The Abnormal and Clinical Psychology course aims to provide a high level of understanding of the theory and practice of clinical psychology within healthcare settings and prepares students for professional clinical training.
Performance:
Teaching and Employability:
Clinical psychology focuses on the challenges faced by people with clinical, mental or physical (neuropsychological) health conditions. The role of the clinical psychologist is to work with these individuals and attempt to improve their quality of life.
The Abnormal and Clinical Psychology course will greatly enhance students’ suitability for professional clinical training, for example a three year DClin Clinical Psychology programme at a BPS accredited training centre.
Entry onto a clinical psychology doctorate training programme is extremely competitive, with candidates usually expected to have acquired training and experience beyond degree level.
The MSc degree provides a valuable academic foundation for future doctoral training in clinical psychology, it is largely theory-based and is designed to address core topics in abnormal and clinical psychology.
Clinical training courses also look for evidence of clinical experience with relevant client groups.
Swansea University does not provide this directly, but work experience (paid and voluntary) may be available through the local NHS Psychology Services. Opportunities may also be available locally through independent and private sector organisations (e.g. Mind Cymru, Headway, private rehabilitation services, etc.). These opportunities are regularly advertised and students are supported in making the most of them.
Please note this course does not lead to a clinical qualification recognised by the British Psychological Society.
Modules on the MSc in Abnormal and Clinical Psychology may include:
The one year, full-time degree for Abnormal and Clinical Psychology requires students to attend the University for two full days a week (normally Monday and Tuesday).
The two-year part-time degree requires students to attend the University for one full day a week.
In the first two semesters taught modules are provided with the research project typically undertaken during the summer months.
On occasion sessions are arranged on other days of the week (e.g. when visiting clinician talks/workshops or employability sessions).
Teaching is done via group sessions with practical classes provided on research and design topics. These will be assessed via written course work and a written examination.
The MSc in Abnormal and Clinical Psychology is suitable for:
Many of the College of Human and Health Sciences team are leaders in their specialist fields of research. They undertake novel and original research in a variety of areas, including clinical and health psychology, brain injury, sleep, cognition, neuroscience and developmental psychology.
Find out more about the Psychology team at Swansea University.
The College of Human and Health Sciences has a vibrant postgraduate community with students drawn from a variety of backgrounds and nationalities. The College is known for its friendly, welcoming and supportive environment, which combined with its extensive facilities, state-of-the-art technology and superb beachside location, helps to ensure that students benefit from an exceptional student experience. In addition, students have access to a wide range of excellent facilities and equipment for realistic workplace experiences.
Here's what students had to say about the Abnormal and Clinical Psychology MSc:
“Completing the MSc has been very beneficial, as in addition to improving my academic knowledge and skills, as well as confidence, it has enabled me to quickly secure employment in this field”. Sam (MSc Abnormal and Clinical Psychology, 2013-14)
“The level of expertise of the lecturers is second to none” Katie (MSc Abnormal and Clinical Psychology, 2011-12)
“An outstanding and highly interesting MSc program” Vasilis (MSc Abnormal and Clinical Psychology, 2009-10)
“Thanks to my masters, I am in such a good placement in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a multi-speciality hospital's Cardiology Unit” Phoram (MSc Abnormal and Clinical Psychology, 2009-10)
“I'm now an Assistant Psychologist in Cardiff, and I do not think I would have had a chance of getting such a post if I didn't have the MSc. I'm really glad I did it!” - Bryn (MSc Abnormal and Clinical Psychology, 2008-09)
“The MSc helped me to get my first assistant post and provided me with a good academic basis to pursue a career in clinical psychology. I am now undertaking the DClin Psych course in Oxford!” - Nicola (MSc Abnormal and Clinical Psychology, 2007-08)
Health Psychology plays a key role in improving the health and wellbeing of the population. This course, based in the heart of London, was one of the first Masters in Health Psychology and has been accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) since 1999. It includes an innovative portfolio of assessments geared to developing transferable skills, and relating directly to the world of work. The course also provides the opportunity to gain work experience and apply your knowledge in a health psychology setting, whilst considering future career plans. The course is taught by a core team of enthusiastic and supportive research-active staff, with collaborative links to external institutions in London and beyond. Successful completion of the course (Stage 1) is a prerequisite for the further training (Stage 2) to become a health psychologist registered with the Health Professions Council (HPC).
In addition to the core taught programme, we work with a range of practitioners to provide additional professional training in areas such as resilience, coaching and clinical practice.
The course will give you an in-depth understanding of the theoretical and applied bases of health, illness and disease. The main aim is to help you to develop the theoretical and methodological skills essential for conducting independent research and applying health psychology in practice.
We provide a coherent programme of study covering the content, methods and application of health psychology. In particular, the course emphasises the importance of an evidence-based approach to health psychology, and develops the core skills needed for Stage 2 training. Within the core modules, there is considerable flexibility for you to choose particular areas of study of interest.
The following modules are indicative of what you study on this course.
