Staffordshire University

Who Can Apply

We are unable to consider applications from:

• Those with incomplete qualifications at the time of application that cannot be confirmed to the course by the end of January.
• Those who have received NHS funding for other training within 2 years of completing that training. See NHS funding for psychological professions training programmes for more details.
• International applicants who do not have Home Fees Status.
• Self-funding applicants.

Academic

You need to demonstrate:

• A good honours degree (2:1 or 1st) in Psychology. (We do not consider applicants with a 2:2 in the original degree).
• Where your first degree is not in Psychology, you must have a minimum 2:1 in your original degree, supported by a recognised conversion course to Psychology.
• Eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartered membership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society.
• If your first language is not English and your university courses were not taught and examined in English, you will need an IELTS score of 7.5 with no element below 6.5.

Clinical

All applicants must have a minimum of one year full-time (equivalent) practical experience of working with people in a human service setting, including relevant experience outside traditional health/caring settings.  Your experience should be directly relevant to the profession and study of clinical psychology.  

Experience can be: 

• paid or unpaid
• part-time or full-time 
• voluntary or as a contracted employee
• accrued over a long period of time but must include some recent (within the last year) experience

Types of experience may include:

• Assistant Psychologist
• Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner
• Teaching Assistant with children who have special educational needs
• Direct work with people who have mental health or emotional wellbeing needs
• Care work with older people who have needs additional to basic physical and personal care
• Experience with charities supporting people who are homeless, addicted to substances, struggling with gambling, have communication difficulties etc.
• Provision of 1:1 care for an individual with additional mental health, emotional wellbeing, communication, learning, development, or social needs
• Professional work with relevant clinical populations, for instance as a social worker, therapist, teacher, police officer, probation worker etc.

Experience working in another human service industry is not in itself sufficient.  You must be able to demonstrate relevance to clinical psychology (for instance, not just a teacher, but a teacher with responsibility for children with additional educational or pastoral needs).

Research experience relevant to clinical psychology could count towards experience if it involved direct work with participants (such as interviewing), and is not limited to data analysis and report writing. 

References / Suitability Statements

• You must provide two supportive references/suitability statements: one academic and one clinical.
• References/suitability statements will be checked as part of our screening process.
• Any application received not conforming to the following guidance will not be considered further.

Academic Suitability Statement

The person you nominate to write your Academic Suitability Statement:

• Must be able to comment on your academic ability. 
• Should be from an academic institution at which you have studied.
• Must have direct experience of your academic performance. 
• If your most recent academic experience was more than five years prior to application, you may provide an alternative. However, this person must be appropriately skilled to comment on your ability to manage the academic requirements of Doctoral study (for example, a Consultant Psychologist or Psychiatrist). In this instance, the reason for nominating an alternative must be included in the Personal Statements section of your application.

Experience Suitability Statement

The person you nominate to write your Experience Suitability Statement:

• Must have direct experience of and be able to comment on your performance in a relevant clinical (or research, if appropriate) context.
• Must be from your most recent experience or current employer. If this is not possible, you must include the reason for this in the Personal Statements section of your application.

Documents required

Your application must include a document confirming your GBC status.

Advice for your application

All applicants should be able to demonstrate: 

• A commitment to clinical psychology as a profession
• An alignment to the values of the NHS constitution
• An understanding of the importance of society and context on wellbeing and distress
• A critical approach to diagnosis
• A commitment to meaningful service user involvement
• A willingness to engage in reflective practice

International applicants

Due to the funding arrangements for places on the Programme, we cannot consider applications from international candidates. Please see our Funding page for more details.

If your first language is not English and your university courses were not taught and examined in English, you will need an IELTS score of 7.5 with no element below 6.5