collageOverview
Welcome to the UK’s oldest Clinical Psychology training programme. The DClinPsy programme at King’s College London trains clinical psychologists who embody the scientist-practitioner ideal, and will progress to become leaders in the NHS. The programme is underpinned by a biopsychosocial framework and emphasises the integration of theory, research and practice in all aspects of training. The programme takes cognitive-behavioural therapy as its main therapeutic modality, and has particular strengths in family therapy, mindfulness-based interventions, neuropsychology and clinical health psychology. The Doctorate is Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) approved and accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS).
Duration 3 years FT, September to September.
Study mode Full-time
Locations
Select location Denmark Hill Campus
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Course detail
Description
The three-year, full-time Doctorate in Clinical Psychology is based within the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN). Trainees spend three days a week on supervised clinical practice placements and two days a week are dedicated to teaching, study and research.
Aims & Philosophy
To benefit service users, carers and wider society by training clinical psychologists who:
- are skilled in evidence-based psychological assessment and intervention
- produce applied research of the highest quality and impact
- progress to become leaders within the NHS, clinical academia and beyond
The training programme values the reflective scientist-practitioner model as a basis for clinical psychology. There is a strong emphasis on integration of theory, research and practice in all aspects of the programme.
The biopsychosocial framework underpinning the Programme identifies biological, psychological and social factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of psychological difficulties and mental disorders across the lifespan. Our understanding of the framework is that it is linked to a continuum view of psychological difficulty. Thus, the programme seeks to understand these difficulties from an assumption of commonality of experience and human potential to support wellness and resilience.
The programme takes cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) as its main therapeutic modality, reflecting the world-leading research expertise within the IoPPN and its evidence base. Alongside CBT, there are also particular strengths in family therapy, neuropsychology, mindfulness and health psychology.
A further strength is the cohesive and comprehensive range of local and national specialist placement opportunities across three world-renowned NHS Trusts: South London and Maudsley, King’s College Hospital and Guy’s & St Thomas’ – known collectively as King’s Health Partners.
A final advantage is the vibrant and diverse communities within South East London; the programme values and positively promotes equality and diversity.
Additional Information
The programme meets the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) education and training standards – the statutory regulator for practitioner psychologists in the UK, and has full accreditation from the British Psychological Society (BPS).
On successful completion of the programme trainees are awarded the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. The award confers eligibility to apply for registration with the HCPC to practise as a clinical psychologist in the UK, and graduates are able to apply for full membership of the Division of Clinical Psychology from the BPS.
Trainees are full-time professionals in the NHS, registered students at King’s College London and key stakeholders whilst training. To facilitate good communication and focus on trainee issues, trainees participate in programme training committees and hold year group meetings with the programme director and other senior staff, helping to shape the programme’s development and evolution. Trainees also lead a number of working parties which inform programme development, including the Increasing Access Committee and Service User Involvement Working Party. As well as enhancing the quality of the programme through their feedback, these experiences provide opportunities to develop skills in leadership and systemic working.
The programme has a number of systems in place to ensure trainees feel supported, as well as to create a stimulating and rewarding environment for trainees to develop personally and professionally during their training:
- Before joining the programme, each new trainee is contacted by their ‘buddy’ – one of the current first year trainees – to facilitate their transition onto the programme
- Each trainee is allocated a personal support tutor – a qualified clinical psychologist available for confidential advice and support
- Trainees are also allocated a clinical tutor who will visit them on placement throughout the three years to maximise continuity, support and development
- Each trainee is assigned an appraiser from within the programme team to support progression across all aspects of training
- Reflective practice groups and case discussions run throughout training, which provide an opportunity for trainees to reflect on the impact of training and clinical work
Additionally, the Student Services Department of King’s College London offers counselling, welfare and medical services. These services can be accessed through the Compass Office based at the King’s College Denmark Hill campus.
