Supplementary regulations for the Degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy) from September 2019

1.1   A candidate for the Doctor of Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy) degree must:

(a)   Be a graduate of this or any other approved university holding a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology or an equivalent subject recognised by the British Psychological Society (BPS) as conferring Graduate Basis for Chartership. This will normally be a first or upper second class honours but candidates with a lower second-class honours degree or other equivalent qualification may be considered if they have a postgraduate degree at Masters level or higher. The only entry to the programme is at the beginning of Year 1. There is no provision for advanced entry based on Recognition of Other Learning (ROL) or Recognition of Experiential Learning (ROEL).

(b)   Meet the essential characteristics of the NHS person specification for a Clinical Psychologist in Training and course specification.

(c)   Have the personal and intellectual resources to pursue a challenging and demanding research oriented programme.

(d)   Have previous supervised practical experience relevant to clinical training.

(e)   The programme covers a wide geographical area and teaching is provided at both the University of Nottingham (UoN) and the University of Lincoln (UoL) (the universities). It is therefore a requirement that students are able to make their own personal arrangements to travel to and from the universities and their respective work placements. Students should expect to have to travel for at least 3 hours a day (e.g. between universities and from base to placement).

(f)   Candidates will be subject to an interview process and must complete Disclosure and Barring Scheme checks and health checks for acceptability as an NHS employee.

(g)   Applicants whose first language is not English and who have not previously studied in Higher Education in English, must as a minimum, have one of the following:

• • A British Council IELTS overall minimum score of 7.5 with no element below 7.0, achieved no more than 2 years prior to admission.
  • Pearson Test of English Academic 73 (minimum 67).
  • CELE pre-sessional course final assessment of “Pass with High Distinction”

2.1   A candidate for the degree of DClinPsy must have pursued at one of the universities a full-time course of study comprising a taught component, clinical placements and one research project. Completion of the DClinPsy programme requires a minimum of 3 years of full-time supervised study.

2.2   The universities’ Regulations for Taught Masters Degrees, Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate courses shall apply with regard to satisfactory progression on the taught element of the degree. All modules on the programme are compulsory and non-compensatable. For more information, please consult the following:

Postgraduate Taught study regulations

University of Lincoln - Undergraduate regulations

2.3   Students on the DClinPsy programme are called ‘trainees’. Each trainee on the programme is enrolled at both the University of Lincoln and the University of Nottingham, and on successful completion shall be awarded the degree by one or other of the universities.

2.4   The University of Nottingham’s Fitness to Practise procedures, as set out at Annex C, shall apply to all trainees. Annexes B, D, E, F and G specify which of the two universities’ regulations shall be followed in respect of Extenuating Circumstances; Student Complaints; Academic Offences (UoL)/Misconduct (UoN); Academic Appeals; and Student Conduct and Discipline.

3.1   Structure of Awards

The standard modules in the DClinPsy award are multiples of 5 credit points, as appropriate to the level of study, with 1 credit point equating to 10 notional learning hours. The modules will be at Master (M) or Doctoral (D) level according to the table below:

Table of award, tariff and notional learning hours

Award	Tariff (level)	Notional Learning Hours
The Doctorate in Clinical Psychology	540 (M/D)	5,400
Masters Degree in Applied Psychology (available as an exit award only)	180 (M/D) These credits contribute towards the credits for the award of the doctorate	1,800

 

3.1   The programme shall be structured according to the following principles:

(a)   180 credits of taught provision

(b)   80 credits of placement/taught provision

(c)   280 credits of research project provision resulting in production of Research Project Portfolio (maximum 45,000 words plus appendices, etc)

(d)   180 credits / 6 modules designated as taught and 280 credits / 3 modules designated as research.

(e)   100 credits at Level 7; the remaining 440 credits being at Level 8.

A description of the programme structure is at Annex A

4.1   Compensation cannot be offered for failure of any component within a module.

4.2   All placement assessments are graded on a pass or fail basis.

4.3   Where no formal extension has been agreed, a late submission will be deemed a failed submission.

4.4   All placements are assessed by the trainee’s supervisor, Clinical Tutor and, where appropriate, Co-Director (Clinical Practice). Supervisor assessments for taught placements are regarded as recommendations to the Programme Directors with the final decision to pass or fail the placement made by the Board of Examiners.

