Clinical Psychology PsychD

• Our professional clinical psychology training is based on a unique combination of psychological theory, research and clinical practice within the NHS, delivered in an inclusive and supportive environment
• Benefit from our applied and policy-orientated teaching and research which has a strong theoretical context
• Upon successful completion of this course, gain the academic and practice requirements needed to register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) to work as a Clinical Psychologist.

You will begin your training with six weeks of teaching where you’ll be introduced to the NHS and will gain a solid foundation to working psychotherapeutically in clinical settings. This first teaching block will introduce you to using cognitive behavioural therapy and systemic/ family therapy, to prepare you for your first placement. You will then start your clinical practice, spending two and a half days a week on clinical placement, two days at the University for teaching or research, and half a day completing individual study. This pattern will largely continue for your three years of full-time training.

During this time, you’ll build up the breadth and depth of your clinical skills and knowledge in applied psychology, therapeutic skills and leadership competencies, meaning that by the end of the course you’ll be equipped to work with a wide variety of different clients in different contexts. The programme embeds inclusion, equality and diversity at the heart of all aspects of the course, promoting inclusion and anti-discriminatory practice, enabling trainees to work with people from all backgrounds.

Alongside your teaching and placements, you’ll conduct research in a related area. Some topics our current students are researching include:

• Family Accommodation to Eating Disorder Behaviours in Young People and Associations with Parents’ Distress Intolerance
• The experience of birth trauma in BAME families
• Sexual minority stress and outcomes in IAPT services
• The experience of relational trauma in adults with learning disabilities.

• Throughout your training you will complete a number of academic assignments, including a service evaluation or audit project (typically within the NHS) and reports of clinical activity.
• Your clinical skills and competencies will be formally assessed every six months by both your clinical supervisors and the programme team.
• As part of developing your research skills you’ll undertake two pieces of research (typically a literature review and an empirical paper) under the guidance of our experienced supervisors belonging to one of our research groups: Social Justice and Health Inequalities; Applied Clinical and Health Psychology; Pedagogical Research. These two papers will be examined orally through a viva examination with at least two examiners in your third year of training.

PsychD - British Psychological Society (BPS)
Accredited against the requirements for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society (BPS).

PsychD - Health and Care Professions Council, the (HCPC)
Approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) for the purpose of providing eligibility to apply for registration with the HCPC as a practitioner psychologist.

PsychD - British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychologies (BABCP)
Accredited by BABCP as providing all the necessary training so that on graduation from Level 2 courses, individuals will have received the training required to fulfil BABCP's Minimum Training Standards.

Clinical placements

As part of your training you will complete five placements in a variety of clinical settings. In your first year you will complete a year-long core adult placement, followed by six months placements in the second and third year working with the following groups:

• Children and their families
• Individuals with learning disabilities
• Older people.

In your third year of training you will also complete a specialist six-month placement.

Teaching methods

You will be taught through a combination of clinical placements, seminars, research and individual study.

Progress reviews

You will have research supervision meetings with your supervisor/s every month to support your progression. Every six months you will have an opportunity to reflect on and review your research progress with your research supervisors. These meetings provide an opportunity to discuss successes and challenges and set targets for the next six months. These reviews are monitored by a postgraduate research director and recorded on your student record.

Course length

This PsychD programme can take up to 4 years to complete, with most students completing this in 3 years.

Careers and graduate prospects

On successful completion of this PsychD, you’ll have the academic and practice requirements needed to register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) to work as a Clinical Psychologist. You’ll also be eligible for Chartership with the Division of Clinical Psychology.

We’re accredited by the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP). On successful completion of the programme, you’ll have all the knowledge needed for Level 2 accreditation. Some trainees who have completed specific clinical placements will be able to meet all the Level 2 accreditation requirements and will be able to register as a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist as well as a Clinical Psychologist.

We are also accredited at Foundation level with the Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice (AFT). This process is embedded within the programme, therefore on successful completion of the doctorate you’ll also be eligible for this qualification. We are currently working towards intermediate level for a small number of trainees.

For those interested in Clinical Neuropsychology we provide all trainees with the knowledge component to gain recognition of prior learning (RPL) for the University of Bristol PG Diploma in Clinical Neuropsychology. For a small number, we also offer additional clinical experiences that can be utilised for Recognition of Prior Experience onto the course for a maximum of one year. Completion of the Bristol’s diploma course leads to access to the British Psychological Society’s (BPS) Specialist Register of Clinical Neuropsychologist.

Promoting NHS values

This course promotes the NHS values which are enshrined within the NHS constitution. We are dedicated to recruiting graduates whose individual values and behaviours align to those of the NHS.

These NHS values are aligned with the programme's values:

• Integrity, honesty, compassion and empathy
• Inclusive practice across the lifespan and across settings
• Commitment to innovation, improvement and creativity
• Reflexive, interdisciplinary, evidence-based practice
• Public and patient involvement in learning
• Commitment to adult models of learning with an ongoing pledge to excellence
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills.

Commissioned by

This programme at Surrey is commissioned by two specific HEE regions: South Central and London, and successful applicants are employed by the NHS. As such, the demands of the commissioners regional services, alongside the demands of the registrant body, Health and Care Professions Council, and the British Psychological Society’s curriculum, organise our workforce training.

Owing to having the foundation level of systemic training embedded within the programme, the Association of Family Therapy requirements are also adhered to. The British Association of Cognitive and Behavioural Psychology have also accredited the programme for a Level 2 pathway, and where relevant, their requirements are observed.

The professional development of postgraduate researchers is supported by the Doctoral College, which provides training in essential skills through its Researcher Development Programme of workshops, mentoring and coaching. A dedicated postgraduate careers and employability team will help you prepare for a successful career after the completion of your PhD.