MSc Foundations of Clinical Psychology

Core Units:

• Advanced Psychopathology: An introduction to the origins of mainstream psychological disorders. This provides context for the teaching of the subject for the rest of the course, and allows you to gain an in-depth understanding of the range of clinical psychological disorders.
• Clinical Skills: The unit introduces the key skills needed by clinical psychologists. The unit integrates the clinical skills and the origins, clinical features, and mainstream clinical models of a range of disorders. 
• Psychological Therapy 1 & 2: The main psychological therapeutic approaches used in the clinical treatment of disorders, the content will be taught across two core units.
• Introduction to Research Methods: This unit covers theoretical foundations of and methodological issues involved in conducting psychological research, and provides an introduction to qualitative and quantitative approaches.
• Research Project: In this unit you will complete a research project appropriate for your programme and write up a dissertation, working independently under supervision of a member of staff who will be allotted after you start the course. You will be expected to engage in discussions with your supervisor in order to choose a topic suitable for a postgraduate dissertation. There will be a range of obligatory and optional teaching sessions to ensure you gain relevant research skills.

Optional Units (you have to choose one):

• Advanced Quantitative Methods: This unit covers the theoretical background, the performance, and the interpretation of range of statistical techniques intended for analysing data from psychological research. 
• Advanced Qualitative Methods: The unit explores qualitative research and analysis approaches to understand and interpret a range of textual, aural, and visual data. The unit aims to prepare students for undertaking independent research using advanced qualitative research techniques and tools.

In your second term, you may be offered the chance to work alongside staff to help them with their research. You get the chance to work together with researchers, gathering and analysing data, and working out what experimental findings might mean. You have the opportunity to work with specialist equipment that you might not have been able to otherwise and gain in-depth knowledge of what research really involves. 

The scheme also provides you with invaluable experience for your own research project.

During the placements, you will be given an honourary contract and will have the opportunity to gain experience in a clinical setting, regularly meeting with clinical psychologists and taking part in professional life in this field. You may be involved in data collection and handling such as PAL interviews, behavioural monitoring, UK Rehabilitation Outcomes Collaborative (UKROC), and/or use of assistive technology.

Some placements may provide research opportunities that may or may not form part of your Research Project. These could involve case studies, literature reviews to support clinical intervention, or the use of assistive technology. This includes dissertation possibilities. In addition, you will have the opportunity to attend multi-disciplinary team meetings (MDTs)/goal setting meetings during which the patient's history, progress and treatment will be discussed.

Placements are an optional (zero credit) component of the course. Applications for placements involve submitting a CV and a short expression of interest and undertaking an interview. Placement positions are highly competitive so we cannot guarantee each student a placement or the placement of their choice, but we do our utmost to help everyone who wants one to gain a placement. We additionally encourage students to find their own placements in order to enhance their chances of obtaining a position, but do speak to your Programme Leader before you contact any local organisations.

If you do opt for a placement, you must complete a minimum of 156 hours (ideally one day per week), though placements can be longer (subject to agreement between yourself and the placement provider). You will spend eight hours per week on placement (full or half days will be based on the requirement of the placement provider). You will be expected to keep a placement log and undergo a halfway and end of placement review.

For those more interested in research, internal placements working with a member of staff in the Psychology Research Group may be offered. External research placements are also a possibility if any opportunities arise or if you are able to secure an agreement with a chosen researcher at another institution.

Research placements offer invaluable experience for those wanting to go on to do PhD-level research. You will be expected to spend the equivalent of 8 hours per week towards a mimimum of 156 hours (during your course), keep a placement log, undergo a half-way and end of placement review. Regular meetings with the academic supervisor will be held.

For MSc Foundations of Clinical Psychology we are looking for applicants who:

• Enjoy working with people to help them understand their problems
• Are personable
• Have excellent communication skills
• Have a professional manner
• Are able to use their own initiative appropriately.

Applicants should ultimately have an interest in other people and wish to support them in helping them to understand their problems.

Please see our website for the application deadlines. You should apply as early as possible to be considered for your course of choice. If you require a student visa, apply for the visa as soon as you have an unconditional offer and receive your CAS. There may be delays in visa processing in your country and you need to be in Bournemouth ready to study for the start of term.

December and January is one of our busiest application periods and therefore it may take us a little longer to process incoming applications. For courses with a January start date, we recommend submitting your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Click the green ‘Apply now’ button to submit your application free of charge online through myHub, our application portal. You will create your own myHub account so that you can track the progress of your application. Don’t forget to save your application as you go; you can return to it at as many times as you want before you submit it. For more information visit our How to apply section.

The normal requirements for embarking upon this course are:

• A Bachelors Honours degree with 2:2 or equivalent in Psychology

• If you lack the formal academic qualifications needed to enter a postgraduate or post-experience degree, there are several alternative routes to follow. Some of these are based on experience. Contact the Future Students Enquiry Team for more information.

You can find details of the international qualifications we accept, and what level of study they apply to, on our entry requirements for non-UK students' page.

Please see below some examples of the qualifications for entry:

• India: Bachelor’s degree (three years) from a recognised HE institution with a minimum overall result of 55%  
• Nigeria: Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution with a minimum classification of 2:4  
• China: Chinese Bachelor's (Honours) degree from a recognised higher education institution with 65% or above  
• Turkey: Bachelor’s degree (Lisans Diplomasi - four years) with a minimum overall GPA of 2.3/4.0  
• Ghana: Bachelor's degrees from University of Ghana or Legon with a grade of 2.00 or above, or from Cape Coast with a grade 2.5 or above  
• USA: US Bachelor’s degree (four years), with a 2.5 GPA or above  

All applications will be subject to a minimum grade and your degree will need to be relevant to the Psychology subject area.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, you will need to provide evidence that you can understand English to a satisfactory level. English language requirements, for this course are normally:

• IELTS (Academic) 6.5 with a minimum 5.5 in all components
• You can find details of the international qualifications we accept, and what level of study they apply to, on our entry requirements for non-UK students' page.

