MSc Health Psychology

Understand why our healthy new years’ resolutions always fizzle out despite our good intentions. Explore how our brains and bodies process stress and how psychology could help you fight off your next cold. Discover how to assess neuropsychological function.

Health psychology is a rapidly growing discipline, which can make a huge contribution to some of the big health issues currently facing society.

On this course, you’ll ask questions about the key health issues facing our communities, from our ageing population to pressurised health services, global health challenges and health inequalities.

You’ll explore human behaviour, health behaviour change, neuropsychology and research methods. And, you’ll seek ways to improve health, illness and healthcare systems through applying psychological theory and practical methods.

Some of the topics you’ll consider include the factors that make a person vulnerable to developing conditions like coronary heart disease or COVID-19, and why where people live matters to their health outcomes.

You might apply psychology to ensuring that children get enough physical activity, in understanding the experience of people living with a stroke, or how we can help people with diabetes to take their medications.

You’ll also study the principles and practice of research and evaluation, applying these skills to a field-based dissertation. You’ll complete a 70-hour work-based learning opportunity to apply your health psychology learning and build your work experience.

Health psychology is a rapidly growing discipline, one that can make a huge contribution to some of the big health issues facing society. Issues such as obesity, health inequalities, increasing chronic conditions, and an ageing population.

On our course in health psychology, you’ll take a biopsychosocial approach to health, developing core knowledge and critically reflecting on the many interlinking pathways to health and illness.

You’ll learn about key issues in health psychology, such as designing behaviour change interventions, helping people manage long-term conditions, neuropsychological assessment and working in multidisciplinary teams.

Day-to-day, you’ll learn through a mix of taught lectures and seminars, problem-based learning exercises, class discussions, case studies, and group fieldwork. As part of the Health Psychology Practice unit, you'll take part in 70 hours of work-based learning in a relevant setting. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to put your health psychology knowledge and skills into action.  

You’ll complete a field-based dissertation of your choice, which involves collecting empirical data. Typically, you’ll identify a research question and prepare an evaluation proposal.

At Manchester Met, our teaching team includes practitioners and academics with experience in the NHS and in private practice in the UK and internationally. Our course specialises in health psychology practice. Lecturers’ research interests include neuropsychology, designing psychological interventions to promote healthy living and person-centred approaches to healthcare.

Core course teaching takes place on Mondays and Tuesdays, although additional study skills teaching and supervisory meetings will take place throughout the week. Therefore, if you are a full-time student you should ensure you are able to attend all teaching and supervision meetings to maximise your learning experience throughout the course.