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Dip (PD) Applied Psychology (Clinical Specialism)

Academic Year 2017/18

A programme specification is required for any programme on which a student may be registered. All programmes of the University are subject to the University's Quality Assurance and Enhancement processes as set out in the DASA Policies and Procedures Manual.

Programme Title

Dip (PD) Applied Psychology (Clinical Specialism)

Final Award
(exit route if applicable for Postgraduate Taught Programmes)

Postgraduate Diploma

Programme Code

PSY-PD-APP

UCAS Code

JACS Code

C810 (DESCR) 100

Criteria for Admissions

Essential criteria:
i. The applicant has a 1:1 or 2:1 honours degree in psychology, or its equivalent, from a recognised university course, which confers the graduate basis for registration with the British Psychological Society. Applicants that have a 2:2 psychology degree but also a postgraduate psychology qualification may be considered.
ii. The applicant demonstrates a satisfactory level of personal and professional competence required for the course, as evidenced in their personal statement.

Desirable criteria
i. The applicant is currently employed, or will be by the time of course entry, as an Assistant/ Associate Psychologist (or “equivalent”) within a Northern Ireland healthcare setting.
ii. The applicant receives, or has arranged to receive upon successful entry into the course, supervision from a qualified clinical psychologist

ATAS Clearance Required

No

Health Check Required

No

Portfolio Required

Interview Required

Mode of Study

Part Time

Type of Programme

Postgraduate

Length of Programme

1 Academic Year(s)

Total Credits for Programme

120

Exit Awards available

INSTITUTE INFORMATION

Awarding Institution/Body

Queen's University Belfast

Teaching Institution

Queen's University Belfast

School/Department

Psychology

Framework for Higher Education Qualification Level 
www.qaa.ac.uk

Level 7

QAA Benchmark Group
www.qaa.ac.uk/quality-code/subject-benchmark-statements

Accreditations (PSRB)

REGULATION INFORMATION

Does the Programme have any approved exemptions from the University General Regulations
(Please see General Regulations)

No

Programme Specific Regulations

N/A

Students with protected characteristics

N/A

Are students subject to Fitness to Practise Regulations

(Please see General Regulations)

No

EDUCATIONAL AIMS OF PROGRAMME

On completion of the programme the student will be able to:

To train assistant / associate clinical psychologists and other mental health practitioners for professional practice in NHS and related settings.

To promote applied psychology knowledge and skills which equip graduates to carry out circumscribed / low intensity psychological assessments and interventions.

To foster a critical understanding of the key clinical presentations across the life span, the factors which mediate these and implications for clinical interventions.

To promote core skills in psychological assessment utilising psychometric, clinical interview and observational methods.

To promote the core competencies of low intensity psychological interventions including fundamental protocols of cognitive behaviour therapy.

To promote knowledge and skills of consultation and multidisciplinary working which foster the capacity for indirect work to promote health and well-being.

To promote personal awareness and development, in particular with respect to how personal and interpersonal factors and diversity of cultural and sub-cultural contexts, impact on therapeutic processes and professional practice.

To foster the highest calibre of ethical practice in clinical work and research activities, in accordance with the BPS code of conduct, professional practice and statutory guidelines at national and regional levels

To develop skills in psychological formulation that integrate assessment content and information from a range of sources to provide coherent accounts of client need as well as the cause, development and maintenance of client problems (e.g. biopsychosocial frameworks)

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Learning Outcomes: Cognitive Skills

On the completion of this course successful students will be able to:

Select and critically evaluate theories and research from the knowledge base of applied psychology

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures, seminars, workshops, directed and self-directed reading, problem based and experiential learning exercises, video analysis and role play, in-service clinical practice and supervision, case presentations, and reflective practice seminars

Methods of Assessment

Critical literature review
Clinical assessment and formulation report
Case study
Clinical practice portfolio

Apply the synthesised outcome of such critical analysis to currently relevant clinical situations and challenges

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures, seminars, workshops, directed and self-directed reading, problem based and experiential learning exercises, video analysis and role play, in-service clinical practice and supervision, case presentations, and reflective practice seminars

