Course summary

The MSc in Psychiatry at Cardiff University aims to offer students from all backgrounds a well-rounded masters level postgraduate education. Psychiatry is a fascinating and important area of medicine. Due to the nature of psychiatric illness (which may often be present/co-morbid with other conditions and/or affect the way people behave in a variety of situations), improved knowledge of Psychiatry would benefit professionals working in fields supplementary to Psychiatry and/or likely to come into contact with psychiatric illness on a regular basis. The programme will be of benefit to such professionals and also to medical doctors training to be Psychiatrists or Psychiatric Specialists. The programme aims to provide students with: • An in-depth knowledge of the basic science, characteristics and presentation of psychiatric illness. • An understanding of how psychiatric illness is managed and the appropriateness of specific management plans. • The ability to critically appraise, synthesise and evaluate research relating to psychiatric illness. • A developing critical independence and intellectual integrity with specific reference to Psychiatry. The programme is a valuable and detailed introduction to the main types of psychiatric illness but does not at any stage entitle anyone enrolled or graduating from it to call themselves a Psychiatrist or Psychologist or to prescribe drugs or to otherwise manage psychiatric illness (if they could not previously do so as specified by their specific registration or licence to practice).