Please note: For 2026/27, we plan to run MSc Clinical Associate in Psychology (Adults) and/or MSc Clinical Associate in Psychology (Children and Young People). This depends on a sufficient number of students being enrolled on each strand.

This MSc course, which has been accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), will be the foundation for your training to become a qualified Clinical Associate in Psychology (CAP).

Alongside your formal study of clinical psychology theory and practice, you will undertake practice-based learning and supervised clinical practice in a relevant health or social care setting under the supervision of a registered clinical or counselling psychologist.

You’ll develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours necessary to work safely and effectively as a CAP, including knowledge of governance, ethical and organisational issues.

We will train you to work effectively with individuals experiencing mental health problems using evidence-based approaches. You'll develop skills in psychological assessment, formulation and intervention, and in how to evaluate and enhance your practice. Your developing clinical practice skills and competence will be reviewed and assessed throughout the course.

As you work to become a reflective, ethical and competent practitioner, you'll gain the experience needed to contribute to the effective provision of psychologically informed care across the wider health and social care system.

On successful completion of this degree, you will have demonstrated the knowledge, skills and behaviours to work as a qualified CAP, and be able to:

• work autonomously with appropriate support and supervision from a registered psychologist
• provide personalised and evidence-based care to people from different backgrounds and cultures
• support service development through quality improvement

This course is designed for psychology graduates employed by health and social care providers as an apprentice or trainee Clinical Associate in Psychology (CAP). The CAP role aims to address unmet needs in mental health provision, as outlined in the NHS Long Term Plan and Community Mental Health Framework.

Graduate prospects

On completion of this degree, you’ll be eligible to join the British Psychological Society (BPS) Wider Psychological Workforce register as a Clinical Associate in Psychology, and apply for Clinical Associate in Psychology roles in the NHS and other health and care organisations.

Teaching on this course will cover theory-driven psychological assessment, formulation and intervention, and equip students to provide training and consultation, and to conduct service evaluation.

The University of Bath will work closely with employers to develop course content to meet NHS workforce needs. We will support students to become reflective and ethical practitioners who are able to work with complex presentations, and whose practice is evidence-based and outcome-focused.

We strive to engage effectively with all stakeholders and respond to specific workforce training needs where possible. Please contact us if you would like to discuss any aspect of the training course.

To balance accessibility with maximising clinical skills development, the course is delivered through a blend of on-campus and live online teaching (with a minimum of 25% teaching delivered in person on campus). Students are expected to attend our on-campus teaching days here at the University of Bath.

Occasionally, we make changes to our courses/programmes in response to, for example, feedback from students, developments in research and the field of studies, and the requirements of accrediting bodies. You will be advised of any significant changes to the advertised course, in accordance with our Terms and Conditions.

The units you study will depend on the strand of this course you study (adults/children and young people).

Year 1

• Clinical and health psychology for adults or Clinical and health psychology for children and young people
• Clinical practice unit: adults or Clinical practice unit: children and young people
• Clinical psychology practice for adults or Clinical psychology practice for children and young people
• Research skills for health service contexts 

Year 2

• Clinical practice unit (continued from Year 1)
• End Point Assessment

Please note: As an MSc Clinical Associate in Psychology student, you will be expected to balance the demands of your professional work and your academic workload. You will be required to attend formal teaching activities at specified times and engage in self-directed study to support your learning and development.

Recruitment and selection for this course is led by NHS employers, and health and care employers, in collaboration with the University of Bath.

Therefore, applications must be made via employers (such as an NHS Trust) recruiting apprentice/trainee CAPs, not directly to the University of Bath. These services typically advertise apprentice or trainee Clinical Associate in Psychology posts on recruitment websites, such as NHS Jobs.

To apply for this course, you should have:

• a minimum 2:2 undergraduate degree in psychology, or an equivalent conversion course, accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS)
• relevant clinical experience in a mental health setting
• the offer of a suitable work position as an apprentice/trainee Clinical Associate in Psychology

Applicants should be eligible for BPS Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) and will need to have, or have applied for, Graduate Membership for entry to the course. Read more about BPS Graduate Membership.

Tuition fees

The sponsoring employer for this degree is responsible for recruitment and the payment of tuition fees.

From 2026, under the NHS-England ‘exceptional funding model’ for the MSc Clinical Associate in Psychology apprenticeship or on the non-apprenticeship variant, it is possible that a student may be required by their employer to contribute towards the cost of tuition fees.

See the most recent fees for postgraduate courses

Eligibility

If you have undertaken Health Education England-funded training within two years of the start date of this course, you will not be eligible to apply. This also applies to future Health Education England-funded courses following the completion of this course.

You may have to meet certain eligibility criteria to be able to complete the apprenticeship variant of this course under the ‘exceptional funding model’ (subject to confirmation by the Department for Education). Find out more about apprenticeship eligibility.

IT requirements

To take full advantage of the online resources available to you, you will need regular access to a computer with a microphone and camera, along with a reliable internet connection. The University will make available to you the key software you need for your course, including access to Microsoft Teams through your University account.

Budgeting

Accommodation, food and travel costs (if required) are not included in tuition fees. Accommodation is not available on the University campus, so you may need to book accommodation in Bath.

Course title: Clinical Associate in Psychology

Final award: MSc

Mode of study: Part-time apprenticeship / part-time

Course code: THPS-APA16 / THPS-APA17

Department: Department of Psychology

Accreditation: British Psychological Society (BPS)

Location: University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY

Application deadline: Applications must be made to/via employers (please check individual deadlines)

Regulator: The Office for Students (OfS)