Last Updated on 20/12/2022

2021 intake onwards

Full time route

This table gives a typical outline of the full-time programme as it develops over the three years for each student. The full-time programme structure normally follows this format, although more individualised training plans may become necessary for some trainees.

All Teaching belongs to both a ‘block’ which reflects the current placement and assessment activities the trainee is conducting at that point in the programme, and a thematic ‘strand’ that develops learning over the three years of training.

Clinical Activity Self-directed study time Teaching ‘blocks’:
YEAR ONE
Sept – Oct none 1 day per week Induction teaching programme
Oct – Dec Community Engagement block – trainee engage with local communities in groups 1 day per week Mostly aimed at direct working

– 2 days per week

Jan – Sept Direct working focused placement 1 day per week Mostly aimed at direct working – 1 day per week
YEAR TWO
Oct – Dec Project block – trainees engage in group service development activity 1 day per week Mostly aimed at indirect ways of working, consultation and supervision
Jan – Sep Indirect working focused placement 1 day per week Mostly aimed at indirect ways of working, consultation and supervision
YEAR THREE
Oct – Dec Community Psychology activity block 1 day per week. From October until thesis hand in (March) there are 30 additional bookable study days which trainees may take in a flexible manner as best suits their research needs. This needs to be discussed and agreed in advance with research and clinical tutors as well as third year placement supervisors. Mostly focused on advanced clinical skills and practice, influencing and leadership.  1 day per week
Jan- Aug Influencing and leadership-focussed placement 1 day per week until the end of May, then one day per fortnight from the start of June through to the end of the training contract Mostly focused on advanced clinical skills and practice, influencing and leadership. 1 day per week until the end of May, then one day per fortnight from the start of June through to the end of the training contract.
Teaching thematic ‘strands’: Teaching that forms part of each strand listed take place across the three years of training.
  • Assignment Preparation
  • Therapy – Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
  • Therapy – Systemic Practice
  • Therapy – Cognitive Analytic Therapy
  • Professional Influencing
  • Leadership
  • Physical Health & Cognitive Development
  • Quality Assurance
  • Research
  • Themes of Clinical Practice

Through the three-year training, trainees acquire core competencies that span the roles expected of a clinical psychologist. These not only relate to the ability to work individually and with other key professionals and carers, with clients across the life span, across client ability and in a range of clinical settings, but also include skills in leadership, consultancy and service development.

This competency acquisition is achieved through organising teaching so that it reflects the focus of trainee placements and assessed work activity at any given point of the programme. However, learning and teaching is also co-ordinated thematically in ‘strands’ to ensure a coherent developmental approach. More detail on the strands can be found in the document below.

The programme specifically enables students to develop academic and research competencies at a level commensurate with a doctoral level degree and related to those skills and abilities necessary to have the Standards of Proficiency (SoP) for a clinical psychologist as set out by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Within work during placements, as well as academic activity outside of placements, the programme fosters students’ ability to appraise evidence critically and modify practice appropriately.

Part time route

This table gives a typical outline of the part time programme as it develops over the 4 years and 4 months for each student. The part time programme structure normally follows this format, although more individualised training plans may become necessary for some trainees.

All Teaching belongs to both a ‘block’ which reflects the current placement and assessment activities the trainee is conducting at that point in the programme, and a thematic ‘strand’ that develops learning over the 4 years 4 months of training.

Clinical Activity Self-directed study time Teaching ‘blocks’:
YEAR ONE
Sept – Oct none 0.5 days per week Induction teaching programme
Oct – Dec Community Engagement block – trainee engage with local communities in groups 0.5 days per week Mostly aimed at direct working