Core modules
Option modules
Students can choose to undertake a work experience placement within a health related setting by taking the optional ‘work experience in a psychological setting’ module. Students will negotiate with tutors on finding a placement and arrange suitable supervision. Some recent examples of work experience opportunities include:
Hospitals: The Cassel Hospital (Personality Disorder service); The Royal Marsden Hospital (Neuro-oncology, paediatrics); Kings College (Dental Institute); Sussex Partnership Trust Children and Young Person's Mental Health Services; Great Chapel Street Medical Centre; Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore; Great Ormond Street Hospital; Mildmay Hospital; The Royal Brompton Hospital, London.
Charities: EnhanceAble (a registered charity that provides services for people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, acquired brain injuries and autism); Westminster Drug Project; Southwark Your Way (a programme that offers flexible mental health support and guidance to suit service user’s needs); Headway Hertfordshire; Mind, Hammersmith and Fulham; British Red Cross; The 240 Project (a community and activity centre in West London which works with vulnerable and excluded people); Terrence Higgins Trust; Jewish Women's Aid; Westminster Parent Mentoring project; Turning Point Drug and Alcohol Service; Women and Girls Network; NSPCC; Kith and Kids; Alzheimer's Society; Freedom from torture; The Muslim Youth Helpline.
The course is a prerequisite for those wishing to pursue Stage 2 training leading to Registration with the HCPC as a Health Psychologist. This route is only available to those who have Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) with the BPS. However, it also serves as a precursor to those wishing to pursue a PhD in Psychology, and other areas of applied psychology such as clinical or counselling psychology. The majority of our graduates work in academic or health-related professions, for example: psychology researcher or lecturer, smoking cessation advisor, chronic pain therapist, health consultant.
Graduates from the Health Psychology MSc course at the University of Westminster work at all levels and, in all areas of health and related professions. Most students go on to undertake further postgraduate training be it in research, teaching or work related training. Many alumni of the course work as HCPC registered applied psychologists including, health, counselling and clinical psychology. Others have worked to enhance their career opportunities in their chosen disciplines including Occupational Therapy, Nursing, Advertising and Recruitment. Others work as, consultants, freelancers and academics.
This Masters will examine when and why humans develop social relations with other individuals or social groups, and the psychological consequences of these social relations.
The programme offers a social-developmental psychology training that will advance the careers of anyone who's interested in the people professions – diverse careers related to education, work, health, government and non-profit organisations.
Humans have a fundamental ‘need to belong’ and form relationships. Positive relationships lead to higher well-being, personal development and well-functioning societies, whereas a lack or dysfunctional relationships lead to poor psychological well-being, unhealthy development and conflict or violence within society.
The programme will teach you about the different psychological approaches to studying social relations in children, adolescents and adults, drawing from different areas of study within psychology (eg social and personality psychology, developmental psychology, educational psychology, clinical psychology, social neuroscience).
These approaches are relevant to anyone interested in understanding social relations between individuals (ie families and friendships) and social groups within a variety of settings (eg schools, the workplace, social movements). The programme will also introduce different strategies aimed at improving social relations between individuals and groups (eg intergroup contact, bullying interventions, mentoring schemes).
The programme will offer ESRC recognised research methods training, which will be useful for students wishing to pursue doctoral training or work in careers where such skills will be appreciated by employers in private and public sectors.
Given the importance of social relationships for motivation and well-being and given societal issues that arise out of social and racial inequalities and conflicting cultural values, this programme will offer useful insights for diverse careers related to counselling, education, businesses, and government/non-profit organizations. Moreover, you will benefit from conducting research in cosmopolitan London, where diverse socio-cultural groups co-exist in relative harmony.
The programme is made up of a total of 180 credits, comprised of:
Core modules
The following modules are all required:
Core optional modules
You select two of the following core optional modules which focus on child relationships, adult close relationships, or group relations:
For the 2017-2018 academic year, The Interpersonal Self will not be offered, so you will need to take both Social Moral Development and Social Psychology of Social Problems.
Optional modules
Three other optional modules may be selected from a range offered in the Department of Psychology, including the remaining core optional module listed above. Other possible modules include:
The following options are also available to students in this MSc programme from the Institute of Management Studies (IMS). There is a possibility that some of these modules are not available as they may be offered at the same time as one of the Psychology modules above.
The programme will:
As a graduate of this programme you'll be able to use your knowledge of social relations in the workplace. This will help you advance your career in a wide variety of settings (including clinical, health, educational and work organisations) that involve human relationships, at both the individual and group level.
With the help of the tutors, you'll also be encouraged to work with one or more of the many organisations (private, public, or third sector) available in greater London for your independent research project, which will help you establish a professional network.
Find out more about employability at Goldsmiths.
Our intensive MSc Psychology (Conversion) programme is designed to provide students with a grounding in the theories and research practice of contemporary psychology.
It is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and places particular emphasis on the application of psychology to real-world problems, based on a combination of pure and applied research.
This competitive programme is aimed primarily towards people wishing to pursue a career in any field of psychology. It prepares students for their professional journey by helping them develop a broad knowledge base across the key areas of psychology in a contained period of time.