Course study environment
The Doctorate is intensive, running for three years full-time. The programme consists of academic, clinical and research components, and trainees are required to pass in all areas. Most of the academic teaching, research supervision and clinical supervision are carried out by members of the Department of Psychology or clinical psychologists working within King’s Health Partners.
Specialist contributions to academic teaching are also made by experts from several other departments within the IoPPN and by invited outside speakers. For departmental and Institute research interests visit the IoPPN webpages.
In each year, trainees spend three days per week on supervised clinical placements (Tuesdays to Thursdays, 9:00 – 17:00) with Mondays and Fridays dedicated to teaching and research. Trainees undertake six 6-month placements. The four ‘core’ areas of the programme are Adult and Child Mental Health, (year 1) and Older Adults and Intellectual Disability (year 2). The third year comprises two elective or specialist placements.
Attendance at all course components is mandatory, including during the induction period. The length of the programme cannot be reduced through the accreditation of prior learning or experience. All trainees are required to complete the full three years of the programme in order to qualify.
Whilst on the programme, all trainees take annual holiday entitlement within set time periods to fit in with teaching and placements.
Academic Curriculum
The content of the academic curriculum covers the broad topics of:
- Adult mental health (including anxiety, depression & psychosis)
- Psychology and psychiatry of childhood and adolescence
- Neuropsychological theory and practice
- Clinical psychology as applied to intellectual disability and neurodevelopmental disorders
- Mental health of older adults
- Clinical health psychology
- Forensic psychology
- Psychological therapy (with strong emphasis on CBT, family therapy and mindfulness-based therapies)
- Research assessment and methodology
- Professional, legal and ethical issues
- Race, equality and diversity
- Leadership
The curriculum is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops, reflective practice meetings and small group tutorials. This range of approaches intends to fulfil different learner needs, and offers trainees opportunities to reflect critically on theoretical issues, their application to their clinical practice and research. Curriculum delivery reflects the sequence of practice placements to enhance theory-practice links, and builds core competencies in theory, practice and research development across the three years of training.
Clinical Practice Placements
Trainees undertake six 6-month placements over the three years of training:
Year 1: Adult Mental Health (one placement) and Child & Adolescent Mental Health (one placement)
Year 2: Mental Health of Older Adults (one placement) and Intellectual Disability (one placement). Trainees have the option to enrol on a placement based in Ireland during this year
Year 3: Elective or specialist placements (two placements)
Placements take place predominantly within King’s Health Partners, but there are a handful of non-NHS placements in the private and third sectors available. Placements are allocated on the basis of core competency needs for each year of study, although there may be some flexibility to consider with trainee preferences and to facilitate Service Evaluation Projects in the first year.
Research
By May of the final year trainees submit a research thesis of between 25,000-55,000 words. The thesis is comprised of:
• Literature Review
• Empirical Project
• Service -Evaluation Project (Conducted in the first year)
Trainees are encouraged to start work on the research elements early on in the programme, and progress is assessed twice a year via the submission of Research Progress Reports. These reports allow the programme team to provide advice, feedback and support to trainees to ensure they stay on track. The reports also provide an opportunity for trainees to disclose any problems they are having to the programme team.
Supervision and Assessment
Trainees are allocated clinical placement supervisors and a clinical tutor who will visit them during their placements. The Service Evaluation Project and all Clinical Competences are assessed by their clinical supervisor(s), and trainees choose their own research supervisors for the Literature Review and Empirical Project.
Qualifying examinations are held in June of the first year to assess academic curriculum and theory-practice links. Clinical placements are assessed by clinical supervisors, and the research thesis is assessed at a viva examination by two external examiners in the summer of the third year.
Trainees are also required to pass three assessments of clinical competence to qualify from the Programme. These assess generic therapy skills, cognitive therapy and cognitive assessment competencies.
The failure of two placements, or of an examination resit, or resubmitted assessments of clinical competence or the viva examination, will constitute a Programme failure. No lesser exit award is available under the Programme
In addition to summative assessment, the Programme provides formative feedback and assessment in a variety of ways, including annual appraisals and trainee-led conferences which take place in all three years: in Years 1 and 2 trainees present themed talks on clinical practice, and in Year 3 findings from their research thesis. Trainees receive presentation skills training in the third year of study from an external specialist.
