Professional Doctorate in Clinical Psychology

About the course

Our programme is striving towards embedding social justice and anti-racist principles into practice, and we welcome applicants from underrepresented groups.

We are a friendly and supportive staff team, which we feel is integral to creating a collaborative and collegiate learning environment. This is important for assisting trainees through what can be a challenging experience at times but also, we believe, in facilitating trainees to become unique and highly competent clinical psychologists, where personal values and social and cultural background can be integrated with professional development. The programme prepares its graduates for multiple roles in the expanding world of clinical psychology that includes not only therapeutic work, but also supervision, management, applied research, administration, teaching, consultation and public policy making.

Placements are planned across the three years to meet individual training needs and competencies, while preparing trainees for the needs of the NHS workforce. We have a variety of local specialist placements in terms of clinical group (such as paediatric, health, older adults, eating disorders, psychosis) and therapeutic orientation (CBT, systemic, psychodynamic, CAT and neuropsychology). We follow a core competency model of training. This means that all our placements are used across the three years of training to enable you to develop a wide range of competencies.

We provide high-quality teaching in terms of our course content and teaching methods. We integrate feedback from trainees, professional stakeholders and people who are expert by experience . Trainees can participate in committees to shape and continually improve all aspects of the programme. Our innovative teaching methods ensure learning is stimulating, interactive and progressive. These include problem-based learning (PBL), small group work, peer-led and cross-cohort learning, and using the University's high-tech simulation suites for simulation training. Our trainees have the opportunity to engage in training on organisational and systemic influence and leadership.

A 2:1 honours degree (or equivalent). Applicants with a 2:2 degree will be considered if they can demonstrate this is unrepresentative of their academic potential, and have demonstrated further academic capability, such as strong performance in a relevant, academically-oriented higher degree. Extenuating circumstances impacting on degree results will also be considered. If applicants have undertaken a PGDip conversion course, then they need to have included psychology modules on their undergraduate degree and achieved a mark equivalent to or above a 2:1 or 60% on that degree. If applicants have undertaken a masters conversion course, then they need to have achieved above 60%. Candidates must have a commitment to working in the NHS, ideally within the local regions of Essex, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. It is important that those who accept places on the course are prepared to travel to placements, which are sited across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Essex. Candidates are expected to show understanding of professional issues for Clinical Psychologists in the UK, and to demonstrate personal qualities and interpersonal skills suitable to the role.