Katie Heslop

Katie's Story

Having completed my undergraduate degree at Stirling I realised that the campus and the Psychology department was somewhere that suited my learning style. It made perfect sense to me that I would do my MSc in a department which had given me such a good experience of learning undergraduate Psychology.

The leadership opportunities offered to students allowed me to learn beyond what was taught in the classroom. I firmly believe that the skills and attributes gained as a result of engaging with these opportunities enhanced my personal development and employment prospects as much as the theoretical knowledge obtained in lectures. Studying the MSc in Health Psychology at Stirling allowed me to test myself in an environment which was incredibly supportive. I have graduated from the course more confident in my own ability to succeed.

I loved learning about Health Psychology. The varied course content meant that I learnt a lot without ever feeling bored. The clear passion that the course staff had about what they were teaching made seminars engaging and encouraged us all to participate.

The advice that I would give to any perspective student considering studying the MSc in Health Psychology at Stirling is to embrace the help and support available from the other students on the course. The relationships I developed with my peers throughout the year was vital to me succeeding during the MSc. The course requires you to work hard but I never felt unsupported or alone.

I did an observational placement at my employer, Action in Mind, which is a mental health charity local to Stirling. This gave me the opportunity to see how Health Psychology principles could be applied to a healthcare setting that I was familiar with. This was one of the most valuable experiences of the Masters.

I would recommend the course to anyone with an interest in Health Psychology. Thank you, Health Psychology Team for a brilliant learning experience – I am so pleased that I chose to study at Stirling and I hope to continue learning within the department in the future!