As a student, you will learn about the core areas of psychology, such as social, developmental and cognitive psychology, biological bases of psychology, and individual differences.
In addition, you will acquire statistical and research methods skills needed to conduct, under expert supervision, your independent research project on a topic of your choosing.
This programme is studied full-time over one academic year. It consists of eight taught modules and a dissertation.
Altogether, the MSc is worth 180 credits:
Example module listing
The following modules are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. All modules are core, there are no elective modules, and modules may be subject to change.
The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, skills, qualities and other attributes in the following areas:
Knowledge and understanding
Intellectual / cognitive skills
Professional practical skills
Key / transferable skills
Liverpool Hope MSc Psychology is designed as a conversion course and is accredited by the British Psychological Society. It offers graduates from other subjects the opportunity to start a new career in Psychology. In addition, the course is available to Psychology graduates who completed a Psychology degree which did not have accreditation from the British Psychological Society.
On successful completion of the course you will become eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society (BPS). GBC is the first step towards becoming a Chartered Psychologist. Eligibility to GBC is the prerequisite for entry onto postgraduate and professional training courses offered by the BPS.
The course covers the key topics of Psychology such as Biological Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Social Psychology, Developmental Psychology and Personality and Individual Differences and underpins these topics with research carried out in the Department. It has a strong component of Research Methods and Statistics which enables the successful candidates to design and conduct research not only in Psychology but also in other areas of social sciences.
The course is taught at Liverpool Hope’s Psychology Department. The Department is research active with increasing strength in Cognitive Psychology. As a Masters student of Psychology you will be directly involved in ongoing research projects as part of your learning experience.
Curriculum
The course consists of four 30-credit taught modules and an individual research project leading to the Research Dissertation (60 credits).
Brain and Mind (30 credits): Brain and Mind covers the topics in Biological Psychology, Cognitive Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience including history of these areas. This includes psychobiological and cognitive explanations to behaviour and communication, perception, attention, memory, learning, thinking and emotion.
Individual and Group (30 credits): Individual and Group includes Developmental Psychology, Social Psychology and Personality/ Individual Differences including history. The module makes students familiar with theories of the development of psychological processes in evolution and lifelong learning.
Research Methods and Data Analysis 1 (30 credits): This module provides a comprehensive overview of a diverse range of quantitative and qualitative research methods and the necessary practical skills required for their application.
Research Methods and Data Analysis 2 (30 credits): This module introduces students to more advanced quantitative and qualitative methods, and builds upon Research Methods and Data Analysis 1.
Research Dissertation (60 credits): The dissertation module allows students to develop their own research project, including planning, designing, execution and presentation of research findings at postgraduate level. You will produce a report or publishable quality and format under supervision of an experienced member of the Psychology team.
This MSc provides the academic training required for a career as a forensic psychologist.
The programme will introduce you to a range of psychological theories, methods and processes within the context of the legal, criminal and civil justice systems.
Based at a research-led London university with strong links to forensic services, you’ll be taught by world-class researchers, and experienced practitioners from the NHS, and the prison and probation service.
Led by chartered forensic clinical psychologist Dr Caoimhe McAnena, the MSc also includes contributions from world-class researchers and practitioners who will teach on the programme and supervise research projects.
We have been awarded full British Psychological Society (BPS) accreditation, which will give you the opportunity to gain Graduate and/or Chartered Membership of the Society.
One of the major strengths of this course is our strong links with local forensic mental health services. Our studentships cover tuition fees and a placement opportunity, enabling students to study part-time while working in an NHS or prison setting.
If you will be doing a placement with Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust your offer will be conditional on meeting our Fitness to Train requirements before you begin your studies. Other placements will not have these additional conditions.
The course will cover the assessment and treatment of offenders, risk assessment methods, and treatment of offenders with mental health and personality disorders.
There will be a focus on criminal investigations by examining psychological issues in eyewitness identification, investigative interviewing of witnesses and suspects, psychological profiling and detecting deception.
You'll also explore legal and criminological concepts relevant to contemporary social issues and organisations. Issues relating to ethics, human rights, professional practice and research will be emphasised to provide a firm grounding for further professional training and practice.
By completing this programme you will:
The programme is comprised of 7 core modules and 1 option modules.
The core modules are:
You then choose one option module, which may be selected from a range of courses offered in the Department of Psychology, for example:
This new programme aims to satisfy the academic component of professional training in forensic psychology. Accreditation by the British Psychological Society (BPS) as meeting the requirement for Stage One of the BPS Diploma in Forensic Psychology has been applied for. When accredited, successful completion will allow you to enrol in the BPS Qualification in Forensic Psychology (Stage Two) with the aim of achieving the Division of Forensic Psychology (DFP) Qualification in Forensic Psychology, and becoming a Chartered Psychologist with the DFP and Practitioner Forensic Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council.
Graduates of the programme will be well-qualified a wide range careers in:
Relevant career opportunities are available in the:
Many of these posts will be training positions to allow the completion of the Stage Two qualification in Forensic Psychology described above.
Find out more about employability at Goldsmiths.
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