Doctorate in Clinical Psychology
Department of Psychology
Royal Holloway
University of London
Egham
Surrey
TW20 0EX
Telephone: 01784 443851
Course Director: Professor Andrew MacLeod
Link to Royal Holloway website
This Course, founded in 1997, is a three year full-time programme that leads to a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy) awarded by the University of London. Individuals who complete the Programme are eligible to apply, on completion of course requirements, for registration with the Health Professions Council (HPC) as Clinical Psychologists. Completing the Course does not automatically confer registration with HPC. HPC require evidence of health and character as well as completion of a relevant approved programme. For more information, please see the HPC website.
The course is an NHS London partnership between the Department of Psychology, and Clinical Psychologists in north London. It is one of three courses in North London. The Course, along with the other two courses (UCL and UEL), draws its clinical placements from the entire North London area. These encompass a diverse range of locations and treatment modalities. Because of the presence of major clinics and teaching hospitals in North London, the placement pool includes cutting edge services and settings. All trainees are employees of Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust.
The Department has an international reputation for research and was ranked in the top ten psychology departments in the UK in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise. Its tradition and strengths are in a number of clinically relevant areas (cognitive behavioural theory and therapy, neuropsychology, health and social psychology, vision, language and other basic science areas). This provides additional resources for trainees.
The Course Team aims to facilitate the development of Clinical Psychologists for the NHS who:
The College is based in very attractive surroundings just outside the M25 to the west of London in Surrey. Access by public transport is good (College Bus during term times or 15 minute walk to Egham Station, 40 minutes to Waterloo). The College also has a central London base, in Bedford Square, which is available for trainees and staff to use.
Approximately half of trainee time on the Course is spent on placement in the north London region. Approximately one fifth of trainee time is spent at College. The remainder of time is for private study and research.
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We are interested in graduate applicants with a good academic record and a minimum 2.1 degree. Applicants are required to have approximately a year or more of clinically relevant experience at the time of entry to the course. This could be (a) direct clinical or clinical research experience (which may be part of masters or doctoral research) (b) as an Assistant Psychologist, Research Assistant, Graduate Mental Health Worker, Support Worker or any other role that involves significant contact with clients. Applicants with experience of other social, health care or research posts will also be considered.
Relevant clinical experience would normally be either paid or as part of a postgraduate degree. Voluntary experience is only acceptable in the context of other non-voluntary clinical experience. Lack of any direct experience in the NHS may be a disadvantage. At the time of application, the trainee's degree must satisfy the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the BPS.
Graduates with a first degree in a field other than Psychology must have completed a BPS approved Conversion course prior to application or completed the BPS exam conferring GBC, and will be expected to meet the same experience requirements as other applicants. The Programme does not accredit prior (experiential) learning.
Consistent with Royal Holloway equality and diversity policies, we positively welcome applicants from all sections of the community and are committed to ensure that all are treated fairly and with equality of opportunity without regard to race, nationality, ethnic origin, gender, age, marital or parental status, dependants, disability, sexual orientation, religion, political belief or social origins. We adhere to Royal Holloway Admissions policy and procedures.
We welcome enquiries from applicants with disabilities to discuss the course requirements and any adjustments that may be needed during the selection process or once on the course. We are unable to accept self-funding trainees. EU applicants will be considered if they meet the selection criteria outlined above, with the equivalent qualifications and experience. Undergraduate applicants are not encouraged to apply. We consider applications from non-EU/EEA applicants but not from those whom do not have the right to work in the UK for the duration of the course.
If English is not the first language of applicants and degree level or higher studies were not in English, evidence of ability in English language will be required. This should be a TOEFL or IELTS test if possible. The minimum scores needed are: 88 for internet-based TOEFL (with 26 for writing), 570 for paper-based TOEFL or 6.5 for IELTS (with 7 for writing).
Any questions about admissions to the Programme can be directed to Dr Michael Evangeli, Admissions Tutor.
