Professional Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (ClinPsyD)
University of East London
Clinical Psychology Centre
Water Lane
Stratford
LONDON
E15 4LZ
Telephone: 020 8223 4174
Programme Administrator: Ms Claire Wickham
Link to University of East London website
The programme was established in 1975 and is housed within the School of Psychology of the University of East London's rapidly developing Stratford Campus. The School is one of the largest in the UK, covering all the main areas of psychology. In addition to the Doctoral Degree in Clinical Psychology, professional training at Doctoral level is offered in Educational, Counselling and Occupational Psychology, and at Master's level in Careers Guidance, and Counselling and Psychotherapy.
Training at UEL is seen as a collaborative venture between the University and clinical psychologists in the North Thames region, who, in addition to supervising trainees' clinical practice are also closely involved in programme selection procedures, teaching, assessment, and management. The long history of the Programme, together with a good retention rate of trainees within the region, has helped create effective working relationships with local NHS psychologists. It enjoys an extensive range of placement resources, particularly in specialist areas. There is an emphasis on reflexive practice and a serious commitment to equal opportunities, both in clinical practice and in the curriculum. Trainees are actively involved in all aspects of programme organisation.
The programme is characterised by a distinctive approach to its subject matter. As well as providing teaching on the major approaches to clinical psychology theory and practice, it examines the philosophical bases of scientific activity, and problems in applying philosophies and methods from the natural sciences to human behaviour. It strongly encourages the understanding of psychological problems by reference not so much to diagnostic categories as to social context, with intervention justified in the light of this sort of formulation rather than authorised by "guidelines". Its key orienting principles are: (1) that psychological problems are best understood in a social and cultural context, and (2) that trainees and those who teach and supervise them have a responsibility to be aware of and to be able to reflect upon, the social, professional and personal influences on their professional activities.
These principles imply values and assumptions that permeate the programme and that we seek to develop in staff, supervisors and trainees. They include: (1) those values set out in relevant professional Codes of Conduct; (2) the development of a scholarly and constructively critical approach to clinical psychology theory, research and services, which includes being aware of a wide range of theory and of research evidence and its evaluation, placing strong value upon listening to the views of service users and seeing clients' strengths and resources as fundamental to any collaborative work; (3) a commitment to valuing diversity in staff and trainees; (4) a commitment from programme staff, supervisors and trainees to ensure that such diversity enhances the training experience for all.
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Applicants must hold an honours degree of at least a 2.1 level which is acceptable to the British Psychological Society as conferring Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership. They must also be acceptable to the National Health Service as clinical psychologists in an employed capacity, including current regulations of the employing NHS Trust.
If English is not your first language and your university qualifications were not taught and examined in English, you will need to provide evidence that you have an adequate level of English language ability.
The Programme recognises that diversity in trainee cohorts strengthens and enhances the training experience for all, providing an impetus to and a resource for meeting the needs of all trainees. The University operates an equal opportunities policy and no applicant is discriminated against on grounds of ethnicity, creed, gender, sexual orientation, physical disability or age. Candidates with disabilities are welcome to get in contact for discussion before application. Commitment to diversity is also seen in the programme's use of the Disability Service at UEL, its support scheme for black and minority ethnic trainees, and its involvement in the region-wide support system for lesbian, gay and bisexual trainees.
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Each application is initially screened by Programme staff regarding academic qualifications, relevant occupational experience, motivation, realism and letters of reference. Satisfactory application forms are then rated by pairs of NHS clinical psychologists on similar criteria plus any specialised factors such as special expertise with a priority client group. This is a global rating of desirability to interview, and within each rating category, applications are ranked. Approximately 90 candidates are thus short-listed for interview. With the invitation for interview are sent copies of the current Programme Handbook, Guidelines for interviewees, current Trainee feedback on the programme, an information sheet from the Programme Director and the Clinical Director, and general University information. During the interview procedure, two individual interviews are conducted by the same panel, comprising a representative of Clinical Supervisors, of Clinical Tutors and of academic staff. The interviews last approximately 25 minutes each, one slanted towards academic and research aspects, the other geared more towards personal and clinical experience. In addition, the procedure includes free and informal talk with current trainees and the opportunity to see around the University's School of Psychology and its academic and technical facilities. At the end of the selection interview days, a plenary meeting of all interviewers takes place, and on the basis of interview ratings and of interviewers' comments, offer and reserve list places are decided. For all interviewees whose interview evaluation does not permit us to put them on the offer list or the reserve list, detailed feedback from their interview panel is written into their outcome letter. Offer and reserve list candidates are given similar information upon telephone request to the Admissions Tutor.
All offers of a place on a course are dependent on satisfactory criminal record and health checks.
Copies of the criteria for selection are available on request from the Programme Administrator as an email attachment.
