Doctoral Training Course in Clinical Psychology (D Clin Psy)
Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology
Clinical Psychology Group
University College London
Gower Street
LONDON
WC1E 6BT
Telephone: 020 7679 1897
Fax: 020 7916 1989
Joint Course Directors: Professor Tony Roth and Professor Pasco Fearon
Admissions Tutors: Dr Jenny Jim and Dr Josh Stott
Course Administrator: Ms Julia Curl
Link to North Thames - UCL website
Clinical Psychology training at UCL began in 1987. The Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology (within which the course is sited) has an active research and training programme in clinical and health psychology, though the Doctoral programme represents a substantial part of its activities. Trainees are employed by Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust while they are on the course, and travelling expenses and University fees are paid (see Funding section below).
Our current intake is 40 places per annum.
This three year full-time course aims to enable trainees to develop the academic, clinical and research skills needed to prepare them for practice as professional Clinical Psychologists, eligible to apply for registration with the Health Professions Council and for Chartered Clinical status with the British Psychological Society. The Course is at the forefront of many of the national and local developments and innovations which impact on the profession, and many members of staff are closely involved in NHS planning at both national and local level. We aim to equip trainees with the knowledge and skills they need to become effective clinical practitioners in a rapidly changing NHS. Our guiding principles are the integration of theory with practice, the encouragement of a capacity for independent thinking and reflection, and the fostering of trainees' personal and professional skills. Taken as a whole, teaching and clinical practice should promote the skills essential for the development of evidence-based practitioners. The Course has an explicitly pluralistic ethos and exposes trainees to a variety of approaches. It also encourages practice that demonstrates an awareness of equal opportunities and a sensitivity to the multi-cultural contexts routinely encountered in clinical work in London. The Course is designed and organised with the close involvement of clinicians and Special Interest Groups. A range of support systems are built into the programme, not only to help with the known stresses of training, but also in recognition of the personal and professional change that training promotes. The Course encourages the development of personal qualities such as reflexivity, enthusiasm for learning, and valuing the importance of supervision. These qualities are essential in helping the individual to prepare, once qualified, for continuing professional development and a career as a practising clinical psychologist.
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Candidates must have the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) with the BPS, usually at the time of applying, but certainly by the time they start the course. GBC is conferred by completion of a) an honours degree that has psychology as the main field of study b) a Masters or Doctoral degree that has psychology as the main field of study c) a recognised conversion degree that confers eligibility for GBC. Candidates who are unsure about the status of their degree should check with the BPS that they qualify for GBC.
We take degree transcripts into account in trying to ensure that candidates can manage the academic demands of the programme. The minimum requirement for entry is a good 2.1 honours degree (or its equivalent). Broadly this means that candidates should have achieved a mid or high 2.1.
Applicants with a low 2.1 or a 2.2 will not be accepted unless there is unequivocal evidence that this result is unrepresentative of their academic potential. This needs to be demonstrated by achievement in an academically demanding course (for example, a further undergraduate degree or an academically demanding Masters degree). In such cases the academic reference must be written by a course tutor who can explicitly confirm the academic level at which the candidate is now working.
We are keen not to exclude anyone whose education has been hampered by social disadvantage, especially prior to University. If candidates feel their qualifications reflect a lack of opportunity rather than ability, they should explain this clearly in their application. Mature candidates who come to psychology after an unconventional educational path will not be disadvantaged, but it will be helpful for them to explain any obvious difficulties in their educational career.
These should comment on the applicant's performance on an academic course. As such, candidates are strongly advised to select a referee who is in a position to do this (usually as a member of staff at an institution where the candidate has studied).
Candidates are not expected to undertake long periods of pre-training experience, or to have acquired an extensive "portfolio" of work in different settings. The purpose of experience - which could be gained over one year - is to help applicants gain a realistic sense of the profession and its working practices, of the clients with whom clinical psychologists work, and of the ways in which psychologists function within statutory services such as the NHS. Candidates must be able to demonstrate some experience of applying psychological theory in a clinical setting, realism about the scope of psychological interventions, and an appreciation of the role of the clinical psychologist in the NHS.