5.1    Trainees who have failed modules shall be offered one opportunity to be reassessed with the following exceptions:

 

5.1.1   Taught Modules

Taught modules assessed by a Practice Based Learning Assessment (PBL): Only one PBL module may be reassessed. If a trainee fails one component or more of a second PBL module assessed by a PBL assessment, no further reassessment will be allowed and the trainee will not be permitted to continue on the programme.

5.1.2   Placement Modules

Placements are assessed by a combination of case studies (written and oral) and clinical assessments. Trainees will be permitted one opportunity to resit one placement module. If a trainee fails one component or more of a second placement module, no further reassessment will be permitted and the trainee will not be permitted to continue on the programme.

(a)   Trainees who require funding to re-sit a placement failed by the clinical assessment will need the agreement of NHS Commissioners to continue funding an extension of the trainee’s employment and studies during the course of the three-year programme (see below).

(b)   Where a trainee requires an extension of the training contract, the University may be asked to confirm that the trainee is expected to satisfactorily complete and is suitable to work as a registered Clinical Psychologist, adhering to the expectations of NHS employment practice.

6.1   The Board of Examiners shall have responsibility for assessment in respect of the taught elements of the programme (see programme structure in Annex A) which will feed into the considerations of the Programme Research Annual Review (RAR) panel which shall have responsibility for assessment of the research elements of the programme and for confirming a student’s entitlement to progression.

6.2    Determination of a student’s entitlement to conferment of the final award shall be the responsibility of the Board of Examiners.

6.3    All meetings of the Board of Examiners are deemed to be held jointly between the universities and no restrictions on the exchange of information shall apply.

6.4    In recognition of the link between academic progression and employment status, the programme may communicate directly with trainees who are in danger of programme failure and thereby of losing their employment. The Programme Directors will have responsibility for informing trainees’ NHS employers of concerns about trainees’ employment status and programme failure.

8.1   The candidate shall submit a Research Project Portfolio for examination, which shall comprise of a draft journal paper, an extended paper (including an updated literature review and extended methods, analysis, results and discussion sections), a critical reflection and a poster.

8.2   The Research Project Portfolio shall be of a standard to indicate the creation and interpretation of new knowledge through original research, which extends the forefront of the discipline. The work reported shall be of a quality to satisfy peer review and merit publication in a scientific journal.

8.3   Candidates will submit their Research Project Portfolios in February of their third year of training, to be examined viva voce by May that year. Candidates who miss the February deadline can only next submit their portfolio in June, to have their viva voce examination in September. Precise dates will be published at the beginning of each academic year. Candidates who submit after June will have their viva voce examination conducted in line with the timeframes specified in university regulations.

9.1    The Examiners may recommend the following outcomes of examination for candidates:

• Pass the research component of the degree
• Pass the research component of the degree subject to minor corrections within one month
• Pass the research component of the degree subject to minor amendments to be completed within three months
• Require the candidate to attend for a second viva voce examination and resubmit the same portfolio (which may be subject to minor amendments to be completed within three months)
• Require the candidate to resubmit the portfolio in a revised form within twelve months with or without attending a second viva voce examination
• Fail the research component of the degree with no further opportunity for resubmission.

1.1   The degree of DClinPsy will be conferred on candidates who:

a)   have successfully completed the taught component of the programme, and

b)   have satisfied the Examiners as to the standard of the Research Project Portfolio, and

c)   have achieved all standards of proficiency required by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and core competencies required by the BPS, and

d)   have supplied all raw data for the research portfolio to the school administrators, and

e)   have obtained confirmation from the primary research supervisor that they have prepared a submission ready journal paper, and 

f)   are not subject to any Fitness to Practise Proceedings.

1.2  The DClinPsy degree is awarded as a simple Pass, without classification or distinction/merit categories.

11.1    A candidate for the degree of DClinPsy who achieves less than 540 but 180 or more credits may be eligible for the award of Master of Science Degree in Applied Psychology. To be awarded this MSc trainees must have successfully completed a total of 180 Level (M, D) credits with at least 60 credits from research modules.

