Everything you need to know...
-
What is the fee?
Home: £10,620 for the course
International/EU: £17,725 for the course -
How long will I study?
1 Year
-
Where will I study?
-
When do I start?
September 2025
Where will I study?
Course summary
- Develop in-depth knowledge and skills to promote health and wellbeing.
- Learn from experienced lecturers and practitioner psychologists working in the field.
- Study a flexible blended learning course, helping you balance study with your commitments.
- Complete a BPS-accredited stage 1 Masters in Health Psychology*.
*To progress to stage 2 training, candidates must be eligible for the BPS Graduate Basis of Chartership.
Engage with theories and research in health psychology while developing competencies you can apply to a variety of real-world settings. Upon completion, you’ll be equipped to pursue roles in healthcare, behaviour change, research and health promotion.
Accredited by
This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society.
On the last accreditation visit by the BPS the programme was commended for:
- The approachability and availability of the staff team.
- The staff commitment to students exceeded students’ expectations.
- The programme’s focus on student reflection, which provides good preparation for stage two training and/or other professional career development.
- The level of technical support provided to staff and students throughout the programme.
Graduate View
‘I found the course really interesting and intellectually stimulating. I used the knowledge I gained during the MSc to design an intervention in the NHS Weight Management service. I am now piloting this intervention with patients - which is really exciting!’
Laura Wray, MSc Health Psychology, 2017 graduate
Come to an open day
Find out more at our postgraduate open days. Book now for your place.
How you learn
The course is designed with flexibility in mind, allowing you to balance your studies with existing commitments. You can choose to study full-time, attending one day a week for a year. Or you can study part-time, attending half a day a week, which is ideal for professionals looking to advance their career.
You’ll be taught by lecturers who are experts in health psychology and clinical practice. They’ll guide you through a flexible, blended learning experience that combines on-campus teaching with online learning.
You learn through:
- workshops
- online study
- group work
- problem solving
- practitioner skills sessions
- independent study
- guest research talks
Key themes
The course content includes fundamentals in academic practice and health psychology research, social determinants of health, research methods, behaviour change interventions, critical reflection and communication skills.
You’ll study the psychology of illness and disease, ethical research and practice, and adjustment to long-term conditions and bereavement. You’ll learn how to conduct a mini-systematic review and complete your course by undertaking a research project.
Course support
You’ll be supported in your learning journey towards highly skilled employment through a number of key areas. These include:
- access to dedicated student support advisers including academic, employability and wellbeing advisers
- online resources and Skills Centre for assignment help
- access to career and training workshops led by practitioner psychologists
We provide a range of career services, including interview training and networking opportunities, to help you succeed. You’ll be encouraged to seek help from tutors and collaborate with your peers, creating a supportive environment where everyone can thrive.
We also provide dedicated support through careers workshops and advisers, helping you find suitable employment or voluntary work if you're not currently employed in a health-related field.
Course leaders and tutors
Tria Moore
Senior Lecturer In PsychologyIn her role as the course leader for MSc Health Psychology Tria is responsible for overseeing the management, delivery and development of the course.
Applied learning
This course aims to provide you with the ability to use your work or voluntary experience within a health-related setting to aid your learning and training. For example, work-based reflection is a core element of the critical reflection and communication module, and is designed to contribute to your continuing personal and professional development.
In the research project module, we’ll focus on developing the personal and academic skills you’ll need to carry out research – as well as to manage your research project. These include analytic, communication, dissemination and time management skills.
You’ll use a Personal Development Plan (PDP) to store evidence of your progress and development in all modules – and to reflect on your progress and plan actions to improve.
During the course, you’ll develop a range of essential skills through hands-on experience during on-campus study days, including:
- behaviour change techniques
- consultation and collaborative assessment planning
- solution-focused counselling and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- effective communication skills
- team working skills including conflict resolution
- critical self-reflection and ethical reasoning
- research and analysis skills
Networking opportunities
You’ll have access to specialist research seminars led by experts and guest speakers from the field of health psychology. These events will expand your knowledge, deepen your understanding, and provide opportunities to engage with professionals working in the field.