Methods of Assessment

Critical literature review
Clinical assessment and formulation report
Case study
Clinical practice portfolio

Formulate hypotheses and assessment protocols to test these hypotheses, weigh up the subsequent evidence and arrive as a coherent formulation and intervention plan

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures, seminars, workshops, directed and self-directed reading, problem based and experiential learning exercises, video analysis and role play, in-service clinical practice and supervision, case presentations, and reflective practice seminars

Methods of Assessment

Clinical assessment and formulation report
Case study
Clinical practice portfolio

Think in a critically reflective way about personal and professional development and, in collaboration with a supervisor, formulate development plans as a consequence

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures, seminars, workshops, directed and self-directed reading, problem based and experiential learning exercises, video analysis and role play, in-service clinical practice and supervision, case presentations, and reflective practice seminars

Methods of Assessment

Clinical assessment and formulation report
Case study
Clinical practice portfolio

Learning Outcomes: Transferable Skills

On the completion of this course successful students will be able to:

Demonstrate good interpersonal skills and the capacity to work within multidisciplinary contexts

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures, seminars, workshops, directed and self-directed reading, problem based and experiential learning exercises, video analysis and role play, in-service clinical practice and supervision, case presentations, and reflective practice seminars

Methods of Assessment

Critical literature review
Clinical assessment and formulation report
Case study
Clinical practice portfolio

Communication of the results of psychological enquiry to specialist and non-specialist audiences, in oral, written and electronic media

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures, seminars, workshops, directed and self-directed reading, problem based and experiential learning exercises, video analysis and role play, in-service clinical practice and supervision, case presentations, and reflective practice seminars

Methods of Assessment

Clinical assessment and formulation report
Case study
Clinical practice portfolio

Make decisions and conduct themselves in a way which is informed by ethical and professional codes of conduct

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures, seminars, workshops, directed and self-directed reading, problem based and experiential learning exercises, video analysis and role play, in-service clinical practice and supervision, case presentations, and reflective practice seminars

Methods of Assessment

Clinical assessment and formulation report
Case study
Clinical practice portfolio

Conduct a critical appraisal of a given knowledge base

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures, seminars, workshops, directed and self-directed reading, problem based and experiential learning exercises, video analysis and role play, in-service clinical practice and supervision, case presentations, and reflective practice seminars

Methods of Assessment

Critical literature review

Learning Outcomes: Knowledge & Understanding

On the completion of this course successful students will be able to:

Psychological theory and evidence related to common clinical presentations across the lifespan

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures, seminars, workshops, directed and self-directed reading, problem based and experiential learning exercises, video analysis and role play, in-service clinical practice and supervision, case presentations, and reflective practice seminars

Methods of Assessment

Critical literature review
Clinical assessment and formulation report
Case study
Clinical practice portfolio

How to use and apply this knowledge base in clinical practice

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures, seminars, workshops, directed and self-directed reading, problem based and experiential learning exercises, video analysis and role play, in-service clinical practice and supervision, case presentations, and reflective practice seminars

Methods of Assessment

Clinical assessment and formulation report
Case study
Clinical practice portfolio

The key tenets of psychological therapy in general, and cognitive behaviour therapy in particular, the evidence base, protocols and implications for psychological assessment, formulation, intervention and evaluation

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures, seminars, workshops, directed and self-directed reading, problem based and experiential learning exercises, video analysis and role play, in-service clinical practice and supervision, case presentations, and reflective practice seminars

Methods of Assessment

Critical literature review
Clinical assessment and formulation report
Case study
Clinical practice portfolio

Personal, professional and ethical issues as they pertain to the practice of applied psychology

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures, seminars, workshops, directed and self-directed reading, problem based and experiential learning exercises, video analysis and role play, in-service clinical practice and supervision, case presentations, and reflective practice seminars

Methods of Assessment

Critical literature review
Clinical assessment and formulation report
Case study
Clinical practice portfolio

Learning Outcomes: Subject Specific

On the completion of this course successful students will be able to:

