Clinical Psychiatry MSc
Validated by University of South Wales
Given the prevalence of psychiatric conditions, it is highly likely that initial assessments and follow-ups for individuals suffering from these issues will be conducted in general practice or by non-psychiatrists in primary or secondary care settings. Our online clinical psychiatry MSc is designed to enhance your knowledge, skills, and clinical outcomes for patients with psychiatric disorders, all while fitting into your busy schedule.
Psychiatric illnesses often coexist with other conditions and can influence behaviour in various situations. By gaining advanced knowledge through our master's in psychiatry, healthcare professionals working in complementary fields and those regularly encountering psychiatric illnesses will benefit greatly.
Next intake: March 2025Key Facts
Frontline healthcare professionals, including those in primary care and specialised units, must be well-equipped to manage mental health patients with confidence and competence.
Upon completing this master's in psychiatry, you will be well-versed in the latest classifications, treatments, and assessments that integrate psychological and social sciences. You will understand how psychiatry connects with other fields such as acute medicine, surgery, perinatal services, children’s services, and primary care. Additionally, you will gain insights into how the Capacity Acts and Mental Health Act impact service delivery and the implications for your role as a healthcare professional.
Faculty
Programme Leader
Prof Tayyeb Tahir BSc, MBBS, Diploma in Psychiatry, FRCPsych, Doctorate in Medicine (MD)
Current post: Consultant Liaison Psychiatrist at the University Hospital of Wales
- Research award for SpRs in Wales...
Validating partner
University of South Wales
The University of South Wales (USW) is a modern, industry focused University located in Cardiff, Newport and Pontypridd in South Wales, UK. It was rated best in the UK for the Health Professions in the Guardian University Guide 2020 and, in the latest Complete University Guide 2022, is in the top 10 in the UK for Health Studies. USW is one of Britain’s largest and most exciting new universities attracting a cosmopolitan mix of students from across the globe.
Accreditors and Endorsers
UEMS - European Union of Medical Specialists
This postgraduate course has also been accredited by the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS)
Frequently Asked Questions
For a full list of our FAQs visit our FAQs page.
As each Medical Council has their own rules/regulations with regard to Postgraduate study we recommend that you contact your local Medical Council with regard to recognition.
Upon completion of the course the University would invite you to a graduation ceremony and provide your certificate which makes no reference to the fact that the course was studied online and is therefore typically recognised the same as any other UK University qualification.
Rest assured, the overall Postgraduate Diploma carries a total of 1,200 CPD points, with the MSc an additional 600 CPD points, and all official certifications are issued directly by the University.
When you study one of our programmes you may be surprised to find that there are no lectures or seminars. Your learning will be self-directed meaning that rather than being told information you find it for yourself (with tutor guidance and support). We do this via a series of clinically rich scenarios which your tutor will post on our academic forum which you and your classmates will research, respond to and discuss.
You will be assessed through the Academic Forum, Reflective Journal and Assignments. Learning will be carried out using our online learning platform: Moodle.
You can study whenever and wherever you want - our programmes are totally flexible to fit around your other work and life commitments.
The course is specifically designed so that part of your study is the application of theory to practice in your day job.
We typically suggest that students aim to log into the Moodle platform daily. We recommend a "little and often" approach for reading, reflection and/or posting. High achieving students will typically spend 1-2 hours dedicated to their studies a day; 10 hours per week is sufficient time to spend on the platform.
Those who cannot dedicate more time than once/twice per week may struggle with the demands of this postgraduate programme.
Yes, everything is done entirely online through our learning platform, Moodle. You do not need to attend the University.
Postgraduate Diploma courses
In order to be eligible for our Postgraduate Diploma courses you need to hold a medical degree or undergraduate degree in a health related science and be working within the field that you wish to study, as the course is designed to further your knowledge within your chosen subject and is not designed to introduce these as new topic areas.
We have two intakes a year in March and September. Click the following link for the up to date application deadlines and module dates: Module Dates.
The Action Taker Discount offers savings based on your programme: £150 off for PGCert and £250 off for PGDip/2-year MSc programmes. To qualify, you must pay the deposit within 7 days of acceptance. This discount is not available during February and August and not available in combination with the Early Bird Discount. The Action Taker Discount will be applied to your final payment. To take advantage, act quickly after acceptance to secure your savings.