Please note the selection procedure at UEL is under review, more information will be available on our website by early September.
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Trainees are NHS employees within the North Thames region, on a fixed-term three-year contract, with university fees paid, and with associated NHS salaries (starting Band 6, point 21 on current information), annual leave entitlement etc. For the 2011 intake, 29 trainee clinical psychologist posts were allocated. There are no self-funded places available. Since all funding (including fees) is provided by the UK NHS, the Programme is not in a position to offer places to candidates who do not have residency within the UK, or who would not intend to practise within the UK on completion of training.
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The academic teaching has seven major aims:
The academic curriculum is divided into three main modules, one per year of the programme.
Module 1 includes components addressing (1) Clinical Psychology and Epistemology; (2) Assessment Competencies; (3) Working with Adults and Older Adults; (4) Neuropsychology; (5) Individual and Direct Interventions.
Module 2 includes components addressing (6) Research Theory and Methods; (7) Working with Children; (8) Working with people with Learning Difficulties; (9) Work in Health and Social Care Settings; (10) Systemic and Indirect Interventions.
Module 3 includes components addressing (11) Supervision and Consultation; (12) Leadership and Organisation Change; (13) Health and Social Care Policy, Prevention and Promotion.
All modules include skills components addressing (a) Linking Theory and Practice; (b) Personal and Professional Development; and (c) Social Inequalities and Clinical Psychology.
This is designed for the first year only, and takes place in the first five weeks of the programme. Its aims are to introduce the students to each other and to tutors, to familiarise them with the structure of the programme and of psychological services in the region, to discuss professional and other issues that will arise early in the placement, and to teach some basic knowledge and skills in assessment and intervention. The contents of the Induction include: Introduction to the Programme and to the North Thames region; drawing up placement contracts; planning interviews; listening skills; teaching basic anxiety-management; use of library and electronic information equipment; writing letters and reports; working with people from different cultures; and research skills for Service Related Research project. The Induction also includes parts of the Adult Specialist Unit, in recognition of the fact that most trainees commence clinical placement experience in an adult mental health setting.
Within the competency-based model of training, trainees' clinical experience on placement enables them to develop a continuous accumulation of the competencies they need to gain. This is achieved by flexible use of a series of six-month and one-year placements, working with a wide range of service users across the life-span. The programme's Clinical Tutors organise placements and supervision for trainees, and facilitate their progress. In conjunction with them, with clinical supervisors, and with their designated Personal Tutor, trainees achieve the planning and monitoring of their own developing clinical skills.
The service-related research project is completed in Year 1 and must have a service oriented focus. The clinical research thesis is submitted in the summer of Year 3, from research devised and conducted between Years 2 and 3. Topics for this research may be individually chosen, or the result of interaction with ongoing research interests of programme staff and/or regional clinical psychologists. This stream of research activity is co-ordinated by the Research Director, with supervisory resources drawn from university staff and regional clinical psychologists.
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In the first year, placement supervisors supply Ratings of Clinical Work for each trainee, while at the University one Academic Essay and one Practical Report must be completed and trainees sit one Examination. In Year 2, placement supervisors again give Ratings of Clinical Work, and at the University trainees sit two Examinations, complete one Practical Report and one Report of a piece of Service-Related Research carried out while on placement in Year 1. In the final year, Clinical Ratings are again made, and trainees submit a Clinical Research Thesis and two Practical Reports. An external and an internal examiner read the thesis and examine the candidate viva voce, following university postgraduate research regulations.
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The Programme espouses a "learner-led" model and seeks to develop the trainees' own learning skills throughout the three years. We recognise that learning is facilitated by the availability of personal support systems. In practice, this involves:
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The Programme Committee is the programme's main decision-making body and consists of the Programme Director, Academic Tutors, Clinical Tutors, Student Representatives (one per year); Clinical Supervisor Representatives; Heads of Service Representative; and a Representative from the programme's NHS commissioners (Clinical Psychology Sub Group of NHS London Strategic Health Authority). The Programme Committee has three main subcommittees - for Selection, Placements, and the Curriculum - with trainee representation on each.
The Programme is under the direction of the Programme Director, Professor Mark Rapley, with
Dr Martyn Baker - Deputy Programme Director and Admissions Tutor
Dr Katy Berg - Clinical Tutor
Dr Zoe Berger - Clinical Tutor
Dr Maria Castro - Senior Lecturer
Dr Sarah Davidson - Deputy Clinical Director
Dr Kenneth Gannon - Research Director
Dr David Harper - Reader
Dr Matthew Jones Chesters - Academic Director
Dr Paula Magee - Clinical Tutor
Dr Nimisha Patel - Reader
Dr Neil Rees - Clinical Director
Dr Rachel Smith - Clinical Tutor
Mrs Ruth Wacholder - Clinical Tutor
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