Master of Science in International Conflict and Cooperation

at University of Stirling United Kingdom

Health psychology is the study of psychological and behavioural processes in health, illness, and healthcare. It is concerned with understanding how psychological, behavioural, and cultural factors contribute to physical health and illness.

Health Psychologists promote healthier lifestyles. They try to find ways to encourage people to improve their health and also to improve the healthcare system as a whole. For example, helping people to lose weight or stop smoking, or advising doctors on better ways to communicate with their patients.

You’ll learn to use your knowledge of psychology to promote general wellbeing and understand physical illness. We will teach you the skills needed to help people deal with the psychological and emotional aspects of health and illness, and to support people who are chronically ill.

Our MSc Health Psychology has a strong experiential focus and emphasises the application of health psychology to real world settings. The course includes contributions from healthcare practitioners. You will carry out a brief placement in a healthcare setting, which can include the NHS, third sector (charities) or industry, and you’ll usually arrange this placement yourself with support from the course team. You are encouraged to carry out research in healthcare contexts where possible.

The digital age has transformed the way news is reported and consumed, with more media platforms available than ever before. A degree in Journalism Studies from the University of Stirling equips you with the practical skills and theoretical knowledge you’ll need to make a mark in this rapidly-evolving arena.

With over 30 years of experience in researching and teaching journalism, the University of Stirling has established a reputation as one of the UK’s top institutions in the field. This course covers both theoretical and practical aspects of journalism, and offers an in-depth, critical understanding of practice. You’ll work individually and in groups to write articles and prepare portfolios; create pages for print and online news platforms; produce and edit visuals; and contribute to class blogs. Everything you do will deepen your understanding of how professional journalists operate across broadcast, online and print media – and by the time you graduate, you’ll be ready to take your place among them.

Heritage is a global phenomenon with diverse economic, social, and political roles. It encompasses the surviving tangible and intangible traces of the past, but also the processes and practices that frame heritage in the present and produce particular kinds of futures.

The aim of this degree programme is to provide a critically informed interdisciplinary education in heritage. You may choose to specialise to take the broad programme without specialisation, or opt to specialise in a Cultural Heritage Studies pathway.

Shared core modules provide a foundation in current conceptual and theoretical debates about the nature of heritage and its importance in society, as well as practical issues relating to its conservation and management. Case studies, fieldtrips and input from heritage professionals introduce students to specific kinds of heritage and ‘real-world’ challenges, demands and opportunities.

Cutting-edge research training provides students with an excellent foundation for conducting independent research in the Dissertation, whilst vocational skills are embedded throughout the programme to produce competitive, work-ready graduates.

The history of the Scottish nation is dramatic, surprising and an infinite source of inspiration in popular culture. Studying at the University of Stirling will place you right at the heart of that history, with some of the most significant locations in Scotland’s past located right on your doorstep.

On this course, you’ll explore both the myths and the realities of Scottish History, unpicking the events that shaped a nation – from the wars of William Wallace to Scotland’s unprecedented impact on the wider world. You can expect in-depth insight into every aspect of Scottish History - political, social, environmental and economic – all of which will deepen your understanding of present-day Scotland at the same time.

History at the University of Stirling is highly regarded. In the most recent Research Excellence Framework, 98% of our research was classed as either world-leading or internationally excellent. That expertise feeds directly back into our teaching, ensuring you gain unique insights into Scottish History from some of its most respected scholars. Every step of the way, your employability will be a top priority - with career-focused modules, field trips and guest lecturers all designed to get you ready for the world of work. Our location in the shadow of so many famous Scottish events helps to distinguish your studies from other Scottish History courses.

This course will provide you with the core professional skills required for a rewarding career in digital media management and production. This interdisciplinary offering, bringing together Stirling’s internationally recognised strengths in media, film, and communication studies, is distinctive from competitors in offering you the unique opportunity to develop analytical, creative, and production skills; underpinned by important sociocultural understanding of human behaviour and communication in the digital context, and the complex factors influencing people’s behaviours.

The Master of Science in Historical Research is a one-year research preparation course intended to prepare postgraduates for a research-based career and enable specialisation in social and/or economic history.

