Clinical Psychology Professional Doctorate

Our professional doctorate represents a unique blend of academic study, clinical experience and research which will enable you to qualify as a registered Clinical Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

An important strand running through the course is the impact of society upon psychological wellbeing. We encourage you to be alert to and involved in the wider context of changing health, social and economic needs of the population.

The teaching elements of the course are closely linked to the work you’ll be doing in your clinical placements and your research activities. The links between theory, practice and personal development are developed through a strong emphasis on reflective practice.

The course has been commended by the British Psychological Society (BPS) for the high regard in which the course team and its students are held by NHS stakeholders and service users who play an active role in its development and implementation.

Upon successful completion of the course, you’ll be eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council and membership of the Division of Clinical Psychology in the BPS.

The course is a partnership between Staffordshire University, the NHS and practising clinical psychologists in Shropshire and Staffordshire. As a trainee clinical psychologist, under current funding arrangements, you’ll be employed full-time by one of two local NHS Trusts.

Applications can only be accepted via the Clearing House for Postgraduate Courses in Clinical Psychology

Your time on the course will be divided between academic work, clinical experience and research.

Academic

Following mandatory induction blocks each year, you’ll attend workshops, lectures and seminars and undertake online learning for up to two days per week throughout the course. The mandatory induction blocks will be for 2-5 days each week depending on the stage you’re at.

You’ll cover a broad range of topics in clinical psychology, giving you the knowledge required for your clinical placements and research.

In Years 1 and 2, teaching is closely linked with the competencies that are assessed on placements, while Year 3 teaching focuses more on specialist skills.

Clinical experience

Throughout the course, you’ll undertake clinical placements in a variety of settings – you could be placed in hospitals, clinics, community centres or voluntary agencies. Placements can be located anywhere across the large geographical area of Staffordshire and Shropshire. You’re likely to be travelling some distance at times during training.

During each year-long placement module, you’ll typically work with two (and up to three) main supervisors on clinical placements, which can last from 5-12 months (typically six months). In your third year you may have a degree of choice over some of your placements, depending on circumstances and progress.

Research

Your research activities will include:

• critical appraisal of literature
• a research proposal
• an examination of research methods and processes
• a service evaluation project
• a research thesis portfolio

You’ll have scope for choosing your research topics, provided they’re in line with staff interests, national and/or local research priorities and suitable supervision is available from University academics and local clinicians.

You’ll start your thesis early in Year 1 and complete it by the end of Year 3. The thesis portfolio is written up as two papers, written in a format suitable for submission to identified peer-reviewed journals, and an executive summary. The first paper, a literature review, is submitted at the end of Year 2.

You’ll have access to a wide range of University and NHS library and online resources, and you’ll be given training in qualitative and quantitative research methods and the process of conducting clinically relevant research.

Pathfinder West Midlands Mentoring Scheme

Ethnic minority groups are currently underrepresented on our programmes and within the profession of Clinical Psychology. The Pathfinder – West Midlands Mentoring Scheme is being funded by Health Education England (HEE), as part of a wider bid aimed at addressing ethnic inequity within the profession.

The Clinical Psychology programmes of Birmingham, Coventry & Warwick, and Staffordshire universities formed a partnership to develop a framework for a mentoring scheme that provides information to and supports aspiring clinical psychologists toward a career pathway in the clinical psychology profession. This scheme is called the Pathfinder - West Midlands Mentoring Scheme.

Professional body accreditation

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.