Next intake: March 2025 Key Facts
Programme Leader
Prof Tayyeb Tahir BSc, MBBS, Diploma in Psychiatry, FRCPsych, Doctorate in Medicine (MD)
Current post: Consultant Liaison Psychiatrist at the University Hospital of Wales
- Research award for SpRs in Wales
- WHO Prize Winner, Diploma in Psychiatry, Victoria University of Manchester
- Gold Medal, essay competition "Institutional vs. Community Care." 9th International Psychiatric Conference, Peshawar
Professor Tahir has completed comprehensive training and worked as a Consultant Psychiatrist with the NHS, having undertaken work as both a Consultant and Trainer in Psychiatry. He has established partnerships between his department at the University Hospital of Wales and the occupational health departments of South Wales Fire Service and Cardiff County Council for providing occupational mental health services.
Professor Tahir's special interests are in the field of General Adult Psychiatry, Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Old Age Psychiatry. He has extensive experience in managing a spectrum of psychiatric disorders including generalized anxiety, panic disorder, depression, bipolar affective disorder, somatoform disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), eating disorders, phobias, dementia, delirium and medically unexplained symptoms.
Register Interest
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Why Study a Clinical Psychiatry Master's with Learna
We have over 10 years’ experience delivering online courses, giving you access to flexible, affordable distance learning in partnership with world-leading educators.
100% Flexible
Our courses are 100% online. No fixed study times mean you can log in and learn whenever and wherever.
Multidisciplinary - study in a group of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals.
Expert Led
All of our programmes are authored and developed by world leading experts in their field.
Our faculty are selected due to their subject expertise, experience and teaching abilities to ensure the highest standards of educational excellence.
Career Boosting
Get a University Validated postgraduate qualification in just 1 calendar year instead of 2 academic years.
40% of our alumni reported an increase in salary 2 years after studying with us.
Who is this course for?
Our online master's in Psychiatry is designed for healthcare professionals frequently seeing patients displaying symptoms of mental health issues.
You could be working in a clinical setting, either in the UK or overseas, in a role such as:
- psychiatrist
- general practitioner
- nurse
- social worker
- occupational therapist
- psychologist
- pharmacist
How Will I Learn?
You'll learn through our flexible, interactive online platform, which allows you to engage with clinical cases, complete assignments, and collaborate with fellow students at times that suit your schedule. There's no fixed timetable—simply log in daily to participate in the week's activities.
Learn through engaging discussion
Our teaching approach is highly interactive, using small groups of 10-20 students to foster a collaborative environment where you can engage in thoughtful discussions and receive guidance from your tutor. You'll have access to learning resources and discussion forums that encourage ongoing interaction and deeper engagement with the material.
Throughout your studies, you'll receive support from a dedicated expert tutor and our Student Support Team, ensuring you have the resources needed to navigate the course successfully.
Curriculum
The online MSc in Psychiatry is a two year course, consisting of eight modules (180 credits) with the first year covering 120 credits deriving from the postgraduate diploma. The second year of the clinical psychiatry course starts with an initial 9 week online module (8 weeks plus 1 reading week) that will develop skills in critical appraisal and knowledge of research methodologies. Students then complete the professional project module, which consists of a 1,500 word proposal and 10,500 word professional project (dissertation).Year 1
Equipping healthcare professionals with knowledge and skills to be able to confidently diagnose a psychiatric disorder based on a biopsychosocial model, underpinned by a critical exploration and understanding of a classification system.
Equipping healthcare professionals with knowledge and skills that will assist in the diagnosis of common and major psychiatric presentations such as anxiety disorders, mood disorders, psychosis and personality disorders. This understanding will be used to manage this group of patients using a biopsychosocial model underpinned, where required, by ethical and legal aspects.
Enhancing the unique skills needed for looking after older adults with major psychiatric disorders like depression, delirium, dementia, anxiety and paranoid states. You will update the knowledge and information needed for diagnosis and management including non pharmacological and pharmacological interventions using the biopsychosocial model and legal framework for mental capacity and relevant medicolegal and ethical issues.