View further information about our English language requirements.

Bournemouth University International College offers a number of pre-sessional English and preparatory programmes to prepare international students for postgraduate study at BU. Admission to the degree is guaranteed on successful completion of your course to the required level. 

As a Foundations of Clinical Psychology graduate, you will be prepared to undertake roles such as:

• Clinical Psychologist
• Community Support Officer
• Healthcare Assistant
• Learning Support Assistant
• Occupational Therapist.

• NHS (hospital and community)
• Private and independent health care sector (nursing homes and private hospitals)
• Education
• Academic research

If you want to continue your studies after achieving your Master’s, you can look into our range of doctoral programmes.

What’s included in your tuition fee?

Your tuition fee covers expenses associated with your course including tuition materials, access to facilities, mandatory field trips and the following:

• Materials for laboratory and mandatory field-based teaching activity.
• A range of student services – advisors, help desks, counsellors, placement support and careers service.
• Access to Brightspace, our virtual learning environment, which offers a responsive and personalised learning experience with powerful learning analytics capabilities, integrated social media and advanced video features.
• The Library – access to a wide range of electronic resources (databases, e-journals and e-books), print and multimedia collections, subject librarians and study spaces.
• IT labs (some open 24/7), wireless network, AV equipment to borrow.
• Disability and additional learning support  according to individual circumstances.
• 24 hours a day, 365 days a year security team.

Additional costs

We are committed to offering you value for money and ensuring there are no hidden costs while you are studying with us, therefore we have listed below any additional costs you may incur that are not covered by your tuition fee:

• Laptops, tablets and mobile devices. Access to a personal computer is strongly recommended for your study. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, visit our website for information regarding hardship funds.
• Text books, general stationery and other supplies. Our award-winning library is stocked with a large range of text books and online resources, free of charge. The Students’ Union shop stocks a wide range of stationery supplies.
• Accommodation and living costs. Please visit our website for more information.
• Travel costs for optional field trips, outdoor wear and footwear for mandatory and optional field trips (if applicable).
• Travel costs to and from the University campus. An annual bus pass can be purchased alongside your rent if you are living in halls of residence/Unilet accommodation or may be purchased separately.
• SportBU membership.
• Expenses relating to placement or research projects e.g. travel etc. up to a maximum of £200 per student. While all aspects of the programme, including required field trips, are included in the fee, additional, optional or extra curricula activities may be available for which a student contribution is required.
• You will need to meet the cost of any Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check if required by your placement setting, including any Post Office or Digital ID verification charges.
• Clothing or equipment costs required for your placement if this is part of your course of study.

If you need to repeat one or more units during the course of your studies (with or without attendance) the pricing will be pro-rata of the full time fee.

We offer a range of scholarships to students who are beginning their studies at BU. Our fees and funding pages also provide details on living costs, budgeting and paying your tuition fees.

International (not Rep. of Ireland) students need to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure their place on a postgraduate course. You will need to pay your deposit by the date stated in your offer letter. The remainder of your fee will be payable on registration/enrolment. There are two exceptions to the non-refundable rule on the deposit:

• You fail to meet the academic or English requirements of your offer
• You are refused a visa to enter the UK, provided the reason for the refusal is not a fraudulent application.

Michelle Heward is Lecturer in Psychology and Service User and Carer Involvement Lead in the Ageing and Dementia Research Centre at Bournemouth University. Her research focuses on health and social care and support for older people and people with dementia and includes the evaluation of interventions. She is particularly interested in digital technologies and innovation, workforce development and service delivery, inclusive and engaging environments, and co-production and user involvement. 

Alison's key areas of expertise are; the impact of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) on emerging mental health conditions / defensive strategies and Complex PTSD, as well as the impact of trauma-informed psychotherapeutic talking services outcomes for clients presenting with symptoms of Complex PTSD and PTSD.

Having a medical background, Dr Ala Yankouskaya completed her second PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience at Birmingham University (School of Psychology) in 2012. Prior to coming to Bournemouth, she held post doc and senior post doc positions at The Centre of Cognitive Neuropsychology at Oxford University and lectureship position at Liverpool Hope University.

Gizem's PhD research concerned the role of cognitive mechanism (e.g., goal maintenance) and mind wandering on understanding trait level inattention. Investigating the link between failures in goal maintenance (e.g., goal neglect and mind wandering) and inattentive traits, with a further attempt to explore the role of cognitive load and motivation.

Dr Shanti Farrington's research focuses on the brain mechanisms of cognitive control (or inhibition), memory and executive functions. One of her longstanding interest is to understand a) how the striatum and hippocampus based learning systems interact b) the white matter connections between the frontal lobe and the hippocampus, especially, in patients with neurological disorders.

Ian joined Bournemouth University as an Associate Professor in 2024. Before that, he held academic positions at Nottingham Trent University, Macquarie University (Australia) and The University of Nottingham (Malaysia) and research posts at the University of Bristol and the University of St Andrews. He holds a BSc (Hons) from UCL, an MPhil from the University of Cambridge, and a PhD from the University of St Andrews and his research focus is personal perception.