The programme is delivered through 8 modules, each developed to encompass the core curriculum required by the British Psychological Society for stage 1 training in health psychology; the programme takes a critical approach to developing student knowledge and understanding of core theoretical concepts and gaps in the knowledge base in this relatively young, but rapidly developing discipline; it is underpinned by a strong emphasis on both psychological investigation and consideration of ethical and professional issues; a major strength of the programme is the coherence of subject matter across modules providing both breadth and depth; for example, chronic pain is explored in depth in 1 module, but is also used as an example in questionnaire design and in examining the complexity of designing and delivering health interventions.