Psychological Therapies and Interventions MSc/ PGDip

This module aims to provide your with core skills and knowledge in quantitative research methods in Psychology. The focus is on understanding how research questions relate to design and appropriate analyses. Across the suite of MSc programmes in Psychology, it provides you with advanced skills in a variety of statistical analyses and enables you to conduct psychological research at master’s level. The module enables you to understand and critically evaluate published quantitative psychological research. It prepares you for your dissertation and enables you to choose appropriate methodologies and analyses for research.

This module is designed to empower you with essential therapeutic techniques and a diverse set of practical skills for the therapeutic applications of psychology, through skills development and practice. You will be encouraged to develop self-awareness and adopt a reflective approach to enhance therapeutic practice. Critical thinking will be fostered to cultivate an evidence-based mindset, ensuring that practice is grounded in research and best practices.

This module provides you with an opportunity for in-depth, advanced study in a specific area of psychology, pertinent to the degree for which you are registered, guided by, but largely independent of, tutor support. You will apply appropriate principles of planning and conducting research, and present their research study in the form of a written journal-style article, using appropriate styles and conventions.

The module aims to provide a critical understanding of current research evidence and intervention/clinical perspectives on psychological trauma and its effects. The impact of trauma on different groups and at different stages of the lifespan will be reviewed. Models of intervention for psychological trauma will be critically examined and the current debates around ameliorating factors and developmental outcomes will be explored.

This module aims to introduce you to and pave the pathway towards the helping professions, namely counselling and psychotherapy, as well as other professions that utilise this same skill set (e.g. coaching). This module aims to provide you with an introduction to some of the main schools of psychological therapy, their theoretical origins and how the theory is applied in practice so that they can make these choices. This module will introduce you to the basic principles of communication skills that form the foundation of all counselling and psychotherapy, and these skills can be applied to and enhance any career. 

This module introduces you to qualitative research methods. Through a dynamic blend of theory and hands-on practice you will gain the skills to design, generate, analyse and interpret qualitative data with confidence. You will also develop reflexive practice, sharpening the ability to critically engage with your role as a researcher and the impact of their work. You will become proficient in qualitative research knowledge and skills, which will enable you to undertake independent projects that make original contributions to your field.

This module is designed to equip you with the statistical literacy needed to confidently analyse, interpret, and communicate data in psychological science and beyond. You will develop a deep understanding of key statistical concepts and learn how to apply them to real-world psychological research. Through engaging with data, you will refine your ability to interpret and evaluate quantitative evidence, making sense of statistical language and understanding its relevance in different contexts. By the end of the module, you will be able to approach data-driven questions with confidence, selecting and applying the right techniques to draw meaningful conclusions. Most importantly, you will gain the skills to communicate complex findings clearly and persuasively, whether in reports, presentations, or professional discussions, ensuring that you can use data not just to analyse, but to inform and inspire.

This module is designed to empower you with essential therapeutic techniques and a diverse set of practical skills for the therapeutic applications of psychology, through skills development and practice. You will gain professional competence, through engagement in a minimum of 100 hours of supervised placement, where psychological knowledge and therapeutic techniques are applied in a workplace context dedicated to mental health and well-being. You will be encouraged to develop self-awareness and adopt a reflective approach to enhance therapeutic practice. Critical thinking will be fostered to cultivate an evidence-based mindset, ensuring that practice is grounded in research and best practices.

This module is for students who are currently employed in an organisation that is concerned with mental health and/or well-being. The module is designed to empower you with essential therapeutic techniques and a diverse set of practical skills for the therapeutic applications of psychology, through skills development and practice to enhance professional development within your job role. You will design and conduct a work-based psychological intervention to develop the ability to apply psychological knowledge and/or therapeutic techniques in a workplace context. You will be encouraged to develop self-awareness and adopt a reflective approach to enhance therapeutic practice. Critical thinking will be fostered to cultivate an evidence-based mindset, ensuring that practice is grounded in research and best practices.

You'll be taught through interactive lectures, participative workshops and lab classes which encourage discussion and debate as well as critical thinking and a deep approach to learning. You'll also develop the skills and ability to apply theory to practice through a psychology placement or through the implementation of a work-based project.

You'll be taught by an experienced teaching team with a wide range of expertise and professional experience.

You'll be based at our Hendon campus, north London.

In a typical year, you’ll spend about 1200 hours on your course.

Outside of teaching hours, you’ll learn independently through reading articles and books, working on projects, undertaking research, and preparing for assessments including coursework and presentations.

Timetable

Whether you are studying full or part-time, your course timetable will balance your study commitments on campus with time for work, life commitments and independent study.

We aim to make timetables available to you at least two weeks before the start of term. Some weeks are different due to how we schedule classes and arrange on-campus sessions.

Typical weekly breakdown

A typical week (full-time) looks like this:

Learning terms

On-campus: This includes tutor-led sessions such as seminars, lab sessions and demonstrations as well as student-led sessions for work in small groups.

Online learning: This is teaching that is delivered online using tools like Skype or Zoom, as well as work that you do yourself using online teaching resources.

Independent study: This is the work you do in your own time including reading and research.

Part-time study

You can also study this course part-time.

You'll be assessed through case study reports, research reports, a reflective diary, critical essays, a reflective essay or a work-based project report, and the applied research dissertation.

You'll evaluate your work, skills and knowledge and identify areas for improvement. Sometimes you'll work in groups and assess each other's progress.

Each term, you'll get regular feedback on your learning.