options. It is ideal if you want to do clinical psychology or psychotherapy training, including IAPT services, in the future. 

It is also tailored to people working in mental health care who want to advance their careers by demonstrating their expertise in psychological therapies.

Recent graduates have gone on to:

• complete the Postgraduate Diploma in Low Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, qualifying them to work as psychological wellbeing practitioners within the NHS
• further doctoral-level training in clinical and counselling psychology
• psychological assistant positions in the NHS and third-sector providers.

Our recent graduates are working in roles such as Assistant Psychologist, Academic Research Fellow, Advocate Multi-Disciplinary, Associate Mental Health Worker, Children and Young People Practitioner Trainee, Clinical Psychologist, Early Intervention Manager, Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner, Psychotherapist, Social Therapist (Mental Health Nursing), Trainee CBT Therapist, Trainee Mental Health and Well Being Practitioner, and Trainee Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner.

Source: Graduate Outcomes Survey 2021/22