Course Overview
Our aim in training is to strike a balance between the interests of the individual trainee, formal professional training requirements, academic requirements appropriate for a doctoral level qualification, and the broader and developing needs of a clinical psychologist within the National Health Service.
Academic Structure
The formal academic programme is organised on the basis of (at least) one full day teaching per week. In addition, trainees normally receive one full day per week for study and research time. Wherever possible, the content of teaching is coordinated with the nature of the trainees' current clinical placement.
Clinical Structure
Clinical placements are undertaken throughout the three years. Normally, all trainees undertake the same sequence of placements at the same time. It is anticipated that clinical training will start with a placement working with children and families, followed by work with adults, then older adults, and finally people with learning disabilities.
Each of the four placements lasts six months. In the third year, trainees undertake a longer placement of eight to nine months' duration. Course staff visit each supervisor and trainee during placements to discuss progress.
Research
Trainees are required to submit a service-related project and a thesis. The thesis is undertaken throughout the second and third year of training and comprises:
- An ethics committee research proposal
- A literature review, written in academic journal format
- A research paper describing the study, written in academic journal format
- A critical appraisal of the research project
Trainees are encouraged to submit their work to appropriate academic journals. A three-year research teaching curriculum designed to meet the research needs of trainees is integrated into the main teaching programme.
Development and Support
The course uses a number of complementary support systems to facilitate trainees' personal and professional development. In addition to supervision while on placement (including visits from Clinical Tutors) and informal peer support, there is an annual review held with each trainee's research and Clinical Tutors.
The review process provides an opportunity to discuss progress and your individual training needs. The support scheme also offers continuity of contact with two members of the course team over the three years of training. All trainees are invited to take advantage of a personal tutor system, in which all personal tutors are local clinical psychologists.