Conduct basic psychological assessments – development of working alliances; capacity to choose, use and, with guidance and supervision, interpret findings from a broad range of assessment protocols including interview, psychometric and observational methods; conduct appropriate risk assessment; assess within socio-cultural contexts

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures, seminars, workshops, directed and self-directed reading, problem based and experiential learning exercises, video analysis and role play, in-service clinical practice and supervision, case presentations, and reflective practice seminars

Methods of Assessment

Clinical assessment and formulation report
Clinical practice portfolio

Generate psychological formulations – work collaboratively to create a psychological formulation of presenting problems which integrates information from assessment, utilising a coherent theoretical framework - primarily from a CBT perspective - but which incorporates interpersonal, socio-cultural and biological factors; communicate to clients and relevant others in a way which is helpful and assists with planning interventions; capacity to revise in light of intervention outcomes and new information

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures, seminars, workshops, directed and self-directed reading, problem based and experiential learning exercises, video analysis and role play, in-service clinical practice and supervision, case presentations, and reflective practice seminars

Methods of Assessment

Clinical assessment and formulation report
Case study
Clinical practice portfolio

Implement circumscribed psychological interventions – implement low intensity psychological interventions in appropriate collaboration with clients, carers, services; utilise CBT principles and protocols to effect this and as further specified in module descriptors; carry out such interventions as applied to at least one common clinical presentation; promote therapeutic programmes through indirect working (e.g. with families, carers, multidisciplinary teams)

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures, seminars, workshops, directed and self-directed reading, problem based and experiential learning exercises, video analysis and role play, in-service clinical practice and supervision, case presentations, and reflective practice seminars

Methods of Assessment

Case study
Clinical practice portfolio

Evaluate psychological interventions – capacity to select and utilise appropriate methods to monitor and evaluate effectiveness of interventions

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures, seminars, workshops, directed and self-directed reading, problem based and experiential learning exercises, video analysis and role play, in-service clinical practice and supervision, case presentations, and reflective practice seminars

Methods of Assessment

Case study
Clinical practice portfolio

Work in a critically reflective and self-aware way – capacity to reflect on how personal processes impact on professional practice; use supervision and critical feedback to reflect on and safeguard practice; develop strategies to handle the emotional impact of practice with awareness of boundary issues

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures, seminars, workshops, directed and self-directed reading, problem based and experiential learning exercises, video analysis and role play, in-service clinical practice and supervision, case presentations, and reflective practice seminars

Methods of Assessment

Clinical practice portfolio
Case Study
Clinical assessment and formulation report

Engage in ethical decision making in complex clinical and research contexts with the capacity to ensure informed consent underpins engagement with clients and research participants

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures, seminars, workshops, directed and self-directed reading, problem based and experiential learning exercises, video analysis and role play, in-service clinical practice and supervision, case presentations, and reflective practice seminars

Methods of Assessment

Clinical assessment and formulation report
Case study
Clinical practice portfolio

Learning Outcomes: Cognitive Skills

On the completion of this course successful students will be able to:

Develop the ability to integrate assessment content and information from a range of sources to provide a coherent formulation of client need as well as the cause, development and maintenance of client problems.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures, seminars, workshops, directed and self-directed reading, problem based and experiential learning exercises, video analysis and role play, in-service clinical practice and supervision, case presentations, and reflective practice seminars

Methods of Assessment

Clinical assessment and formulation report
Case study
Clinical practice portfolio

MODULE INFORMATION

Programme Requirements

Module Title

Module Code

Level/ stage

Credits

Availability

Duration

Pre-requisite

 

Assessment

 

 

 

 

S1

S2

 

 

Core

Option

Coursework %

Practical %

Examination %

Clinical Presentations

PSY7058

7

20

YES

YES

24 weeks

N

YES

100%

0%

0%

Foundations of Clinical Practice

PSY7061

7

60

YES

YES

24 weeks

N

YES

100%

0%

0%

Clinical Assessment and Formulation

PSY7059

7

20

YES

YES

24 weeks

N

YES

100%

0%

0%

Low Intensity Psychological Interventions and CBT

PSY7060

7

20

YES

YES

24 weeks

N

YES

100%

0%

0%

Notes