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Preliminary, paper-based selection is undertaken by Course staff and regional psychologists. At this stage, attention is paid to the applicant's educational history and grades, additional clinically relevant experience, quality and content of writing and referee reports, as well as the case for selection made by the applicant. These assessments are guided by a standard grading system.
For the 2011 entry, we selected 90 applicants to interview for 26 places. Each interviewee attends for half a day during which they have two interviews, one focusing on clinical, the other on research/academic topics. Each interview is carried out by one member of the course team and one Clinical Psychologist working in the region. There will also be an opportunity to meet current trainees and attend a presentation by Course staff.
Definite offers of a place, as well as reserve list notifications, are made shortly after the interview. Offers are subject to the usual employing NHS Trust health and police clearance. Health checks include screening for TB and checks for chicken pox, rubella and measles. HIV and Hep C tests are offered. Police clearance involves enhanced CRB checks. There is no charge to successful applicants for these checks.
We do not give feedback to applicants who are not selected for interview. Applicants who are on the reserve list following interview or not selected will be given feedback within three weeks following interview. They will be advised of when they can telephone for feedback.
We regret that we cannot pay interview travel expenses incurred by applicants.
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As employees of Camden and Islington Foundation NHS Trust, trainees are subject to their standard employment conditions. Salary is based on the prevailing NHS Trainee scales (Band 6) plus an Inner London Allowance (currently £25,528 plus HCAS at £5,106). Annual leave and other standard NHS entitlements apply. University fees are covered by NHS London. As is the case for all NHS employees, travel expenses are not paid to attend your main place of work, which in this case is Royal Holloway. Travel expenses will be paid, at the usual employer's rate, to attend placement or for research purposes, if the cost of the journey exceeds the cost of the journey between the trainee's home and College. The employing Trust will pay these "out of pocket" or "top up" travel costs, that is, the amount extra that a trainee is having to pay to travel to placement or for research as opposed to what they would be paying if they were attending College. A Trainee Clinical Psychology job description will be available on our website in due course.
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The Royal Holloway Clinical Doctorate follows an Adult Learner model in which trainees are encouraged to take increasing responsibility over the course of the programme for their own learning as the Course progresses. As with all courses, we aim to enable the trainee to cover the academic, clinical practice and research knowledge and skills that underpin and guide clinical practice. The Course timetable includes formal teaching, tutorials, and clinical and academic seminars with clear blocks of time for independent study. Attendance is compulsory for all teaching, tutorials and seminars. After a one-month full-time Induction Block in the first year, trainees will be expected to attend College for two days per week during the College Terms for Years 1 and 2 of the course. During the third year, teaching requirements diminish to allow trainees to concentrate on their research projects. The Induction Block introduces the Course, provides a background to the NHS and Psychology services, and introduces those clinical and other skills needed for placement. Thereafter, the Course is geared to enabling trainees to cover areas relevant to the practice of Clinical Psychology. The core areas of theory, empirical research and clinical topics spanning the age and client groups are covered. The syllabus is continually evolving in the light of trainee feedback and professional requirements.
Attention is given to psychological measurement, research design and methodology. This is to ensure that trainees have the knowledge and skills necessary to approach the theory and research literature at a level expected of a postgraduate in psychology and in a manner that is helpful for clinical practice. As the completion of a substantial thesis is a major requirement for the award of the degree, trainees are encouraged to begin to develop research proposals by the end of the first year.
Clinical placements will normally be in North London. Placements are co-ordinated across three regional courses and allocation of placements is made on the basis of trainee, professional and Course requirements. Trainees have the opportunity to indicate areas of special interest when planning their third year placements. Most trainees commence training with a twelve-month placement, with later placements of six or twelve months' duration. Trainees are informed of their first placement once they have started the course. They are informed of subsequent placements as far in advance as it is practical to do so.
