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Health Psychology MSc

1 year full-time including placement, starting in September 2025

Immerse yourself in the exciting field of health psychology on this BPS-accredited course. You’ll mix theoretical learning with a 16-week work placement.

Throughout this course, you’ll gain a solid grounding in the main areas of health psychology, which you’ll be able to demonstrate in an applied setting during a work placement.

It is British Psychological Society (BPS) accredited. This means you’ll gain contemporary and relevant knowledge that you can use in a range of careers in health related research, public health and healthcare. The accreditation also ensures you have Stage 1 competencies in health psychology, which you will need if you wish to proceed to Stage 2 doctoral-level training to become a registered health psychologist.

During your studies, you’ll explore this fascinating subject in a multidisciplinary context, focusing on:

  • preventing ill health
  • managing long-term health conditions
  • developing effective healthcare provisions

This will give you a better appreciation of how psychology can be used to help us better understand health and health behaviours, and design interventions to improve people’s wellbeing.

Your academic learning will be complemented by hands-on experience of health psychology during a 16-week placement. This will be an opportunity to use the knowledge you’ll gain in class while improving your employability with real-world experience.

You’ll also learn about research in healthcare settings, looking at issues such as research design, governance and ethical considerations. This will prepare you for conducting your own independent piece of research to finish the course.

If you are a psychology graduate interested in progressing to a career in health psychology as a practitioner or researcher, this course is suited to your needs. It’s also suitable if you are working in health and social care settings and want to learn more about theory and practice to progress your career.

Learn from experts in the field

You’ll learn from experts in health psychology, as well as staff in the wider Department of Psychology community. Their passion, knowledge, experience and research shape their teaching to enhance your learning experience.

Use specialist facilities

The Department of Psychology is located in a new £30 million building.

You’ll be able to use this space for your seminars, group meetings and computer work. The building contains advanced psychology research facilities, including:

As an MSc Health Psychology student, you’ll have access to an independent workspace in 10 West. This contains PCs and working spaces.

Gain important career skills

Upon successful completion of this course, you’ll have gained:

  • enhanced research skills that can be applied to primary, secondary and tertiary health and social care settings
  • core knowledge of health psychology approaches, theories and models
  • a strong foundation for further postgraduate training in health psychology

You’ll also receive comprehensive support to help you find and prepare for graduate positions, placements, and a variety of other employment opportunities. This will include sessions that cover professional skills development.

We’ll also provide you with information about progressing to doctoral study and/or Stage 2 Health Psychology training.

Graduate prospects

Studying this course will prepare you for moving into a wide range of health-related posts within universities, government departments, the private sector and charities.

The skills you gain will also act as a solid foundation for going on to undertake a PhD, Stage 2 professional doctorate, further clinical psychology training or work as a research assistant.

Recent graduates of this course have gone on to work in a wide variety of roles, including:

  • Project Executive at a national cancer charity
  • Public Health Researcher at a local council
  • Trainee Health Psychologist
  • Research Officer at the Office for National Statistics
  • Assistant Psychologist within the NHS
  • Doctoral student on a UK doctoral-level counselling course
  • Research Assistant at a European university
  • Teaching Assistant
  • Doctoral student on a UK doctoral-level clinical psychology course

2025/26 Academic Year


Before you apply for a course, please check the website for the most recently published course detail. If you apply to the University of Bath, you will be advised of any significant changes to the advertised programme, in accordance with our Terms and Conditions.

We understand that you will want to know more about the shape of the academic year. We work hard and plan for different scenarios, to be able to welcome you to the University of Bath at the start of each semester.

Course structure

This course lasts 1 year. It starts in September 2025 and ends in 2026. Welcome week starts on 22 September 2025.


Occasionally we make changes to our programmes in response to, for example, feedback from students, developments in research and the field of studies, and the requirements of accrediting bodies. You will be advised of any significant changes to the advertised programme, in accordance with our Terms and Conditions.

Year 1

Semester 1

You’ll start the ‘Health psychology placement’ unit with a series of sessions designed to prepare you for your 16-week placement, which will take place in the summer.

Compulsory units

  • Advanced research methods for applied psychology

    15 credits

  • Health psychology approaches

    15 credits

  • Health psychology interventions

    15 credits

  • Health psychology placement

    10 credits

Semester 2

You’ll continue your preparation for the 16-week placement during your ‘Health psychology placement’ unit sessions.

Compulsory units

  • Advanced research methods for applied psychology

    Continued

  • Health psychology approaches

    Continued

  • Health psychology interventions

    Continued

  • Health psychology placement

    Continued

Summer

You will complete your 16-week placement during this period.

Compulsory units

  • Health psychology dissertation

    35 credits

  • Health psychology placement

    Continued

Placement


This is one of the only BPS-accredited courses to offer a 16-week work placement.

You’ll be allocated a placement within an academic, public health or health-related setting. During this, you’ll work on a piece of research that addresses an actual challenge. This will allow you to use real-world evidence and experience alongside your knowledge of health psychology theories, models and approaches.

Your placement will take place during the summer (typically May to August). You’ll be paired with a placement supervisor and a dissertation supervisor - the latter will be a member of our health psychology team – to ensure you are supported throughout.

In addition to gaining invaluable employment experience, you’ll improve your understanding of how health psychology can be applied in different contexts.

As with all of our placement opportunities, these change from year to year, and we cannot guarantee specific roles or locations. If you have any specific questions on the placement that forms part of this course, please reach out to the relevant placement officer.

Learning and assessment

You’ll be taught and assessed by a variety of methods and it will vary between units. These methods are designed to promote in-depth learning and understanding of the subject.