Head of group/division
Dr Katharine Rimes
Contact for information
Kayleigh Rawlings, Programme Coordinator
020 7848 0152
Important Information:
Before contacting the programme, please note we are unable to offer individual advice on how to create a successful application or advise on what route applicants should take. There are many different routes onto the Doctorate, therefore the pathway undertaken should be the applicant’s choice, based on their interests and career aims.
Contact email
dclinpsy-admin@kcl.ac.uk
Course website
https://www.kcl.ac.uk/ioppn/depts/psychology/study/Doctorate-in-Clinical-Psychology/index.aspxRead less
Entry requirements
Entry requirements
| Minimum requirements | A minimum 2.1 undergraduate degree in Psychology, or 2.1 or above in a different subject area alongside a BPS accredited conversion course which grants GBC (for more info see below).Candidates without the required minimum degree class must provide evidence of a qualification at Doctoral level, such as a PhD. Although a postgraduate qualification, i.e. an MSc, is not mandatory, applications are enhanced by evidence of postgraduate study.Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC). A list of accredited conversion courses which grant GBC can be found on the BPS website- https://www.bps.org.ukPlease note: If a qualification was achieved outside of the UK please write the final grade in its original form, i.e. 3.4 GPA, 85%, 1.6 Abitur etc. We will then be able to convert the grade to the UK equivalent. | |
|---|---|---|
| International requirements | Visit our admissions webpages to view our International entry requirements. | |
| English Language requirements | Band B | Visit our admissions webpages to view our English language entry requirements. |
| Clinical work experience | In addition, all applicants are expected to have the equivalent of at least six months of full-time relevant clinical experience, either paid or voluntary, and can be in one setting for the duration or multiple settings, whereby the hours worked total to six months. Experience must be gained before submitting the application. Research experience is also essential.Appropriate experience includes one-to-one work with service users, offering therapy and interventions, working under the supervision of a qualified clinical psychologist and conducting and disseminating research. Please note part-time volunteer work during an undergraduate degree will not be sufficient on its own. |
Important note:
Applications from current students still completing their undergraduate degree or conversion course at the time of application cannot be considered. All applicants must obtain Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) from the British Psychological Society (BPS), and must provide evidence of the membership within their application.
We are unfortunately unable to give advice on which qualifications to study before applying to the Doctorate, such as Masters courses. We do not differentiate between courses or institutions, therefore as long as a course subject is relevant to psychology it would be deemed appropriate.
Additionally, if a job role includes the criteria listed above, the role would be taken into consideration within the application process.
Application procedure
There are two different routes to apply to the DClinPsy Programme for Home/EU and international candidates. Home/EU applicants are eligible to apply for an NHS funded place, and international applicants are able to apply for a self-funded place.
Applicants are expected to know their fee status before applying and to know the correct route of application. The programme cannot consider applications made via the wrong route of application.
Please note even if you are a UK/EU citizen, a residency criteria also needs to be met to be eligible for an NHS funded place.
Please visit the KCL graduate funding database for details of possible avenues of funding that international students may be eligible to apply for.
If you are unsure about your fee status, please visit the UKCISA website for further advice: http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/
Please note, if you miss the application deadline, you will not be able to apply for entry until the following year.
Home/EU Applicants
To qualify for a Home/EU place you usually must:
- Be a UK/EU national or have Indefinite Leave to Remain status
- Have lived within the EU, EEA or Switzerland for three years prior to applying to the programme, and your residence was not only for full-time education
- Have the right to work without restriction for the full three years of the training Programme
If you do not meet these criteria you would likely be considered an International applicant.
Home/EU applicants apply through the Clearing House portal between September and December for entry to the programme the following year. Interviews are usually held in May. More information can be found on the Clearing House website.
