Health Psychology (Taught)

The Professional Doctorate in Health Psychology at Staffordshire University offers a unique opportunity to experience and develop your professional skills in Health Psychology, under the guidance of highly qualified and committed staff.

Our Professional Doctorate has been delivered since 2002 and was the first Stage 2 health psychology training programme to be accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS). It remains one of the few accredited programmes in the UK, currently attracting students who are working in different placements throughout the UK.

This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society. When you’re awarded the degree you’ll gain Stage 2 accreditation towards becoming a Chartered Psychologist and be eligible to apply to register as a Health Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). The programme offers learning and teaching opportunities in health psychology to allow students to demonstrate Level 8 (Doctoral Level) competences in research, psychological interventions, consultancy, aspects of professional practice, and teaching.

The focus of the Doctorate is on the acquisition of professional skills through placement learning, with an emphasis on reflection, professional competence, and accountability in professional practice. The programme is a research degree, and therefore also places an emphasis on research.  Students will be taught in both quantitative and qualitative methods, and will be guided in supervision sessions to conduct a systematic review and empirical study.  Both will be of publishable standard and will be written up as journal articles.

Staffordshire University has a thriving Health Psychology research culture, focused in the Staffordshire Centre for Psychological Research, with an excellent national and international reputation.

The Health Psychology Programmes at Staffordshire University have nine commendations from the BPS (2018). The Programme staff team are committed to principles of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) promoting diversity in Health Psychology. This is demonstrated across various aspects of the Programme, including selection and recruitment, and while students are training on the course.

Please note that this course requires full time students to be on placement for a minimum of two years and to pay the fees detailed per year of study. Students need to allow for an additional period of time for writing up during which there is a writing up fee to be paid each year until completion.

On successful completion of study, we will issue the following award: Professional Doctorate Health Psychology