Professional Doctorate
Counselling Psychology

About this course

• Entry year: 2012/13
• Course code: LC5811
• Applications: University
• Level: Postgraduate
• Department: Psychology
• Campus: Frenchay
• Duration: Five years part-time
• Delivery: One day per week during Years 1-3 (currently Monday in Year 1 and Thursday in Year 2 and 3). Attendance during Years 4 and 5 for taught modules and research supervision is less frequent.
• Study Abroad: No
• Programme leader: Elizabeth Dartnall
• Key fact: The closing date for this course is Tuesday 10 April 2012.

Introduction

The Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology is an applied professional training programme designed to provide a doctoral level education leading to a professional qualification. The programme is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and approved by the Health Professions Council (HPC). A doctoral level research project is combined with a comprehensive taught programme of modules and with counselling psychology practice in a range of placements. Research, theory, personal development, professional development and clinical practice are integrated in the concept of the reflective practitioner. We offer a rigorous training on personal, professional and academic levels, which requires students to combine personal development with explicit use of psychological theory as a basis for mindful clinical practice.

The training will equip you to work in a broad range of settings such as the NHS, industry, third sector, private practice, academic and research as well as many others.

The part-time route allows you to combine your training with part-time employment, possibly within a psychology post.

Students must commit to engage in personal counselling or therapy for the first two years of the course. 60 hours minimum of personal therapy is required overall and this requirement reflects our central focus on a relational approach to practice. The cost for this is not included in the fees.

Structure

Content

All modules on the course are compulsory. Attendance for the first three years is one day a week throughout the academic calendar. Year 1 attendance is Monday and Years 2 and 3 attendance is Thursday. In the first year of the course the therapeutic approach is relational and students are expected to practice this approach in their placements. In Year 2 students will learn the cognitive behavioural approach and again will be expected to practice this approach in their placements. In Year 3, students are given the opportunity to explore their own identity as a counselling psychologist as they attend modules on integration, working with a range of presenting issues and ethical and professional practice. In Years 4 and 5 the course offers more specialist taught modules as well as research supervision as students work towards completing their doctoral thesis.

The award of a Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling Psychology Studies or Postgraduate Certificate in Counselling Psychology Studies may be available to students who do not complete the Professional Doctorate.

Structure of course

Year One (Monday)

Taught modules

• Theory and Practice in Counselling Psychology 1
• Personal and Professional Development 1
• Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Psychology
• Research Methods in Counselling Psychology

Year Two (Thursday)

Taught modules

• Theory and Practice in Counselling Psychology 2
• Personal and Professional Development 2
• Counselling Psychology Project

Year Three (Thursday)

Taught modules

• Personal and Professional Development 3
• Professional and Ethical Issues in Counselling Psychology
• Working with Common Presenting Problems in Counselling Psychology

Doctoral thesis

• Registration and Progression Exam

Year Four

Taught modules

• Working with Mental Health Issues in Counselling Psychology OR
• Working with Groups and Organisations in Counselling Psychology

Doctoral thesis

• Annual Monitoring

Year five

Taught modules

• Working with Diversity in Counselling Psychology
• Working with Couples and Families in Counselling Psychology
• Advanced Independent Development in Counselling Psychology

Doctoral thesis

• Thesis Submissions and Viva

Teaching and learning

A wide range of teaching and learning methods are used, including lectures, group discussion, group work, role play, skills work, demonstration, trainee presentations, supervised clinical practice, personal therapy and personal development activities.

Assessment

Assessment of taught modules is by a wide variety of means including coursework and assessment under controlled conditions. Assessment of practice is by direct observation, case studies, process reports, supervision groups and placement reports. Assessment of research is by submission of a 28,000 word doctoral thesis of an original piece of research, examined by viva voce.

Special Features

Professional accreditation

This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and approved by the Health Professions Council (HPC).

Placements

Clinical work in placement settings is a central part of the training and students are required to be in clinical practice on placements throughout the course. Overall there is a requirement to complete a minimum of 450 hours of counselling psychology practice on approved placements, covering a range of approaches, modalities and settings. In Year 1 you will be expected to work from a relational perspective and in Year 2 you will be required to work from a CBT perspective in your placements.

It is the student's responsibility to secure appropriate placements throughout the course. Since successful completion of certain assessments is dependent on clinical practice, it is emphasised that students need to be aware of this commitment early on in their application to the course. However, all students receive support in this process from the course placement co-ordinator and are also supported by the links the course has with a variety of placement providers. Personal tutors are also able to support students in their placements once they have started the course.

