MSc in Psychological Wellbeing in Clinical Practice
Manchester, United Kingdom
DURATION
1 up to 2 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
GBP 20,000 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* full-time fee for EU and Non-EU international students | part-time fee: £3334 per 30 credits studied per year
Introduction
Develop your clinical skills (including assessment, formulation, intervention design, and evaluation) and knowledge of theories related to promoting psychological well-being. Evaluate therapeutic methods and enhance your reflective practice. You’ll complete a service-based dissertation project focused on developing and advancing care and practice in a particular area.
The course is designed to support the development of core clinical competencies. It focuses on person-centered care in mental health settings and shaping professional practice values.
Through the core modules, you’ll develop a thorough understanding of theoretical and practice frameworks in mental health settings, reflective practice, and practitioner wellbeing.
You’ll explore popular therapeutic approaches (including cognitive behavioral therapy, solution-focused brief therapy, and motivational interviewing) and advanced clinical skills, such as assessment, formulation, intervention design, and evaluation. You’ll develop and practice critical research methods and analysis skills.
You’ll apply these clinical skills to a field-based dissertation related to best practices in services. You might investigate a particular psychological intervention for clients or members of staff, conduct a service audit or evaluation project, or produce an explorative project around how a psychological service caters to their clients. You’ll complete a 40-hour work-based learning opportunity to apply your learning and build your work experience.
Features and Benefits
- Work-based Learning - We offer you a 40-hour work-based learning opportunity in a relevant organization or a chance to work on a live project, applying your knowledge and skills to solving real-world problems.
- Expand your knowledge - You’ll develop your therapeutic and clinical skills, theoretical knowledge, applied research skills, and strategies to maintain your well-being as a practitioner
- Research project with an impact - You’ll complete a service-based dissertation project, informing practice through research.
- Contemporary teaching - Our teaching staff includes practicing researchers and clinical, counseling, and health psychologists, with experience across the NHS and private practices (in the UK and internationally)
- Enhanced student support - We strongly believe in enhancing student well-being. Each student has a Personal Tutor and the Programme Support Tutors work closely with students throughout the course
- Research active department - Our department is home to the Stress, Health, and Performance Research Group and our staff engages in a wide range of research areas, including health and psychological interventions, and neuropsychology
- Outstanding facilities - You’ll have access to our specialist facilities for psychology demonstration and practice, including an fNIR imaging research device, 12 experimental testing laboratories, and 6 psychology laboratories.
Admissions
Curriculum
Course Information
Who is the course for?
Our master's course is for those with an interest in working in mental health settings or those hoping to pursue a professional doctorate in clinical psychology counseling psychology, or PhD study.
You might be a social worker, a mental health nurse, an occupational therapist working in mental health services, an educator, or a medical practitioner. Whichever field you work in, you’ll focus on connecting theory with practice, developing your awareness of yourself as a practitioner, and improving your clinical skills.
What will you study and how will you learn?
Through this course, you’ll advance your clinical skills in assessment, formulation, intervention planning, evaluation, reformulation, and reflection. You’ll be able to critically consider the use of a range of evidence-based therapeutic techniques across a variety of situations, supporting people with differing needs and strengths.
Some of the topics you’ll study include therapeutic approaches (with an emphasis on person-centered), and key policies and guidelines relating to common conditions, such as anxiety and depression.
You’ll consider theory-practice links appropriate to both the NHS and private sectors. This is to encourage you to develop a wider perspective on healthcare and the ability to critically appraise mental health provisions.
We focus on practitioner wellbeing in this course to help you become a self-aware and resilient practitioner. As a graduate, you’ll be able to recognize and meet your own well-being needs, as well as support those of your colleagues and clients.
You’ll learn through a variety of teaching methods, including preparatory materials, workshops, and enrichment sessions to further support your academic development as a postgraduate student.
We assess your work through a variety of methods, such as critical essays, reports, and problem-based learning. Your final research piece is a dissertation focusing on mental health and well-being service development.
Typically, your dissertation consists of an empirical paper and a recommendations article. Your empirical paper will be up to 6,000 words and presents the theoretical basis, undertakings, and findings of your work. Your recommendations article (normally 2,000 words) highlights implications and recommended changes informed by the findings of your work.
Year 1
Core units
- Brief Intervention
- Core Therapeutic Principles
- Professional Practice Values
- Clinical Skills
- Psychological Wellbeing in Practice
- Research Principles and Methods
- Research for Innovation Dissertation
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
This course provides a comprehensive theoretical and research foundation opening doors to a wide variety of careers in mental health settings working with different client groups. You could pursue a leadership position in the health and social care sector or work in civil services.
You will be well placed to progress to further training in psychological therapies and psychological well-being. This course also enhances your competencies, potentially allowing you to apply for Doctoral training in clinical or counselling psychology.
Student Testimonials
Program delivery
Study and assessment breakdown
Ten credits equate to 100 hours of study, which is a combination of lectures, seminars practical sessions, and independent study. A master's qualification typically comprises 180 credits, a PGDip 120 credits, a PGCert 60 credits, and an MFA 300 credits. The exact composition of your study time and assessments for the course will vary according to your option choices and style of learning, but it could be:
Study
- Full-time 20% lectures, seminars, or similar; 11% placement; 69% independent study
- Part-time 20% lectures, seminars, or similar; 11% placement; 69% independent study
Assessment
- Full-time 83% coursework; 17% practical; 0% examination
- Part-time 83% coursework; 17% practical; 0% examination
Program Admission Requirements
Show your commitment and readiness for Grad school by taking the GRE - the most broadly accepted exam for graduate programs internationally.