Doctorate in Clinical Psychology
University of Exeter
College of life and Environmental Science
School of Psychology
Washington Singer Laboratories
Perry Road
EXETER
EX4 4QG
Telephone: 01392 722459
Programme Director: Professor Eugene Mullan
Programme Administrator: Mrs Liz Mears
Link to University of Exeter website
Clinical psychology training has been offered at the University of Exeter since 1975, developed through collaboration between local National Health Services (NHS) and the University. We have a commitment to the delivery of a high quality training enabling clinical psychology practitioners to become clinical and research leaders. Successful completion of the doctorate confers chartered clinical psychologist status with the British Psychological Society (BPS) and eligibility to apply for registration with the Health Professions Council (HPC). The programme received ten commendations from the BPS (June 2010) in areas of excellent practice along with HPC recognition as a regulated trainer.
In an era of rapid change in the NHS, our programme has an established number of strengths:
The programme is enhancing its commitment to leadership and psychological therapies training as key components of core competencies for future employment.
The programme is enriched by being an integral part of the College of Life and Environmental Sciences which brings together the complementary disciplines of Biosciences, Geography, Psychology and Sport and Health Sciences (see the School of Psychology website for details of clinical research activities). Psychology has been the lead provider for Increasing Access to Psychological Therapy (IAPT) training in the South West and has recently been awarded the sole provider contract to continue this work, further reinforcing Exeter as a centre of clinical training excellence. The academic programme is designed to support an apprenticeship model of practice-based learning in clinical placement settings. Strong positive links are fostered with the region's clinical psychologists who contribute to teaching and offer a wide range of clinical experience in a variety of settings. Trainees in the 2012 intake will be allocated a placement base within the South West region including Dorset, Somerset or Devon.
We are fortunate to be able to offer a training location with a fine quality of life. The Exeter campus is particularly beautiful and the region offers variety in terms of cities, towns and both rural and coastal areas of outstanding natural beauty. Many leisure pursuits are available in the region including surfing, sailing, walking, theatres, galleries and clubs.
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Applicants must have Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) with the BPS, and should hold at least a 2.1 honours degree. In addition a postgraduate degree would be desirable and strengthen the application.
The programme covers a wide geographical area, consequently a current full driving licence and access to own transport are desirable (this requirement would not necessarily apply to candidates with disabilities). All applicants require a minimum of one year of clinically orientated experience.
The English language ability requirement for entry to the programme is a score of at least 7.0 on IELTS (Health Professions Council Standard of Proficiency 1b.3). If English is not your first language, and your degree was not taught and examined in English, we require you to provide evidence that you meet the HPC standard.
Prospective applicants from overseas should note that current funding for training places is provided by the NHS and is designed to fulfil the requirements for qualified clinical psychologists within the local region. The programme is not, therefore, able to offer places to candidates who do not have UK/EU fees status and who would not intend to practise within the UK on completion of training. However, overseas applicants interested in self-funding please see section on Funding below.
We are actively seeking to widen access to our programme to individuals from a range of backgrounds. We are striving towards a policy of equal opportunities and welcome applications from people regardless of race, gender, culture, sexual orientation, age and disabilities. Candidates with disabilities are welcome to contact us to discuss the programme's capacity to meet their training needs. Please contact the Programme Administrator or the Disabilities Resource Centre (tel: 01392 723880) for further details.
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Generally, qualities we are looking for in candidates are those which are important for success in training and professional life and are derived from the Job Description and Person Specification for trainee clinical psychologists. It is important to note that under Agenda for Change trainee clinical psychologists are banded at the senior practitioner level (Band 6).
Our current practice is for all paper applications to be considered by a short-listing panel comprising members of the programme team and local clinical psychologists. Applicants will be short-listed on the basis of scores on a set of predetermined criteria derived from the job description and person specification for trainee clinical psychologists. Specifically we will be looking for evidence of:
Short-listed candidates will be invited to Exeter for half a day to meet members of the programme team, trainees and service users. They will be required to take part in an interview, give a presentation on a research topic and spend some time in a group setting with people who have experience of services. Candidates will be given a clear brief in advance and as a first taste of the Exeter programme we intend the time you spend with us to be respectful, constructive and supportive. We are keen to have selection procedures that are informed by current thinking on inequalities, have involvement with people who have experience of services, are fair to candidates and enable us to select the strongest candidates. The procedures used may change somewhat from those described above. We are unable to provide individual feedback on paper applications. Written feedback on interview performance will be available on request.
All offers of a place on a course are dependent on satisfactory criminal record and health checks and compliance with health checks will be acted upon.
Exeter will be recruiting for 14 training places in 2012, with Exeter as the main academic base and locality bases in Somerset, Dorset and Devon.
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Financial support is provided by the South West Strategic Health Authority in the form of training salaries. Taunton and Somerset NHS Trust act as the employing trust. They pay University fees and travel expenses; accommodation is provided where necessary when trainees attend the University. Currently trainees are appointed to Agenda for Change Band 6 in accordance with the national pay scale for trainee clinical psychologists. Self-funding places are not currently available although this situation may be subject to change and any updates will be posted on our website.
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The programme consists of three modules, each of which spans the three years ie clinical, academic and research modules. In line with our adult learner philosophy, PBL is a key element in our programme in which trainees are expected to develop as active, collaborative learners working on clinical and research problems in small groups over extended periods of time.
