CITY UNITY COLLEGE

MSc Health Psychology (Accredited by the British Psychological Society)

City Unity College, in collaboration with Cardiff Metropolitan University, offers the only Master in Health Psychology accredited by the British Psychological Society outside the United Kingdom.

Health Psychology concerns the practice and application of psychological research related to health, illness and healthcare.

It assesses:

  • The role of environmental, psychosocial and sociocultural factors in illness and its prevention
  • Behavioural methods used for the diagnosis, treatment and/ or rehabilitation of people with physical illnesses
  • Techniques that aim to reduce risk of developing a disease, through changing perceptions, attitudes or behaviours related to health

The programme is designed to provide a wide and holistic understanding of the role of a practitioner health psychologist and equip graduates with skills that can help them work effectively within a wide variety of contexts relevant to health psychology.

Program’s objective

The programme focuses on the impact of biological, psychological and social factors on promoting health and preventing illness, main targets of governmental policies across the E.U., through changing health behaviours. The programme offers high quality training and graduates can work in a wide range of areas, such as hospitals, educational settings, occupational settings, research centres, rehabilitation centres etc., using their knowledge and psychological skills to promote health and well-being.

The MSc is accredited by the British Psychological Society and is recognized by A.T.E.E.N. (Greek Ministry of Education) for those who wish to work in either the public or private sector.

The programme is especially designed for psychology graduates, nurses, physicians, dieticians, physiotherapists and other health professionals.

Through the MSc, graduates are equipped with the necessary skills to excel in their career in Greece as well as internationally. The MSc places strong emphasis on the continuous personal and professional development of students and our graduates have gone on to complete doctoral level qualifications and register with the Health & Care Professions Council as practitioner health psychologists and as Chartered Members of the British Psychological Society.

Duration of studies

1 year full-time or 2 years part-time

Language of instruction: English

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CURRICULUM

1st Semester

  • Health Psychology and the Health Psychologist (20 Credits)
  • Biopsychosocial issues in health (20 credits)
  • Changing health behaviour (20 credits)
  • Research methods and design (20 credits in total)
  • Dissertation (60 Credits in total)

  • Understanding long term health conditions (20 Credits)
  • Applied Psychology in Practice (20 Credits)
  • Research methods and design (20 credits in total)
  • Dissertation (60 Credits in total)

Information

Indicative Content

An indicative content of the programme is:

  • The study of biological (& neurological), psychological and social factors and their impact on health and well-being
  • The development, implementation and evaluation of health behavior change interventions (e.g. smoking cessation) on an individual and a community/ population (e.g. action plans/ campaigns) level
  • Chronic illness management and support to carers
  • Chronic pain management & interventions
  • Training in a wide range of techniques and skills (e.g. CBT, relaxation techniques, behaviour change techniques, coaching, pain management, counselling skills, training in psychometrics etc.)
  • Training in developing, conducting and evaluating research projects through the use of the SPSS and N-Vivo software, that students have access to through Cardiff Met.

The program is completed in a calendar year (full-time) or in up to 3 years (part-time). The completion of the program requires the successful attendance of courses (equivalent to 180 credits) and a dissertation. Essential laboratories and material are used during the courses, including video projectors, PCs, and CD players. All students can access the online platform INTRANET where teaching materials, grades and announcements on all courses are posted.

All materials from the lectures, as well as the slides from the presentation and relevant references, are uploaded to the CityU E-Learning platform, giving thus the opportunity to students to access them even if they were unable to attend the class.

Students also have the option to conduct their instructor, through email, and schedule a meeting for up to 1 teaching hour, for each module.

  • Lectures: This is the main teaching method in Health Psychology. All module leaders and lecturers make their lecture notes available on City Unity’s virtual learning environment called Moodle and students are able to download material as necessary, though Moodle should not be seen as a substitute for attending. Lectures provide an opportunity to deliver a broad overview of a topic and to initiate further research and study by students for tutorials, seminars and private study.
  • Directed Reading: Students are expected to undertake significant directed reading in all aspects of the program. All Cardiff Met students, including those studying at a partner institution, have access to the University’s electronic resources. Guidelines on accessing these resources are available at: http://tsr.cardiffmet.ac.uk/Learning/Library/eleclib/Pages/default.aspx
  • Tutorial sessions: are used to reinforce material presented by the other methods and to clear up possible misconceptions. Tutorials enable students to develop their understanding of the subject gained via the lecture and preparatory readings. Tutorials also provide an environment in which a student is able to clarify queries and raise questions about the subject. It is also likely that a student will be asked to prepare presentations and he/she will receive decisive feedback on assessed activities.
  • Case studies: present realistic examples and by studying, researching and discussing them students are expected to gain insights into problems that they might encounter in their professional career.
  • Group seminars: Are used to critically discuss topics and issues investigated in the virtual learning classes
  • Workshops: Computer labs and statistical programs are used in the field of statistics
  • Supervision:  The supervisors and the student will form a research team working together in a student-led relationship, which will involve one to one sessions with individual supervisors for the dissertation.

Assessment: The modules are assessed through assignments and presentations.

All academic programmess take place in our facilities at City Unity College, in the center of Athens, 15-17 Thisseos str, Syntagma 10562.

The MSc Health Psychology graduates can work in a wide range of areas, such as:

  • In hospitals and clinics, in collaboration with other health professionals
  • In neurologic and psychiatric clinics (with appropriate training after the MSc)
  • In the educational system, developing and conducting school-based interventions to promote children’s health
  • In occupational settings, as consultants to develop and conduct programmes in order to promote employee’s health and productivity
  • In rehabilitation centres
  • With athletes, e.g. coaching
  • In designing governmental action plans to promote public health/ prevent illness
  • In health communication, adhering to the E.U. guidelines
  • In research centres, using the high quality research skills they have gained during the MSc
  • In private practice, providing a wide range of services (e.g. chronic illness management, stress/ anxiety management, chronic pain management, counselling, behaviour change, grief/ loss coping skills, psychological support etc.)

For Psychology graduates who wish to acquire BPS stage 1, it is mandatory to attend 85% of the courses.

The content for all courses per module and the presentations made during the course as well as corresponding bibliography are posted on the online platform allowing every student to study even if he/she is not present in the classroom.

Students have also the opportunity to contact their professor/instructor through e-mail and ask for supervision calling for an appointment for up to one hour per course. This is not permitted for the statistics course, since it requires the student’s presence in workshops, unless the student already has a sound knowledge of statistical analysis.

To enroll in the program, prospective students must meet the following requirements:

  1. Certificate of university degree
  2. Proof of English language proficiency
  3. In special individual cases it may be necessary to conduct an interview or attend specific courses or pass exams or have your previous studies and work experience evaluated

If the requirements for English proficiency are not met, intensive English courses are provided at City Unity College, depending on the level of each prospective student.

Under Law 4393/12, European University degrees obtained by attending programs in recognized / accredited Colleges are professionally recognized by the ATEEN department of the Ministry of Education, Lifelong Learning and Religious Affairs.

Interest Form

In order to get information about the program, please contact us with Live Chat located at the bottom of the page or Calling us at.: (+30) 210 3243222 or Submitting the form below





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