Although many applicants will have undertaken posts as Assistant or Research Psychologists, other comparable experience is just as relevant if it meets the criteria above - for example, nursing in a mental health setting, or working as a care assistant. Candidates whose experience is restricted to an academic research setting should ensure that they gain some familiarity with clinical populations and settings. Substantive voluntary posts may also be relevant, usually when these take place in statutory settings.
Offers of places will be conditional upon satisfactory health clearance, and upon a satisfactory search by the Criminal Records Bureau. It is important that those who accept places on the course are prepared to travel to placements. Our placement "catchment" area is defined by the London Strategic Health Authorities north of the Thames. It includes central London, and is bounded to the West by Hillingdon and Harrow, to the North by Barnet and Enfield, and to the East by Waltham Forest, Redbridge and Barking (very roughly, the area within the M25). We do not place trainees in South London.
Because places applied for through the Clearing House are NHS funded we can only consider applicants who meet home or EU fee status. This means that applicants must have full UK or EU residency and not require a work permit. In addition, to be considered for entry to the course in September 2012, they must have been resident in the UK or EU from 1 September 2009 to 31 August 2012, for a purpose that is not wholly or mainly related to receiving full-time education during any part of this three year period. There are no exceptions to these rules. If in any doubt about your fee status applicants should contact the UCL admissions office directly before making an application to the course.
Overseas applicants who do not meet the criteria for home or EU fee status can apply directly to the course. Please see our website for more information.
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Selection falls into several distinct phases: First, candidates' forms are screened and those which do not meet the basic entry criteria (eg the absence of GBC, no relevant experience, no home/EU fees status) are excluded. Subsequently each candidate's form is rated by members of course staff and regional supervisors in order to reach a decision about who to invite for interview. Selectors look for evidence of academic ability, and indicators of clinical aptitude (such as motivation, realism, appropriate preparation for training), and will pay particular attention to the candidates' personal statements.
We interview about 120 applicants for 40 places. Each candidate attends for a half day and has one interview focusing on academic and clinical issues. Interviews are conducted by a panel of three people. Interviews are designed to be challenging at the same time as giving applicants an opportunity to engage with the panel and show their best. At lunchtime, candidates are invited to attend a presentation by staff about the course. Current trainees are available throughout the day to provide information about their experience of training. The course regrets that it cannot pay travelling expenses to those who attend for interview.
We aim to ensure that applicants will not be disadvantaged in selection because of ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, social class, disability or age. The Course is particularly keen to ensure that trainee cohorts reflect the ethnic and cultural diversity of the population of London. We wish to encourage applications from suitably qualified individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds and are continuously reviewing our selection procedures to ensure that they do not inadvertently discriminate against some groups during the selection process.
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Currently trainees are paid on Band 6 of the Agenda for Change pay scales. Travelling expenses are paid at the Whitley public transport rate. University fees are paid directly by the NHS. Trainees are full-time employees of the health service and have annual leave and other benefits in line with usual NHS entitlements.
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The course is three calendar years in length. Trainees are required to attend the entire lecture and workshop programme throughout the three years of training as part of their condition of employment.
During term time, trainees spend three days a week on placement; the remaining two days are spent either on scheduled teaching in college or study/research. As far as is possible, academic teaching is integrated with placements.
Placements are organised under the rubric of the BPS Accreditation criteria. This describes the basic competences trainees need to acquire, identifies a broad range of clinical contexts within which trainees need to work, and outlines the clinical populations with whom they need to gain experience. In this way trainees can expect to work with a diverse group of clients in a wide variety of contexts, gaining experience of a number of models and approaches. Although the new model does not include an "elective" third-year placement, trainee's clinical experiences and developing interests are closely monitored, and throughout the course placement allocation tries to balance training needs against personal preferences. The London region is richly supplied with training opportunities, having a very diverse population living in a wide variety of settings (from inner-city through suburban to semi-rural), a high concentration of teaching hospitals, a large number of innovative and "flagship" services and some of the largest departments of psychology in the country. Altogether there are approximately 700 psychologists involved in training in North London, with close links between the training scheme and clinical services.