11.2    There is no provision for the award of a Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma.

Table of module details

Year	Module Acronym	Title of Module	Level	Semester	Credits	Module Type
1	PRS	Professional Skills	7	1	40	Academic
	ICI	Individual Client Interventions	7	1 & 2	40	Academic
	FPA	Foundation Placement A: (placement activity)	7	1	Essential placement activity not credit rated	Placement
	FPB	Foundation Placement B: (Placement activity and case study)	7	2	Essential placement activity not credit rated Case study 20 credits	Placement
	ERA	Research Ethics & Design	8	1	80	Research
		Research Systematic Literature Review		2
2	LSD	Lifespan Development	8	1	20	Academic
	ISO	Integration & Specialist Options	8	2	40	Academic
	SYP	Second Year Placement – A	8	1	Essential placement activity not credit rated Case study 20 credits	Placement
		Second Year Placement – B	8	2		Placement
	BRM	Data collection & analysis, APEs	8	1 & 2	100	Research
3	BRP	Research Portfolio and Viva	8	1 & 2	100	Research
	FGI	Families, Groups & Indirect Work	8	1	20	Academic
	SOS	Systems and Organisations	8	2	20	Academic
	TYP	Third Year Placement - Specialist	8	1 or 2	Essential placement activity not credit rated Two case studies 40 credits	Placement
		Third Year Placement - Final	8	1 or 2		Placement

The Extenuating Circumstances regulations of the University of Lincoln shall apply to this programme. These regulations can be accessed via:

University of Lincoln - Extenuating Circumstances

Extensions and Extenuating Circumstances Policy

As Health Service professional and full-time NHS employees, trainees have an obligation to be aware of any impairment to their fitness to work. This extends to academic work and the completion of assessments and assignments. If the submission of any assignment is likely to be adversely affected through illness or other significant personal circumstances outside their control, trainees must ask for an extension in advance of the submission date using the Extension Request Form.

Extensions of up to two weeks can be agreed by the module convenor/module co- ordinator.

Extensions of more than two weeks require the approval of the Co-director (Practice Learning) for Clinical Practice Reports or of the Co-director (Academic and Research) for all other assignments.

Trainees who require a prolonged extension would normally be required to interrupt their studies.

Where trainees are aware of a disability or long-term medical condition, or other circumstances that are expected to have an impact on their performance in assessment, they should make their Personal Tutor aware of their disability or long-term medical condition at the earliest possible opportunity so that appropriate arrangements can be put in place.

Where trainees are aware of circumstances beyond their control that might adversely affect the submission of their Research Project Portfolio, they should inform their academic supervisor at the earliest opportunity, so that alternative hand-in dates can be agreed.

Claims for extenuating circumstances after the submission date for an assignment has passed would normally raise a concern about the trainee’s fitness to practise, as they should have been aware of their impaired performance and requested an extension. In such a case, the module convenor / module co-ordinator would normally complete a Concern Form (see Fitness to Practise Procedure). Trainees who wish claim extenuating circumstances should complete and sign the relevant form and submit it to the Extenuating Circumstances Panel of the University of Lincoln.

The Extenuating Circumstances Panel will consider the claim and supporting documentation at their next regular meeting and determine whether extenuating circumstances obtain and whether the trainee’s reasons for not having sought an extension are valid. The Extenuating Circumstances Panel will communicate its decision to the Chair of the Trent DClinPsy Board of Examiners. The decision whether to allow a resubmission of an assignment because of extenuating circumstances rests with the Board of Examiners.

The Fitness to Practise regulations of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the University of Nottingham shall apply to this programme, subject to the following adjustments:

The term ‘trainee’ shall be used throughout in preference to that of ‘student’.

Concerns that a trainee may not be fit to practise Clinical Psychology shall be made to the Programme Co-Director at the trainee’s degree-awarding university.

References to ‘the head of studies’ shall be read as referring to the relevant Programme Co-Director.

