Programme
Open Day
Open Day will take place on Wednesday 23 October 2013. To reserve a place please contact clinpsych@bath.ac.uk
What is clinical psychology?
The British Psychological Society (BPS) has useful information about the general principles of clinical psychology
About the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology
Programme ethos
The programme recruits trainees who show evidence of a commitment to the core principles of clinical psychology and the specific ethos and philosophy of the south west regional training course based in Bath.
The programme itself is strongly committed to an evidence based and empirically grounded ethos. In addition, trainees undertaking the programme will be offered the opportunity to develop a range of special interests during the course of their training, particularly clinical health psychology. We will select candidates on the basis of their anticipated suitability for this approach.
Trainees will learn to become highly capable “scientist practitioners”. The course ethos emphasises the importance of a clear understanding of how psychological theory can be applied to clinical problems by attention to the empirical grounding for processes, strategies and techniques in the work of clinical psychologists. An explicit feature of this approach is the recognition that competent practitioners are able learn and develop a skilful blend of the scientific basis of clinical psychology (“clinical science”) with reflective practice and personally adapted approaches (“clinical art”). This type of development requires close co-ordination between programme teaching staff and placement supervisors.
Learning, teaching and training is “research led”. Given the present state of the field, this means that in terms of psychological treatment training, the main therapeutic approaches used will emphasise the full range of evidence based and empirically grounded approaches to understanding and treatment of clinical problems. This in practice will mean behavioural, cognitive and cognitive behavioural approaches together with empirically grounded interpersonal and systemic approaches.
The training provided by the programme thus draws upon the full range of empirically grounded psychological theory, not only in psychopathology but also in other areas of psychology such as social and developmental psychology in order to allow consideration of context and lifespan development. The emphasis in assessment and therapy will be person-centred in the broad sense.
The programme also has major strengths in Clinical Health Psychology and it is expected that some students will develop this specialisation throughout their training whilst gaining core competencies across other specialties.
Doctorate in Clinical Psychology brochure
Download our programme brochure for further information about:
- Teaching
- Placements
- Research
- Staff