Learning

  • Lectures
  • Practical sessions
  • Tutorials

Assessment

  • Coursework
  • Dissertation
  • Essay
  • Oral presentation
  • Practical
  • Reflective assessment
  • Report
  • Set exercises

These lists are to give you an idea of some, but not all, of the learning and assessment methods used on this course. They are not exhaustive lists and methods are subject to change.

Learning and teaching

You are expected to spend approximately 35-40 hours per week studying, with around 8 hours of this being structured classes.

This will be made up of a combination of lectures, practical sessions, and tutorials. You will work as an individual and as part of small groups.

Assessment breakdown

You’ll experience a balance of different forms of assessment designed to support your professional development. This will be made up of coursework, including essays, reports, presentations, practical work, set exercises, reflective assessments, and a dissertation.

We can make reasonable adjustments to assessment procedures for students with disabilities. Read our Disability Service’s pages for information.

Professional accreditations

By studying a course with a professional accreditation, you could have the chance to get workplace experience, learn about new developments in the industry and apply for membership with the accrediting body.


Recognition of professional qualifications


As well as being recognised as a higher academic qualification, a number of our degrees are also accredited by professional bodies in the United Kingdom. An accredited degree may entitle you to work in a specific profession within the UK, and abroad (where there are reciprocating arrangements with professional bodies in other countries).

The requirements to practise a profession vary from country to country. If you wish to practise your profession outside the United Kingdom, you are advised to confirm that the UK professional qualification you seek is valid in the country in which you are intending to work.

‘This course has given me vital skills and experience to pursue a career in research, the 4-month placement in particular is a unique aspect to this MSc.’
Katya Kowalski MSc Health Psychology (Graduating year, 2020)

Entry requirements


Origin of qualifications

British qualifications

You should have a bachelor’s honours degree or international equivalent, typically a 2:1 or above.

To apply for this course you should have an undergraduate degree in psychology. The degree should be recognised by the British Psychological Society as providing Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC).

We may make an offer based on a lower grade if you can provide evidence of your suitability for the degree.

In your application, you will need to provide a maximum 500 word personal statement which should:

(a) show a clear understanding of health psychology as a subject, why you are interested in studying on this particular course and what skills and interests you hope to develop over the duration of the course.

(b) outline your research experience to date. This could include key research related assignments that you have completed such as your undergraduate dissertation project, or any research posts you have held. Please explain the skills and knowledge you have gained from your research experience that you would bring to the MSc Health Psychology programme.

(c) describe any other practical experience that you have which you feel is relevant to the field of health psychology and what you have learned from this experience.

If your first language is not English but within the last 2 years you completed your degree in the UK you may be exempt from our English language requirements.

English language requirements

You will normally need one of the following:

  • IELTS: 7.0 overall with no less than 6.5 in all components
  • The Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic): 69 with no less than 62 in any element
  • TOEFL IBT: 100 overall with a minimum 24 in all 4 components

You will need to get your English language qualification within 24 months prior to starting your course.

If you need to improve your English language skills before starting your studies, you may be able to take a pre-sessional course to reach the required level.

Fees and funding

Fees and funding information for Health Psychology MSc full-time including placement


Fees

Your tuition fees and how you pay them will depend on whether you are a Home or Overseas student.

Learn how we decide fee status

Extra costs

If you receive an offer, you will need to pay a non-refundable deposit of £1,000 when you accept to secure your place. This will be deducted from your tuition fee when you register.

Placement costs

The majority of our 16-week placements are located in the Bristol, Bath and surrounding areas. However, it is possible that a placement may be located further from Bath. Placements are unpaid. You should carefully consider how you will manage the financial implications of undertaking an unpaid placement, especially if your placement requires relocation or living away from home.

During your placement, you may need to pay travel costs. This is dependent on where your placement is and the in-person working requirements of the organisation. Different placements will have different requirements, but may require a satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. This will be at your own expense. Currently enhanced DBS checks cost £55.

Financial support can be sought from a Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences Placement Fund to cover some placement related expenses, but funding is limited and not all applications can be supported.

How to pay

Tuition fee loans

If you are studying a postgraduate course, you may be able to take out a loan for your tuition fees and living costs.

Read more about tuition fee loans

Scholarships and bursaries

You could be considered for a bursary or scholarship to help you study at Bath. You do not have to pay it back.

Read more about bursaries and scholarships

Other payment options

You can pay your tuition fees by Direct Debit, debit card, credit card or bank transfer. You may also be eligible for a student loan to help you pay your fees.

Read more about your payment options

Budgeting

You will need to budget at least £100 for the cost of photocopying, printing and binding. You will also need to budget for the cost of textbooks.

Some courses involve visits away from campus and you may be required to pay some or all of the costs of travel, accommodation and food and drink.

If you’re on a placement, you’re responsible for your own travel, accommodation and living costs. You should also consider the financial implications if you go on an unpaid or overseas placement.

Application information


  • Course title
    Health Psychology
  • Final award
    MSc
  • Mode of study
    Full-time
  • Course code
    TDUPS-HP01
  • Department
  • Location
    University of Bath
    Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY
  • Home application deadline
    31 August 2025

    We recommend you apply early as we may close applications before the deadline if a course is full.

  • Overseas application deadline
    31 May 2025

    We recommend you apply early as we may close applications before the deadline if a course is full. We may consider late applications but if you need a Student Visa to study in the UK, you will need time to apply for and receive your visa to be in the UK by the start of the course.

  • Application eligibility
    Home and Overseas students are eligible to apply
  • Regulator

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