The MSc is designed to:

• train historians in social research methods
• demonstrate your ability to undertake interdisciplinary research to doctoral level at Stirling; or other universities in Britain and overseas
• provide a foundation for applications to research councils (AHRC, ESRC) and doctoral training partnerships (including SGSAH) that fund PhD research
• specifically prepare graduates to apply to the Scottish Graduate School of Social Science for PhD studentship funding in social and economic history (see below under professional accreditation)
• enhance career prospects and career development

These aims are achieved through the completion of independent study modules, taught modules in applied social research, optional study modules appropriate to your field of study, and skills training conducted under supervision. You’ll be allocated an individual supervisor to direct your dissertation and plan your programme.

Our course prepares you for further research by:

• compulsory taught modules in project design, qualitative and quantitative data analysis
• directed independent study in the historiography of a research topic
• skills development in statistical and database packages
• self-directed skills training
• practical experience in applying research methods to interrogate primary sources and datasets in the dissertation
• developing written and verbal critical analysis

Health and social care workers are the largest proportion of key worker occupations and the services provided by these workers are vital to society. Our stimulating and challenging Social Work degree could be for you if you would like to have a rewarding career that makes a positive contribution to society. Our degree combines practical experience with theory, and gives you the professional qualification you need to practise social work and help change people’s lives.

You’ll be taught by qualified social workers, and members of national and international social work organisations. Our course content draws on the latest knowledge and experience of people working in social work today. Social workers are often involved in complex and difficult situations, as well as meaningful work. We equip you with the skills you need to successfully deal with the variety of social problems you could encounter in social work.  

Mental Health nursing is a challenging yet rewarding profession where you can make a real difference to people’s lives.

Our innovative Mental Health Nursing course will prepare you to meet the needs of a modern profession and provide the best possible  care. You will leave us as a confident and capable practitioner, fully equipped to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and join a health care team upon graduation.

Our course curriculum is informed by the latest research and encourages you to take an evidence-based approach to nursing care. We believe that mental health and wellbeing services must always respect the intrinsic value of people and their individuality.

In practice this means that teaching and learning activities are informed either directly or indirectly by people who have lived experience of mental ill health. This  inclusive, values based approach will support your development as a reflective, resilient and socially aware mental health nurse with the capacity to engage in a diverse range of health and social care settings.

You will be allocated a personal tutor who will be a source of guidance information and support during your studies. Whilst undertaking practice learning experiences, you will also be allocated a Practice Assessor and Practice Supervisor who will support your practice based learning.

We work with our course partner, NHS Forth Valley, to ensure that our course remains clinically excellent and our students get the best possible experience while they’re studying. We will inspire and challenge you, so that you leave as a confident and capable practitioner- ready to join a health and social care team upon graduation.

Scotland is internationally recognised for its crucial contributions in drug discovery and development, medical technologies, stem cells, bio-manufacturing and bioinformatics.

We’ve worked with Forth Valley College and business to develop a fully integrated degree course in Applied Biological Sciences. Our course is making a difference by solving the problem of skills shortages in life sciences. We’ll give you technical expertise and proficiency in the vital practical and research skills sought-after by employers.

The degree is taught jointly at Forth Valley College and the University of Stirling and also receives input from employers across the Scottish life sciences community. Classes for the first two years will be delivered at Forth Valley College’s campus in Falkirk. Classes for the last two years will be delivered at the University of Stirling campus.

Your study will begin with fundamental science and laboratory skills before focusing on the cellular and molecular aspects of biological sciences.

Your final year will focus on proteomic and genomic aspects of biological sciences, plus your research project. Our research-led teaching, together with the experience and insight gained by your work placements, will make you work-ready for a modern career in biosciences.

Choose our Criminology and Sociology degree and you’ll benefit from studying two closely related disciplines; with training both in criminology and the theory and methods of applied social science. Learn how to ‘think like a criminologist’ and apply criminology to the context of modern life, social diversity and inequalities in society. Criminologists are interested in how activities are defined as criminal, explanations for crime and social reactions to crime.

You’ll explore fascinating questions surrounding the criminal justice system, the social contexts of crime, and the relationship between behaviour and punishment. Why and how do people break the law? How can the criminal justice system define this, and how do we police, prosecute and punish people?

Our Criminology and Sociology course reflects the latest developments in social research and is taught by experts in their fields.