We place an emphasis on core competencies, which span clinical specialisms and theoretical orientations through the academic, research and clinical modules. Our training is informed and enriched by input from our Lived Experience Network and we also consult with a Diversity Advisory Group to inform our approach to social inequalities.
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Placement Setting | Child and family. Disability services. |
Working with adults (working age and beyond). | Research and further experience from a range of specialisms. |
| Level | Working at the systemic and organisational level. Generic and core therapeutic competencies in CBT and systemic. |
Working at the individual and interpersonal level. Specific competencies in CBT and Psycho-dynamic. |
Meta-competencies. Consolidation and specialisation. |
| Core Competencies | Therapeutic relationships (assessment, formulation and introduction to intervention and evaluation). Research design and implementation underpinned by MRC Complex Interventions Framework. Clinical practice reports. |
Intervention (psychological therapies). Individual assessment and formulation. Consultancy/facilitation and supervision. Leadership development within ROP series. |
Management and leadership. Advanced therapeutic intervention skills. |
| Academic/ Research Elements | Systemic/organisational development within the ROP series. Professional issues - the NHS context. Child and family, people with learning difficulties. Small scale service related project and major research planning and design. Professional practice. Personal development. |
Psychological therapies - psychodynamic and CBT. Evidence and values based practice. Adult and older adults. Neuropsychological assessment skills. Major research: ethics and data collection. |
Management and organisation. Supervision and consultancy skills. Advanced and specialist therapy skills. Major research project completion. |
A substantial proportion of available training time is dedicated to clinical placement activity, although it also encompasses research and academic activity. Core competencies will be developed through two placements each spanning one year and a final year placement focusing on consolidation of previous learning and specialisation. Trainees will work with one or more supervisors in each placement year to gather the necessary range and depth of clinical experience. Each trainee will be supported by a clinical tutor who assists with the development and negotiation of supervisory relationships and helps ensure that placements meet trainees' learning needs.
The clinical module is assessed by monitoring and evaluation of the trainees' placement performance through the evaluation of clinical competence by the supervisor, and self-evaluation by trainee; twice a year in the first two years of training and once in the final year. In addition there will be mandatory clinical observation. There is also a "Portfolio of Clinical Experience" completed by trainee, and counter-signed by supervisor, twice a year in the first two years of training and once in the final year.
Learning at Exeter is facilitated through a hybrid model of PBL, which includes lectures and seminars as one resource provided by a combination of local clinicians and national leaders in their field. The academic programme is integrated with the placement structure. In each of the first two years, trainees initially attend the University base for block periods of teaching in Term 1. Thereafter academic learning is integrated with placement involving some stays at the University and some at locality bases. A generous allocation of study time will be given in line with BPS requirements. In Year 3 a Continuous Professional Development (CPD) format in preparation for qualified practice is offered with workshops aimed at developing specialist or advanced practice skills in psychological therapies, leadership and supervision.
Through this module trainees will be encouraged to become research practitioners and critical consumers of clinically relevant research. The module assumes at least a good undergraduate grounding in statistics and research methods. Trainees will be encouraged to develop their critical and analytic skills and deepen their understanding of both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. In Years 2 and 3 trainees have allocated independent research time to pursue their major research project in addition to private study. The research curriculum follows the Complex Interventions Framework to enhance ability of trainees to be applied researchers and leaders in the complex environment of the NHS. Trainees on the Exeter programme are now registered as postgraduate research (PGR) students.
Trainees will complete one PBL exercise involving a critical review of a piece of research with individual and group submissions (Year 1); Undertake a small-scale service related research project (during Year 1); Submit a substantive literature review and research proposal for the major research project (Year 2); Undertake a major research project leading to the submission of a research dissertation (submission and viva in Year 3). Major research is marked by an internal marker with the external examiner taking the lead examiner role.
Feedback is regularly sought from trainees on the quality of teaching, placements and all other aspects of the programme. Trainees meet regularly with staff in trainee-led meetings. All stakeholders, including trainees, are key members of decision-making bodies within the programme. Stakeholders' views are valued highly and influence programme development.
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Progression through the programme requires successful completion of continuously assessed tasks. These are co-ordinated across the three modules so as to ensure a reasonable workload and the programme is currently developing a modular approach to formalise annual progression in line with the NHS Knowledge and Skills gateway framework. These assessed tasks are supplemented with a number of assignments which are assessed formatively. Continuously assessed work is marked by programme staff and other trained clinicians/researchers. It is moderated by the Director for the relevant module and the process is overseen by the External Examiner who sees sample work and feedback.
For details of assessment of the clinical module and research module see the Course Structure section above.
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We take the health and welfare of trainees very seriously and there are a number of support systems and structures in place. Trainees meet regularly on an individual basis with an appraiser who provides an overview of academic/research and clinical development. A clinical tutor provides support for all matters to do with placements and supervision. Trainees are strongly encouraged to have a mentor. Trainees are encouraged to develop "buddy" relationships with second and third year trainees. There is also a reflective group experience which runs for the duration of the programme.
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The programme team and University clinical psychology research group have a wide range of clinical experience and research interest and details can be found on our website.
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