Health Psychology

The primary goal of health psychology is to contribute to the understanding of how physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual factors influence health and illness within a sociocultural framework.

If you have an interest in how psychology affects health and illness behaviour, and how it can be used to enhance wellbeing and encourage healthier lifestyles, this Masters is ideal. If you intend to, or currently work with clients with long term conditions, you will also benefit from the course.

The curriculum aims to examine issues of coping and adjustment as well as relationships with caregivers. It covers all aspects of health across the lifespan, making the course suitable if you are working with children or adults.

During your studies you will learn about the application of psychology for the promotion and maintenance of health, the analysis and improvement of the health care system and health policy formation, the prevention of illness and the enhancement of wellbeing in those affected by illness or disability.

Staff in the School of Natural Sciences and Psychology produce high quality research in a range of areas of expertise including: health psychology, long term conditions (e.g. pain, diabetes, obesity, cancer, coronary heart disease), design and evaluation of complex interventions to improve health, screening, appetitive behaviour, mindfulness and the development and evaluation of Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs). The team have long-standing expertise in training and developing Health Psychologists.