Programme Title

PgDip Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy (CBP)

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

Postgraduate Diploma

Programme Code

NAM-PD-CB

UCAS Code

HECoS Code

100254

ATAS Clearance Required

No

Health Check Required

No

Portfolio Required

Applicants from a non-core profession will be expected to provide a portfolio of evidence and references to demonstrate suitable core knowledge, skills and attitudes in line with KSA guidelines produced by BABCP or accreditation with the BACP.

Interview Required

Mode of Study

Part Time

Type of Programme

Postgraduate

Length of Programme

2 Academic Year(s)

Total Credits for Programme

120

Exit Awards available

Awarding Institution/Body

Queen's University Belfast

Teaching Institution

Queen's University Belfast

School/Department

Nursing & Midwifery

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

Level 7

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

Counselling and psychotherapy

Accreditations (PSRB)

British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies

Date of most recent Accreditation Visit 31-03-15

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

N/A

Programme Specific Regulations

The British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapists have produced Minimum Training Standards (MTS). The MTS require students to have 450 hours of study, of which 200 hours should be provided directly by recognised trainers. In addition students should have conducted a minimum of 200 hours of supervised assessment and therapy to progress to accreditation. A minimum of eight clients will have been assessed and treated under direct supervision totalling a minimum of five hours per case. Supervised practice will have been subjected to formal assessment by written critiques of six case studies.

Attendance

Students who fail to satisfy the attendance requirements will be referred to the Programme Coordinator. Those students who do not fulfil 100% attendance with have to demonstrate to the Associate Module Leader a concrete plan of how they intend to compensate for the missed module material. All attendance is recorded at every class this is reviewed on a weekly basis any time missed must be made up this is done by the module leader assessing the topic/time missed and individual work allocated to the student which must be presented to the module leader within an agreed timeframe for assessment. This will require individual time with the module leader and will include pastoral support.

Practice Competency Profile
Students are required to fully complete the 37.5 days (281 hours) of clinical practice under the supervision of a ‘Sign Off’ mentor (Clinical Supervisor) who must be an Accredited or accreditable BABCP Practitioner. Any absence must be made up prior to completion of programme. When making up absence, a student is not permitted to exceed the EU requirement of a 45-hour working week. A student, who is absent from clinical placement for a period of 5 days, or less, may negotiate with their Clinical Supervisor to make up this time. This must be recorded in their portfolio. Absences greater than 5 days will be arranged in consultation with the Associate Module Leader and the Clinical Allocations Unit.


Progress
The Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy is a course of the School of Nursing and Midwifery within the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences. The Course in CBP shall be conferred upon registered students of the University that have pursued the approved course of study and passed prescribed assessments, examinations and clinical practice. The course is subject to the General Regulations and Higher Degree Regulations of the University: Calendar Book 1. In addition the following course specific regulations apply


The course is a 2 year p/t (or 1 year fulltime) course of preparation leading to the award of a Postgraduate Diploma and to a recordable qualification with the BABCP.

On registration with the University, each student will be assigned to a Personal Tutor who is a qualified teacher and a BABCP Accredited Practitioner.

• For the purposes of these regulations, credit for a module is obtained by satisfying all module requirements prescribed in connection with the module and by passing the relevant assessment.

Students whose progress appears to be unsatisfactory at any stage of their studies, who are absent from a University examination for a reason not approved by the School, or who records two absent medicals for an assessable component of the course will be referred to the Board of Examiners.

The University requires 100% attendance as such a register for each class is kept and absences are ‘made up’ with arrangement with the Course Director and student. The student must access the online resources (the online system automatically records this activity) a time will then be arranged to review this material with the student and were necessary engage in practical experience. An additional register of this activity will be logged to ensure the class and time has been made up to ensure the BABCP minimum competency standards have been met. Students whose absence gives cause for concern will be called to attend a support meeting.

Students with extenuating circumstances may be granted a temporary withdrawal from the course. A student is permitted a maximum of two temporary withdrawals during the duration of the course up to a maximum of two academic years in total. Information regarding progress may be shared with the applicant’s seconding authority.

A student on temporary withdrawal may return to the programme at the point where they were last deemed competent. Students must complete all modules and achieve satisfactory performance in all compulsory elements. The pass mark for all modules is 50% unless otherwise stated in the module proforma.

Re-sits will be facilitated at the next available opportunity. Where a student has achieved the overall pass mark for a module but has not achieved satisfactory performance in the specified compulsory elements the result may, at the discretion of the Board of Examiners, be recorded as incomplete.

Course Assessment

Assessment Schedule
Modules shall normally be assessed or examined before the end of the semester in which they are taught.
The outline method of assessment in each case is available in the individual module descriptions.
Students must complete all modules and achieve a satisfactory performance in all compulsory elements.
The pass mark for all modules is 50% all component parts must be passed at 50%. Resits for modules will be facilitated at the next available examination/assessment opportunity.
The Practice Competency Profile will be assessed utilising a Pass/Fail differentiation.

Failure in Theoretical Assessment
In all cases of failure or incompletion, the Board of Examiners will be responsible for deciding whether the whole module or specified components will be repeated.
Students who have failed a module twice (one first sit and one re-sit in one academic year) must meet with their Adviser of Studies or Personal Tutor and normally will not be permitted to repeat that module again. Persistent failures may lead to the student being required to withdraw from the University

Failure in Clinical Assessment
Students must complete the clinical component and achieve a satisfactory performance in all compulsory elements using the CTS-R as the assessment metric. The outline of the method of assessment in each practice placement is available in the module booklet.
Students whose progress in the clinical component gives cause for concern may be referred to the Board of Examiners.
Students who do not achieve satisfactory performance in Clinical Practice will be permitted one further opportunity. Reassessment will take place not earlier than two weeks from the original assessment date.
Students who do not achieve satisfactory performance after a second attempt will be required to attend a student progress meeting. If permitted to remain on the course the student may be required to repeat a period of practice of not less than 6 weeks.
Award of the Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Specialist Practice

The award will be dependent upon the student achieving the following:

Satisfactory completion of all theoretical modules/ components
Satisfactory completion of all Clinical Practice modules;
Satisfactory attendance.

