Last Updated on 08/08/2024
Assessment on the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology is guided by a number of different frameworks including the Health and Care Professions Council’s (HCPC’s) standards of education and training and standards of proficiency, the British Psychological Society’s (BPS’s) standards for the accreditation of Doctoral programmes in clinical psychology and Lancaster University’s manual of academic regulations and procedures. Links to all relevant documentation are included at the end of this section.
The programme’s assessment strategy is developed and monitored by the Assessment Team. . The role of the Assessment Team is to oversee the monitoring and review of each academic assignment, and to develop the framework of academic assessment to best fit trainee competencies.
Each assignment is reviewed annually by the Assessment Team. After main submission point and marking of the assignment, the coordinators for each assignment submit a report for discussion by the Assessment Team on the process of the assignment, including feedback from external examiners and other stakeholders. Any proposed changes to assignments are initially discussed by the Assessment Team then brought to the Programme Forum for consultation and information.
The programme’s assessment strategies are informed by the HCPC’s standards of proficiency for practitioner psychologists and the BPS’s learning outcomes and objectives. Evidence within specific assessment domains is collected and rated for each assignment. This approach to assessment means that each competency or domain (e.g., critical analysis & synthesis) will be assessed repeatedly throughout training but the way trainees are required to demonstrate these will vary according to the specific assignment.
It should be noted that only by successfully completing the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology can trainees become eligible to apply to the HCPC to be registered as a clinical psychologist. Furthermore, only HCPC approved programmes can confer eligibility to apply for HCPC registration. The programme does not offer any other route except to the full award of the doctorate in clinical psychology: no aegrotat award is offered.
The HCPC Standards of Proficiency for practitioner psychologists
HCPC Standards of education and training
BPS Standards for the accreditation of Doctoral programmes in clinical psychology
Manual of Academic Regulations and Procedures (MARP)