Students are able to arrange for placements either in their own geographical location or nearer to the University, whichever is most convenient for the student. Our placement database has some information about placements outside the Bristol area but this is limited. Please note that all placements must be approved by the course before starting to ensure that it meets all course requirements for clinical work and supervision arrangements.

Careers/further study

Entry

Advice on typical offers

Please be aware that deferred entry for this course is not permitted.

Entry requirements

Applicants should have the following:

• Graduate Basis for Chartership with the British Psychological Society
• Upper second class or first class degree in psychology
• Certificate in Counselling Skills (comprising a minimum of 100 class hours)
• One year's experience of working in a one to one helping role
• Meet the standard University levels of proficiency for English Language

You should state the grade achieved for your undergraduate research project on your application.

In addition, applicants should:

• Be academically able to succeed at doctoral level and able to develop professional practice to doctoral level
• Have reached a level of maturity, which is not to do with age, to enable them to work with the emotional demands of vulnerable clients and the personal development aspects of the course
• Be open-minded and respectful of diverse views and perspectives
• Have the capacity for self reflection and be open to feedback from others
• Demonstrate a good level of interpersonal skills and sensitivity to others
• Have the ability to synthesise and communicate complex ideas both verbally and in writing

Disclosure of Criminal Background - the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 does not apply and all convictions, including those which are spent, must be disclosed. Applicants who are offered a place must undergo an enhanced Criminal Record Bureau check and will be required to complete a Disclosure Application Form. All information will be treated in confidence and only taken into account when absolutely necessary.We abide by the Health Professions Council's guidance regarding any convictions and suitability for practice. The cost of the CRB is met by the University.

Occupational Health Assessment - to comply with HPC requirements, the University will carry out Occupational Health checks prior to formal acceptance onto the course. These assessments fully conform to equality and diversity law as well as University policy. We conform to HPC guidance on health and disability for health professionals.

Occasionally applicants are eligible for entry under an Accredited Prior Learning scheme. We review these applications on an individual basis. Our policy is based on HPC Standards of Proficiency for Counselling Psychologists and applicants must be able to demonstrate that they meet relevant Standards of Proficiency.

Fees

Full details of fees for this course can be found on our postgraduate fees pages.

For funding options, please see our funding and scholarships information.

Students also need to be aware of additional costs in completing the course which are not included in the fees. Students will need to meet the cost of personal therapy (60 hours minimum). In addition, as part of their professional development, students will be expected to accrue 40 hours of CPD over a 5 year period, as part of the Advanced Independent Development module. There may be additional travel costs in meeting placement requirements and at times be necessary to pay for appropriate supervision if this in not met within the placement.

How to apply

Please apply online using the menu to the right hand side of this page.

All applications are processed in accordance with the University's published equality and diversity policy.

Admissions and International Development, telephone +44 (0)117 32 83333, e-mail Admissions@uwe.ac.uk

The closing date for this course is Tuesday 10 April 2012.

An Open Evening for this course will be held on Tuesday 20 March 2012. For more information and how to register, please visit our website.

Stages of your application:

1. Submit your application online complete with contact details for your referees by the application deadline (one of your referees must be an educational referee that is able to comment on your ability to work at doctoral level and complete a doctoral research project
2. If you are short listed for interview you will need to provide two pieces of work no later than one week before the interview date. Please be aware the turnaround times between the closing date and interviews can be very short so you are strongly advised to prepare these pieces of work in advance:
   • A draft 1000 word Research Proposal. Please use the guidance notes to ensure you submit something appropriate.
   • A 1000 word narrative on 'Becoming a Counselling Psychologist'. Please use the guidance notes to ensure you submit something appropriate.
3. The interview will be in two parts. The first part will be a group interview where you will meet other applicants. You will be given the opportunity to ask about the course and meet the programme team. This will also be an opportunity for the programme team to observe you in a group context. This will be followed by individual interviews with two members of academic staff.
4. If you are offered a place on the course you will be asked to complete CRB and Occupational Health checks.
5. You will also be expected to begin arranging your placement and you will be able to access our programme database of placement providers to support you in this process. You will need to be in a position to start your placement by the beginning of the course.
6. You will also be expected to arrange your personal therapy by the beginning of the course.

Please note that both your placement and your personal therapist will need to be approved by the course.

For further information

• Telephone: +44 (0)117 32 83333
• E-mail: Admissions@uwe.ac.uk