Postgraduate study
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Psychology of Mental Health (Conversion) MSc

Awards: MSc

Study modes: Part-time Intermittent Study, Full-time

Accreditation

Funding opportunities

As a student on the MSc Mental Health (Conversion) programme, you will join a vibrant and diverse cohort of approximately 150 students. Courses are delivered in a variety of formats including 'flipped classroom', small group tutorials and traditional lectures.

The programme provides detailed coverage of all core aspects of psychology:

  • developmental
  • social
  • cognitive
  • biological psychology
  • individual difference

It also includes conceptual and theoretical perspectives in psychology, and psychological research methods and data analysis.

You will complete a research project in an area of psychology relevant to mental health.

Why is this programme unique?

It is the only British Psychological Society accredited MSc conversion programme that focuses on the psychology of mental health.

This focus is particularly suited to those who wish to pursue a career in a caring profession, such as clinical psychology.

The programme is also unique in being delivered jointly by a staff team offering unrivalled expertise in both psychological science and clinical psychology.

Accreditation

This is a professionally accredited programme that offers you the opportunity to study psychology to postgraduate level and become eligible for graduate basis for chartered membership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society.

Successful completion of this programme does not confer clinical qualifications as a mental health practitioner, but, as a BPS accredited Psychology degree, it does serve as one of the prerequisites necessary for further study and training as a practitioner.

The programme can be taken full-time or over 2 to 6 years part-time (invoiced at course level). Courses are delivered in a variety of formats including 'flipped classroom', small group tutorials and traditional lectures.

What will I learn?

You will study a series of taught courses in core areas of psychology and complete a research project.

Teaching approaches focus on delivery of psychological science and its application to mental health.

The programme's courses cover classic and contemporary psychology theories and are delivered through a range of engaging teaching approaches.

How will I learn?

While most classes are face-to-face, other courses have a blended format where you will participate in both online learning and supplementary tutorials.

You are able to tailor your studies to your interests through your research project topic.

Courses

  • Developmental Psychology & Developmental Psychopathology
  • Individual Differences in Mental Health
  • Social Psychology and Mental Health
  • Research Methods in Applied Psychology
  • Psychological Research Methods: Data Management and Analysis
  • Biological Psychology
  • Cognitive Psychology and Cognitive Disorders
  • Psychological Therapies
  • Conceptual and Theoretical Psychology

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

AwardTitleDurationStudy mode
MScPsychology of Mental Health (Conversion)Up to 6 YearsPart-time Intermittent StudyProgramme structure 2024/25
MScPsychology of Mental Health (Conversion)1 YearFull-timeProgramme structure 2024/25

Graduates will be eligible to register with the British Psychological Society through graduate basis for chartered membership (GBC). This will create career opportunities where a psychology degree is advantageous or essential. It also creates opportunities for advanced professional training in psychology (e.g. Clinical Psychology or Educational Psychology), which normally require an undergraduate degree in psychology.

You will also develop a range of sophisticated psychological research skills that will open career opportunities in research, including research assistant posts and doctoral research training.

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

A UK 2:1 honours degree or its international equivalent.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

  • IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
  • C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
  • Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
  • PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 65 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
  • Oxford ELLT: 8 overall with at least 7 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

Application fee

None.

Deposit

None.

Additional programme costs

None.

Living costs

You will be responsible for covering living costs for the duration of your studies.

Tuition fees

AwardTitleDurationStudy mode
MScPsychology of Mental Health (Conversion)Up to 6 YearsPart-time Intermittent StudyTuition fees
MScPsychology of Mental Health (Conversion)1 YearFull-timeTuition fees

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

  • borrowing money

    • taking out a loan

    • family support

  • personal savings

  • income from work

  • employer sponsorship

  • scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

  • School of Health in Social Science
  • Medical School, Doorway 6
  • Teviot Place
  • Central Campus
  • Edinburgh
  • EH8 9AG

Due to high demand, the school operates a number of selection deadlines. We will make a small number of offers to the most outstanding candidates on an ongoing basis, but hold the majority of applications until the next published selection deadline when we will offer a proportion of the places available to applicants selected through a competitive process.

Deadlines for applicants applying to study in 2025/6 will be published shortly.

Please be aware that applications must be submitted and complete, i.e. all required documents uploaded, by the relevant application deadline in order to be considered in that round. Your application will still be considered if you have not yet met the English language requirement for the programme.

You must submit one reference with your application.

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

Further information

  • School of Health in Social Science
  • Medical School, Doorway 6
  • Teviot Place
  • Central Campus
  • Edinburgh
  • EH8 9AG