Ranking
88th
in the World for Psychology
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Course overview
Embark on your journey to enhance the well-being of others. Make a positive contribution to the global community and secure a promising future for both yourself and those you will impact in the mental health sector.
MSc Mental Health (Clinical) is the perfect degree for aspiring psychology professionals. Through drawing upon our leading expertise in mental health practice and clinical research, you’ll develop an understanding of mental health and mental illness, at an individual and societal level.
MSc Mental Health (Clinical) is a prestigious degree offering students a unique opportunity in Dubai. Our curriculum is designed with a blend of taught modules, a comprehensive research dissertation, and extensive hands-on clinical practice throughout the second year of the programme.
Course structure
This course will run over 24 months in a full-time-mode. Teaching will take place on evenings and weekends. While the exact content may change, here’s what you can expect to study.
Term 1
Term 1
September – January (11 weeks)
In term 1, you’ll learn about the principles of mental disorders and the main theories behind their treatment. You’ll also study youth mental health, including the onset of disorders, prevention strategies, and school-based mental health. You'll dive into research methods in mental health, covering topics like epidemiology, statistics, clinical trials, evidence synthesis, ethnography, and thematic analysis.
Term 2
Term 2
January – May (11 weeks)
In term 2, you’ll gain the clinical knowledge and skills needed for your second-year placement and future employment in healthcare. You’ll learn to identify, assess, and manage suicidal presentations in clinical settings. Additionally, you’ll explore the evolving concepts of mental health and wellbeing, the social impact of mental illness, the growth of medicine as a key social institution, and how healthcare is organized and delivered in both formal and informal settings.
Term 3
Term 3
May- August (11 weeks)
In your third term, you will work on completing your dissertation in mental health worth 60-credits.
Year 2
Year 2
During your second year, you will apply what you’ve learnt in your first year to gain hands-on exposure to a suite of practical skills as part of your clinical placement programme. This includes clinical rotation placements gaining exposure to a variety of settings and patient groups. Placements will be conducted on a full-time basis during daytime hours. This practical training is designed to meet the Dubai’s standards for the professional licensing of clinical psychologists.
This programme is accredited by the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
Course highlights
Research is a cornerstone of understanding mental health difficulties. Establishing a strong foundation for evidence-based treatments will help alleviate these difficulties. Through working alongside experts in mental health practice and clinical research, you will build your research and applied psychology skills. Apply what you’ve learnt in your first year to gain hands-on exposure to a suite of practical skills as part of your second-year clinical placement.
- Second year clinical placement programme
- Guidance from experts in the field
- Award-winning state-of-the-art campus
- 88th
in the World for Psychology
QS World University Rankings 2025/6
Springboard your career
Your invaluable experiences gained throughout this course, aligns to the professionally recognised qualifications in mental health and clinical psychology including, the professional qualification’s standards for licensing clinical psychologists in the UAE.
As illustrated, this Master's programme meets the requirements for a qualifying MSc degree (includes MSc, MA, M.Phil) of a minimum two years in Psychology or with a focus on Psychology as per the Unified Healthcare Professional Qualification Requirements of the UAE. (Note: Subsequent supervised practice and exams are required for licensure. As such the university bears no responsibility for the successful licensure of graduating candidates). However, we anticipate that the placement programme in year two will provide you with an appropriate springboard for this process.
Course delivery
Taught using a blended learning ‘flipped classroom’ model, you will be able to study at your own pace. You will work through training and exercises each week and undertake individual study and reading.
Seminar
Workshop
Online On Demand classes
- Flipped classroom learning model – study at your own pace with our online e-learning platform complimenting your on-campus study
- Taught modules - debate and think critically with experts in the field during seminar and workshop groups
- Clinical Placement - gain real-world, hands-on experiences during your second-year placement
Assessment and methods
Given the richness and interdisciplinary nature of MSc Mental Health (Clinical), this degree has varied assessment methods. Each assessment is tailored to each module. The way that the different assessments have been designed is to ensure that your studies help you to develop essential skills that are transferrable to future employment. Assessment methods include essays, portfolios and journals, oral and poster presentations.
Your first-year timetable is designed to deliver teaching on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 18.00-20.00 (day varies per module). In second year, your practical experiences which includes clinical rotation placements, will be conducted on a full-time basis during daytime hours.
Module information
The modules listed for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods.
Any optional module information listed for this programme is intended to be indicative, and the availability of optional modules may vary from year to year. Where a module is no longer available we will let you know as soon as we can and help you to make other choices.
