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Psychological Therapies MSc

Awards: MSc

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

Accreditation

Funding opportunities

Programme website: Psychological Therapies

Each year, mental health problems such as anxiety and depression will affect 1 in 4 people, including 1 in 10 children, at an anticipated global cost of $6T by 2030. Psychological therapies, especially cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), provides a safe, effective solution to many of our most common mental health problems.

The programme offers two options:

  • a two-year, full-time, 240 credit option
  • a part-time, 180 credit option

Full-time programme

The full-time programme is aimed at applicants who are recent graduates or those looking for a change in career who do not hold a core clinical qualification or equivalent.

We take applicants from graduate status and provide general clinical skills training and specific CBT training.

The programme incorporates a clinical placement based at the Centre for Psychological Therapies which is led by applied psychologists with extensive clinical experience.

The first 60 credits of the full-time programme provide explicit training which covers the Knowledge, Skills and Attributes (KSA) requirements.

You will be required to attend an interview as part of the selection process.

Part-time programme

The part-time programme is aimed at applicants who already hold a core clinical qualification or equivalent and provides practitioner training in CBT and other therapies.

With a special, but not exclusive, focus on childhood and adolescence, the programme is suited to practitioners working with children, youth and adults.

For students who do not have access to their own clinical caseload the Centre for Psychological Therapies is able to provide placements and supervision at the on campus clinic for an additional fee.

Teaching and community links

Although the programme is not currently professionally accredited, individual courses are accredited by UK professional bodies, ensuring high quality standards and recognition by employers post-qualification.

Teaching and supervision are provided by experienced clinicians and clinical academics.

The programme has close links with the NHS and community organisations, ensuring that students learn in a clinically-informed context.

Accreditation

Graduates of the programme are eligible to make individual applications for accreditation with British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapists (BABCP).

Full-time programme - 240 credits

You will enrol for the MSc in Psychological Therapies, but depending on chosen pathway may exit with a PG Certificate, PG Diploma, or MSc in Psychological Therapies, or with a specialism in CBT, denoted in brackets after the main programme title (for example, PG Dip Psychological Therapies (CBT)).

Part-time programme - 180 credits

You will enrol on the MSc Psychological Therapies but have the option to exit with a CBT specialism, denoted by an addition in brackets to the title of the award. Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma exit options are also available.

You will typically complete 60 credits each year, thus completing the MSc over three years, but the flexible programme structure allows you to take between 2 and 6 years, depending on their own needs.

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
MScPsychological TherapiesUp to 6 YearsPart-time Intermittent StudyProgramme structure 2024/25
MScPsychological Therapies2 YearsFull-timeProgramme structure 2024/25

The programme equips students with advanced knowledge and critical understanding of:

  • Psychological models of change as they apply to children, adolescents and adults, including principles of assessment and formulation.
  • Theories of normal and atypical cognitive, social, and emotional development as applied to therapeutic models.
  • The empirical evidence for the effectiveness of psychological interventions with a number of the most common mental health problems within a developmental context.

Graduates can expect to gain employment in clinical services or private practice as mental health practitioners.

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.

Full-time Programme - Two years - 240 Credits

A UK 2:1 honours degree or its international equivalent in psychology, health or related subject. Your transcript should show evidence of learning in developmental psychology.

Your application must include evidence of basic experience of working or volunteering in a health, social care or justice setting.

You will be required to attend an interview to assess your personal competencies, experience, and suitability for the programme as part of our selection process.

Prior Learning and Exemptions

If you have completed postgraduate study in a related area elsewhere, you may be able to use your credits towards a programme of study here. Please contact the admissions team to discuss any prior learning.

Part-time Programme - 180 Credits

A UK 2:1 honours degree or its international equivalent in psychology, health or related discipline.

You should be in possession of a UK-recognised core professional qualification (e.g. nursing, special education teacher, doctor, practitioner psychologist, social worker), with substantial current, or recent, work experience with relevant populations in mental health settings, and have access to a clinical caseload. You will be responsible for accessing an appropriate placement and supervisor, which meets clinical governance standards set out by the programme.

If you do not meet the academic entry requirements, we may consider your application on the basis of your relevant professional qualifications.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

Protecting Vulnerable Groups

All successful applicants will be required to join Disclosure Scotland's Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme before starting the programme. In addition, all applicants who don't live in the UK, or who have spent more than a year abroad, will need to provide equivalent verification from the relevant national authority.

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:

AwardTitleDurationStudy mode
MScPsychological TherapiesUp to 6 YearsPart-time Intermittent StudyTuition fees
MScPsychological Therapies2 YearsFull-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

NHS Education Scotland (NES) provide scholarships for students employed in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in NHS Scotland. Applicants should contact their CAMHS Learning Coordinator in the first instance.

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

  • Programme Director, Professor Elizabeth Gilchrist
  • Phone: +44 (0)131 650 3037
  • Contact: msc.therapies@ed.ac.uk
  • School of Health and Social Science
  • Medical School (Doorway 6)
  • Teviot Place
  • Central Campus
  • Edinburgh
  • EH8 9AG
Programme start dates Application deadlines
8 September 2025 15 April 2025
8 September 2025 31 July 2025

Please note that for an application to be reviewed, it must be a complete application by the application deadline with all supporting documentation uploaded, including references and transcripts. If you already have evidence that you meet the English language entry requirements e.g. via an approved English language test, please upload this evidence at the time of your application. If you have not already met your English language requirements, please upload that evidence as soon as you have it.

Full-time applicants

Due to high demand, this programme operates a gathered field approach to admissions, with two application deadlines as noted below.

Each application round has a decision deadline, also listed below, but note that we may make offers to the strongest candidates on an ongoing basis, in advance of the published decision deadline.

We strongly recommend that you apply as early as possible, especially if you intend to apply for funding. Applications may close earlier than published deadlines if there is exceptionally high demand. If you are considering applying for our pre-sessional English Language programme, please make sure you apply in Round 1.

Selection Deadlines

Round Application deadline Places awarded by
1 12 February 2025 30 April 2025
2 15 April 2025 30 June 2025

Part-time applicants

To be considered for entry in September 2025 on the part-time version of the programme, you must submit a complete application by 31 July 2025. If you are also applying for funding then we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible.

You must submit one reference with your application.

Part-time applicants

  • You should be in possession of a UK-recognised core profession (e.g. nursing, special education teacher, doctor, psychologist, social worker) and should have substantial current, or recent, work experience with children and young people in mental health settings. This should provide clinically relevant experience which may be acquired in statutory, third sector or private organisations.

  • You will need access to a clinical caseload and will be responsible for accessing an appropriate placement, which meets clinical governance standards set out by the programme.

  • You should have access to an appropriately qualified supervisor. If you are currently employed in an NHS CAMHS post, the University of Edinburgh will provide you with a supervisor. Students from outwith the NHS must make their own supervision arrangements, and the supervisor must meet the course supervision competency requirements. The course fee does not cover any additional costs associated with supervision.

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

Further information

  • Programme Director, Professor Elizabeth Gilchrist
  • Phone: +44 (0)131 650 3037
  • Contact: msc.therapies@ed.ac.uk
  • School of Health and Social Science
  • Medical School (Doorway 6)
  • Teviot Place
  • Central Campus
  • Edinburgh
  • EH8 9AG