MSc Health Psychology

The MSc Health Psychology at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) explores how psychological processes influence health, illness, and behaviour within a sociocultural context. It is suited for psychology graduates or health professionals who want to engage in health promotion, behaviour change, and prepare for more advanced training in health psychology. 

Curriculum structure:
Across the one-year MSc, students first build core research expertise through Research Skills and Methodology for Health Psychology and Analysis for Health Psychology, learning systematic review methods and advanced statistical and qualitative analysis. They then study how psychological factors shape illness through Long-Term Conditions, Psychosocial Factors & Health, and Stress, Health & Coping, applying behaviour-change and communication models in Health Psychology: Context & Applications. The year concludes with an independent Empirical Project, where students design and conduct original health-psychology research.

Focus areas:
“behaviour change; chronic illness; stress & coping; research methodology; health-psychology theory; wellbeing promotion”

Learning outcomes:
Students will master research design and analysis in health psychology, critically evaluate theory, apply psychological models to health and illness, run applied behaviour-change interventions, and carry out independent empirical research.

Professional alignment (accreditation):
This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) as Stage 1 training for Health Psychology. 

Reputation (employability rankings):
Graduates from this MSc often go on to work in public health, NHS services, health education, or continue to doctoral training; LJMU reports a 97% rate of postgraduates in work or further study within 15 months of graduation.