MSc Clinical and Health Psychology / Course details

Are you interested in better understanding the role of psychology in mental and physical difficulties, and how psychological therapies and approaches can improve the lives of people?

The MSc in Clinical and Health Psychology provides a thorough grounding in the research, theory and practice of clinical and health psychology.

You will be taught about current and novel developments by leading researchers and clinicians within a highly influential research-active division of a Russell Group university.

The course has been designed to help prepare you for a career in clinical or health psychology and can be taken on a full-time or part-time basis.

You will also learn about the principles and evidence-base of psychological interventions to change behaviour and cognition at the individual, group and population level, as well as the role of psychologists within healthcare settings such as the NHS and how the science of psychology is applied in clinical practice.

In addition, you will receive advanced training in the methodology and analysis techniques used within clinical and health psychology research.

You will benefit from the expertise of clinically active members of the course team who contribute to our teaching sessions and provide research supervision. You will also have the opportunity to attend seminars and a research conference showcasing new clinical and health psychology research at Manchester. 

This MSc does not replace or guarantee entry onto an accredited Clinical Psychology Doctoral training programme.

This MSc is not an accredited Stage 1 Health Psychology programme. Applicants interested in Stage 1 Health Psychology should apply for our BPS-accredited MSc Health Psychology .

Shortlisting for the Manchester Clinical Psychology Doctoral Programme

Two additional interview places for the Clinical Psychology Doctorate are available for recent graduates from this MSc programme who meet shortlisting criteria and score highest in the application process.

Training in a research active environment

Our training covers a broad range of research methods taught by leading experts in their field.

We prepare you for a future research-active career, whether as an academic, clinical psychologist or another research-practitioner role. You will benefit from being part of a dynamic department with opportunities to attend research seminars and an annual postgraduate health sciences research conference, where you can learn about the work of PhD students and trainee clinical psychologists.

Flexible learning

You can choose to study full-time or part-time, enabling you to fit learning around your other commitments.

Conference award scheme

We are keen to support our students' career development. As a student on this course you will be able to apply to our conference award scheme. The student with the best abstract will be awarded funding to attend a national conference where they can showcase their research. This is a great opportunity to develop your skills and network with others in the field.

Our team are passionate about your learning and development. We combine traditional and contemporary teaching methods and formats to provide a varied and engaging learning experience.

These include lectures, group discussions, seminars, workshops, problem-based learning exercises, self-paced online training, student presentations and independent supervised study.

You will learn first-hand from clinicians, practitioners and individuals who have lived experience of psychological and physical health problems, giving you an invaluable insight into these difficulties.

Our programme team work to support the individual needs of our students. You will be allocated a personal academic advisor who will guide your academic and professional development, but also provide pastoral support.

You will have the opportunity to work collaboratively with influential research-active staff to produce a high quality dissertation using qualitative, quantitative or mixed research methods.

For example, see our recent work on self-harm in lesbian, gay and bisexual students , or developments in the understanding and treatment of trauma .

You will benefit from strong links with our ClinPsyD Doctorate in Clinical Psychology . Clinical members of this programme are actively involved in teaching, supervising and providing support and advice on applying for clinical psychology training. Consequently, the ClinPsyD doctorate in Clinical Psychology often includes students who have graduated from this MSc course.

The course is led by Dr Louisa Shirley.

Find out more about postgraduate teaching and learning methods at Manchester.

We use a range of assessment methods, including exams, essays, presentations, poster conferences, case studies, practical reports and a dissertation.

Read posts from our students on the Biology, Medicine and Health Student blog .

You will be able to access and benefit from the excellent range of facilities throughout the University, including our libraries (one of the best resourced in the country), careers, student support and IT services.