– 2 days per week

Jan – Sept Direct working focused placement 0.5 days per week Mostly aimed at direct working – 1 day per week
YEAR TWO
Oct – Jan Direct working focused placement 0.5 days per week Mostly aimed at indirect ways of working, consultation and supervision
Feb – May Project block – trainees engage in group service development activity 1 day per week Mostly aimed at indirect ways of working, consultation and supervision
June None Thesis study 2.5 days per week Mostly aimed at indirect ways of working, consultation and supervision
July – Sep Indirect working focused placement Mostly aimed at indirect ways of working, consultation and supervision
YEAR THREE
Oct – August Indirect working focused placement 1-1.5 days per week Occasional Professional Development and cross-cohort teaching
YEAR FOUR
Sep None Thesis study 2.5 days per week None
Oct – Dec Community Psychology activity block 0.5 days per week Mostly focused on advanced clinical skills and practice, influencing and leadership. One day per week through to May, then one day per fortnight
Jan – Aug Influencing and leadership-focussed placement 0.5 days per week Mostly focused on advanced clinical skills and practice, influencing and leadership. One day per week through to May, then one day per fortnight
YEAR FOUR
Sep -Dec Influencing and leadership-focussed placement 1 day per week None
Teaching thematic ‘strands’: Teaching that forms part of each strand listed take place across the three years of training.
  • Assignment Preparation
  • Therapy – Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
  • Therapy – Systemic Practice
  • Therapy – Cognitive Analytic Therapy
  • Professional Influencing
  • Leadership
  • Physical Health & Cognitive Development
  • Quality Assurance
  • Research
  • Themes of Clinical Practice

Through the four-year 4-month training, trainees acquire core competencies that span the roles expected of a clinical psychologist. These not only relate to the ability to work individually and with other key professionals and carers, with clients across the life span, across client ability and in a range of clinical settings, but also include skills in leadership, consultancy and service development.

This competency acquisition is achieved through organising teaching so that it reflects the focus of trainee placements and assessed work activity at any given point of the programme. However, learning and teaching is also co-ordinated thematically in ‘strands’ to ensure a coherent developmental approach. More detail on the strands can be found in the document below.

The programme specifically enables students to develop academic and research competencies at a level commensurate with a doctoral level degree and related to those skills and abilities necessary to have the Standards of Proficiency (SoP) for a clinical psychologist as set out by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Within work during placements, as well as academic activity outside of placements, the programme fosters students’ ability to appraise evidence critically and modify practice appropriately.

2020 intake and earlier

Full time route

This table gives a typical outline of the full-time programme as it develops over the three years for each student. The full-time programme structure normally follows this format, although more individualised training plans may become necessary for some trainees.

All Teaching belongs to both a ‘block’ which reflects the current placement and assessment activities the trainee is conducting at that point in the programme, and a thematic ‘strand’ that develops learning over the three years of training.

Clinical Placement: Self-directed study time Teaching ‘blocks’: From April of year one teaching takes place one day each week at University base.
YEAR ONE
Sept – Oct Induction teaching programme
Oct – Mar Children and families
(3 days per week)
1 day per week Mostly aimed at working with children and families.
Apr – Sept Adult mental health
(3 days per week)
1 day per week Mostly aimed at working with adults with mental health problems
YEAR TWO
Oct – Mar Older adults, health psychology or neuropsychology
(3 days per week)
1 day per week Mostly aimed at working with older adults and within health psychology
Apr – Sep Learning disabilities
(3 days per week)
1 day per week Mostly aimed at working with adults with learning disabilities
YEAR THREE
Oct – Aug One long third year placement (3 days per week until May, 4 days per week thereafter) 1 day per week until the end of May, then one day per fortnight from the start of June through to the end of the training contractFrom October until thesis hand in there are 30 additional study days which trainees may take in a flexible manner as best suits their research needs. This needs to be discussed and agreed in advance with research and clinical tutors as well as third year placement supervisors. Mostly focused on advanced clinical skills and practice – 1 day per week until the end of May, then one day per fortnight from the start of June through to the end of the training contract
Teaching thematic ‘strands’: Teaching that forms part of each strand listed take place across the three years of training.
  • Assignment Preparation
  • Therapy – Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
  • Therapy – Systemic Practice
  • Therapy – Cognitive Analytic Therapy
  • Professional Influencing
  • Leadership
  • Physical Health & Cognitive Development
  • Quality Assurance
  • Research
  • Themes of Clinical Practice

Through the three-year training, trainees acquire core competencies that span the roles expected of a clinical psychologist. These not only relate to the ability to work individually and with other key professionals and carers, with clients across the life span, across client ability and in a range of clinical settings, but also include skills in leadership, consultancy and service development.

