Overview
Health psychologists are urgently needed in National Health Service (NHS) settings to support the growing population with chronic illness (NHS April 2023). Health psychology focuses on understanding how psychological, behavioural, and cultural factors influence physical health, illness and healthcare.
Health psychologists promote healthier lifestyles. They try to find ways to support people to improve and maintain their health and also to improve the healthcare system as a whole. For example, helping people to lose weight or stop smoking, or advising healthcare providers on better ways to communicate with their patients.
Our Masters in Health Psychology will develop your skills to help people improve and manage their health. You’ll learn to use psychology to promote general wellbeing and understand physical illness. You’ll help people deal with the psychological and emotional aspects of health and illness, and to support people who have long-term conditions.
Study a British Psychological Society (BPS) accredited course
The MSc Health Psychology is the first step towards becoming a registered health psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). You'll graduate with Stage 1 of the British Psychological Society's (BPS) health psychologist training.
Our Masters in Health Psychology also prepares you with the knowledge and skills you need for Stage 2 doctoral-level training. After completing Stage 2, you can register with the HCPC as a Health Psychologist. You can also apply to become a BPS Chartered Health Psychologist.
Gain practical experience on a health psychology placement
The Health Psychology Masters includes the opportunity to complete an observational placement in a health-related setting. Placements can be in the third sector (charities), industry, community setting or with the NHS. The course teaching includes contributions from health psychology trainees and practitioners.
Specialist psychology labs
We have a new Lifespan Lab that focuses on understanding cognition, health and wellbeing from infancy through to old age. Our on-site Psychology Kindergarten is a unique facility in the UK. It provides an outstanding facility for child development research and teaching.
Laboratory space is also available for you to do:
- health research (including GSR and activity and heart rate monitoring),
- human electrophysiology research (EEG/ERPs),
- face research (including eye-tracking),
- vision research (including stereoscopic displays).
If you’re interested in studying a module from this course, the Postgraduate Certificate or the Postgraduate Diploma then please email Graduate Admissions to discuss your course of study.
In the Research Excellence Framework 2021, we ranked 2nd in Scotland for research impact in Psychology. 100% of our research impact and environment, and 87% of our overall research in Psychology is classed as world leading or internationally excellent.
Our MSc Health Psychology students get involved in our lively community of research excellence.
Entry requirements
A minimum of a 2.1 honours degree in Psychology or related subject or a Psychology (Conversion) degree with Merit.
A qualification recognised by British Psychological Society giving Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership is preferred.
Students accepted without a BPS-recognised qualification and intending to progress to BPS Stage Two training towards
Find out more about our Psychology accredited conversion course.
International entry requirements
If English is not your first language you must have one of the following qualifications as evidence of your English language skills:
- IELTS Academic or UKVI 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each sub-skill.
- Pearson Test of English (Academic) 62 overall with 60 in each sub-skill.
- IBT TOEFL 80 overall with 18 in reading, 23 in writing, 19 in listening and 21 in speaking.
See our information on English language requirements for more details on the language tests we accept and options to waive these requirements.
If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this course, our partner INTO University of Stirling offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for entry to this degree.
Find out more about our pre-sessional English language courses.
Course details
Modules
The module information below provides an example of the types of course module you may study. The details listed are for the academic year that starts in September 2024. Modules and start dates are regularly reviewed and may be subject to change in future years.
Course Details
We combine formal teaching, workshops and practical experience of health psychology applications.
Where possible, each of the course modules will include teaching input from practitioners and health psychology trainees working with individuals or groups, either in a research or service delivery context.
All members of the course team are accessible to students and will provide you with a flexible, individualised and engaging training experience that meets your needs. The modules are delivered in seminars which include
Assessment is by formal exams and coursework, including oral presentations, essays, group work, critical reviews of research and dissertation.
Professor Julia Allan (Course Director)
Nicola Hunt (Administrator)
Fees and funding
University of Stirling alumni will automatically be awarded a fee waiver for the first year of Masters studies through our Stirling Alumni Scholarship.
