Psychology - Applied - Mental Health & Psychological Therapies

The comprehensive syllabus of this MSc programme will enhance your skills and competencies in areas required by all professional psychologists. The course provides an in depth consideration of psychological theory and research concerned with the aetiology, assessment, and treatment of psychological problems across the lifespan.

You will develop a working knowledge of some of the major psychological therapies (namely Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and/or Family Therapy and Systemic Practice), and will gain some practical experience in their use, with the opportunity to apply for clinical placement during and after the course. You will also undertake a Masters-level research project.

Our graduates have successfully acquired Assistant or Associate Psychologist positions. Others are successful in gaining entry onto Professional Doctorate programmes in Clinical, Counselling, and Educational Psychology, or have secured research posts and PhD scholarships in Psychology across the UK and Ireland. In addition, students who have undertaken the accredited Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP) training strand within the course have successfully acquired PWP positions.

Work placement / study abroad
The programme has a number of opportunities to connect clinical placement experiences with studies on campus. The BPS-accredited Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner Training (which forms a part of one of the course routes), includes a clinical placement in low-intensity psychological therapies services, arranged by the course team. In addition, the MSc presents a further placement opportunity for students who have completed the course, in the form of a 15-credit standalone placement module ('Clinical Placement in Applied Psychology'). A selection of clinical placements have been secured in Psychology Services in the Western Health and Social Care Trust, in specialisms including Adult Mental Health, Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Paediatric Psychology, Older Adults, Personality Disorder, and Autism Spectrum Disorder Services. This post-MSc module is only open to those students who have completed the MSc at Ulster, and students who enrol on this module will be working as the equivalent of Assistant Psychologists on a voluntary basis in these services (length of placements are typically between 6 months and one year).

For further course details please see "Course Web Page" below.

To see the full module description for this course, please click on the "Course Web Page" link below.

To apply to our postgraduate taught programmes, you must meet the University's General Entrance Requirements and any course-specific requirements.

These vary depending on the course and are detailed online.

Applicants must hold at least a 2:1 degree in Psychology, which confers eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership with the British Psychological Society (BPS) or the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI).

Those with a 2:2 are welcome to apply, but preference will be given to those who have some additional relevant clinical experience to add to their CV.

*NB: All applicants, regardless of qualifications, should use the space provided in the personal statement/additional information section of the online application process, to discuss any skills and experience that may be relevant to studying the MSc in Applied Psychology, and what they would like to gain from studying on the programme. This information may be used for selection purposes.

Applicants interested in pursuing Route 1 on the programme (Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner) will take part in a selection process, based on previous mental health work experience and an interview. This selection process specifically determines entry to Route 1, and does not affect the offer of a place on the MSc.

Other Qualifications
Only those with a primary degree in Psychology are eligible to apply. However, if you have a degree in another discipline, and feel strongly about making a career change into Psychology, you can apply to the British Psychological Society to undertake a Conversion Course in Psychology, which then gives you eligibility for Chartered Membership in the future. If you have successfully completed a conversion course, or you are currently studying on one, your application for entry to this MSc programme will then be considered.

If English is not your first language this course requires a minimum English level of IELTS (academic) 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5, or equivalent.

Visit ulster.ac.uk/englishrequirements for more details.

This course is open to international (non-EU) students (full-time only).

For full entry requirements please see "Course Web Page" below.

Your Application
Application is through the University's online application system (see "Application Weblink" below).

The closing date for applications is the 28th February 2023.

Attendance

One year full-time

Mode of Attendance Depending on the route taken, there will be a slight variation in the days that students will be on campus or on placement:

PWP students will attend on Wednesdays and Thursdays in Semester 1, with an additional two days per week in their placement context dedicated to placement-related activities; and then Wednesdays and Thursdays in Semester 2, as well as two additional days per week in their placement context.

Students on the main course route ('Mental Health and Psychological Therapies') will attend on Wednesdays and Thursdays in Semester 1, and Wednesdays and Thursdays in Semester 2.

Students on the 'Mental Health with Family Therapy and Systemic Practice' route will attend on Wednesdays and Thursdays in Semester 1, and Mondays and Wednesdays in Semester 2, with an additional day per week in their placement setting in Semester 2.

Skills Block: All students will attend an initial skills block at the start of the programme – students on all routes will attend for 4 days of this block; PWP students also attend on the fifth day. Classes will then commence the following week, on the days outlined above.

Start time and finish time on taught days:

Each taught day will commence at 9:15am and run until 5:00pm. This applies to the days during the skills block and the days throughout each semester.

Start time and finish time on placement days:

If you are undertaking a placement of any kind, then these days should be treated as full days in a professional work context.

Please note that, while unlikely, these details are subject to change.

Duration2 years part-time

Mode of Attendance Depending on the route taken, there will be a slight variation in the days that students will be on campus or on placement:

Students on the main course route ('Mental Health and Psychological Therapies') will attend on Wednesdays throughout Year 1 and Thursdays in Year 2. Note: depending on the modules a student may want to undertake in Semester 2 of Year 2, they may attend on Wednesday mornings and Thursday mornings for that semester (although this is optional).

Students on the 'Mental Health with Family Therapy and Systemic Practice' route will attend on Wednesdays throughout Year 1. In Year 2, they will attend on Thursdays (Semester 1) and Mondays (Semester 2). Students on this route will also be required to spend an additional day per week on placement during Semester 2 of Year 2.

Skills Block: All students will attend an initial skills block in the first week of the programme, lasting 4 days. Classes will then commence the following week, on the days outlined above.

Start time and finish time on taught days:

Each taught day will commence at 9:15am and run until 5:00pm. This applies to the days during the skills block and the days throughout each semester.

Start time and finish time on placement days:

If you are undertaking a placement of any kind, then these days

Year of entry: 2020/21

Postgraduate Information Session 26 March 2020
Register at: ulster.ac.uk/pg-information-events

Career options
Currently, our graduating students are successful in acquiring Assistant Psychologist positions, which with experience is allowing people to apply for Associate Psychologist positions. Others are successful in gaining entry onto Professional Doctorate programmes in Clinical, Counselling and Educational Psychology. Our graduates also secure posts in research and PhD scholarships in Psychology across the UK and Ireland. In addition, students who undertake the accredited Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP) training strand within the course will be able to seek accreditation with the BPS for working as a PWP.