Teaching & modules
Modules
Course structure
Courses are divided into modules. The MSc qualification requires you to take modules totalling 180 credits.
Full-time students will take all of these credits in one year.
Part-time students can choose how many credits to take in each of their two years. It is recommended, but not required, that part-time students take all three 15 credit required modules in their first year. The dissertation must be taken in the second year of part-time study.
Required modules
You are required to take:
- Concepts of Psychiatry (15 credits)
- Mental Health Ethics (15 credits)
- Mental Health and Capacity Law: The Civil Context (15 credits)
- Dissertation in Mental Health, Ethics and Law (60 credits)
Optional modules
In addition, you are required to take 75 credits from a range of optional modules that may include:
- Prosocial and Antisocial Behaviour across the Lifespan (30 credits)
- Prosocial and Antisocial Behaviour across the Lifespan (15 credits)
- Specialist Forensic Services: Assessment, treatment and development (30 credits)
- Specialist Forensic Services: Assessment, treatment and development (15 credits)
- Psychology and Neuroscience of Addiction (online) (15 credits)
- Psychology and Neuroscience of Affective Disorders (online) (15 credits)
- Psychology and Neuroscience of Psychosis (online)
- Neuroscience and Society (online) (15 credits)
- Techniques in Neuroscience (online) (15 credits)
- Mental Health in the Community (online) (15 credits)
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health: Child development (online)
- Social, Genetic and Environmental Foundations of Mental Health (online) (15 credits)
- The Concept of Mental Disorder (15 credits)
- Philosophy of Medicine (15 credits)
- Illness Narrative as Life Writing (15 credits)
- Medical Law I: Consent, Refusal and Request (15 credits)
- Law at the End of Life (15 credits)
- Reproductive Ethics (15 credits)
- Medical Law II: Negligence and Misadventure (15 credits)
- Criminal Law and Mental Disorder (15 credits)
- Law and Reproduction (15 credits)
- Law and Health in Contemporary Societies (15 credits)
- Moral Theory and Medical Ethics (15 credits)
- Ethics and Politics of the Body (15 credits)
- Global Health Ethics (15 credits)
- Disability (15 credits)
- Public Health, Autonomy and Resource Allocation (15 credits)
- Reproductive Ethics (15 credits)
An undergraduate degree in psychology, neuroscience, or medicine is a pre-requisite to take the Prosocial and Antisocial Behaviour across the Lifespan or Specialist Forensic Services: assessment, treatment and development modules.
Optional module availability may vary due to the availability of specialist teaching staff. When choosing optional modules students make select up to a maximum of 30 credits from the modules delivered by each of the following departments: Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Philosophy, Department of English.
Teaching methods - what to expect
You will be taught mostly through seminar-style teaching. The following table will give you an idea of what a typical academic week might look like.
Full-time
| Year | Lectures, seminars and feedback | Self-study |
| 1 | 6-8 hours per week | 32- 34 hours per week |
Part-time
| Year | Lectures, seminars and feedback | Self-study |
| 1 | 2-6 hours per week | 14-16 hours per week |
| 2 | 2-6 hours per week | 14-16 hours per week |
Contact time is based on 24 academic weeks (including induction week, and, depending on module choices, may include reading weeks, revision weeks); self-study time is based on 31 academic weeks.
The total notional study hours for the MSc are 1800. Notional study hours comprise formal teaching and learning activities, such as lectures and tutorials, as well as assessments and independent research and study.
Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours of work.
Assessment
- Coursework
- Exams
Your performance will be assessed through a combination of coursework and written examination. Forms of assessment may typically include essays, examinations, presentations, reaction papers, MCQ exams and discussion board participation.
Application closing date guidance
Key Information
Course type:
Master's
Delivery mode:
On campus
Study mode:
Full time / Part time
Duration:
One year full-time, September to September, two years part-time
Application status:
Open
Start date:
September 2025