Doctorate in Clinical Psychology DClinPsy at Kings College London

Overview

Welcome to the UK’s oldest Clinical Psychology training programme. The DClinPsy programme at King’s College London trains clinical psychologists who embody the scientist-practitioner ideal, and will progress to become leaders in the NHS. The programme is underpinned by a biopsychosocial framework and emphasises the integration of theory, research and practice in all aspects of training. The programme takes cognitive-behavioural therapy as its main therapeutic modality, and has particular strengths in family therapy, mindfulness-based interventions, neuropsychology and clinical health psychology. The Doctorate is Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) approved and accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS).

Description

The three-year, full-time Doctorate in Clinical Psychology is based within the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN). Trainees spend three days a week on supervised clinical practice placements and two days a week are dedicated to teaching, study and research.

Aims & Philosophy

To benefit service users, carers and wider society by training clinical psychologists who:

• are skilled in evidence-based psychological assessment and intervention
• produce applied research of the highest quality and impact
• progress to become leaders within the NHS, clinical academia and beyond

The training programme values the reflective scientist-practitioner model as a basis for clinical psychology. There is a strong emphasis on integration of theory, research and practice in all aspects of the programme.

The biopsychosocial framework underpinning the Programme identifies biological, psychological and social factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of psychological difficulties and mental disorders across the lifespan. Our understanding of the framework is that it is linked to a continuum view of psychological difficulty. Thus, the programme seeks to understand these difficulties from an assumption of commonality of experience and human potential to support wellness and resilience.

The programme takes cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) as its main therapeutic modality, reflecting the world-leading research expertise within the IoPPN and its evidence base. Alongside CBT, there are also particular strengths in family therapy, neuropsychology, mindfulness and health psychology.

A further strength is the cohesive and comprehensive range of local and national specialist placement opportunities across three world-renowned NHS Trusts: South London and Maudsley, King’s College Hospital and Guy’s & St Thomas’ – known collectively as King’s Health Partners.

A final advantage is the vibrant and diverse communities within South East London; the programme values and positively promotes equality and diversity.