Mental Health Psychology MSc | PGDip – Online Course
Develop your skills within psychology with our 100% online part-time Mental Health Psychology MSc.
What is mental health psychology?
Mental health psychology focuses on the psychological factors affecting the mind and in turn overall wellness of individuals. Mental health is a growing global issue for all countries around the globe particularly in the wake of the pandemic. Mental health psychology focuses on a wide range of therapies and treatments to assist those suffering from a wide range of mental health issues. Mental Health psychology plays a pivotal role in the health system assisting those in mental health crisis and to avoid relapse of particular conditions. Mental health psychology assists in the administration of psychotherapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy to individuals to support on the road to recovery and techniques to utilise to live with various mental health issues.
A key part of the mental health psychology sector is to share evidence based practice to improve the wellbeing of mental health patients. They can also help other medical professionals to understand more about how patients feel and key communication skills to help those in a time of crisis.
In playing such a vital role in our understanding of the relationship between psychology and illness, those working within mental health whether as a mental health support worker or wellbeing practitioner often need a significant amount of training and education to form an enhanced approach when handling various mental illnesses. Often, this education takes the shape of mental health psychology courses, such as the University of Liverpool’s Online Mental Health Psychology MSc
This dedicated MSc Mental Health Psychology programme will help guide your career into the field providing you with the key knowledge and foundations of general psychology and key areas of mental health. You will be able to evaluate patterns in behaviour and psychological functioning to help recognise the best psychological approaches in relation to these issues.
This programme will provide you with the knowledge required to understand the fundamentals of therapeutic interventions such as counselling and the role and effect therapy has on individuals, whilst examining the practical, theoretical and ethical issues of various methodologies in mental health psychology.
You will utilise a wide a variety of psychological tools and various data collection methods to further your understanding and analysis of mental health conditions.
The course will enable you to develop critical awareness and application of psychological theory and principles to a range of real-world mental health settings. These skills and understanding will empower you to gain a deeper understanding of issues and applications within mental health psychology.
You will also evaluate and develop an awareness of the ethical concerns related to mental health psychology and the local and global institutional procedures for obtaining ethical approval mainly for research and study purposes.
Download a prospectus for more details on this programme.
What will I study?
This programme consists of the following modules. You are required to complete 180 credits to achieve a full Master of Science (MSc) and 120 credits to achieve the postgraduate diploma (PGDip).
| Modules | MSc | PGDip |
|---|---|---|
| Mind, Brain, and Behaviour (15 credits) | x | x |
| Data Analysis for Psychology (15 credits) | x | x |
| Social Psychology (15 credits) | x | x |
| Personality, Individual Differences, and Intelligence (15 credits) | x | x |
| Approaches to Mental Health Psychology (15 credits) | x | x |
| Psychotherapeutic Interventions (15 credits) | x | x |
| Psychological Appraisal and Treatment (15 credits) | x | x |
| Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (15 credits) | x | x |
| Dissertation (60 credits) | x |
For more information on the modules, including syllabus and learning outcomes, please download our programme booklet.
All applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. If you want to discuss your previous qualifications and experience before applying, please contact us now via LiveChat.
Applicants should possess either:
- A minimum of a 2:2 class degree in any subject, equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree; or
- Professional work experience in a related field and/or other prior qualifications will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Non-psychology applicants will normally require a GCSE Grade 4 (grade C) or GCE O Level pass in Mathematics and English, or an equivalent qualification.
All applicants must provide evidence that they have an English language ability equivalent to an IELTS (academic) score of 6.5 (overall) and 7.0 (reading and writing).
If you don’t have an IELTS or equivalent certificate, you can take our free online English test to assess your proficiency. You don’t need to prove your English ability if you are a national of or have completed a qualification equivalent to a UK degree in, any of these countries.
Fees for the academic year 2024/25
MSc: £16,868
PGDip: £11,246
This fee* is fully inclusive of all costs, including all teaching materials, core textbooks, assessments and resits.
Executive Scholarship
An Executive Scholarship of 15%** is available for our January 2025 intake. Contact our admissions team for more information.
Other scholarships and discounts
You may be able to benefit from the following scholarships and discounts:
- Regional Scholarships of up to 20%. To find out the scholarship offered in your region, please make an enquiry now.
- 10% UK Scholarship for students residing in the United Kingdom is available for our intakes in the 2024/25 academic year for all full master’s awards.
- 10% discount for University of Liverpool alumni.
- 5% discount for up-front full tuition fee payment.
Further support
We aim to make it as easy as possible for you to cover the costs of your studies. You could benefit from:
- Simple monthly payment plan provided to spread the cost over the duration of study
- Students living in England may be eligible for a postgraduate loan to cover some of the programme cost.
Please speak to our admissions team for more details of fees, scholarships, discounts and support.
*All tuition fees shown are net of any applicable sales tax payable by you in your country of residence. Where we are required to add sales tax at the local statutory rate, this will be added to the tuition fees shown and confirmed.
**Please note that the Executive Scholarship can only be used with the Up-Front Payment Discount.
Teaching and assessment
The learning, teaching and assessment strategies for all online programmes are aligned with the three University of Liverpool Hallmarks of research-connected teaching, active learning and authentic assessment – as well as the three University of Liverpool Graduate Attributes of confidence, digital fluency and global citizenship.
