MSc Psychosocial Interventions

Why study this subject?

This course is designed for those interested in developing skills and knowledge for the assessment and solution-focused management of people with certain physical and mental health conditions.

It will be of particular relevance for people with a background in the social sciences, mental health or nursing.

Our course is also suitable for practitioners in forensic psychology, including all aspects of health and justice, who are currently working with people benefiting from such interventions.

There are a number of other, less obvious, contexts these interventions can be applied to like long-term conditions such as diabetes, coronary heart disease and epilepsy.

Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?

We offer flexible ways to study, meaning you can choose to complete this course as a PGCert, PGDip or continue to the full MSc. You can also choose to study over two years or add a third year in which you’ll focus solely on your dissertation. This option is helpful for those with a particularly busy personal or work life.

Our programme at Bucks is unique and forms a broader subject base than other postgraduate courses in this field. It encapsulates psychosocial interventions with all forms of mental health and the application of interventions to physical health issues.

We’ll provide you with the skills to critically understand the principle concepts, theories and effectiveness of psychosocial interventions within various organisations meaning you can apply your learning in a broad range of contexts and environments.

What facilities can I use?

With access to our virtual learning environment, no matter where you are you can access useful resources like podcasts, readings, presentations and online lectures as well as all of your core module material.

When you’re on campus, you’ll also have full use of our library which is packed with all the information you need for your assignments – you can dive into hundreds of specialist books, journal articles, industry publications and specialist online resources. Not to mention there’s plenty of room to knuckle down for some quiet study time.

What will I study?

Psychosocial interventions relate to an individual’s psychological development and how this interacts with a social environment. Generally, psychosocial interventions cover psychological aspects like behavioural, cognitive, humanistic and motivational. There is also a social approach including focusing on families or wider social networks and local communities.

Students on the MSc programme are exposed to the underlying principles and frameworks of interventions like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Family Interventions Skills, Motivational Enhancement Skills and Positive Psychology.

You’ll learn about various clinical approaches, allowing problem-solving and critical reflection in order to develop creative solutions when dealing with complex clinical and social issues.

Throughout the course you’ll also study important topics like applied research skills, data analysis and interpretation, forensic health skills and family intervention skills.

How will I be taught and assessed?

The course is run predominantly online, with the programme materials and resources being posted for each module on our virtual learning environment. You can take yourself through each module at your own pace meaning you can confidently balance your studies with other personal and professional commitments.

You’ll be expected to attend 20 days per year at the High Wycombe campus for face-to-face teaching and we encourage you to allocate time each week for self-directed study so you can be sure to keep on top of your work and deadlines.

You’ll be assessed in a number of different ways, including literature reviews, reflexive reports, role-plays, oral presentations, debate and the design, planning and implementation of your own interventions. For the full MSc, you’ll also complete a final dissertation project.