Teaching is undertaken by academic and clinical staff from the region as well as by course staff. Curriculum organisation reflects a helpful tension within the profession. On the one hand there are many areas of knowledge that can be applied across the field of clinical psychology (and which therefore generalise across clinical populations). However, it is also true that each speciality has its unique strengths and areas of expertise, and that a good training should take advantage of these. The programme tries to present topics within the broad framework of a biopsychosocial model and aims to foster in trainees an understanding of developmental pathways to both optimal functioning and psychological difficulties. These theoretical underpinnings are intended to equip trainees with coherent yet multi-faceted models with which to formulate presenting difficulties and adapt knowledge to novel clinical situations. In addition to lectures, trainees participate regularly in academic and clinical seminars. Both of these take place in small groups. The former represent an opportunity for learner-led discussions on an academic issue; the latter give trainees the chance to present clinical material to their peers and to members of the staff team. In the summer term of the third year a number of sessions in the academic programme are organised by the third year trainees themselves. We also finish each term with a conference and case presentation attended by the whole trainee cohort. Trainees are encouraged to identify their topic for the major research thesis at the end of Year 1. With teaching, guidance and supervision from staff and (in many cases) individuals with expertise in the chosen field, they develop their proposals in the early part of Year 2, and carry out the project through Years 2 and 3.
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The award of the degree of Doctor in Clinical Psychology is dependent upon the submission of a research thesis that makes a distinct contribution to knowledge of the subject. Examination of this thesis is dependent on successful completion of both the formally taught and the clinical components of the course. The thesis has three components: four case studies, one piece of small-scale service-related research, and a major research project (approximately 25,000 words). The research thesis has moved to a publication-friendly three-component model. All elements of the thesis are examined by viva voce.
The academic course components, competence in research methods and statistics will be assessed through unseen examinations in the first and second years. In addition, the four case studies and small-scale research report are submitted at intervals throughout the three years. Entry to successive years of the course is dependent upon meeting coursework deadlines and standards satisfactorily.
At the start of each placement a clinical contract is drawn-up which sets out the placement aims and how they will be achieved. These follow BPS guidelines and are regularly revised to reflect current clinical practice. About half-way through the placement a review is undertaken by a college visitor to ensure that the placement is proceeding appropriately. At the end of the placement the supervisor makes a formal evaluation of the trainee's progress, giving qualitative feedback on a number of areas of competence, as well as making an overall rating of "pass" or "fail". Trainees have the opportunity to give feedback about their experience of the placement. Trainees also complete a detailed clinical log of their work, which enables both them and the course to monitor their developing experience.
A trainee Job Description and Person Specification can be found at our website.
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At the start of training, each trainee is allocated a Course Tutor, who has responsibility (throughout the three years of the course) for monitoring and supporting the trainee's academic, clinical and professional development. Each trainee is also allocated a personal adviser: a clinician who is not otherwise involved in supervision and who can provide personal support, advice and advocacy. There are two extensions of the personal advisor scheme, offering additional support to gay and lesbian trainees, and to black and ethnic minority trainees. Local psychologists are available to give advice about access to personal therapy. Finally, the college has a large and well-staffed student counselling service.
The course is responsive to feedback from trainees and from clinical psychologists in the region. Each year there is an open Annual Course Review. In addition, each trainee cohort has a year tutor to act as a conduit for information between the staff and the trainees, and trainees have representation on relevant course management committees and policy bodies.
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Within the Clinical Psychology Group the following staff have main responsibility for the training course in clinical psychology:
Professor Tony Roth (Joint Course Director)
Professor Pasco Fearon (Joint Course Director)
Dr Kat Alcock
Dr Chris Barker
Professor Chris Brewin
Dr Stephen Butler
Dr Jason Crabtree
Professor Val Curran
Dr Janet Feigenbaum
Professor Peter Fonagy
Dr Miriam Fornells-Ambrojo
Dr Tom Harris
Dr Jenny Jim
Dr John King
Dr William Mandy
Dr Oliver Mason
Professor Susan Michie
Dr Nancy Pistrang
Dr Neil Ralph
Dr Katrina Scior
Dr Peter Scragg
Dr Lucy Serpell
Ms Kristina Soon
Dr Aimee Spector
Dr Josh Stott
Dr Susan Watson
Dr Michael Watts
Dr Amanda Williams
Ms Julia Curl - Course Administrator
Ms Leah Markwick - Academic Administrator
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