MSc in Clinical Applications of Psychology

Postgraduate - Taught MSc

Open for admission in 2020/21

Start in September

	Full time
MSc	1 year

How to apply

About the course

Due to popular demand, this programme is full for September 2019. We encourage applicants to apply as soon as possible for September 2020 entry to avoid disappointment.

The course prepares you for a variety of careers in mental health, including working as an assistant psychologist or a psychology wellbeing practitioner, or applying in the future to study for a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology.

You will strengthen your research skills and learn what is required to practise professionally, although the programme does not in itself confer a licence to practise.

Students gain an understanding of the backdrop of current thinking on the nature of mental health, its psychological and neurological causation, and the best evidence-based interventions. You will learn how to apply this knowledge to treat a variety of mental health problems.

The teaching staff bring a depth of experience to this course which our students have always valued. The programme is enriched by our close working relationships with the Hull Clinical Psychology Training Programme, and with local health and social care services.

What you'll study

Study is full-time over one year and comprises two semesters of taught modules. One module during the second semester includes a placement, followed by an individual empirical research project supervised by a member of staff over the summer.

Students are taught how to design, plan and conduct mental health related research and how to evaluate papers, theories, findings and methods used in clinical psychology, psychiatry and other mental health related disciplines. Learning takes place in lectures, seminars, laboratories, practical exercises in communication and through directed personal study.

Core modules

All modules are subject to availability and this list may change at any time.

Research Methods for Psychology

Develop a thorough conceptual understanding of advanced quantitative and qualitative research methods. This will enable you to make evidence-based decisions in research and professional practice.
Mental Health in Practice

In this module you will focus learning around an applied environment where you will come into contact with service users experiencing distress/the effects of disability and/or poor mental health. You will be given the opportunity to study an area of practice relevant to your work experience placement and provide a systematic literature review to assist in practice development within that environment.
Professional Practice and Communication Skills

You will develop towards professional practice by acquiring a critical understanding of the skills required to be an ethical, reflective, evidence-based, and research active practitioner who can communicate professionally both orally and in writing.
Theories of Mental Health

This module will engage you in debate about key philosophical, theoretical, ethical and practical issues within contemporary mental health practice.
Psychological Interventions

You will be introduced to general principles of individual interventions in adult mental health including assessment, formulation, the therapeutic relationship, treatment planning and the use of outcome measures. You will learn the basic approach and techniques of modern Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and develop awareness of other interventions in common use in the NHS, and the underlying evidence base.
Case Studies in Mental Health

You will be introduced to a variety of common mental health problems including mood disorders, psychotic disorders, personality disorders, eating disorders and substance abuse. Using fictional case histories, you will develop skills at clinical formulation based in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, even when cases are complex and incomplete.
Empirical Dissertation

Enhance your independent research skills for designing, planning, conducting, analysing and writing up a research project relevant to clinical psychology. You'll develop your critical, in-depth knowledge of a specific area of clinical psychology; and increase your academic analytical and writing skills.

Come to an open day Grab a prospectus

Where you'll study

Blended between Hull Campus and a work placement.

The location below may not be the exact location of all modules on your timetable. The buildings you'll be taught in can vary each year and depend on the modules you study.

Hull Campus

Click to view directions on Google Maps

Our teaching staff

Dr Bernice Wright
Lecturer

Dr Frances Burbidge
Clinical Lecturer / Work experience co-ordinator for the MSc Clinical Applications of Psychology / Ethics reviewer

Dr Henning Holle
Senior Lecturer in Psychology
Dr Igor Schindler
Head of the Department of Psychology

Dr Kim Dent-Brown
Senior Lecturer

Professor Marie Reid
Professor/ Director of MSc Clinical Applications of Psychology/ Athena Swan lead for Psychology
Dr Rachel Anderson
Senior Lecturer

Dr Susan Stebbings
Clinical Lecturer / Consultant Clinical Psychologist

Fees and funding

Home/EU: £7,500

A new system of postgraduate loans for Masters degrees in the UK are now available. They provide up to £10,906 (subject to parliamentary approval) for full-time and part-time taught and research Masters courses in all subject areas. For more information, visit our Postgraduate Loans page.

International: £16,600

International applicants may need to pay a tuition fee deposit before the start of the course. Visit our tuition fee deposit page for more information.

Please note, the fees shown are for 2019/20 entry. The fees for 2020/21 have not yet been confirmed and may increase.

Graduate Studentship

The University of Hull is pleased to offer graduates progressing from undergraduate to postgraduate taught study a £1,000 studentship towards the cost of their tuition fees.

Find out if you’re eligible by visiting the University of Hull Graduate Studentship page.

International Scholarships and Bursaries

For a list of all scholarships and bursaries for international students, please visit the International Scholarships and Bursaries page.

We also offer an International Studentship Scheme Discount of up to £3,500.

UK and EU Scholarships and Bursaries

The University offers a range of scholarships to help you with your studies.

For more information, please visit the UK and EU Scholarships and Bursaries page.

Our postgraduate programmes allow you to develop practical and technical skills under professional psychologists.

Research has wide links to local organisations, public representatives, charities, artists, clinicians and industry and is part of the White Rose Consortium.

Psychology has been a leading discipline of study at Hull since 1928.

Our cutting-edge facilities include electroencephalography (EEG) for measuring activity in the brain, a brain simulation laboratory, an eye-tracking laboratory, an audiometric laboratory, and much more.

Find out more

Entry requirements

You should have, or expect to obtain, a 2:2 Honours degree (or international equivalent) in psychology or a closely allied discipline. You should also have a minimum of 30 hours of paid or voluntary work experience relevant to the content of the programme.

Applicants hoping to use the degree to support a future application to Clinical Psychology Training should note that such training courses generally require a 2:1 Honours British Psychological Society accredited degree and this MSc degree will not necessarily compensate for that requirement.

Applicants will be interviewed before a decision is made.

Once you start the programme, the department will administer an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check on your behalf. A successful enhanced DBS check is required. Therefore, you should only apply for this programme if you are confident that your enhanced DBS check will be satisfactory. If it is not, you will not be able to complete the programme.

Application deadlines

As this is a very popular programme and as places are limited, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

International students

If you require a Tier 4 student visa to study or if your first language is not English you will be required to provide acceptable evidence of your English language proficiency level.

This course requires academic IELTS 6.0 overall, with no less than 5.5 in each skill. See other English language proficiency qualifications accepted by this University.

If your English currently does not reach the University's required standard for this programme, you may be interested in one of our English language courses.

Visit your country page to find out more about our entry requirements.

Future prospects

This course has been designed around the core competencies of clinical psychologists to enhance students’ progress towards becoming mental health practitioners. Students are introduced to core competencies and go on to a wide variety of relevant careers.

Our graduates have gone on to work as clinical psychologists in training, counselling psychologists in training, psychology wellbeing practitioners, assistant psychologists, research assistants, counsellors in primary care, and public health practitioners. Others have gone on to PhD study.

Many of our graduates choose to stay in the region and help to redress the relative lack of psychological input and services here, and tackle local issues of deprivation and inequality. Others have similar roles across the UK and indeed across the globe.