The Graduate upon successful completion of all components of the programme will be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy in keeping with University guidelines.

Students with protected characteristics

N/A

Are students subject to Fitness to Practise Regulations

(Please see General Regulations)

No
Those students registered with a professional regulatory body are subject to Fitness to Practise Regulations.

Learning Outcomes: Cognitive Skills

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

Develop the ability to reflect in critical and constructive ways on their own learning.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lecture, tutorials, independent study.

Methods of Assessment

Practical, written assessment, clinical portfolio.

Coherently debate the merits of competing psychological theories of wellbeing, illness and treatment.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lecture, tutorials, independent study.

Methods of Assessment

Practical, written assessment, clinical portfolio.

Evaluate critically the intricacy and diversity of the experiences of common mental disorders, how they present and respond to treatment.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lecture, tutorial, clinical supervision.

Methods of Assessment

Practical, written assessment, clinical portfolio.

Comprehensively understand and interpret quantitative and qualitative data.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

E-learning, tutorials, discussion groups.

Methods of Assessment

Practical, written assessment, clinical portfolio.

Creatively evaluate evidence and make reasoned arguments.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Analysing patient/client (simulated) material.

Methods of Assessment

Practical, written assessment, clinical portfolio.

Critically explore how knowledge translates into policy and policy into practice.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Analysing patient/client (simulated) material.

Methods of Assessment

Practical, written assessment, clinical portfolio.

Learning Outcomes: Transferable Skills

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

Demonstrate self-direction and originality in problem solving, and acting autonomously in management of time, planning, goal setting, implementation and evaluation.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Group problem-solving, including attention to the group dynamics of teamwork.

Methods of Assessment

Practical, written assessment, clinical portfolio.

Demonstrate a critical awareness of working collaboratively with patients, families, practitioners and agencies.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Observation/role-play/simulated practice.

Methods of Assessment

Practical, written assessment, clinical portfolio.

Use computer based technologies.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Workshops.

Methods of Assessment

Practical, written assessment, clinical portfolio.

Work productively in a group; group facilitation skills.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Group problem-solving, including attention to the group dynamics of teamwork.

Methods of Assessment

Practical, written assessment, clinical portfolio.

Lead, take initiative, demonstrate flexibility and adaptability, work in actual and virtual teams, delegate.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Observation/role-play/simulated practice.

Methods of Assessment

Practical, written assessment, clinical portfolio.

Comprehensively understand own learning preferences and have a strategic view of learning needs.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Clinical supervision.

Methods of Assessment

Practical, written assessment, clinical portfolio.

Learning Outcomes: Knowledge & Understanding

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

Assess evidence critically, synthesise data from digital and printed sources, particularly online catalogues and databases, research library catalogues, archival inventories, and other traditional and digital resources relevant to the subject area.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Clinical supervision, tutorials.

Methods of Assessment

Practical, written assessment, clinical portfolio.

Solve problems of conflicting sources and conflicting interpretations.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Clinical supervision.

Methods of Assessment

Practical, written assessment, clinical portfolio.

Question interpretations, however authoritative, and reassess evidence for themselves.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Tutorial, seminars, workshops.

Methods of Assessment

Practical, written assessment, clinical portfolio.

Listen and discuss ideas introduced during seminars.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Clinical supervision.

Methods of Assessment

Practical, written assessment, clinical portfolio.

Make original contributions to the subject.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Tutorial, seminars, workshop.

Methods of Assessment

Practical, written assessment, clinical portfolio.

Learning Outcomes: Subject Specific

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

Demonstrate originality on the practical understanding of
common mental disorders, together with a practical understanding of formulation based assessment and intervention.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Seminars, observation, role play/simulated practice.

Methods of Assessment

Practical, written assessment, clinical portfolio.

Engage in, develop and disengage from therapeutic relationships through the use of appropriate interpersonal skills.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Observation/role-play/simulated practice.

Methods of Assessment

Practical, written assessment, clinical portfolio.

Critically explore psychological and social theories and concepts of cognitive behavioural therapy for common mental disorders.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Seminars, tutorials.

Methods of Assessment

Practical, written assessment, clinical portfolio.

Demonstrate originality in the selection and application of appropriate cognitive behavioural interventions for specific mental disorders.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Clinical supervision.

Methods of Assessment

Practical, written assessment, clinical portfolio.

Creatively analyse empirical evidence on cognitive behavioural therapy for common mental disorders to evaluate.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

E-learning, tutorials, seminars.

Methods of Assessment

Practical, written assessment, clinical portfolio.

Coherently debate a range of related ethical issues.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Snowballing activities which begin with pair-based work with the groups progressively combining to produce a larger group response to a challenge set.

Methods of Assessment

Practical, written assessment, clinical portfolio.

Critically explore cognitive behavioural therapy professional and therapeutic competences.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures, workshop.

Methods of Assessment

Practical, written assessment, clinical portfolio.

Deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively through effective clinical supervision.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Observation/role-play/simulated practice, clinical supervision.

Methods of Assessment

Practical, written assessment, clinical portfolio.