This competency acquisition is achieved through organising teaching so that it reflects the focus of trainee placements and assessed work activity at any given point of the programme. However, learning and teaching is also co-ordinated thematically in ‘strands’ to ensure a coherent developmental approach. More detail on the strands can be found in the document below.

The programme specifically enables students to develop academic and research competencies at a level commensurate with a doctoral level degree and related to those skills and abilities necessary to have the Standards of Proficiency (SoP) for a clinical psychologist as set out by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Within work during placements, as well as academic activity outside of placements, the programme fosters students’ ability to appraise evidence critically and modify practice appropriately.

Part time route

This table gives a typical outline of the part time programme as it develops over the 4 years and 4 months for each student. The part time programme structure normally follows this format, although more individualised training plans may become necessary for some trainees.

All Teaching belongs to both a ‘block’ which reflects the current placement and assessment activities the trainee is conducting at that point in the programme, and a thematic ‘strand’ that develops learning over the 4 years 4 months of training.

Clinical Placement: Self-directed study time Teaching ‘blocks’: From Oct of year one teaching takes place one day each week at University base.
Sept Yr 1– Oct Yr 1 Induction teaching programme
Oct Yr 1 – June Yr 1 Children and families
(2 days per week)
0.5 day per week Mostly aimed at working with children and families.
July Yr 1 – March Yr 2 Adult mental health
(2 days per week)
0.5 – 1.5 day per week Mostly aimed at working with adults with mental health problems
April Yr 2– Nov Yr 3 Learning Disabilities
(3 days per week)
0.5 day per week Mostly aimed at working with adults with learning disabilities
Dec Yr 3 – Oct Yr 4 Older adults, health or neuropsychology
(3 days per week)
0.5 – 1.5 day per week Mostly aimed at working with older adults and within health psychology.

No teaching March – Aug to allow for thesis study.

Nov Yr 4 – Dec Yr 5 One long third year placement 0.5 day per week until Aug, then 0.5 day per fortnight. There are 30 additional study days which trainees may take in a flexible manner as best suits their research needs; this includes the additional study time between March and Aug during the previous placement – see above. This needs to be discussed and agreed in advance with research and clinical tutors as well as third year placement supervisors. Mostly focused on advanced clinical skills and practice – one day per week Aug until end of Aug the following year
Teaching thematic ‘strands’: Teaching that forms part of each strand listed take place across the three years of training. ·        Assignment Preparation

  • Therapy – Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
  • Therapy – Systemic Practice
  • Therapy – Cognitive Analytic Therapy
  • Professional Influencing
  • Leadership
  • Physical Health & Cognitive Development
  • Quality Assurance
  • Research

·        Themes of Clinical Practice

Through the four year 4 month training, trainees acquire core competencies that span the roles expected of a clinical psychologist. These not only relate to the ability to work individually and with other key professionals and carers, with clients across the life span, across client ability and in a range of clinical settings, but also include skills in leadership, consultancy and service development.

This competency acquisition is achieved through organising teaching so that it reflects the focus of trainee placements and assessed work activity at any given point of the programme. However, learning and teaching is also co-ordinated thematically in ‘strands’ to ensure a coherent developmental approach. More detail on the strands can be found in the document below.

The programme specifically enables students to develop academic and research competencies at a level commensurate with a doctoral level degree and related to those skills and abilities necessary to have the Standards of Proficiency (SoP) for a clinical psychologist as set out by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Within work during placements, as well as academic activity outside of placements, the programme fosters students’ ability to appraise evidence critically and modify practice appropriately.

Brief description and key to strands of teaching