Applicants from the UK or Republic of Ireland who hold a first-class honours degree or equivalent will automatically be awarded a £2,000 scholarship through our Postgraduate Merit Scholarship.
If you need to extend your period of study, you may be liable for additional fees.
If you are studying part time, the total course fee will be split over the years that you study. The total fee will remain the same and will be held at the rate set in your year of entry.
For more information on courses invoiced on an annual fee basis, please read our tuition fee policy.
Eligible students could receive a scholarship worth between £4,000-£7,000. See our range of generous scholarships for international postgraduate students.
If you need to extend your period of study, you may be liable for additional fees.
If you are studying part time, the total course fee will be split over the years that you study. The total fee will remain the same and will be held at the rate set in your year of entry.
For more information on courses invoiced on an annual fee basis, please read our tuition fee policy.
Postgraduate tuition fee loans
Some intakes of this course are eligible for a postgraduate tuition fee loan from one of the UK’s governments. See the Scholarships and funding section, below, for more details.
Digital Health and Care Institute Bursary
Each year, the MSc Health Psychology programme applies for bursaries from the Digital Health and Social Care Innovation Centre. Students who want to complete a research project in digital health during their studies and meet the DHSCIC criteria can apply for these bursaries.
Where awarded, bursaries cover the tuition fees for the MSc Health Psychology. More detailed information about the application criteria (from 2024-25) is available on the DHI Scotland website. We normally advertise these bursaries at the end of May/beginning of June, so please check back then for any updates.
Additional costs
There are some instances where additional fees may apply. Depending on your chosen course, you may need to pay additional costs, for example for field trips. Learn more about additional fees.
Funding
If you have the talent, ability and drive to study with us, we want to make sure you make the most of the opportunity – regardless of your financial circumstances.
Learn more about available funding opportunities or use our scholarship finder to explore our range of scholarships.
Postgraduate tuition fee loans
Scottish students may be eligible to apply to the Students Award Agency for Scotland (SAAS) for loans of up to £11,500 to cover tuition fees and associated living costs.
English students can apply for a loan of up to £12,167 each year as part of the Postgraduate Masters Loan Scheme.
Welsh students can apply for financial support of up to £18,770 as a combination of grant and loan from Student Finance Wales.
Northern Irish students can apply for a postgraduate tuition fee loan of up to £6,500 from Student Finance NI.
International students may be able to gain additional funding from loan providers.
If you’re domiciled in the UK, you can typically apply to your relevant funding body for help with living costs. This usually takes the form of student loans, grants or bursaries, and the amount awarded depends upon your personal circumstances and household income.
International (including EU) students won’t normally be able to claim living support through SAAS or other UK public funding bodies. You should contact the relevant authority in your country to find out if you’re eligible to receive support.
We aim to be as flexible as possible, and offer a wide range of payment methods - including the option to pay fees by instalments. Learn more about how to pay
After you graduate
Health psychologists can work in various areas, including:
- health psychology,
- community health psychology,
- occupational health psychology,
- public health psychology,
- educational psychology.
What does a health psychologist do?
Typical work a health psychologist could be involved in:
- Influencing health behaviours (e.g. in smoking cessation programmes, weight reduction, sexual health, health education).
- Supporting the effective management of chronic health conditions (e.g. diabetes, cancer).
- Rehabilitation programmes (e.g. for patients with coronary heart disease).
- Working with patients and carers in palliative care.
- Working with primary health care teams in the community.
- Health promotion in educational, community or industrial settings.
Many health psychology graduates work in the NHS. Trainee health psychologists in the NHS start at £35,392 (Band 6). After qualification, salaries in the NHS start at £43,742, rising to £50,056 (Band 7). (prospects.ac.uk 2024). Some also set up their own business.
Become a registered Health Psychologist
Our Masters in Health Psychology prepares you for the British Psychological Society's (BPS) Stage 2 doctoral-level training. After completing Stage 2, you’ll be eligible for chartered membership with the BPS. You’ll also get full membership of the Division of Health Psychology and can apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council.
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