Psychology - Applied Psychology (Mental Health), MA

About Psychology - Applied Psychology (Mental Health), MA - at University College Cork (UCC)

Overview

The MA in Applied Psychology (Mental Health) gives you an advanced understanding of the discipline of psychology in mental health settings. The course is designed to help you to appreciate both the potential and values of applied psychology, to think critically about psychological theory and practice, and to give you the opportunity to explore your own particular interests. It offers you an opportunity to develop a clear understanding of the practice of a professional psychologist, to advance understanding of mental health services, and to connect theory to practice under the supervision of either a clinical or counselling psychologist.

Applied psychologists use research and theory to analyse real-world situations, develop appropriate interventions, and evaluate outcomes. The course will enable you to pursue postgraduate professional training opportunities, and to pursue a variety of career paths where psychological expertise in mental health is needed.

Course Details

The MA Applied Psychology (Mental Health) is a one-year full-time or two-year part-time programme. It is structured in two parts

Part I (Taught modules)

Advanced Research Methods and Data Analysis
Psychological Assessment
Methods of Investigation
Psychological therapies
Introduction to Psychotherapeutic Skills
Psychology and Intellectual Disabilities
Applied Clinical Issues (Adult Mental Health)
Applied Clinical Issues (Child and Adolescent Mental Health)
Placement

Part II
Dissertation in Applied Psychology. The overall mark for the dissertation is the combination of marks for the dissertation report (480 marks) and a fully documented 30 minute presentation to an audience of peers and expert (120 marks).

Part time students

Year 1 students take 45 credits taught modules
Year 2 students take AP6153 Placement (15 credits) and 30 credits dissertation

Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Psychology (Mental Health) (NFQ Level 9, Major Award)
Students who have completed and passed modules to the value of at least 60 credits in Part I and who fail or do not wish to proceed to Part II may opt to exit the programme and be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Psychology (Mental Health).

Transfer to MA (Applied Psychology)
Students who pass 45 credits in Part but fail the Placement (and repeat placement if taken) or are deemed unsuitable to undertake a placement may be permitted to transfer to the MA (Applied Psychology) with exemption of 45 credits to complete the remaining 15 credits of taught modules and 30 credit dissertation on the MA (Applied Psychology) or complete 15 credits of taught modules and exit with a Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Psychology.

Fact File

Course Code: CKD39 Full-time, CKD40 Part-time

Course Title: Psychology - Applied Psychology (Mental Health)

College: Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences

Duration: 1 year Full-time; 2 years Part-time

Teaching Mode: Full-time, Part-Time

The part-time option will be taught during weekday working hours over 2 years

Qualifications: MA

NFQ Level: Level 9

Costs: 2017/2018 Irish/EU EUR 7,000 full-time;

2016 Entry Requirements: Hold an honours undergraduate degree in Psychology that satisfies the eligibility requirements of the Psychological Society of Ireland; a 2H1 degree is required. Only in special circumstances will consideration be given to 2H2 candidates where, for example, an applicant has relevant work experience or has performed impressively in another Master's degree acceptable to the School selection committee. In such cases, the applicant should set out the grounds upon which they wish to be considered in the supplementary statement (See detailed entry requirements further below)

Closing Date: To be confirmed - currently not open for applics

Next Intake: 11 September 2017

Course Practicalities

This is a one-year full-time or two-year part-time course. Lectures take place Mondays to Wednesdays with placements being held usually on Thursdays and Fridays. However students may agree other times with their placement providers to avail of good learning opportunities. Placement is central to the programme, providing a unique learning experience that will give you supervised workplace experience over a six-month period (approx. 340 hours in total).

While all students will be offered a placement, specific placements will be secured through a competitive placement interview process in semester 1. Placements can be located throughout Ireland. If a student chooses not to accept the placement offered by the School of Applied Psychology, it will then become their responsibility to secure an alternative placement for themselves which meets with the School of Applied Psychology placement criteria for MAAP (Mental Health).

Students failing the Placement may, with the approval of the programme team, be permitted to either extend or repeat the Placement. Students may repeat the placement only once in a repeat year. Students failing or not completing the placement because of a serious ethical breach will not be permitted to repeat the placement.