Enabling you to recognise and manage a range of complex and atypical psychiatric presentations with a high prevalence in a primary care setting.
Equipping healthcare professionals with the ability to diagnose and appropriately manage or refer the most common presentations in young people including emotional disorders, conduct disorders and neurodevelopmental disorders. You will be able to recognise pathways of management for complex presentations within intellectual disability and neuropsychiatry.
Familiarising healthcare professionals with the key terms in substance misuse to facilitate history taking and use of assessment tools to formulate a management plan.
Year 2
This module runs over a 12 week period and is designed to develop skills in critical appraisal and knowledge of research methodologies. The module consists of mandatory formative assessment activities to support your learning and development prior to the Professional Project module.
You will be required to produce a piece of work based upon a clinically-related project that is relevant to your practice. Once you have selected a specific project, you will submit a project summary/proposal of approximately 1,200 words. Following the approval of your proposal, you will then complete a 10,800 word professional project.
To produce the professional project you will continue to study online. Much of the work is self-directed, however you will receive guidance from your tutor throughout the module.
The project may comprise:
- Literature review and appraisal of the evidence.
- Audit of practice including organisational or clinical.
- Review and implementation of evidence-based practice.
- Qualitative or quantitative research (formal research involving human subjects is not anticipated).
- Case-based and quality of service review with critical appraisal.
- Case report, review of literature and organisational assessment.
- Learning Outcomes
- Design and undertake a research/development project related to acute medicine.
- Critically evaluate practice and suggest improvements for change.
- Incorporate knowledge of the research process in developing services appropriately.
Assessment Methods
This programme emphasises learning through active participation in case-based discussions, reflection, and real-life scenarios. Students engage with clinical cases that mirror everyday practice, fostering problem-solving and evidence-based application from the very beginning.
Across the modules, assessments are integrated with learning. Each week, you will work through two to three clinical cases, discussing and reflecting on them with peers under the guidance of an expert tutor. These discussions form the core of your learning and are also the basis for your assessments.
Our innovative teaching methods are designed to help you translate this learning into real-world clinical practice. You'll need to regularly log in to participate in discussions, ideally on a daily basis, and commit approximately two hours per day to your studies. Our dedicated Student Support Team is available to assist with any challenges you may encounter, from navigating our online platform to managing deadlines.
How Foundational Knowledge is Developed
The programme is structured so that foundational knowledge is introduced through carefully designed clinical cases. Each case is crafted to highlight essential concepts and progressively deepen your understanding as you apply critical thinking and evidence-based analysis. This hands-on approach ensures that you are not only acquiring theoretical knowledge but also learning how to apply it in a practical, clinical setting.
This programme is suited for professionals who thrive in an online, discussion-based learning environment. Please note that this course focuses on interactive, applied learning through peer collaboration and case discussions. You will be fully supported, encouraged and led through the programme to success and graduation!
Year 1
- Every week students are presented with two/three clinical case-based scenarios that are reflective of every day clinical practice and research.
- Tutors will post a number of questions and prompts to aid students in a formal discussion of each case.
- These discussions are facilitated throughout by your tutor and are then assessed at the end of every module.
For this assessment, students will work on a group assignment and/or an individual assignment.
- Group assignments are designed to hone skills in the multidisciplinary, holistic approach to modern treatments and patient management by requiring group participation in a single piece of work.
- Individual assignments are designed to hone skills in academic career progression through such tasks as reviewing papers, developing scientific posters or abstracts, peer-reviewing, social media activities, patient information leaflets and essays.
The reflective journal is used by students throughout each module to monitor personal progress. This is guided by weekly feedback from your tutor and is graded at the end of every module. The journal typically includes the following:
- Initial expectations and reasons for taking the course.
- Module and/or personal learning objectives.
- Description of events, issues and learning points within current personal practice.
- Change in every day practice due to knowledge gained on each module.
- A description of what has been learned during the module.
- Students are provided with case-based problems in the form of a one-hour timed examination.
- The exam consists of 30 'Single Best Answer' questions.
- Students are required to complete the exam online within the set time.
