Because of its very nature, mental health care raises as many conceptual questions as empirical ones. The philosophy of mental health is a rapidly developing field developed by philosophers, clinicians and mental health service users. Based on the newly published Oxford Textbook of Philosophy and Psychiatry co-authored by two members of the course team, this distance learning course aims at developing a better understanding of psychiatry, and mental health care more broadly, through an analysis of some of its fundamental concepts.

Key Facts

Entry Requirements

Entry requirements for postgraduate courses vary and you are advised to check for any specific requirements with Enquiry Management and on our website. Normally the following general entry requirements apply:

Postgraduate Diplomas, Certificates and Conversion Courses:
A recognised British first degree or its equivalent, or a BTEC Higher Diploma/Certificate.

Taught Masters Courses:
A recognised British honours degree to a good standard, or its equivalent. Applications from all candidates will be considered on their merits and in the light of the nature and scope of the programme or work proposed. Informal enquiries are welcomed and will normally be followed by an initial advisory interview.

Normally the following general University wide entry requirements apply:
Postgraduate Diplomas, Certificates and Conversion Courses: A recognised British first degree or its equivalent, or a BTEC Higher Diploma/Certificate. Taught Masters Courses: A recognised British honours degree to a good standard, or its equivalent. In addition to access via prior academic qualifications, however, applications to this programme are also welcome from potential students with relevant practical experience in the field of mental health through, eg, mental health nursing or patient advocacy. Applications from all candidates will be considered on their merits.

Course Content

The programme in Philosophy and Mental Health is part of a newly developing interdisciplinary field looking at conceptual and evaluative aspects of mental health care. More so than any other area of healthcare, mental health raises conceptual as well as empirical difficulties.

The role of values in diagnosis, the validity or objectivity of taxonomy, the central relationship of mind and brain are all key issues underpinning healthcare calling for conceptual as well as empirical clarification. The programme critically examines the assumptions that drive the agenda in mental health care. It aims to foster analytic and argumentative skills in its students in order for them to have a better understanding of practice and, in some cases, to carry out further and original research in this newly developing field. Students will be drawn from all areas of mental health care including service users as well as from a philosophy or psychology background. Based on the newly published Oxford Textbook of Philosophy and Psychiatry coauthored by two members of the course team, teaching will be by distance learning in a structure designed to fit with the busy working lives of those working in the field.

Subjects include the concepts of illness, disease and disorder in mental health; the history of psychopathology; empathy; validity of psychiatry diagnosis; the codification of diagnosis and tacit knowledge; the conceptual underpinnings of evidence based medicine; values based practice; psychiatric ethics; brain imaging and the mind body problem; reasons and causes; meaning in cognitivist psychiatry;
meaning and social constructionism in discursive psychology; free will; autism and the problem of other minds. The course structure is shown at a glance on the reverse.

Course Outline

Course at a Glance

Assessment:

Each module is assessed by a 5,000 word essay. The Introduction to Postgraduate Research module is assessed by three shorter assessments and the Dissertation is 15,000 words. Formative assessment is provided for a first short 2,000 word practice essay which can then be developed into the first longer essay.

Learning Environment:

The teaching materials are provided by the newly published Oxford Textbook of Philosophy and Psychiatry co-authored by two members of the course team. This textbook is aimed at developing analytic and argumentative skills through exercises and guided readings. Tutorial supervision will be provided in guided discussion over the web using Uclan’s e-learning resources. Access to a computer connected to the web is
thus a necessary requirement.

Careers:

An academic qualification in philosophy and mental health provides an excellent foundation for work in the area or for social science research or to gain access to a PhD degree programme.

Money Matters

Most graduates of this University are entitled to a 20% reduction on tuition fees for our postgraduate courses, if self-funding.

Details of current fees are available from Enquiry Management,
University of Central Lancashire,
Preston,
PR1 2HE,
United Kingdom,
01772 892400.

Applicants already working in the field may find that their employer is willing to fund, or part fund, the course.