Teaching methods
Studying online allows you to study in your own time and from wherever works best for you – whether that is from your home, during your lunch hour or anywhere else you have internet access.
All our online programmes are delivered through a specially designed online learning platform. This allows 24/7 access to your study materials, which includes:
- innovative lecturecasts consisting of audio recordings, infographics, videos, animation, short tasks, and written content
- a comprehensive eLibrary of ebooks and academic journals
- forums for you to discuss programme content with peers
- support from academic staff and a dedicated Student Support team
Assessments
Online programmes are assessed based on work carried out in the virtual classroom. Reflecting the hallmark of authentic assessment, this may include report writing, reflective practice, research projects, and individual or group presentations that represent the kinds of tasks you would be expected to undertake in a professional setting.
We are committed to:
- providing frequent and transparent feedback
- ensuring our assessment criteria are simple and clear
- making it easy for you to clearly view your marks in your gradebook when you log into the learning platform
- delivering provisional marks and feedback of assessed work usually within seven days for taught modules
- ensuring academic support through weekly lecturer office hours
- providing access to our Student Support team, with whom you can discuss any concerns or issues
Online learning experience
We will support your online learning experience with high-quality learning materials and resources, which can all be found on our state-of-the-art virtual learning platform.
Typically, your learning experience will include the following:
- directed learning – including participation in virtual discussions with peers, led by the lecturer, working through relevant and specially prepared videos and lecturecasts; completing interactive exercises on the learning platform; appointments with your lecturer during office hours
- self-directed learning – including wider reading and research in your subject area to further develop your knowledge and understanding
- assessment – time taken to prepare and complete assignments and activities which contribute to your overall assessment
On average, you will need to dedicate a minimum of 15-20 hours of study per module, per week.
Study duration
Our master’s award has an approximate study duration of 30 months, studied online and part-time. Our PG Diploma award has an approximate duration of 20 months.
Please note, that the actual study duration may be longer depending on study options chosen, speed of study, and module availability.
Students pursue the programme in a linear fashion, which is organised into modules, typically with a one or two-week break between modules, and a three-week break for the Christmas period. You will receive an indicative module timetable during the enrolment process.
On successful completion of your degree, and payment of any outstanding tuition fees, you will receive an invite to attend an in-person graduation ceremony in the vibrant city of Liverpool
Academic staff
We are committed to delivering an enriching online study experience, and all our lecturers are experienced subject specialists with demonstrated learning and teaching proficiency.
They play an integral part in ensuring the latest theories and research feature in our programmes and are dedicated to providing a high level of support throughout your studies.
All lecturers and supervisors are honorary faculty at the University of Liverpool.
Quality and assurance
As one of the Russell Group’s 24 members, the University of Liverpool is recognised as a world-class, research-intensive institution, that adheres to strict quality standards.
The University is registered with the Office for Students and an established member of the Quality Assurance for Higher Education.
Apply for this course by completing a simple online form.
In order to apply, you will need to provide copies of the following supporting documentation:
- School or college transcripts/certificates
- University transcripts and certified translations if applicable
- Degree certificates
- Evidence of English language proficiency (EU and international applications only)
- Personal statement
- An up-to-date CV
Acknowledgement of your application
The admissions team will acknowledge receipt of your application and will pass it to the Department Head and/or appropriate academic department(s) for consideration.
Students with disabilities
We welcome applications from students with disabilities and consider them on the same academic grounds as those of other students. If you have a disability, medical condition and/or support needs it is important that you inform the University so that you receive appropriate support.
Deadlines
We have regular start dates throughout the year with regular application deadlines. Applicants are encouraged to apply in good time, particularly if they have special requirements.
A background in psychology is useful for a wide range of careers particularly for a career in mental health and wellbeing whilst also providing you with necessary skills for other sectors due to a fundamental understanding human behaviour and therapeutic treatments.
After completion of the MSc possible careers could be in both public and private healthcare as mental health support workers to occupational therapy for FTSE 100 organisations. After completion of this MSc there is also the possibility to train to become a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist or Counsellor with further study.
The Department of Psychology at the University of Liverpool is one of the UK’s oldest academic psychology departments, having been established in 1947. We are known for our world-class research, which is focused on improving the health, wellbeing, and lives of societies across the globe. Today we are one of the UK’s leading psychology departments. The latest Research Excellence Framework 2021 placed us joint 1st in the UK for our world-leading (4*) environment and ranked top 10 in the UK for Research Power.
By studying online with Liverpool, you can gain a highly regarded qualification from a prestigious redbrick university and a member of the Russell Group, a group of 24 research-led UK universities committed to maintaining the highest possible standards of research and education. You will acquire new skills and knowledge, all while continuing to work in your current role.
The University of Liverpool has been offering online programmes since 2000. We are recognised as one of Europe’s leading providers of wholly online postgraduate degrees. All our programmes are designed for online delivery, and our state-of-the-art learning platform encourages collaboration with fellow professionals from around the world.
Study Online with the University of Liverpool
In this webinar, our team give an introduction to online Psychology programmes at the University of Liverpool, the admissions and enrolment process, the support available to students and a demonstration of how you will study.
