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This rewarding programme is designed to provide a biological perspective on the nature and study of human behaviour and health with an emphasis on the clinical relevance of contemporary developments in the biological sciences.
Our programme is designed to improve career prospects for health professionals and offers a social context is for the anthropological and psychological issues of health and healthcare. This course covers a broad spectrum of biological approaches from the molecular to ethological studies and presents a diverse range of methods for the study of human behaviour and health.
The biological basis of behaviour is an increasingly important aspect of understanding health and illness. You will develop an in-depth understanding of topic areas and mechanisms involved in the maintenance of health and well-being, and the development and treatment of disease. This rewarding programme provides an ideal platform for the basis for further post-graduate research, a career in consultancy-based research, or your development of evidence-based practice in health care. You will learn to analyse the contributions of different disciplinary and theoretical perspectives to the understanding of health and wellbeing, disease and its treatment, and care.
The programme will introduce you to a wide range of health issues from stress to sleep; it considers the aetiology and symptomology of the body’s complex processes with a thought-provoking and challenging syllabus.
We offer a diverse range of modules to build your knowledge and enable you to focus on topics that interest you. Recent examples of these topics included: the psychophysiology of health, where you will examine the effects of stress in relation to health and well-being, health research methods, and public health and social, psychological and biological approaches to health and disease.
You will be supported by a strong academic staff team of biological and health scientists and you will automatically become a part of the Department of Life Sciences’ Health Sciences Research Centre.
Modules
Here are examples of the modules:
Careers in the NHS, local authorities,including education departments and social services; NGOs and other charities.
This course is for those aiming to develop careers in research or enter subsequent training for a scientist-practitioner oriented career such as clinical or educational psychology. It is also designed to provide a basis for further postgraduate study (eg PhDs) and applications for research assistant posts.
You'll learn the skills and theory for conducting research. You'll have the opportunity to meet and discuss research with postgraduate students in the School of Psychological Sciences and Health. You'll also play a role in research with members of our academic staff.
You may also have the opportunity to be employed within the School of Psychological Sciences and Health as a Graduate Teaching Assistant.
This course is designed to maximise research potential. It should provide a thorough grounding in research methods for anyone wanting to apply for a research assistant post, apply for doctoral study or enter training for a scientist-practitioner oriented career such as educational or clinical psychology.
As such, a significant proportion of time is devoted to allowing you to undertake a substantial research project, with one-to-one supervision and access to all the advanced research equipment in the School of Psychological Sciences and Health, and a focus on producing a thesis that it is potentially publishable in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.
In addition, you'll complete training in the philosophy of social research methods, quantitative and qualitative research methods and research design over two semesters. These taught modules will provide essential training for the completion of the research project and for your subsequent career in research.
Specialist research equipment is available for use by our postgraduate students, including:
Taught classes are a mixture of tutorials, lectures, demonstrations and hands-on practical sessions to facilitate your learning.
Each taught class has its own set of assessments including essays, reports, class tests, presentations and research proposals. The dissertation will cumulate in a thesis.
The course is primarily designed for graduates in psychology who wish to begin a career in research. It's ideally suited to someone who wishes to apply for a post as a research assistant or wishes to apply for doctoral study.
Previous students have been successful in receiving PhD funding from the University as well as externally funded studentships from a variety of sources including the Economic and Social Research Council, the Welcome Trust, the Carnegie Trust, and places at other universities.
The course also provides research training to those graduates who may wish to enter professional training for jobs which have a ‘scientist-practitioner’ underpinning such as clinical psychology.
This MSc in Social Neuroscience gives you the opportunity to develop an advanced knowledge of how the brain responds to, and makes sense of the social world, as well as confidence in the use of neuroscientific research skills (for instance, electrophysiology and eye-tracker experiments).
Humans’ social nature is based on neural, hormonal, and molecular structures and networks that we have started to understand only relatively recently. This includes studying the processes behind the sensation and perception of social stimuli, and the behaviours associated with social interactions. This highly progressive Master’s programme is designed to give you excellent learning opportunities in Social Neuroscience – supported by our department’s enthusiastic, supportive teaching staff and a technology-enriched learning environment.
You’ll have the chance to explore issues from a variety of perspectives, underpinned by a research-informed knowledge base, as you develop an in-depth knowledge of Social Neuroscience. You’ll also be encouraged to refine and enhance your critical evaluation and reflection skills.
As you progress, you’ll have the opportunity to enhance your research skills, to help you conceptualise, design and implement a substantial piece of independent research. This, in turn, offers you a unique opportunity to contribute to the ongoing development of new ideas and approaches in Social Neuroscience.
Successfully completing this course will open up a wide range of opportunities for employment, or further study at doctorate level.
