Run by School of Human and Behavioural Sciences

20.000 Credits or 10.000 ECTS Credits

Semester 1

Organiser: Dr Judith Roberts

The aim of this module is to offer an overview of what a professional psychologist or health care practitioner does on a day-to-day basis in addition to illustrating the demands of working within a social care or health setting. It will give you the opportunity to consider what skills and experience you need in order to pursue various career options. Primarily this module will offer a starting point to anyone wishing to pursue a doctorate within professional psychology. However, this module is not only for those who wish to pursue a career in professional psychology - you will be able to use the learning outcomes across different career paths, whether they are currently studying alongside an established professional career such as counselling or wish to utilise the skills from this module in other professions e.g. social work, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy etc. or indeed a PhD. A range of teaching methods will offer you the opportunity to consider aspects of professional practice with different types of populations and to develop a range of transferrable skills. In essence, this module can prepare you for a range of potential career pathways or to support current professional practice if you are already in an established career.

The module content will focus on professional psychology within the United Kingdom.

Course content will include the following • Introduction to the module and career pathways and professional standards • Working across the lifespan • Evidence Based Practice • Ethical practice and decision making • Reflective practice • Leadership • Clinical supervision • Equality and diversity • Multi-disciplinary team work • The resilient practitioner

good

To achieve a B grade the student must demonstrate a strong knowledge of the professional skills of healthcare professionals. There should be evidence of background study (an appropriate number of cited sources relevant to the requirements of the assignment task). There should be a coherent structure to the work with a central argument that is clearly communicated. At this level you are required to show some elements of using appropriately sourced evidence to form your own ideas that are relevant to the assignment task. The work should be presented to a high standard with accurate communication (grammatical and structurally).

threshold

To achieve a C grade the student must show a knowledge of the main topics related to the assignments tasks based on the professional skills and knowledge required of healthcare professionals. At this level there would be limited evidence of background study where the work lacks sufficient supporting evidence for the content. The student will show some attempt to presenting a logical argument and to cover the appropriate topics related to the assignment task. There may be some weakness in presentation (grammar and structure) and accuracy of what is presented in the work.

excellent

To achieve an A grade the student must demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the professional skills and knowledge required of healthcare professionals. There needs to be evidence of background study (in written assignments this would be evidenced by a sufficient number of cited sources within the text). There also needs to be a well developed and logical argument which can either be balancing opposing views or your own integration and analysis of the literature. At this level you are required to show that you can present your own interpretation based on good quality evidence and find new ways to explain a particular method, approach, or topic. Your work must be presented to very high standards with accurate communication (grammatically and structurally).

1. Demonstrate good communication skills within collaborative working relationships with peers and understand how this relates to working within multi-disciplinary team settings.

2. Have an understanding of the importance of critically evaluating and reflecting on one’s own clinical practice and continuing professional development.

3. Demonstrate knowledge of professional ethics and accountability and the need to remain within the British Psychological Societies code of ethics and practice within the Health Professions Council standards of conduct.

4. Demonstrate an understanding of applied psychology with different populations across different settings.

5. Critically appraise the impact and efficacy of the development of psychological interventions.

6. Appreciate and recognise personal transferrable skills that are required, across a range of professions within clinical and health settings.

Type	Name	Description	Weight
Written assignment, including essay	Assignment 1	You will choose two written tasks from three options. Option 1 is an essay. Option 2 is a reflective statement. Option 3 is a written blog task. Each written component is 1000 words.	50.00
EXAM	Exam	The case study exam is completed over 48 hours at home; there are two case studies which require students to apply the module content to each.	50.00

		Hours
Private study	Postgraduate students are expected to engage in private study, outside of scheduled contact with the lecturer. Private study may involve exam and assignment preparation, literature searching, wider reading around the topics covered in the module, preparation for class discussions.	169
Tutorial	Each student will have available to them at least 1 hour of direct contact with the lecturer across the module timeframe. This time can include discussing module content and assistance with preparing for the assignment or exam. Tutorials will be delivered online.	1
	The teaching of this module will follow a blended learning approach where students will be provided with a range of online teaching materials and in-person sessions, with supplementary online seminars and group discussions. Each week students will be provided with guidance on the required reading or preparatory activity prior to that weeks seminar or group discussion. There will also be pre-recorded videos covering lecture material relevant to that weeks topic. Students will be given a comprehensive module guide at the beginning of semester outlining module delivery in detail.	30

• Literacy - Proficiency in reading and writing through a variety of media
• Computer Literacy - Proficiency in using a varied range of computer software
• Self-Management - Able to work unsupervised in an efficient, punctual and structured manner. To examine the outcomes of tasks and events, and judge levels of quality and importance
• Exploring - Able to investigate, research and consider alternatives
• Information retrieval - Able to access different and multiple sources of information
• Inter-personal - Able to question, actively listen, examine given answers and interact sensitevely with others
• Critical analysis & Problem Solving - Able to deconstruct and analyse problems or complex situations. To find solutions to problems through analyses and exploration of all possibilities using appropriate methods, rescources and creativity.
• Teamwork - Able to constructively cooperate with others on a common task, and/or be part of a day-to-day working team
• Mentoring - Able to support, help, guide, inspire and/or coach others
• Self-awareness & Reflectivity - Having an awareness of your own strengths, weaknesses, aims and objectives. Able to regularly review, evaluate and reflect upon the performance of yourself and others
• Leadership - Able to lead and manage, develop action plans and objectives, offer guidance and direction to others, and cope with the related pressures such authority can result in

• Apply multiple perspectives to psychological issues and integrate ideas and findings across the multiple perspectives in psychology.
• Communicate psychological concepts effectively in written form.
• Communicate psychological concepts effectively in oral form.
• Be computer literate for the purpose of processing and disseminating psychological data and information.
• Retrieve and organise information effectively.
• Handle primary source material critically.
• Be sensitive and react appropriately to contextual and interpersonal psychological factors.
• Use effectively personal planning and project management skills.
• Work effectively under pressure (time pressure, limited resources, etc) as independent and pragmatic learners.
• Problem-solve by clarifying questions, considering alternative solutions, making critical judgements, and evaluating outcomes.
• Reason scientifically and demonstrate the relationship between theory and evidence.
• Employ evidence-based reasoning and examine practical, theoretical and ethical issues associated with the use of different methodologies, paradigms and methods of analysis in psychology.
• Be aware of ethical principles and approval procedures.

Resource implications for students

Students may incur a cost if they print the reading material posted on blackboard.

Compulsory in courses:

• C8EF: MSc Clinical and Health Psychology year 1 (MSC/CHPSY)
• C8ER: MSc Clin & Health Psychology (with Incorporated Pre-Masters) year 1 (MSC/CHPSY1)
• C808: MSci Psychology with Clinical & Health Psychology year 4 (MSCI/PHS)

Optional in courses:

• C8BY: MA Psychology year 1 (MA/PSYCH)
• C8DX: MSc Counselling year 2 (MSC/CNSL)
• C8EG: MSc Principles of Clinical Neuropsychology year 1 (MSC/PCNP)
• C8DU: MSc Psychology year 1 (MSC/PSY)
• C8EX: MSc Psychology (with Incorporated Pre-Masters) year 1 (MSC/PSY1)