Clinical Psychology

Entry requirements

All applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society at the point of application and
• Have at least 12 months of clinically relevant work experience, or the equivalent part-time experience.

You must also not still be formally registered on another programme of study, or be re-sitting examinations at another Higher Education Institution, when this course begins. If you have received NHS funding for a psychological professions training course that started from March 2022 onwards, and you are not yet at least two years post-qualification, you may not be eligible to apply.

If you meet the minimum entry criteria above, the first stage of selection is two multiple-choice shortlisting tests: a Multiple Choice Question Test and a Clinical Psychology Situational Judgement Test.

Interview shortlisting is based on these scores. Interviews are held in person in Tunbridge Wells. The interview process is designed to assess your academic, clinical, professional and personal learning, alongside your alignment with NHS values as set out in the NHS Constitution. Interview panels include a member of the course team, a clinical psychologist from the region, an expert by experience, and a current third-year trainee.

If you receive an offer, this is subject to Enhanced DBS and Occupational Health clearance.

You must be able to demonstrate proficiency in English. If English is not your first language you are required to have an IELTS with an overall score of 7.5 with no element below 7.5. The test must have been taken within the last two years.

Months of entry

Anytime

Course content

Please note this course is taught at our Salomons Institute of Allied Psychology.

The Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsych) is a reputable, three-year, full-time professional training programme that integrates advanced study, clinical practice, and research.

Designed to meet the rigorous accreditation standards of the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the British Psychological Society (BPS), the course leads to professional registration as a Clinical Psychologist in the UK.

Doctorate students are usually employed as clinical psychology trainees within the NHS (Agenda for Change, Band 6), gaining hands-on experience in a variety of clinical and community settings across London, Kent, and Sussex.

This close partnership with the NHS will ensure you develop the wide-ranging competencies, reflective practice, and leadership skills required to excel in clinical roles.

Throughout the doctorate, you’ll receive expert supervision and academic support from leading clinical psychologists and researchers.

You’ll also undertake a substantial research project that contributes to the evidence base of psychological practice, ensuring you graduate as both a skilled practitioner and confident researcher.

Why study a DClinPsychol Clinical Psychology at CCCU?

• Our doctorate is fully accredited by The British Psychological Society and the Health and Care Professions Council.
• We offer one of the largest and longest established Clinical Psychology training courses in the UK and have a national reputation for excellence and innovative practice.
• Become a valued member of the Graduate College as a CCCU postgraduate student.

Learning and teaching

The Clinical Psychology programme at the University's Salomons Institute for Applied Psychology has been running for over 40 years and is the second largest of its kind in the UK.

Over the years we have trained hundreds of clinical psychologists, and our team has gained a national reputation for offering a high quality, innovative and broad­-based training experience.

We employ a very wide range of teaching methods using the most up to date audio-visual aids and virtual learning platforms. Teaching takes place in small group seminars and lectures, involving experiential learning, reflective practice, and problem-based learning methods.

All teaching emphasises the links between theory, research and practice, attending to issues of difference and diversity. The involvement of service users in teaching is a hallmark our approach to teaching and learning.

You will typically be at the University's Salomons Institute for teaching two days in each week with occasional weekly teaching blocks. This teaching is undertaken in synchrony with your clinical placements (taking place on the other three days) so that there are excellent opportunities for theory-practice linkage – the doing and learning going hand in hand.

All teaching is undertaken by highly experienced practicing clinicians working within local NHS Trusts in our region or by our highly experienced programme staff.

Your future career

Upon successfully completing our three-year full­-time doctorate, you will be eligible for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a fully qualified clinical psychologist.

This enables you to work in the NHS or other mental health services, undertaking clinical practice with a wide range of people experiencing diverse mental health difficulties.

Clinical psychologists work with children, adolescents and their families and carers, adults, older people, and those with physical and learning disabilities, amongst a wide range of other specialties.

Undertaking research, and supervision of and consultation to, other mental health professionals, teams and services are also key components of the job.

The doctoral training you undertake with us will prepare you with the skills to undertake all the many and varied facets of this diverse and interesting career.

Visit the DClinPsychol Clinical Psychology page on the Canterbury Christ Church University website for more details!

Information for international students

Canterbury Christ Church University welcomes applications from International Students. For more information please visit our website.

Fees and funding

NHS-funded tuition fees

We can only consider applicants for NHS-funded places who meet ‘home’ fees status and who have the right to work in the UK. Additionally, NHS-funded places are only available to applicants who intend to work in NHS funded services upon the completion of training.

Successful NHS-funded applicants are employed as trainee clinical psychologists by the Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust who formally manage all aspects of their contract of employment. Trainees are paid on Band 6 of the Agenda for Change pay scales.