COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY at University of West of Scotland

OVERVIEW

Our Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip) Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) offers training for mental health professionals who wish to use CBT in their practice.

CBT approaches and interventions are recognised as a major contributor to psychological treatment. Our course is suitable for a wide range of professionals such as:

• nurses
• social workers
• occupational therapists
• physiotherapists
• doctors
• psychologists
• counsellors

Our PgDip will provide you with foundation skills in CBT core models and interventions, and you will develop the necessary knowledge, skills, attitudes and clinical competencies to become a competent and safe CBT practitioner.

Professional Approval and Accreditation

The Postgraduate Diploma is a Level 2 accredited course with the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP). There are two stages of BABCP accreditation - Provisional and Full. This Level 2 course satisfies your application for provisional membership of the BABCP in that it guarantees that you meet the minimum training standards (MTS) required to become a fully accredited CBT therapist or high intensity worker.

However, as a diplomate from this course will also have to meet additional criteria to gain individual practitioner accreditation. For example, you will need to demonstrate that you are continuing to use CBT, have appropriate supervision, engage in appropriate CBT and adhere to BABCP Standards of Conduct Performance and Ethics. Use the button below to find out more about British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) accreditation:

Placement Requirement

You are required to secure a placement for the duration of our course, and may need to arrange for individual clinical supervision with a BABCP accredited supervisor.

COURSE DETAILS

Our Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy has two exits points allowing you to exit with a Postgraduate Certificate - PgCert - (NB: the PgCert does not lead to accreditation with the BABCP) or with a Postgraduate Diploma - PgDip.

The PgCert comprises the following core modules:

• CBT Models and Core Therapeutic Competences (core, 20 credits)
• CBT Strategies Skills and Interventions (core, 20 credits)
• Applying CBT with Anxiety and Depression (core, 20 credits)

As part of these core modules you will explore good psychotherapeutic practice by reviewing the historical development of CBT and critiquing the factors that influence therapy sessions and how to measure effective treatment. As your studies develop you will begin to focus on specific CBT concepts and skills including learning about the roles of safety and avoidance behaviours. You will also focus on using CBT with anxiety and depression by exploring common difficulties and how to overcome these as well explore ending therapy and relapse prevention strategies.

Successful completion of the PgCert allows you to proceed to the PgDip, which consists of the additional following core module:

• CBT Enhanced Skills and Treatment Models (core, 20 credits)
• CBT for Chronic and Complex Disorders (core, 20 credits)
• CBT Science Ethics and Personal Development (core, 20 credits)

In this stage of your studies you will be introduced to diagnostic specific models for PTSD, Social Phobia, OCD, eating disorders and health anxiety and develop your skills in order to diagnose and treat these disorders. You will also look at the difficulties and complexities encountered in working with more severe and complex conditions and develop your confidence as a CBT practitioner. You will also develop a firm foundation or the role of scientist-practitioner, instilling principles of healthy, ethical practice.

Throughout your studies you will attend a number of skills workshops in order to improve on your knowledge, skills, attitudes and clinical competencies to allow you to become a competent and safe practitioner.