Health Psychology is an area of rapidly growing interest among psychologists and other professionals working in the health service and in occupational health. This interest has been fuelled by the shifting emphasis in provision and governance of health care in the UK and changes in the organisation and mission of the NHS. Health psychologists can be involved in a range of activities within the NHS, private practice and the charitable sector including providing psychological assessment and support in acute care situations, managing the psychological care and rehabilitation of people with chronic illnesses and health promotion activities including smoking cessation and dietary management. Employment opportunities are available in the NHS, public and third sector as well as in academic settings such as teaching and research. Psychology at UWE has particular strengths in teaching and research in the area of health psychology, offering both a Masters and Professional Doctorate Programme. The faculty is also home to the world leading Centre for Appearance Research, the Centre for Health and Clinical Research, and the Centre for Understanding Social Practice as well as the Institute for Sustainability, Health and the Environment. For those students who hold Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society (BPS), the MSc provides Stage 1 training towards achieving Practitioner Health Psychologist status. In addition to coverage of the BPS core curriculum, the UWE course has a particular emphasis on the acquisition of transferable practical, professional and employment related skills, including an introduction to Cognitive Behavioural Therapeutic interventions for health psychology, and the opportunity to gain course credit through practical work in health psychology settings.

Our graduates have gone on to a variety of careers in the NHS and private sector, including: Trainee Health Psychologist Health Promotion Pain Management Smoking Cessation Public Health Working with Eating Disorders Mental Health Youth and Community work Medical Training NHS Management Healthcare Project Management Education and Training Academic Lecturer Researcher PhD