Future careers
This course prepares you for a career in:
- health and wellbeing
- public health
- research
- education
- health promotion
- consultancy
- doctoral level study (PhD, health psychology, clinical psychology)
Previous graduates of this course have gone on to work for:
- the NHS
- the social care sector
- universities
- non-profit organisations
- drug and rehabilitation services
- private practice
- local authority
Where will I study?
You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.
City Campus
City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.
City Campus map | City Campus tour
Adsetts library
Adsetts Library is located on our City Campus. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.
Learn moreLearn more about your department
Psychology Facilities Tour
Take a look around Sheffield Hallam University's psychology facilities with student Angelica.
Equipment and facilities
You’ll also have access to our specialist research facilities, such as:
- an observation suite
- an eye-tracking laboratory
- a BioPac psychophysics laboratory
- a low-level vision laboratory
- a food laboratory
- electroencephalography (EEG) equipment
- transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS)
You’ll also work with our Blackboard online virtual learning environment, and have access to 24-hour libraries and study spaces designed by our students.
Entry requirements
All students
Applicants need one of the following
• BSc or BA Psychology with a 2.1 or above
• BSc or BA in a closely related discipline (e.g., health, social, community care) with a 2.1 or above
Applications from students who have achieved a 2.2 degree will be considered by the course leadership team. Where there is evidence that at least two of the following criteria have been met the applicant may be offered a place on the course. You may also be able to claim credit points which can reduce the amount of time it takes to complete your qualification at Sheffield Hallam. Find out more
• applicants have work experience in a health-related setting
• applicants have an enthusiasm for health psychology
• applicants have demonstrated their ability to achieve a 2.1 within their undergraduate degree (for example, transcripts reveal a 2.1 in key undergraduate curriculum areas such as research methods).
All applicants are required to provide two satisfactory references (normally one of these will be an academic reference) and a personal statement.
Requirements in order to progress to Stage 2 Health Psychology training on completion of this course:
The British Psychological Society's (BPS) requirements and Stage 2 Health Psychology training are applicable only to students who have completed a BPS accredited Psychology undergraduate degree. This provides eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) with the BPS. If you do not currently have GBC with the BPS, then you will need to undertake a BPS accredited MSc conversion course in order to undertake the doctoral level qualification (stage 2) in Health Psychology following the completion of this MSc course. We also offer an MSc in Psychology that would give you eligibility for GBC, provided you achieve an overall mark of at least 50 per cent and pass your dissertation.
If English is not your first language you typically need an IELTS 6.5 score with a minimum of 6.0 in writing and 5.5 in all other skills or equivalent. If your English language skill is currently below IELTS 6.5 we recommend you consider a Sheffield Hallam University Pre-sessional English course which will enable you to achieve an equivalent English score.
Additional information for EU/International students
If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.
For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.
Modules
Important notice: The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.
Final year
Compulsory modules
Adjustment To Long-Term Conditions And Bereavement
Critical Self-Reflection And Communication Skills
Health Psychology Research Project
Introduction To Research Methods
Psychology Of Illness And Disease
Research Methods And Measurement Issues In Health Psychology
Social Determinants Of Health
Understanding Behaviour
Understanding Behaviour And Behaviour Change Interventions
Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fee for UK students starting full-time study in 2025/26 is £10,620 for the course.
If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.
International students
Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting full-time study in 2025/26 is £17,725 for the course.
Postgraduate student loans
Up to £12,471 is available in 2024/25 for home students on most masters courses.
Additional course costs
The links below allow you to view estimated general course additional costs, as well as costs associated with key activities on specific courses. These are estimates and are intended only as an indication of potential additional expenses. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
General course additional costs
Additional costs for Sheffield Institute of Social Sciences (PDF, 154.4KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
