MSc Psychology of Applied Behaviour Change
The MSc Psychology of Applied Behaviour Change is offered by City Unity College in collaboration with Cardiff Metropolitan University.
This innovative postgraduate programme is designed for professionals committed to transformative practice through the science of behaviour.
It equips students with the critical ability to design, implement, and evaluate evidence-based interventions across diverse healthcare, mental health, and organisational settings, providing a robust foundation for professional excellence.
Duration of studies
1 year full-time or 2 years part-time
Language of instruction: English
CURRICULUM
- Research Methods and Design
- CBT: Fundamental & Core Skills
- Evidence Based Practice
- Project and Career Planning
- Applied Psychology Practice
- CBT for Anxiety and Depression
- Designing & Evaluating Interventions
- Project (Dissertation)
Information
- Prestigious Recognition: Cardiff Met was awarded the title of UK and Ireland ‘University of the Year 2021’ by the Times Higher Education.
- Rich Academic Heritage: Operating in its current form since 2011, with roots tracing back to the mid-1800s. Rated Silver in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF Rating).
- Charter Mark of Excellence: It was the first University in Great Britain to be awarded the ‘Government’s Charter Mark of Excellence’ for the fifth time.
- High Rankings: Consistently ranked as one of the top universities in the UK by leading guides (The Times, The Sunday Times, The Guardian, and The Independent Complete University Guide).
- Employability Focus: All programmes specialize in academically and professionally oriented courses designed to equip graduates with the immediate skills to excel in business and industry.
- Global Collaborations: Proud of high-level international collaborations, offering its degrees across Greece, Egypt, Korea, Morocco, Sri Lanka, and Singapore, with students from over 140 countries.
- Market-Aligned Curricula: Developed to be fully tailored to the needs of the job market, maintaining close links with the industry while developing research-informed expertise.
- Unique Curriculum: The only master’s programme in Greece that integrates behaviour change science, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) skills, and applied psychology practice.
- Academic Excellence: Staffed by distinguished professors and researchers, with assessments complying with the strict quality regulations of Cardiff Metropolitan University.
- Professional Recognition (A.T.E.E.N.): Fully recognized by the Greek Ministry of Education (A.T.E.E.N. department), allowing graduates to work in both public and private sectors.
- EDGE Competencies: Embedded development of Ethical, Digital, Global, and Entrepreneurial (EDGE) skills in every module, ensuring graduates are ready for the modern job market.
- Multicultural Environment: Study in a truly international setting, with access to student exchange opportunities at Cardiff Met’s home campus in Wales
Under Greek Law 4393/12 and Presidential Decree 38/2010 (transposing EU Directive 36/2005), European University degrees obtained by attending programs in recognized/accredited Colleges are professionally recognized by the A.T.E.E.N. department of the Ministry of Education, Lifelong Learning and Religious Affairs. This ensures that graduates hold full professional equivalence to Greek state university graduates, enabling them to practice in psychiatric clinics, hospitals, NGOs, schools, or private practice.
The MSc Psychology of Applied Behaviour Change is a Level 7 postgraduate programme comprising 180 credits. It consists of six 20-credit taught modules, a 20-credit project/career planning module, and a 40-credit independent research dissertation. It is delivered in both Full-Time (1 year) and Part-Time (up to 3 years) modes.
- Evidence Based Practice: Equips students with skills to design and conduct a ‘mini’ systematic review (PICO format, search strategy, inclusion/exclusion criteria, quality appraisal using CASP) to make clinical decisions.
- Research Methods and Design: Advanced training in quantitative (SPSS, ANOVA, Multiple/Logistic Regression, effect sizes) and qualitative (NVivo, Thematic and Discourse analysis) methods to ensure rigorous, checkable research.
- Applied Psychology Practice: Focuses on core psychological skills in applied settings, inter-professional working, listening micro-skills, psychometrics, ethical decision-making, and bio-psycho-social case formulation.
- Designing and Evaluating Interventions to Support Health Behaviour Change: Design, justify, and evaluate group interventions grounded in psychological theories (e.g., COM-B, Behaviour Change Wheel, and BCTs).
- CBT: Fundamental & Core Skills: Introduces the theoretical framework, cognitive model, therapeutic alliance, collaborative empiricism, assessment, cognitive restructuring, and behavioral experiments.
- CBT for Anxiety and Depression: Applies disorder-specific CBT models to common mental health conditions. Includes mood scale tracking (PHQ-9, GAD-7), behavioral activation, exposure, risk management, and 172 hours of clinical practice.
- Project and Career Planning: Supports students in writing an empirical research proposal (Gantt Chart), auditing personal skills against EDGE competencies, analyzing the job market, and creating a career action plan.
- Project (Dissertation): The culmination of the Master’s journey. Students conduct independent empirical research involving primary data collection, write a journal-ready paper (5000-7000 words), and defend it in a viva voce.
MSc Psychology of Applied Behaviour Change graduates possess advanced clinical insight and rigorous research methodologies, opening a wide range of career paths:
- In mental health services, clinics, and psychiatric support centers.
- In public health and health promotion organizations, designing national or local campaigns.
- In corporate settings, as consultants for employee wellbeing and organizational productivity.
- In Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), schools, and academic research institutions.
- In private practice, as behaviour change consultants or coaches.
- Strong foundation for further training in CBT, Health Psychology, Counselling, or Applied Behaviour Analysis
- University Degree: Bachelor’s degree in Psychology or related discipline equivalent to UK 2:2 or above. For applicants with lower grades, at least one (1) year of relevant work experience is required.
- English Language Competence: IELTS 6.5 (with no band under 5.5) or equivalent. Intensive English language prep courses are available at City Unity College for students who do not meet this threshold.
- Reference Letters: Two (2) letters of recommendation from academic referees or professional employers.
- Personal Statement: A one-page document describing the applicant’s motivation for choosing the programme.
- Other Documents: Copy of ID card, 2 passport-sized photographs, and a validated high school certificate (with certified English translation, which can be arranged by the College).
- Career Center: Connects students with an extensive network of partner employers, organizing workshops on CV writing, interview preparation, and networking events.
- City Counselling Center: Offers free, confidential psychological support to students. Sessions are delivered by MACP trainee practitioners under the supervision of academic staff and licensed psychologists (counseling@cityu.gr).
- Libraries & Learning Resources: Full access to Cardiff Met’s digital library (over 120,000 eBooks and thousands of peer-reviewed journals), City Unity’s physical libraries, Moodle, and E-Class platforms.
- Academic & Technical Support: Individual tutoring from a dedicated personal tutor, free Microsoft Dreamspark software suite, SPSS software for statistical analysis, and on-campus IT support.
- CityU Psychology Research Center: Provides a platform for participating in scientific conferences and co-authoring publications in international peer-reviewed journals.
All academic classes are delivered at our campus in the center of Athens (15-17 Thiseos Str, Syntagma, 10562). During the dissertation module, empirical research and data collection can be conducted through placements with partner institutions, such as the General Hospital of Nikaia, the Athens Alzheimer Society, and the Metropolitan Hospital.
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
