We caught up with Daisy to talk about how her interest in understanding risky social behaviours led from her undergraduate degree to study MSc Health Psychology at Bath.

By gaining real-world experience on a placement in HIV care, she has found a purpose, diving deeper into what makes health psychology so impactful.

Finding Bath

I'm originally from Brighton and studied an undergraduate psychology degree at the University of the West of England (UWE).

I was aware that having a master’s really helps in the field of psychology, so I knew that would be something I wanted to do, and it keeps me studying for longer, which I love!

I was unsure which pathway to take and found talking to students on the university ambassador platforms so useful. It gave me genuine insights and quick responses, which really helped cement my decision to go down the route of the MSc Health Psychology at Bath.

Specialising in an area I’m passionate about

I’ve always been particularly interested in risky health behaviours, like sexual health and addiction, and areas that lean more towards the social side of psychology rather than the more traditionally ‘physical’ health aspects. Interventions where people are asked to change a health behaviour, like quitting smoking for a few weeks and observing the impact, really fascinate me. I wanted to explore this further.

Physical health is such a broad area – covering everything from diabetes to drug use. I used to think of risky behaviours as purely social, rather than health, psychology, but I now understand much better why health psychology exists as its own discipline and covers social aspects too – it makes perfect sense.

Bath ranked highly in league tables, and the breadth of units and teaching backgrounds on the course is excellent – I was so pleased to be accepted.

I'm currently working in Cardiff on a four-month placement in HIV care. I’m seeing first-hand why people can get lost in care – why they might stop taking medication or attending appointments – and this is an area I’d really like to work in.

A supportive, collaborative study environment

Bath has been a brilliant place to study. The dedicated psychology building is a great resource, with postgraduate workspaces and plenty of room.

Our cohort is around 30 students, so it’s easy to access support from lecturers – I’ve had a few really helpful one-to-one meetings.

The forums have also been fantastic for shared learning – often someone asks a question I was wondering about, and there’s already a useful answer.

Our cohort is quite diverse, with students from different backgrounds and international students too – so you get interesting cultural perspectives on the issues we’re discussing, which adds great value to your experience.

I’m aware of the wider support Bath offers too, for mental and physical help and for academic skills; I fully expect I’ll be making use of that when I hit the anxiety of dissertation stage! It’s reassuring to know it’s there.

Being in beautiful Bath

I’ve continued living in Bristol and travel into Bath for lectures and study time, and now I’m in Cardiff for my placement. I’ve really enjoyed experiencing different cities – it’s broadened my world a bit, and I feel connected to the region both personally and professionally.

Bath is stunningly beautiful, too. The whole city feels like a film set, with its romantic and historic charm, from Roman times to the Georgian era. There’s a great mix of modern and historical, all easily accessible.