Health Psychology

Health Psychology covers areas such as how individuals cope with illness and chronic disease, understanding and promoting healthy behaviours, psychological influences on the development of disease states, understanding and improving adjustment in health-care settings, patient-practitioner communication, adherence to treatment, determinants of health-related behaviours (diet, exercise etc), and understanding how individuals make sense of and react to health screening, symptoms and illness.

The impetus for the development of Health Psychology has stemmed from the fact that many of these areas of research and practice have not previously been directly addressed by medicine. The field has been bolstered by the usefulness of psychological models in explaining health-related behaviours and developing effective interventions in areas that have been problematic in the health field.

There is increased recognition of the need for health services to pay more attention to the psychological aspects of medical problems and to improve health care interventions. Increasingly, health professionals are dealing with chronic illness, psychosomatic illness, ageing, and the problems of living with disability. All these areas have major Health Psychology components.

The University of Auckland is one of the first universities worldwide to offer a practitioner qualification in Health Psychology. Students who complete the MSc in Health Psychology and the Postgraduate Diploma in Health Psychology are eligible to apply for registration with the New Zealand Psychologists Board.

Postgraduate Diploma in Science (PGDipSci) - Health Psychology specialisation

Prerequisite: BSc or BA with a major in Psychology or equivalent; a research methods course such as PSYCH 306 is expected

Requirement:

• 60 points from HLTHPSYC 714, 715, 719, 720
• 60 points from approved 600 or 700 level courses in Psychology, Health Psychology, Sport and Exercise Science, Psychiatry, Behavioural Science and Population Health

Master of Science (MSc) - Health Psychology specialisation

Prerequisite: A PGDipSci in Health Psychology

Requirement:

• 120 points: HLTHPSYC 796 MSc Thesis in Health Psychology

Health Psychology graduates are currently working in hospital-based respiratory and diabetes services, rehabilitation services, and pain clinics. Some are working in primary care for private health providers. Some graduates are also in private practice.

Postgraduate study in Health Psychology can also lead to research careers and health promotion careers within hospital or university environments. Recent structural changes in the administration of health services in New Zealand have created a greater need for researchers well-versed in the health field to evaluate the benefits and liabilities of particular health service programmes and outcomes. At present there is a lack of skilled researchers to conduct these evaluations. The continued push for cost containment and justification will also draw health providers into developing more effective and carefully assessed treatment programmes from primary through to tertiary services. A number of our graduates are currently working in research positions in New Zealand and overseas.

For further information, refer to the Health Psychology Handbook

or contact:

Associate Professor Nathan Consedine
Department of Psychological Medicine
Phone: +64 9 373-7599 ext 85976
Email: n.consedine@auckland.ac.nz

Ranjeeni Ram
Administrator - MSc and PGDipSci in Health Psychological Medicine
Phone: +64 9 373 7599 ext 86531
Email: r.ram@auckland.ac.nz

• How to apply