Year: 1
The following must be taken:
| Module Title | Credits | Semester |
|---|---|---|
| Psychological Interventions & Practice | 20 | Semester 2 |
| Sociology of Mental Health and Illness | 20 | Semester 2 |
| Dissertation | 60 | |
| Mental Health 1: Principles of Mental Health and Disorder | 20 | Semester 1 |
| Mental Health 2: Youth Mental Health | 20 | Semester 2 |
| Research Methods in Mental Health | 20 | Semester 1 |
| Suicide and Self-Harm | 20 | Semester 2 |
Teaching staff
Dr Christian Perrin
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Dr Christian Perrin is an Assistant Professor of Forensic Psychology, a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society (BPS), and a Psychological Researcher exploring desistance from offending behaviour.
Dr Rasha Bayoumi
Head of Research Dubai
The Academic profile of Rasha R. Bayoumi, University of Birmingham Dubai
Dr Shereen Sharaan
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Dr. Shereen Sharaan leads an inclusion-focused interdisciplinary research agenda focused on autistic individuals – encompassing aspects of culture, race, ethnicity and social class - to better understand human diversity.
Dr Afsana Faheem
Assistant Professor in Psychology
Dr Afsana Faheem joined the Department of Psychology at the University of Birmingham (Dubai campus) in 2023. Afsana's research background predominately focuses on inequalities in mental healthcare and treatment.
Entry requirements
- 2:1 Honours degree
from an academic institution in Psychology.
Interviews
Applicants who meet our minimum academic criteria are short-listed according to information presented on the application form. Short-listed candidates are invited to attend the University of Birmingham for an interview and potentially a written exercise designed to assess competence in research. After the final interview date, offers are made to the most suitable candidates subject to satisfactory references. Please note: the offer process at the University of Birmingham has several steps, and the final formal offer will be made by the University of Birmingham Admissions Team.
English language requirements
In order to undertake a programme of study here at the University, you will need to demonstrate that you have a good level of written and spoken English. You can demonstrate your level of English with IELTS/TOEFL/PTE or alternative qualifications.
Fees and scholarships
- AED 155,483
Full-time (September 2026) per year
Paying your tuition fees
We charge an annual tuition fee. The fees quoted are by full time or part time per year of study. For those studying courses over two or more years, the tuition fee will also be payable in subsequent years of your programme.
Tuition fees can be paid in full or in three instalments per year of study.
Scholarships
Birmingham attracts the best and brightest students from across the globe. For students with the potential to thrive here, we have a number of scholarships available at our Dubai campus.
Application process
To apply for a postgraduate programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online.
Career opportunities
MSc Mental Health (Clinical) develops key skills that are highly attractive to employers, namely clinical practice and key research skills, as well as presentation and report writing skills. Our students are excellent candidates for mental health-related clinical or academic employment in private and public sector organisations.
This MSc is also excellent preparation for PhD or other advanced degree positions.
Typical careers include:
- Clinical Psychologist
- Psychotherapist
- Medical practitioner with mental health specialism
- Researcher
- Academic
- Policy writer/evaluator
Careers Network
In a competitive global market, you need to be ready for work before you graduate. At the University of Birmingham Dubai, our careers services will help you plan and achieve your ambitions. Whatever you plan to do after your degree, the Careers Network Dubai information, advice, and guidance service offers support to help you identify your options, develop your skills and gain access to opportunities that propel you towards your career goal.
Student experience
At Birmingham, your university experience isn’t just about studying. You will have the opportunity to discover new experiences, develop different skills and make friends for life at our Dubai campus.
Our state-of-the-art Dubai campus, with its iconic buildings overlooking stunning parkland and friendly community, will quickly make you feel at home in the UAE's second city. Expect plenty of exciting activities to get involved in outside of your studies, as well as all the support and advice you need.
Accommodation
Coming to the University of Birmingham Dubai to study might be your first time living away from home. Our student accommodation partners allow you to enjoy your independence in safe, welcoming, and sociable surroundings.
Living in Dubai
Enrich your life with endless attractions, entertainment and lifestyle opportunities. In just over 50 years, Dubai has transformed itself from a tiny settlement to a glistening city and world-class destination. It’s no wonder our students fall in love with the city.
Campus life
Our state-of-the-art Dubai campus is where our diverse community comes together, providing a home for up to 3,000 students to learn, relax, and socialise.
Student support
Whoever you are and wherever you come from, we are committed to providing the best possible support to all of our students, both before you start and throughout your time on campus, so that you can get the most out of your university experience.
Take a virtual tour
Explore our Dubai campus from wherever you are. Get a feel for the wide range of modern spaces and state-of-the-art facilities.