Assessment

A variety of assessment methods are incorporated into the MA in Applied Psychology (Mental Health). These include essays, portfolios, reports, class tests, research proposals, journal of learning, class presentations, research thesis, taped practice work with transcript and analysis

Application Procedure

Applications must be made online at www.pac.ie/ucc (Course code CKD39 Full-time, CKD40 Part-time).For full details of the online application procedure click How to Apply.

All required documentation must be either uploaded to your online application at www.pac.ie/ucc (My Account section), or sent in hard copy to The Postgraduate Applications Centre, 1, Courthouse Square, Galway, immediately after an application is made.

In addition it involves:

COMPLETING/ANSWERING specific additional supplementary questions as part of the online applications process for this programme. A copy of these online supplementary/additional questions are available to view here:CKD39,CKD40AdditionalQuestions (178kB)

Arranging for ONE Referee's Report formto be posted DIRECTLY to the Course Coordinator, School of Applied Psychology, University College Cork. The Referee's Report form is downloaded and printed during the online applications process. Referee's reports MUST be submitted prior to short-listing for interview. Please click here to see a copy of the special REFEREE'S REPORT FORM:CKD39RefereeReportform (202kB)

MAAP(MH) online application closes on PAC : 18th April 2016

Referees Report Form (ALL applicants) must be submitted to the School of Applied Psychology by 28th April 2016

Copies of non-UCC academic transcripts evidencing your degree studies and results (for non-UCC applicants) must be submited to the PAC Application Centre by 28th April 2016. Final year students must submit official evidence of their studies and results to date.

If you have completed your undergraduate psychology degree (or conversion programme) outside of Ireland you will also need to provide evidence that the programme you completed is recognised by the PSI/BPS/APA or the national Psychological Society of the country in which you completed the programme. If you do not evidence this information in your application, your application will be deemed incomplete.

Shortlist for interview: Week starting 2ndMay 2016 - All supporting documentation for application to the MA in Applied Psychology (Mental Health) needs to be submitted by the time of short-listing. If not, the application will be considered incomplete and not processed further.

Letters/email inviting shortlisted applicants for interview will be sent on 9th May with confirmation of attending interview needed no later than 18th May 2016

Applicants shortlisted for interview will be invited to attend an interview briefing session on Tuesday 17th May in the School of Applied Psychology. Details will be given in the letter/email inviting you to interview. This is an information session – you are not obliged to attend.

Interviews will take place in the week starting 23rd May 2016

Interview outcomes will be circulated week starting 30th May 2016

Candidates will be short-listed for interview at selection stage. incomplete applications will not be shortlisted for interview. Candidates cannot be short-listed if the required referee Report and evidence of non-UCC results (if appilcable) and confirmation of National Psychology Society recognition (for non-Irish qualfiications) are not submitted

N.B. If you are in the process of completing your undergraduate programme in psychology or a conversion course, please note that all formal documentation evidencing your final degree result would need to be submitted prior to commencement of the programme. Please be aware that such documentation for many MA programmes will not be available until mid- late September which is after the commencement of the MAAP(MH) therefore you may not be eligible to take up a place on this programme until the year post completion of your MA conversion course.

Please note that if your application is successful, deferrals are not permitted on this programme

Further Contact Information

Dr. Robert King
School of Applied Psychology,
UCC.
Email: r.king@ucc.ie
Tel. 00 353 21 4904515

Dr. Maria Dempsey,
School of Applied Psychology
UCC
Email: m.dempsey@ucc.ie
TeL. 00 353 21 4904600

Notes about fees for this course

Costs: 2017/2018 Irish/EU EUR 7,000 full-time;

2016 Entry Requirements: Hold an honours undergraduate degree in Psychology that satisfies the eligibility requirements of the Psychological Society of Ireland; a 2H1 degree is required. Only in special circumstances will consideration be given to 2H2 candidates where, for example, an applicant has relevant work experience or has performed impressively in another Master's degree acceptable to the School selection committee. In such cases, the applicant should set out the grounds upon which they wish to be considered in the supplementary statement (See detailed entry requirements further below)

Closing Date: To be confirmed - currently not open for applics

Next Intake: 11 September 2017

Entry requirements for this course

Contact University College Cork (UCC) to find course entry requirements.

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