Year 2
This module runs over an 8 week period and is designed to develop skills in critical appraisal and knowledge of research methodologies. The module consists of mandatory formative assessment activities to support your learning and development prior to the Professional Project module.
Students will work with their supervisor to submit a professional project proposal for their chosen topic.
Students will deliver an abstract (1000 words) outlining their proposal and, if deemed necessary, develop and submit documentation for the University’s ethical committee approval.
- Students will create a dissertation, the theme of which has been developed in discussion with their tutor.
- Supervision will normally involve direct online support involving planned progress, supporting research activity and reading student work.
- Supervisors and students will agree on a communications plan, which may involve emails or online chats. Some students may employ the use of freely available chat or audio conferencing facilities for live discussion with supervisors.
- Students will have access to online forums where they can develop their research capabilities together.
- All communications with tutors will be logged on the Professional Project forum by the student, and consist of brief summaries of discussion.
Entry requirements
Since our psychiatry courses are conducted entirely online, they are accessible to both UK and international registered healthcare professionals.
Applicants will typically hold a first degree or equivalent (including international qualifications) in a relevant professional healthcare or economics field.
Registered healthcare professionals without these recognised qualifications will be considered for our masters in psychiatry on an individual basis and a wide range of prior experience may be taken into account. In some cases, applicants may be asked to submit a piece of work for assessment in order to confirm that they are able to work comfortably at postgraduate level, and demonstrate the requisite clinical and professional knowledge.
Documents Required
- A copy of your updated CV including your address and date of birth
- A copy of your undergraduate degree certificate
- The name and email address of someone who is able to provide a reference, this can be a work colleague, employer or former tutor.
- A detailed personal statement explaining why you would like to undertake the course.
- A copy of your proof of English competency (see below)
English Language Requirements
Proficiency in the English language is also essential to completing our courses. If English is NOT your first language, we ask for proof of competency during the application process. We are able to accept an IELTS overall score of 6.0 (with a minimum of 5.5 for each band) or an equivalent qualification.
If you do not meet these requirements, please don’t worry. You can also contact our admissions team on admissions@learna.ac.uk for more information on the qualifications we accept.
Course Fees
Option 1: Upfront Payment in full. Option 2: Interest free payments every other month for the duration of the course.
| Date | Instalments | Up-Front Payments |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit | £850 | £9,490 |
| 1st May 2025 | £848 | |
| 1st July 2025 | £848 | |
| 1st September 2025 | £848 | |
| 1st November 2025 | £848 | |
| 1st January 2026 | £848 | |
| 1st March 2026 | £733 | |
| 1st May 2026 | £733 | |
| 1st July 2026 | £733 | |
| 1st September 2026 | £733 | |
| 1st November 2026 | £733 | |
| 1st January 2027 | £735 |
† Deposits are non-refundable
†† Prices are subject to review following each intake
Option 3: Lower your monthly payments by spreading the cost for between 2 and 8 years with a loan from our lending partner Lendwise*.
*Subject to eligibility criteria.
Learna | Diploma MSc has a partnership with Lendwise which is a leading private student loan provider, to help UK students fund their course fees should they require financing. Lendwise is a UK-based education finance platform through which candidates can fund their postgraduate and professional qualification studies at leading educational institutions.
A Lendwise loan comes with a fixed interest rate for the duration of the loan (between 2 and 8 years) and no early repayment penalties. The interest rate offered will depend on the overall applicant profile and the application process is entirely online.*
*Other sources of funding are available.
Learna | Diploma MSc does not offer financial advice, recommend or endorse any financial product. You should always check the suitability of the product that is of interest to you. If you are in any doubt as to its suitability, we suggest that you seek independent professional advice.
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We have over 10 years’ experience delivering online diploma courses, giving you access to flexible, affordable distance learning in partnership with world-leading educators.
Our courses are some of the most affordable of their kind, providing value for money without compromising on quality. We also don't apply an international surcharge. No fixed timetable means you can log in & learn on the go, at your convenience.
Being totally online means we can select the very best tutors and resource editors, no matter where they’re located.
Connect with multidisciplinary people around the world to expand your insights & broaden your career prospects.
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