Each cohort has a clinical tutor to support and monitor his or her progress. Within each placement (or twice in a year-long placement) a mid-placement visit is undertaken to monitor progress and resolve any difficulties. An individually allocated member of course staff or an honorary Associate Clinical Tutor carries out this task. Quality supervision is seen as a major determinant of good training and we work together with the other Courses to provide training to ensure that trainees have a good experience of supervision, and supervisors a good experience of trainees.
Steps to increase service users and carers' involvement in the running of the course led to the setting up of the Service User and Carer Involvement Group (SUCIG) in 2007. The group includes two trainee representatives and meets four times per year in our central London base. At present, service users and carers contribute to various aspects of the training course, including specific teaching sessions, selection and curriculum development. However, we are keen to develop this further and SUCIG plays an important role in generating and providing feedback on ideas for increasing involvement opportunities.
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Different procedures assess various aspects of the Course, as described below.
Clinical supervisors from placements are required to complete an assessment of the trainee's clinical competence at the end of each placement. Trainees are also required to submit four Reports of Clinical Activity over the three-year period of training.
Academic work is assessed by a combination of essays and examination methods. The Course requires trainees to submit two essays, one in Year 1 and the other in Year 2, with the second essay being a review of the literature relevant to the Research Dissertation.
Formal examinations (two papers) are held at the end of the first year.
The Research Dissertation is the major research component to the Course. It is submitted in June of the third year and examined in July. Trainees are encouraged to pursue a topic in an area of active research within the department, but are not obliged to stay within those areas. These can cover a wide range of mental health and health topics. The overall standard of the research will be expected to be commensurate with a PhD, but the dissertation will be considerably shorter.
A Service Related Research Project is completed on one of the placements. There is also a research design exercise at the end of the first year and a practical statistics assessment at the end of the second year.
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There are a number of different procedures in place to ensure that trainees feel properly supported throughout their training.
Internally, the Course provides support through a number of mechanisms. Trainees are allocated a "Buddy" from the year ahead, who provides advice and mentorship during the first year. Each year has a confidential Reflective Practice Group, with an external facilitator. Each trainee has a Personal Tutor assigned from the teaching staff who will meet with them over the three years. This allows for continuity of support and also provides the trainee with a resource for personal support, should the occasion or need arise. An Independent Personal Advisor from within north London is also available. Trainees can approach these individuals for confidential advice. Trainees are also able to access the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual (LGB) Scheme, and the Black and Ethnic Minority Scheme, which have been established jointly by the three north London Courses. There is no formal mechanism for organising personal therapy for trainees. However, counselling services are available through the University or the Employing Trust, and a list of private therapists who trainees may approach is provided by the Course.
Any disclosure of disability is treated with sensitivity and within the bounds of our confidentiality policy. We liaise closely with the Royal Holloway Educational Support Service and with the employing NHS Trust to ensure that an assessment of need and subsequent reasonable adjustments are made for trainees with disabilities.
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The Course Team cover a broad range of clinical psychology specialities. The Course has particular strengths in cognitive-behavioural and systemic teaching. The Core staff with day to day involvement with the Course are:
Dr Gary Brown - Senior Lecturer and Research Director
Dr Lyn Ellett - Lecturer and Research Tutor
Dr Michael Evangeli - Lecturer and Admissions Tutor
Dr Lorna Farquharson - Lecturer and Academic Tutor
Dr Simone Fox - Lecturer and Clinical Tutor
Dr Emma Keaveny - Lecturer and Clinical Tutor
Prof Dawn Langdon - Professor and Academic Director
Dr Olga Luzon - Lecturer and Clinical Tutor
Professor Andrew MacLeod - Professor and Course Director
Dr Helen Pote - Senior Lecturer and Clinical Director
Dr Kate Theodore - Lecturer and Clinical Tutor
Dr Abigail Wroe - Lecturer and Clinical Tutor
Mrs Annette Lock - Course Secretary
Mrs Stephanie Mundy - Course Secretary
Mrs Michelle Watson - Clinical Secretary
Ms Susan Waud - Course Administrator
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