International Applicants
Overseas applicants can apply for a self-funded place through the King’s College London application portal. The portal is open between October and March for entry to the programme in October. Instructions are provided within the portal on how to complete an application.
More information about the department, eligibility criteria and the application process can be found on our webpages.
Personal statement and supporting information
Applicants are required to submit supporting information as part of their application.
For Home/EU documentation requirements, please visit the Clearing House website.
International applicants will be asked to submit the following documents:
| Personal statement | Yes | A personal statement of up to 4,000 characters (maximum 2 pages) |
|---|---|---|
| Research Proposal | No | A research proposal is not required for your Doctorate application |
| Previous Academic Study | Yes | A copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing the subject(s) studied and final grade obtained. Applicants with academic documents issued in a language other than English will need to submit both the original and official translation of their documents. |
| References | Yes | One academic and one clinical/work experience references are required |
| Other | Yes | A full CV (Resume) is needed as part of the application, as well as evidence of Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) |
Course intake
Approx. 21 NHS funded places. A small number of places are available per year for self-funded/sponsored overseas students.
Application closing date
Home/EU applicants should refer to the Clearing House website for closing date information. Their deadline is usually at the end of November.
The closing date for international applications is 31st March for entry in October.
Following the closing dates, all applications will be given equal consideration on their individual merits, however we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible. Please note that funding deadlines for international students may be earlier.Read less
Help and support
If you don’t have a suitable qualification for direct entry to a UK university, or if English isn’t your first language, our academic preparation courses can help you get ready for study in the UK.Preparation courses
Fees and funding
UK/EU Tuition Fees 2019/20
Home/EU applicants who meet the above entry requirements criteria are eligible for an NHS funded place.
UK/EU Tuition Fees 2020/21
Home/EU applicants who meet the above entry requirements criteria are eligible for an NHS funded place.
International Tuition Fees 2019/20
Full time tutiton fees: £30,200 per year
International Tuition Fees 2020/21
Full time tuition fees: £30,200 per year
Students starting their programme in 2019/20 who are eligible to pay EU fees will pay the same rate of tuition fees as UK students. This will apply for the duration of their programme, but may be subject to change by the UK Government for subsequent cohorts from 2020/21.
These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.
Deposit
When you receive an offer for this course you will be required to pay a £2,000 non-refundable deposit to secure your place. The deposit will be credited towards your total fee payment.
Research profile
Research in Psychology is broad in scope and includes cognitive neuroscience, neuropsychology, evolutionary psychology, cultural evolution, and cross-cultural psychology. Experimental research within the division is supported through a well-resourced infrastructure including MRI, EEG, TMS, and eye-tracking facilities, cubicles for testing, hardware and software resources, psychometric test library. Our psychologists have several field sites in Asia and Africa, facilitating research on diverse samples. Our research strengths are in evolutionary approaches to human behaviour as well as in cognitive neuroscience.
Find out about the exciting research we do in this area. Browse profiles of our experts, discover the research groups and their inspirational research activities you too could be part of. We’ve also made available extensive reading materials published by our academics and PhD students.
Learn more about research in this area.
You can explore our campus and facilities for yourself by taking our virtual tour.Back to top
Find a supervisor
Our researchers create knowledge and advance understanding, and equip versatile doctoral researchers with the confidence to apply what they have learnt for the benefit of society. Find out more about working with the Supervisory Team.
You are welcome to approach your potential supervisor directly to discuss your research interests. Search for expert supervisors for your chosen field of research.Back to top
Research journey
This course can be studied 3 years full-time or 6 years part-time, starting in January. Or this course can be studied 3 years full-time or 6 years part-time, starting in October. Or this course can be studied 3 years full-time or 6 years part-time, starting in April.
A PhD involves demonstrating through original research or other advanced scholarship the creation and interpretation of new knowledge, a systematic acquisition and understanding of a substantial body of knowledge at the forefront of an academic discipline or professional practice, the ability to conceptualise, design and implement a project for the general of new knowledge, applications or understanding at the forefront of the discipline. Research degrees evolve in different ways according to discipline. Find out about what progress might look like at each stage of study here: Research degree progress structure.
