BSc Applied Psychology (Clinical) at Exeter: Transform Your Future with Clinical Expertise

1. BSc Applied Psychology (Clinical) Dr Paul Farrand Programme Director

2. Context for the BSc Applied Psychology (Clinical) What’s so special about the programme? What can I do after the degree? How do I get a place? Questions?

3. BSc Applied Psychology (Clinical) at Exeter • 10th in the UK for Psychology • Excellent teaching quality • 90% for Overall Satisfaction in National Student Survey 2011 • Internationally rated research (RAE 2008) • 11th in UK for world leading research

4. Teaching Facilities • Resources of specialist clinical training group (CEDAR) with national reputation • Clinical skills training suites with full audio/visual recording capacity • State-of-the-art computer laboratories • Specialist practical laboratories

5. Teaching Expertise • International expertise in translating research evidence into training and intervention development • CBT Mindfulness (Professor Kuyken) • Rumination (Professor Watkins) • Low Intensity CBT (Professor Richards, Dr Farrand) • Nationally recognised clinical training expertise • Dr Farrand nominated for National Teaching Fellowship • Clinically active staff • Research on clinical training methods incorporated into programmes

6. Teaching Delivery • Full range of teaching and assessment methods used: • Simulated competency assessments with actors (Richards, D & Whyte, M., 2008). • Problem Based Learning (Stedman, J., Wood, J., Curle, C. & Haslam, C, 2005). • Self-Practice/Self-Reflection to support training in CBT (Haarhoff, B. & Farrand, P., 2012). • Reflective blogs to support Self-Practice/Self-Reflection (Farrand, P., Perry, J., Linsley, S., 2010). 

7. Teaching Delivery • Nationally recognised centre of excellence for training Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners. • Dedicated Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner Clinical Educator team.

8. Research Facilities • Mood Disorders Centre: internationally recognised specialist research group • Specialist facilities including: • access to fMRI imaging and psychophysiological labs • group research treatment rooms • clinical labs

9. Clinical Facilities • AccEPT Clinic: psychological therapies service offering access to psychological treatments under development • Provides research placement opportunities • Enables academic staff to retain clinical practice

10. What’s so special about the BSc Applied Psychology (Clinical)? • Offers a broad foundation in the core areas of psychology • Provides a specific focus on the clinical applications of psychology • Develops clinical competency in low intensity cognitive behavioural therapy • Provides a range of academic, clinical, research and transferable skills to prepare you confidently for employment or future study

11. Professional and National Recognition

12. “The BSc Applied Psychology (Clinical) has been developed in line with The Future of Undergraduate Psychology in the United Kingdom, a joint paper between the BPS, the Higher Education Academy, Psychology Network and the Associated Heads of Psychology Departments aimed at considering how to provide students with an undergraduate learning experience that will enable them to apply their psychological literacy throughout their lives. The programme has been designed to improve employability following graduation, whether they decide to go into a clinical psychology role or move into a different career and reduce stigma of mental health sufferers through increased public understanding”.  ‘The Psychologist’ (March, 2012;p224)

13. Programme structure • Core psychology modules shared in years 1 and 2 withBSc Psychology • Increasing focus on clinical applications of psychology • Four modules making up clinical training 100% 62.5% 50%

15. Dual Accreditation Innovative features • BPS accreditation to confer eligibility for: • Graduate basis for chartered membership • Clinical training component • Practitioner accreditation with BABCP as NHS role as a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner following brief period of employment

16. Clinical Practice Placement Innovative features • Located within an Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) service or equivalent • Organised by Exeter Clinical Training Centre (CEDAR) • Two days per week between September and December of Year 3 • Competency developed and assessed in previous term on IAPT modules • Undertake role of Trainee Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner • Have own caseload • Receive supervision

17. Clinical Research Project Innovative features • Undertaken in final year • Supervision provided within Mood Disorders Centre • Opportunity for research placements from year 2 • Opportunity to link topic to current/proposed research projects • Supported by clinically focused statistics and methodology modules in years 2 and 3

18. Examples of Clinical Research Projects Do individuals with a repressive coping style report personal events with reduced levels of specificity? Does learning style predict choice of psychological intervention? Differences in perfectionism between British and Chinese students Does facial appearance of author influence effectiveness of CBT self-help? Vantage point of autobiographical memories: the role of body image Attitudes to physical activity amongst people with depression

19. Personal and Professional Development Innovative features • Establish an ongoing Personal and Professional Development (PPD) Planning Portfolio • Supported through personal tutor system with clinical practitioners • Individual monthly PPD meetings • Monthly PPD tutorials • Supports continued reflection on learning and development of transferable skills • Bridges theory-practice divide • Identifies ongoing development opportunities

20. What can I do after the degree? • Improved general employment prospects • Excellent experience contributing to clinical psychology training in the future • Examples of clinically related posts • Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner • Psychology Assistant • Mental Health Support Work • Clinical Research Assistant

21. What is a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner? • Patient-facing mental health professional role • Undertakes all mental health roles • Assessment and informal diagnosis • Psychological intervention • Signposting • Supporting medication management • Collaborative care • Spearheads new ways of working • Face-to-face, telephone, email support • Range of evidence-based interventions

22. What Interventions are Supported? • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) self-help based on books, manuals, computerised CBT, moving into mobile phone apps • Support for specific evidence-based low intensity CBT interventions including: • Behavioural activation • Exposure therapy • Problem solving • Cognitive restructuring • Behavioural experiments

23. Development of skills not just linked to employment in clinical settings however – skills are more generic and therefore increase employability across wide range of professions

24. Improved Employability

25. Meeting BPS Recommendations

27. How do I get a place? Personal Statement Interview Process

28. Personal Statement • Highlight any experience you already have related to mental health • Work experience • Personal knowledge • Project work • Mention any work experience you have (of whatever type) • Express your passion for this programme • Convey what you learnt from all of these experiences

29. Rolling Interview Process • Small group discussion about mental health with members of the Mood Disorders Centre ‘Lived Experience Group’ • Brief individual interview • Aim to identify potential for development • Acknowledged that applicants often will not demonstrate at this stage the range of qualities desired by the end of the programme

30. Still interested? Additional presentation on the Mood Disorders Centre, Clinical Training (CEDAR), and Career Development.

31. www.exeter.ac.uk/bscappliedpsychology