| Unit name | Applied Clinical Psychology |
|---|---|
| Unit code | PSYCM0030 |
| Credit points | 15 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52) |
| Unit director | Professor. Kit Pleydell-Pearce |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | School of Psychological Science |
| Faculty | Faculty of Life Sciences |
This unit provides an introduction to clinical psychology (CP) as viewed from a practitioners' point of view. It will provide insight into CP theory and practice with its unique necessity to combine a variety of different therapeutic approaches based on a combination of scientific evidence and clinical experience. The three main therapeutic models of cognitive behavioural therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy and systemic therapy will be discussed in addition to the concept of formulation - the process of synthesizing information from a variety of sources in order to understand and treat specific clinical disorders. The first ten lectures concentrate on therapeutic approaches, formulation and different areas of work, the last eight on different mental illnesses (e.g. schizophrenia, anxiety, depression etc.)
The central aim of the unit is to provide students with a critical perspective and understanding of the foundations of clinical psychology. This option not only provides students with theoretical knowledge and concepts in this domain, but clarifies what students would have to expect from a career in clinical psychology in the UK environment. It fosters original thought because each student is invited to develop their own theoretical position on different therapeutic models and how different approaches might best fit a client's personality, difficulties and requirements. The need to consider relations between scientific evidence in psychology and clinical practice requires students to develop an understanding of how to take research into practice. The aim is also to ensure that students do not have aspirations for a future career in the absence of sufficient understanding of what is entailed. Acceptance for formal training in Clinical Psychology requires extensive prior clinical experience (often unpaid) which is time consuming and wasteful if a clear understanding of the exact nature of the profession is not gained earlier. In short, one major function of the unit is to ensure that our students do not choose to embark upon a career choice that they may later come to regret.
Completion of the unit will provide the student with critical insight into clinical psychology at a level that is commensurate with an M-level unit.
18 lectures/critical issue discussion sessions and 1 tutorial (15 students per tutorial) plus one review/revision lecture at the end of the unit. A vast array of e-learning materials will be available for this unit. Masters students will attend lectures in conjunction with undergraduates (level 6) as described earlier but will have their own tutorials according to M-level.
Summative assessment is based on a 2-hour written examination (50%) and a 2000 word essay counting 50%. The examination will involve 6 questions requiring two to be answered within two hours.
The exam questions will require students to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the principles of clinical practice, and be able to demonstrate how clinical practice is informed by evidence and theory, and show knowledge of the aetiology, diagnosis and management of a range of clinical disorders.
The unit essay will similarly require students to demonstrate level of knowledge that reflects an integration of theory and evidence that is appropriate for M-level students.
Please note that even though MSc students and Level 6 students share lectures, all assessments will be level-specific (e.g., different exam questions and more stringent assessment criteria) and occur at different times (with MSc students sitting exams in the Easter exam period, Level 6 students in the Summer exam period).
Beinart, H., Kennedy, P., & Llewelyn, S. (2009). Clinical Psychology in Practice. Blackwell Publishing Ltd., John Wiley & Sons, U.K.
Johnstone, L., & Dallos, R. (2007). Formulation in Psychology and Psychotherapy: making sense of people's problems. Routledge.
The two above references are textbooks written by U.K. clinical psychologists and are therefore far more applicable to the U.K. environment in which students would like to pursuit their later careers than other textbooks in the field.
A lot of the unit will be based upon peer reviewed scientific papers rather than any specific textbook.
