Psychology, Clinical and Mental Health Psychology

Psychology is the study of how people think, react and interact. It is concerned with all aspects of behaviour and the thoughts, feelings and motivations that underlie such behaviour. It is an important subject because it relates to the whole range of human experience, from visual perception to complex social interactions.

This three year programme explores a range of areas within psychology and specialisms in the areas of clinical psychology and mental health. In your final year you'll specialise in the study of a range of approaches to clinical mental health issues. You'll benefit from the department's advanced technology, including an on-site MRI scanner, systems for tracking precise body movements in very young children and adults, CCTV and video systems for discreet observation of behaviour and a dedicated baby lab for studying the development of infants.

We are one of the top Psychology departments in the UK with excellent ratings for both research and teaching. Our research and teaching enhance one another, bringing students in touch with the frontiers of psychological knowledge and equipping you with a wide portfolio of transferable skills. You’ll contribute to our renowned research culture with a final year research project.

You’ll join a close-knit department that scores consistently high satisfaction rates in National Student Surveys, with a high staff-to-student ratio. You’ll learn in small tutorial groups and within a progressive environment for which the Department of Psychology has been awarded the Athena SWAN Silver Award for efforts to promote equality and women in science.

Follow your passion for psychology, clinical psychology and mental health and you’ll graduate with excellent employability prospects in a variety of different fields. Notable alumni include the leading bioscience innovator Professor Jackie Hunter CBE, founder of the Terrence Higgins Trust Dr Rupert Whitaker, and Dr Christian Jarrett – author of The Rough Guide to Psychology.

Explore specialisms in the areas of clinical psychology and mental health.

Examine the range of approaches to clinical mental health issues.

Benefit from the department’s advanced facilities, including an on-site MRI scanner.

Contribute to topics at the cutting-edge of psychological investigation.

Course Modules

Core Modules

Year 1

• Understanding Psychological Research

• Understanding Individuals and Groups

• Understanding Development across the Lifespan

• How to be a Psychologist

• Understanding Perception and Cognition

• Understanding Neuroscience

• Understanding Mental Health and Wellbeing

• Academic Integrity

Year 2

• Psychological Research Methods and Analysis

• Cognitive Psychology

• Social Psychology

• Developmental Psychology

• Personality and Individual Differences

• Brain and Behaviour

Year 3

• Final Year Project

Optional Modules

Below is a taster of some of the exciting optional modules that students on the course could choose from during this academic year. Please be aware these do change over time, and optional modules may be withdrawn or new ones added.

Year 1

• All modules are core

Year 2

• Employability in Psychology

• How can Psychology change the world – Applied and Developmental Perspectives

• How can Psychology change the world – Clinical and Neuroscience perspectives

Year 3

• Adult Psychopathology

• The Ageing Brain

• Clinical and Cognitive Neuroscience

• Health Psychology and Wellbeing

• Developmental Disorders

• Educational Psychology

• Criminal and Forensic Psychology

• Data Science: AI & Machine Learning in Psychology & Beyond

• Psychology of Love, Death and Meaning

• Psychology of Brain Injury

• Literature Review: Independent Critical Analysis (LiRICA)

• Advanced Statistics

• Psychology of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/studying-here/undergraduate/psychology/psychology-clinical-and-mental-health-psychology/

We use a variety of different methods of assessment. These might include an essay about a controversial issue, an analysis of a video, a report of an experiment or a recently published research article. Some modules involve oral presentations.

Assessment is both summative (e.g. through exams and dissertations) and formative (e.g. essays which provide ongoing assessment and feedback), and the department has a tailor-made system of online feedback to provide detailed comments on essays and other coursework.

Many modules also have a written examination in May or June. Progression to the next year is dependent on passing the core modules. In combination, the quality and range of assessments will help you to develop a wide portfolio of skills and achieve high grades.