In the section headed ‘Investigations’, the reference to “the University’s Occupational Health Service” shall be read as referring to the trainee’s employer’s Occupational Health Service.

These regulations can be accessed via:

Registration, attendance and study

The current form of the regulations, as they apply to the programme are as follows: Fitness to Practise Procedure

1.   Initiation of the Procedure

1.1.   Any concerns that a trainee may have acted in such a way or may suffer from a health problem which may render that trainee a person not fit to be admitted to and practise Clinical Psychology should be disclosed to the Programme Co- Director at the trainee’s degree awarding university.

1.2.   The disclosure should normally be made in writing using the concern form. In cases where the initial disclosure is not in the concern form format e.g. notification of criminal conviction, then the relevant Co-director should ensure that a concern form containing the disclosure is completed. The person making the disclosure must identify themselves; disclosures which are raised anonymously will not normally be considered. In exceptional circumstances the discloser’s identity may be permitted to remain confidential.

1.3.   The raising of a concern form does not usually indicate a fitness to practise issue. However, the existence of multiple concern forms may show a pattern which does indicate a fitness to practise issue. Therefore on the receipt of an individual concern form which on its own does not raise a fitness to practise issue the Co- directors, should jointly review whether other concern forms have been raised, which when all considered together raise issues regarding the trainee’s fitness to practise, e.g. professional behaviour.

1.4.   Where there are concerns that are serious then a trainee may be excluded from clinical placements by their Clinical Tutor on advice of the Co-directors. Some examples of a serious concern would include, but not as an exclusive list, situations where:

• • patients may be placed at risk or;
  • the profession might be brought into disrepute by the public knowing that the trainee remained in a clinical environment or;
  • that a trainee’s conduct was deemed to be disruptive to the delivery of clinical care or clinical teaching  in a partner, usually NHS, organisation.

Concerns may be such that trainees can be suspended from their course with immediate effect by the Dean or by the head of studies. If this decision is based on a concern related to discipline or health and safety then appropriate procedures as set out within the Code of Discipline for Students and the Quality Manual should be followed.

If trainees are allowed to return from suspension, they will be expected to comply with any conditions decided by the School or imposed as part of the outcome of any other procedure.

1.5.   A trainee will not be allowed to graduate from either University if they are subject to a fitness to practise investigation or hearing which has not been completed.

2.  Investigations

2.1.   On receipt of a disclosure which gives rise to a fitness to practise concern, the relevant Co-director shall promptly, and normally within 5 working days, arrange for the matter to be investigated and shall notify the trainee of the following:

8.  Appeals

8.1  The trainee may appeal to the University’s Academic Appeals Committee  against any warning or sanction imposed by the Fitness to Practise Committee.

8.2  The policy and procedure for an appeal are set out in the Quality  Manual.

9.  Confidentiality

The personal data of trainees will be processed by the University in compliance with the Data Protection Act. However, it may be necessary to pass personal information to other organisations such as the NHS, professional accrediting bodies or other institutes of higher education where there is a real issue about a trainee's fitness to practise and where this represents a risk to patients or members of the public.

The investigation and determination of complaints shall follow the Complaints Procedures of the University directly responsible for the matters or persons or events complained of, and which has the authority to provide remedies where the complaints are upheld.

Where a complaint contains substantive elements relating to both universities, investigation and determination shall follow the Complaints Procedures of the trainee’s degree-awarding university, and the other university shall provide full co-operation.

These regulations can be accessed via:

University of Lincoln - Student Complaints

Concerns, complaints and appeals

The Academic Offences Policy of the trainee’s degree awarding University shall apply to this programme. These regulations can be accessed via:

University of Lincoln - Academic Offences

Policy on academic misconduct

The Academic Appeals Policy of the trainee’s degree awarding University shall apply to this programme. These regulations can be accessed via:

University of Lincoln - Academic Reviews and Appeals

Policy on academic appeals

The Conduct and Discipline Policy of the trainee’s degree awarding University shall apply to this programme. These regulations can be accessed via:

University of Lincoln -Student Conduct and Discipline

Student Services - Regulations