Health Psychology - MSc

Having taken an optional health psychology module as part of my undergraduate course, I knew this was something that I wanted to study further. I have always had an interest in physical health and so by combining this with my interest in psychology, the MSc Health Psychology course seemed like the perfect course for me.

Throughout the course, I mostly enjoyed learning about how health psychology can be applied to different health conditions, across the lifespan, and at different population levels. There was flexibility in the assessment topics which allowed me to tailor them to my interests. They also gave good opportunity to apply psychological theory in a practical way, which I have found to be an essential skill to have when working in the field.

The course has allowed me to think about my professional development and develop important skills around reflective practice. I also learnt desirable research skills such as writing proposals and a systematic review, as well as a wide range of data analysis methods. I believe that these are invaluable skills to have in order to move forward in a career in psychology.

BCU offered me so many opportunities to try new activities and be a part of different societies. The city centre campus is within walking distance of Birmingham City Centre and also has great facilities with a huge library space. Studying at BCU gave me the chance to work with Psychologists who are experts in their field. This meant that I was able to complete my dissertation project in an area that I passionate about alongside someone with a wealth of experience in that area. All the staff are really supportive, and the faculty always aim to recognise and reward hard work, which makes it all the more worthwhile.

I strongly believe that the skills that I gained on this course positively impacted my employability. Since graduating I have started working as an Assistant Psychologist, applying my psychological knowledge of health and behaviour change every day in my work. The academic writing skills I gained during my time at BCU has helped me hugely in my role when writing psychology reports. I hope to continue my career in this field by completing a Health Psychology doctorate.

I really loved being able to study a field of psychology which is ever-growing in popularity and importance. Ultimately, this course gave me the freedom to study the areas of Psychology that I am really passionate about whilst gaining invaluable skills to help me on my path to becoming a qualified Psychologist.

At the time of finishing my undergraduate degree in Psychology, I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do next. I had enjoyed conducting my dissertation research project, had a passion for health, and was intrigued by health behaviours, motivations, and interventions – a MSc in Health Psychology was the obvious answer.

I investigated MSc Health Psychology courses at various institutions and decided that BCU was the place for me for several reasons. As a BPS-accredited course, this MSc provides Stage 1 training which leaves the door open to go on to complete Stage 2 and become a chartered health psychologist. The modules are varied and cover a good combination of research methods, psychological theories, and practical applications of health psychology, provided a well-rounded understanding of health psychology and transferable research skills. Each module leaves the assessment title to be completed with a health behaviour, issue, or intervention of your own choice, allowing you to focus on one area you find particularly fascinating, or meaning you can cover a broad range of topics you want to read and learn about further.

The structure of the course provided flexibility, reducing the barriers to continuing on to postgraduate study. The timetable is split over two days, making it easy to incorporate this MSc into other commitments, and facilitates commuting from a distance. This allowed me to pursue part-time work alongside my full-time MSc, to support me financially but also to offer other types of experience to complement my growing academic experience. The city-centre location makes it convenient to access the campus, which offers many spaces for studying and learning – including a BPS Psychology-only computer lab, a great library, and plenty of more social places to chat with course mates between taught sessions.

The course is taught by a range of qualified and supportive staff members, with each topic delivered by those who are experts in the area. Choosing from a range of experienced individuals to oversee your dissertation project allows you to align your own interests with those of the appropriate staff member, providing opportunity to independently explore your own passions with the support of helpful supervisors. Across the MSc, there are also sessions by guest lecturers from a range of backgrounds including academia, public health, and the NHS to provide an insight into real-world applications of health psychology.

Progressing from undergraduate to a taught postgraduate course was a step-up in terms of the independence and expectations to want to learn – with extra reading of the latest articles and health initiatives particularly key. The MSc is taught in a way which makes it digestible for individuals coming from all backgrounds, whether that be a degree in Psychology, a role in public health, or clinical experience. A particularly enjoyable and important skill I developed during the MSc was reflection; this has provided me with the ability to learn and grow in both academic contexts, and my personal life, allowing me to do and be the best I can.

The MSc has solidified the foundations of my research methods skills and theoretical understanding within Psychology, which has provided a great platform for me to advance onto my PhD. I am now more confident in independently conducting research, reviewing literature, and reflecting on my experiences both academically and personally – all of which have benefited me immensely. The MSc in Health Psychology at BCU has been an invaluable part of my journey and progression.

Having taken a two-year break after my undergraduate degree, I was worried that going back to university to study for a Master’s degree would be challenging and daunting. And yes, it was as I thought, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and found it engaging. It is expected of a BPS-accredited course to have certain core materials but for a course to be engaging it requires more - the actual content of the course, the delivery framework and the facilities, which were what made the difference for me.

The content of the course was cutting edge; it focused on current issues and areas of Health Psychology as well as its application within various settings - both clinical and non-clinical. One aspect of the course that helped me the most to really make sense of what I was continually learning and to reflect on how the skills developed would help me going forward was the Professional Development module - it allowed me to develop my reflective skills to further improve myself both professionally and personally. Like any course, one of the main outcomes is employability and universities across the UK invest a great deal in employability services to make the graduates more employable as it paints a picture of the quality of the university in general. For me, making the graduates of this course employable was a core priority for BCU. Helping students reflect, I feel, is paramount in making them employable as it helps them understand their strengths and limitations - this is exactly what this course did for me and today I am happily employed and planning my next qualification.

Every single tutor that taught on the programme, I felt, cared. It came across through the teaching sessions, the follow-up coursework, the help available throughout and the actual time they committed to making sure students got the most out of the programme. This, for me, was very important as knowing someone else cared about my progress motivated me this extra bit and I am sure this has been the case for many of my student colleagues.  I knew help was an email away and I could always turn, not just to my personal tutor but also to other staff if I needed support; from academic staff to administrative staff, nothing was ever too much.

I had the opportunity to do a short placement with the local council’s Public Health team thanks to one of my tutors who liaised with them. This allowed me to understand the application of the programme within a non-clinical setting and understand my own aspirations. Today I am working for that particular team in a graduate position and I know, that this would not have been the case had it not been for two factors. Firstly, the placement as it allowed me to decide on the avenue I wish to take after completing the programme; and secondly, the employability services, which helped me prepare for my application and interview.

I was based at the City Centre campus and it was great for me as I live in the City Centre. I worked full-time throughout my course and very often, I needed to go to university to use the facilities at odd hours so having such an accessible campus was fantastic. It is an actual pleasure walking towards the campus, which is only a short walk away from the main train stations.