Msc mental health: psychological therapies wolfson institute of preventive medicine

Structure

Mental Health: Psychological Therapies is available to study to MSc, PGDip or PGCert level.

The MSc programme consists of three modules. Completion of the first module is accredited for exit with a PGCert in: Advanced Skills in Mental Health. Completion of two modules permits exit with a PGDip in Mental Health: Psychological Therapies. Completion of all three modules, leads to the MSc award.

In term 1, students take the 1st module: Advanced Skills in Mental Health. In term 2, students take the 2nd module: Psychological Therapies and in term 3 students take the 3rd module: Applied Research Methods.

Each module consists of 12 weeks of teaching and assessment, with one core taught day each week, for which onsite students are required to be on campus. Distance learning students are required to attend weekly 4-hour online group tutorials, facilitated by their tutor. (More information on the Distance Learning mode is presented at the end of this side.)

On teaching days, the structure typically consists of two hours of lectures, 4 hours of facilitated group work and one and a half hours of tutorial focused on consolidating learning and critical skills.

Period of Study

FULL TIME: PGCert, PGDip and MSc options are available full-time and students complete all study components within one academic year.

PART TIME: Part-time MSc students complete the first two modules in year one, and module three (including the thesis) can be completed over the second year, allowing additional time and flexibility.

PGCert and PGDip options are not available for applications to study part-time, given both modules one and two need to be completed in year one.

Advanced Skills in Mental Health prepares students for working with people with complex mental health needs. The ability to safely and accurately assess and identify mental health problems in vulnerable people is a valuable skill for work in psychiatric or psychological services, homelessness agencies, learning disabilities services or forensic services, and legal services. The knowledge and skills acquired in this module will enable you to feel well equipped in understanding signs, symptoms and labelling strategies used in deciphering complex mental health issues to make you a more effective member of a service team. You will also learn study and presentation skills and engage in group learning processes using problem based learning, role plays, and group discussion.

PT notes for applicants click here

Psychological Therapies equips students with knowledge about a range of therapies including individual cognitive behaviour therapies, cognitive analytic therapies, psychodynamic therapies, group, and family therapies, and related topics such as ethics.

Students become skilled in communicating and presenting their ideas in written and oral form. Students become knowledgeable and experienced in deciding which interventions may be helpful, and knowing more about which therapies might work for whom. In addition, they become more mindful and experienced in working with emotional, behavioural and psychological distress, through…

1. Placements in clinical care: These allow students to take on an active, supervised role in a mental health care setting, to link theory and practice and to reflect on individual learning goals. Each student finds their own placement, with support from the program as needed. This encourages students to independently identify and secure work roles in the field of mental health, prepare CVs, proceed through interviews, and develop some clinical skills before considering more advanced and accredited courses. Please note this course does not equip you to be registered as a psychotherapist in the UK for which you must pursue additional advanced training, but this course does prepare you to enter such a career.

Placements are typically secured before the end of Module 1 and undertaken alongside studies in Module 2. Distance Learning students undertake a placement in their countries.

Placement information

1. Experiential groups – the first step towards training in psychotherapy of any kind is the ability to observe, reflect, mentalise, and to deal with uncertainty and emotions. The psychological therapies pathway provides onsite students with an experiential group to learn about their own mental life and emotional world and how to deal with uncertainty and worry, in a confidential and safe environment with expert group therapists.

Applied Research Methods is dedicated to learning about research methods, completing a research project and writing your thesis. You will learn about qualitative and quantitative research methods, systematic reviews, ethics, collecting and analyses of the data, and how to write a dissertation.

We recommend that students who register on the course full-time (1 year) complete a systematic review of the literature for their research project; this is because of the potential for delays to projects submitted through Ethics Committees. However, we are willing to consider proposals for primary research where students are studying part-time (2 years), have already obtained data, or have commenced the research approvals process before the start of Semester 1.

Example dissertation titles from previous years:

• The Efficacy of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Versus Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing for Children Exposed to Trauma: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials
• The Association Between Physical, Sexual, and Psychological Childhood Abuse and the Development of Subsequent Anxiety Disorders: A Systematic Review
• The Severity of Anxiety and Depression in Women Diagnosed with Early Stages of Breast Cancer
• Factors that determine adherence to treatment for individuals with personality disorders – a systematic review.

The distance learning option operates to the same structure as the on-site programmes (apart from the experiential groups which are onsite only). Distance learners access materials and lecture recording in an online learning environment where they also submit their assignments.

In the virtual learning environment, QMplus, students have access to our established E-learning facilities for each module, including: online programme syllabus; student handbook; e-lecture and workshop materials; tools for submitting online assignments/homework; email; virtual discussion board; virtual classrooms (synchronous); e-calendar; Tools for online student feedback.

Please note the Distance Learning mode requires weekly attendance in half-day online group tutorials for interactive exercises, discussions, problem-based learning and research supervision.

Distance Learning students need a standard PC/Mac with reliable access to broadband internet connection, headphones, a microphone and a webcam.