Clinical Psychology DClinPsy

This module introduces you to the theoretical foundations and key skills that will be needed for your first clinical placement. There is a particular emphasis on establishing an understanding of, and competences in, assessing and formulating clinical casework from cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) perspectives and introducing students to alternative evidence-based practice (EBP) models. 

This module is worth 30 credits.

This module provides you with the theoretical foundations to understand the phenomenology of problems commonly referred to clinical psychology services. You will develop the key skills for planning and delivering cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) interventions with individual clients, based specifically on models of engagement and change of CBT and other psychological evidence-based practice models.

This module is worth 30 credits.

These modules span the full first year of the programme and account for one clinical placement experience. It is designed to support you to apply learning in the first-year taught modules (CPS & TWI) by establishing core clinical skills. You will learn to make theory-practice links and to assessment, formulate and intervene with psychological distress. You will get experience of the NHS services in which clinical psychology is practiced and you will learn, initially by observation, the role of a practicing clinical psychologist.

These modules total 30 credits.

This module lays the foundation for the research component of the programme by introducing students to:

• the most influential study designs used in clinical psychology
• theoretical and practical aspects of systematically searching relevant literature to answer specific clinical and research questions
• and conducting applied research in healthcare settings

In the first part of the module you will develop:

• a defensible plan for a doctoral-level research project
• skills for writing formal research proposals for university and/or NHS ethics committees, including principles of ethical research and the requirements of the HCPC, BPS and other bodies as appropriate
• literature searching and synthesis skills

You'll also have an opportunity to further your research project by undertaking a systematic review of the literature in their chosen area of interest. The systematic literature review results in a publication-ready paper which becomes a component of the final research project portfolio (BRP).

This module is the first step you'll take towards the completion of your research project portfolio and submission-ready journal papers.

This module is worth 90 credits.

In this module you will be introduced to a developmental perspective that tracks an individual across the lifespan, taking account of the diversity of different developmental trajectories, and consolidates knowledge and skills acquired in previous modules by framing these within the evolving challenges faced by individuals as they progress from birth to old age. The module complements the adult focus of CPS and TWI by emphasising common clinical problem presentations of infants, children, adolescents and older adults. 

This module is worth 30 credits.

This module builds on previous skills and knowledge about working with people as a clinical psychologist and prepares you for developing specialist interests in your third year. You will develop an understanding of why people change, or fail to change in response to intervention. You will have a choice of contemporary evidence-based theoretical models. The range of options will depend on the availability of local expertise and may vary from year to year. Minimum and maximum numbers of students on each option will be specified to ensure economic viability. You will compare and contrast these with mainstream CBT in order to develop a synthesis which you can apply critically in an integrative or trans-theoretical framework to work with complex clients.

This module is worth 30 credits.

The focus of these modules is acquiring skills and applying clinical psychology expertise across the human life span and spectrum of diversity, complementing the taught LSD module. During second-year placements, you will normally work in two different service settings and extend the knowledge and competencies acquired in the Foundation Placement modules through work with services dedicated to different age groups, clients with divergent developmental pathways and those with disabilities.

In addition, you'll develop competencies in relation to people who present more complex clinical problems and circumstances where greater consideration has to be given to intervening with couples, families, groups and indirectly through others. You'll be encouraged to contemplate client groups, service settings and EBP alternatives to CBT that interest you, for which the taught ISO module provides the theoretical foundations. Additionally, you'll have opportunities for working in the NHS and in other complex organisations, such as schools, social services, residential care and institutions to develop proficient knowledge of specialised interventions for targeted client groups.

You'll have two different, separately assessed placements, which can occur in any order, in two separate service settings with two different client groups. For example children, learning difficulties, and older adults. You will spend sufficient time to achieve competencies for each client group.

Note: This module contains two Practice Learning Placements, which count separately for calculating the maximum number of permitted resubmissions.

These modules total 30 credits.

This module builds on the research skills developed in the first year research module (ROD) and allows you to apply those skills to real-world small-scale research, whilst also gathering data for your final research portfolio submitted in RAP.

You will design and implement a research design strategy to address a clinical service provision issue. Your small-scale study must generate new knowledge and have potential to help to improve the way services are delivered.

This module is worth 90 credits.

This module changes focus from the individual to the individual within a couple, family or other small group system and introduces you to the theoretical foundations of working with larger modules, such as families, couples and groups. You'll consider the nature of problems for which multi-person interventions are most appropriate. The module progresses to the application of clinical psychology theory and practice to develop the skills of assessing, formulating and intervening indirectly through third parties such as other family members, care staff, and multi-disciplinary teams.

This module is worth 30 credits.

This module builds on the skills and knowledge about individuals, groups and families and competencies in an indirect intervention. You'll develop a sophisticated framework to understand, and the skills needed to influence, systems and organisations. The emphasis in this module is on the organisational contexts within which clinical psychologists work, particularly in the NHS, but also in Local Authority, education, forensic and third sector agencies.

This module is worth 30 credits.

These modules provide you with the opportunity to develop expertise in a specialised theoretical approach or with a particular client group or in a novel setting. If the focus of the placement is on a specialised theoretical approach, you will be expected to become familiar with the application of an EBP approach other than CBT or the application of an advanced or modified CBT approach.

You'll also have the opportunity to complete any outstanding clinical practice related to Standards of Proficiency required for Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) approval and any placement competencies and experiences required for British Psychological Society (BPS) Chartered Clinical Psychologist status, which have not been achieved previously.

Note: This module contains two Practice Learning Placements, which count separately for calculating the maximum number of permitted resubmissions.

These modules total 30 credits.

This module builds on the ROD module. You'll report on data collected as a result of research plans developed in year one and submit a portfolio containing:

• a portfolio abstract,
• a journal paper
• a critical appraisal
• an explicit statement of relevance and impact
• reference list

Supportive materials (eg ethics approval, informed consent documentation, interview transcripts, questionnaires, etc) are included in appendices.

You'll defend your thesis at a viva-voce examination conducted by an internal and an external examiner, and make corrections and/or modifications as required by the examiners. You will use feedback to create a publication-ready Revised Journal Paper, which should provide the second publication resulting from their training experience.”

This module is worth 90 credits.