For more information, please visit http://www.bolton.ac.uk/postgrad
Our MSc Psychology (Conversion) is a great way to develop and enhance your critical understanding of psychological theories, methods and debates. What’s more, you can achieve eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society (BPS).
f you’re looking to pursue a psychology-related career or further professional training in psychology, this highly regarded conversion course is ideal. Maybe you’re considering a future in educational, occupational or clinical psychology, but don’t have enough credits in psychology at undergraduate level. Or perhaps your psychology degree didn’t come with eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Chartership of the British Psychological Society. Either way, this course is a great solution.
The programme modules cover specific areas of psychology equivalent to those in the British Psychological Society‘s qualification exam, and will give you an opportunity to achieve a firm grounding in psychological theories, approaches and research methods.
While most of your modules will be at Master’s level, you can expect to study in classes alongside our undergraduate students. Learning alongside our undergraduates offers you the opportunity to share in a wider variety of opinions and experiences, helping to broaden your view of psychology. We then offer separate Master’s-level tutorials, designed specifically for our MSc Psychology (Conversion) students, to support your achievement of postgraduate academic and critique skills.
Psychology courses at Bolton benefit from excellent facilities and committed, enthusiastic staff – many of whom are involved in leading research that will support your studies.
For more information, please visit http://www.bolton.ac.uk/postgrad
Want to boost your existing Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology up to a full MSc? Our 60-credit MSc Psychological Studies (Top-up) gives you the opportunity to develop your research skills and knowledge of how to apply psychological theory to practice, opening doors to doctoral level studies and higher-level professional training.
Our 60-credit MSc Psychological Studies (Top-up) course is ideal if you have already completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology or Psychological Studies and wish to develop this into a full MSc equivalent qualification. A full Master’s qualification is essential if you’re seeking to progress to doctoral level studies, perhaps for a career in academic research or teaching, or for a career in a professional area of psychology, such as clinical psychology.
The University of Bolton has a strong tradition of teaching psychology being one of the first higher education settings in the country to offer degree courses in this exciting subject. Studying in our well-respected, vibrant learning and research culture the MSc Top-up gives you the opportunity to develop your research skills and your knowledge of the applications of psychological theory to applied practice.
We offer a supportive and intellectually stimulating learning environment where each person’s knowledge is used to encourage discussion and debate, and to promote critical thought and inquiry. Our highly skilled and experienced staff will encourage you to develop advanced critical understanding of psychological issues. In addition, we’ll support you to gain enhanced general transferable skills in preparation for postgraduate employment, particularly your research skills.
For more information, please visit http://www.bolton.ac.uk/postgrad
Study how stress affects illness and examine ways to improve individual wellbeing through practical applications in stress management.
Our programme is designed for graduates in psychology and the biological sciences, and professionals from a range of backgrounds including healthcare and counselling. You will gain a robust science-based qualification in the study of stress, dealing specifically with the mechanisms by which psychological stress can induce illnesses and examining issues of measurement, prevalence and management. This is especially pertinent today as you will study occupational stress and management for people in the workplace.
Taught by leading experts in the field, you will learn about how stress medicine and psychoneuroimmunology are growth areas in the discipline. You will be able to conduct and present your research project in an area of your interest. There will be an opportunity to gain practical, hands-on experience by recruiting a sample group of subjects for a stress assessment. You will then produce an assessment report which will form the basis of risk assessment and guidance for intervention.
You will gain access to state-of-the-art laboratories and resources for conducting research projects.
In your first semester, you will develop a strong understanding how psychological states can affect physical wellbeing, in particular the role of stress in the development of various diseases, such as coronary heart disease and metabolic disorders including diabetes and mental illnesses. You will gain an in-depth understanding of the health care field and the current developments in stress management.
After the first semester, the emphasis will be on independent study, and you will undertake an in-depth piece of original research. You will learn to collect, combine and analyse data from a range of sources, making critical assessments as you progress. Hands-on experience gained in the recruitment of test group will be invaluable experience for your career in the healthcare.
Modules
Here are examples of the modules:
Practitioners work in stress measurement and stress management, and psychophysiological work in professions associated to medicine.
Gain the essential skillsets as a nutritionist to help improve people’s health and well-being in the context of the malnutrition, obesity, metabolic response to injury and chronic disease.
This was the first MSc in Clinical Nutrition to be established in the UK and has gained an international reputation, attracting students from around the world. You will consider the patient’s journey from birth to extreme age in the context of the metabolic response to injury or to chronic disease. The course is designed for all members of nutrition support teams and is also suitable for students who wish to pursue clinically-based nutrition research.
After establishing a firm foundation in physiology and the biochemistry of nutrition, this course will cover the nutritional management for clinical conditions such as gastro-enteral problems, long-term disablement and intensive care. It also includes a focus on nutrition support in paediatric, adult, older adult and critically ill patients.
This course is perfect for nutrition support teams or those who want to pursue a career or a doctorate in clinically-based nutrition. The course will provide an important insight into contemporary developments in clinical nutrition for a wide range of healthcare professionals.
You will have access to our state-of-the art facilities and excellent laboratories including a food lab complete with sensory analysis tasting booths and specialist laboratories for physiology, microbiology and computing.
