Clinical Psychology FAQ

@Lord Asriel

Thank you for this thread. It is very informative.

I will be making my UCAS applications for Psychology this fall for admission in Sep 2023. I am an international IB student, and I am studying HL Chem + HL Biology and HL Psychology with 776 as my final Grade 11 results, which are A*A*A fairly similar to the A levels. (My unofficial IB predictive grade is 44/45 - I have 3A* in the rest of my SL subjects).

My end goal is to become a clinical psychologist and I am fully aware of the academic commitment for about 10 years (with relevant job experience to get there). I am not sure if doing an integrated/undergraduate Masters MSc will make a difference to my goal. The one advantage I feel from doing an integrated Masters is that I can follow through with a Masters program in my 4th year, without the need to go through the Masters application process. Eg MSc at UCL or MSc at Bristol. The alternative is to apply for a BPS-accedited BA Psy or BSc Psy undergraduate degree program (meeting the 2:1 requirement) and apply for a MSc program at the same university or take advantage of going to another university for a different experience. Would it make a difference which MSc program I do when I apply for a DClinPsy program? I would like to know what you think as a professional practitioner, please. Thank you.

Reply 122

Dilemmb

Volunteer Team, Clearing and Applications Advisor

This is super helpful, I am actually starting to go into a psychology b.sc through an open uni, however what I am confused about is they don’t seem to offer a phd after this. Is that normal? Or does the phd need another more strict criteria?

Reply 123

Nerol

21

Original post by Dilemmb

This is super helpful, I am actually starting to go into a psychology b.sc through an open uni, however what I am confused about is they don’t seem to offer a phd after this. Is that normal? Or does the phd need another more strict criteria?

Hi!
The OU do offer PhDs within the Psychology and Counselling school. There is more information here: https://fass.open.ac.uk/psychology/postgraduate-research

Reply 124

DataVenia

21

Original post by Dilemmb

This is super helpful, I am actually starting to go into a psychology b.sc through an open uni, however what I am confused about is they don’t seem to offer a phd after this. Is that normal? Or does the phd need another more strict criteria?

Be careful here. There are several different types of doctorate available in the UK.

If you want to do Psychology research, then a PhD (such as the one offered by Open University) is what you want.

If you want to practice Psychology then you need your post-graduate degree to be approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). For some branches of Psychology they require that you have an approved Master's. For others they require that you have an approved Professional Doctorate. This type of doctorate is not a PhD.

See here for a list of HCPC-approved courses (for Psychology, select Practitioner Psychologist).

Reply 125

Volunteer Team, Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post by DataVenia

Be careful here. There are several different types of doctorate available in the UK.

If you want to do Psychology research, then a PhD (such as the one offered by Open University) is what you want.

If you want to practice Psychology then you need your post-graduate degree to be approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). For some branches of Psychology they require that you have an approved Master's. For others they require that you have an approved Professional Doctorate. This type of doctorate is not a PhD.

See here for a list of HCPC-approved courses (for Psychology, select Practitioner Psychologist).

It is not a PhD but a DClinPsy, correct?

Reply 126

DataVenia

21

Original post by BubblesBB

It is not a PhD but a DClinPsy, correct?

For Clinical Psychology, yes (although I've seen some other abbreviations used too, like DClinPsychol or ClinPsyD).

For Counselling Psychology, it'd be DCounsPsy (or some similar abbreviation).

Reply 127

DeeAnn50

MSci Psychology at UCL or Psychology with placement year in professional setting at KLC. Which Undergraduate course is better for eventual DClinPsy application? Anyone know if the placement on the MSCI @ UCL is just research based, not any clinical experience opprtunities? Please advise. Thank you

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 128

Original post by DeeAnn50

MSci Psychology at UCL or Psychology with placement year in professional setting at KLC. Which Undergraduate course is better for eventual Clinical Psychologist Doctorate application? Anyone know if the placement on the MSCI @ UCL is just research based, not any clinical experience opprtunities? Please advise. Thank you

For UCL MSci Psych, students in Year 3 start to secure their Year 4 placement. The faculty will offer a list of projects, both research and applied, and students choose their preferred projects and send their CVs and cover letters, as they would when applying for a job. There will be an interview so the placement provider can decide who their best candidates are. In regards to applied placements, UCL has existing collaborations with several NHS services and industry organisations.

If students wish to work with an organisation that does not appear on the list, then they are strongly advised to seek the help of the Placement Coordinator before they make any contact with them as they can provide the appropriate advice in approaching new placement providers.

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 129

DeeAnn50

Original post by BubblesBB

For UCL MSci Psych, students in Year 3 start to secure their Year 4 placement. The faculty will offer a list of projects, both research and applied, and students choose their preferred projects and send their CVs and cover letters, as they would when applying for a job. There will be an interview so the placement provider can decide who their best candidates are. In regards to applied placements, UCL has existing collaborations with several NHS services and industry organisations.

If students wish to work with an organisation that does not appear on the list, then they are strongly advised to seek the help of the Placement Coordinator before they make any contact with them as they can provide the appropriate advice in approaching new placement

Sorry I should have made it clearer. On the applied route of MSci would clinical work experience tasks be available to student or just that they undertake a research project in a professional clinical setting? Thank you

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 130

Original post by DeeAnn50

Sorry I should have made it clearer. On the applied route of MSci would clinical work experience tasks be available to student or just that they undertake a research project in a clinical setting? Thank you

Sorry, I don't know for sure. I have the impression that it's only in the clinical route that one gets clinical work experience (for 6 months), and on the applied route, it could involve the testing of assessment procedures or a service evaluation.

Reply 131

DeeAnn50