PhD topics
While we welcome applications from student with a clear direction for their research, we can also provide you with some ideas. Search for PhD topics for your chosen field of research.Back to top
Research support
Excellent research support and training
The Graduate School provides a range of personal, professional and career development opportunities. This includes workshops, online training, coaching and events, to enable you to enhance your professional profile, refine your skills, and plan your next career steps as part of the Researcher Development Programme.
Find our more: Study environment for research students
Library services
Brunel’s Library is open 24 hours a day, has 400,000 books and 250,000 ebooks, and an annual budget of almost £2m. Subject information Specialists train students in the latest technology, digital literacy, and digital dissemination of scholarly outputs.
The Library services boast:
- state-of-the-art research information management tools including a research
- publication and grant database
- one of the largest UK’s full text repository
- an integrated data management system
- analytical tools such as Altmertic and InCites
- Open Access centrally managed fund
Find out more: Brunel Library
A training programme will be provided by the College to assist students with achieving targets. The programme will include the underpinning principles such as philosophy of science, research integrity, ethics and specialist methodology. Sessions in core, specialist and advanced research methods will prepare students for an independent research career. Back to top
Careers and your future
Paid work available to research studentsUndertaking teaching and learning support duties represents an important professional and career development opportunity for postgraduate research students. Brunel offers two levels of paid work available to Postgraduate Research students. The first level post is as a Demonstrator and the second level post is as a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA). Teaching and learning support duties will vary between Departments and research students should not rely on such opportunities being available. Find out more here.
Following the completion of the course students may follow several career paths:
- Research within the academia which may lead to the career path of a University Lecturer
- The data science, statistics and experimental design skills are valued within the private sector
- The career path within the government agencies (e.g. Department of Health, Public Health England) or international agencies (UN, WHO, IAEA etc.)
UK entry requirements
The general University entrance requirement for registration for a research degree is normally a First or Upper Second Class Honours degree. All international students must show evidence that they meet the English requirement for their course of study. The Senate reserves the right to assess the eligibility of applicants on an individual basis.
Potential research students are encouraged to contact members of staff in the area of interest to receive guidance on how to focus the research proposal. Learn how to prepare a research proposal here. Back to top
EU and International entry requirements
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If you require a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK, you must prove knowledge of the English language so that we can issue you a Certificate of Acceptance for Study (CAS). To do this, you will need an IELTS for UKVI or Trinity SELT test pass gained from a test centre approved by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and on the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) list. This must have been taken and passed within two years from the date the CAS is made.
English language requirements
- IELTS: 7 (min 6 in all areas)
- Pearson: 64 (51 in all subscores)
- BrunELT: 70% (min 60% in all areas)
- TOEFL: 100 (min 20)
You can find out more about the qualifications we accept on our English Language Requirements page.
Should you wish to take a pre-sessional English course to improve your English prior to starting your degree course, you must sit the test at an approved SELT provider for the same reason. We offer our own BrunELT English test and have pre-sessional English language courses for students who do not meet requirements or who wish to improve their English. You can find out more information on English courses and test options through our Brunel Language Centre.
Please check our Admissions pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants. This information is for guidance only and each application is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Entry requirements are subject to review, and may change.Back to top
Fees and funding
2020/21
International
£19,280 full-time
£9,640 part-time
UK / EU
£4,407 full-time
£2,203 part-time
Fees quoted are per year and are subject to an annual increase.
Some courses incur additional course related costs. You can also check our on-campus accommodation costs for more information on living expenses.
Brunel offers a number of funding options to research students that help cover the cost of their tuition fees, contribute to living expenses or both. Recently the UK Government made available the Doctoral Student Loans of up to £25,000 for UK and EU students and there is some funding available through the Research Councils. Many of our international students benefit from funding provided by their governments or employers. Brunel alumni enjoy tuition fee discounts of 15%.
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