Please note this programme does not lead to a qualification in the UK as a registered Dietitian. It is an accredited course with the Association for Nutrition, and does enable you to become a registered nutritionist, once you have complete two years in the nutrition field.
This course is accredited by the Association for Nutrition.
We offer a diverse range of modules to build your knowledge and enable you to focus on topics that interest you. Recent examples of these topics have included: macronutrient and micronutrient metabolism in health and disease, nutrient digestion and absorption and gastrointestinal disease, nutritional support in paediatric, adult, older adult and critically ill patients, the effect of disease on nutrition status.
Research areas that are also included in the programme are dietary management strategies in women with polycystic ovary syndrome; the role of brain–gut interaction in obesity, eating disorders, and irritable bowel syndrome; the role of the enteric nervous system in known intestinal diseases; vitamin E status in health and disease; the role of microbiota in food and nutritional systems; food bioactives for a healthy gut, brain and vascular system; the regulation of insulin secretion and glucose metabolism in health and diabetes.
Modules
Here are examples of the modules:
Nutritionist (public sector, private commercial or independent), public health nutritionist, academia research/teaching, commercial research, NHS (various roles) and local and central government (roles in policy and health promotion). In addition, many students are already health professionals and study the course as part of their career development and specialisation.
Sample modules:
Please note that all modules are subject to change. Please see our modules disclaimer for more information.
All of our MSc programmes are research intensive, providing essential training in analytical ability, methods awareness and critical thinking, among other fundamental transferable skills.
The MSc Cognitive Neuroscience is designed to train you for further research and study, ideally for a doctoral programme in psychology, neuroscience, clinical psychology, or a related field. Our students regularly move on to PhD positions, applied and clinical psychology posts in the NHS and private sector, as well as research-based positions in industry.
The MSc Applied Child Psychology combines an in-depth critical evaluation of current theory pertaining to psychological development in children and adolescents with advanced training in relevant research methods.
The implications of psychological theory for policy and practice in various areas, including education, clinical and social contexts are also considered. This an ideal course for anyone wanting a career that involves working with children or for those interested in securing a doctoral training place in educational psychology.*
*Further study and / or a BPS-accredited conversion course conferring Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership may be required.
Social and Cognitive Development in Children
The Child in Context
Research Skills for Working with Children
Observational Methods
Understanding Atypical Development
Clinical Aspects of Behavioural Disorders
Child Psychology Specialist Essay
Child Psychology Research Project.
For more information about the modules you may study on this course visit http://www.ntu.ac.uk/childpsych
The University has made significant financial investment in the Psychology Division over recent years upgrading accommodation, facilities and equipment used exclusively for the provision of our psychology courses and for research. We have a first class undergraduate teaching laboratory suite and a second teaching laboratory specifically catering for postgraduate students.
In addition there are specialist suites dedicated to particular areas of interest in psychology, including:
social interaction, group work and interviewing
computer gaming and cyberpsychology
eye-tracking
cognitive modelling and visual analysis
psychophysiology.
Alongside these are new flexible cubicles for student project work, a psychometric test bank library, and a technical workshop.
The course is delivered through lectures, interactive workshops, small group teaching and one-on-one supervision. There will also be an expectation that students will engage in independent study during the course. All staff teaching on the course is research-active in their field of interest which includes members from the Communication for Inclusion Research Unit (CIRU) and the Specific Language Impairment Research Unit (SLIRU). Students will also have access to the extensive new facilities within the Division of Psychology and the University's Virtual Learning Environment.
International students in psychology can also access additional language and study skills support, as well as help in acclimatising, via our own International Student Support Officer.
You will be assessed in a variety of ways and on a modular basis through:
examinations
coursework
essays
laboratory reports
literature reviews
research project.
Students generally choose the MSc Applied Child Psychology because they wish to pursue a career working with children (as a teacher, support worker, and so on).
Many already work with children and complete the course in order to improve their prospects of promotion and career progression. Others see the qualification as a means of helping to secure a path to teacher training or a doctoral training place in educational psychology. It is also possible to pursue an academic and / or research career in child / developmental psychology following graduation (by working as a research assistant or associate, for example, or by studying for a PhD).
Your qualification in psychology is likely to be popular with a whole range of potential employers because you will have demonstrated an ability to write essays and reports, to master advanced statistics and to talk and present in front of other people (amongst other transferable skills).
Careers and job application advice is available to all our postgraduate students and is provided on a one-to-one basis by a subject specialist within the Division, supported by the university wide careers service.
The School of Social Sciences offers a number of competitive scholarships for our full-time and part-time Masters courses. For more information please visit http://www.ntu.ac.uk/s3scholarships
Want to find out more? Come along to one of our postgraduate Open Evenings. For further details please visit: http://www.ntu.ac.uk/s3events
School of Social Sciences- a nationally and internationally recognised centre for the study of engaged social science
