Online and Distance Learning

Are you interested in taking a health psychology masters program?  This page will help you to find out more about health psychology study and to locate suitable university online degree programs.

The linking of health and psychology is a relatively recent phenonemon.  Even so, masters in health psychology programs are very popular amongst students, many of them wishing to specialize in such areas as clinical and health psychology, health and wellness psychology, and sport psychology.

As an, MS or MSc health psychology graduate you would be able to assist people to live healthy and more enjoyable lives by enhancing their nutrition, exercise, work-life balance, and their ability cope with the stresses of life. 

This page is for students who wish to study their psychology online.  If you wish to find on-campus programs, go to the on campus programs page

Which schools offer health psychology masters programs?

The following list shows the recommended schools for health psychology graduate programs (plus other other closely related programs):

• Capella University Online
  • MS - Sport Psychology

• The University of the Rockies Online
  • Master of Arts in Psychology - Sports and Performance Psychology
  • Master of Arts in Psychology - Health and Wellness Psychology

• Walden University
  • MS in Psychology - Health Psychology

• Argosy University Online
  • Master of Arts in Sport - Exercise Psychology

Other schools and programs can be found by using the search box. Check the other specializations on this site for schools and programs of possible interest.

Other closely related specializations

You may find it useful to consider the programs available in the following areas:

• clinical psychology;
• counseling psychology;
• developmental psychology (infant, child,adolescent, adult and elderly);
• general psychology;
• sports psychology

What do you study?

In a health psychology masters program, you examine the biological, psychological, and social factors that influence health, illness prevention and health promotion. Thus, a typical program may include the following:

• Biological basis of behaviour;
• Contemporary issues in psychology;
• Statistics;
• Human motivation;
• Research design;
• Public health;
• Psychology of health;
• Instructional design;
• Tests and measurement;
• Health and wellness;
• Human development;
• Cultural diversity;
• Coaching;
• Mind-body practices.

The emphasis in many programs is now on wellness, i.e., moving away from a diagnosis and treatment model of health to one that is concerned with prevention and promoting lifestyles that enable people to thrive.

What jobs do graduates get?

A masters in health psychology prepares you for work as a research assistant, project manager, or behavior specialist, etc., in a variety of healthcare and other organizations, eg., primary care settings or community agencies.  Thus, one can find graduates of health psychology online degrees in management jobs or specialist positions in health and wellness counseling, education, training, testing, or research.

For more information

Go to the psychology of health forum to discuss specific questions about health psychology masters programs.

Go to the on campus programs page if you wish to know more about the on campus psychology programs available.