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UCL Doctorate In Clinical Psychology

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Brief Introduction to the Context for the DClinPsy

The Course

The DClinPsy programme started life as a Masters programme in 1987 with an intake of five trainees. It grew rapidly, and in 1992 UCL was commissioned to offer training not only in North-East London but also in North-West London, taking the annual intake to 24. In 1996 the programme became a Doctorate, and continued to expand to its current intake of 42 NHS-funded students (making it the largest course in the United Kingdom). In 2011 the programme welcomed applications from international students, moving the total annual intake to approximately 50 students.

The University

University College London is one of the top 10 universities in the World (The Times Higher Education league table). It is one of the great multi-faculty institutions in London, with particular strengths in medical sciences and in neuroscience. Founded in 1826, UCL became the first university to welcome all people - regardless of their class, race, religion or sex - dramatically expanding access to higher education. At this time the benefits of a university education in England were restricted to men who were members of the Church of England; UCL was founded to challenge that discrimination. It was founded on the basis of equal opportunity, being the first English university to admit students irrespective of their faith and cultural background, and the first university to admit women. The university's teaching, research and community continue to be inspired by this radical tradition: the refusal to let convention inhibit progress. UCL expects its members to recognise the diversity of the UCL community and not discriminate against others. It values the insights and creativity that the different backgrounds and interests of the members of our community generate and encourage its students and staff to do the same.

The Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, and the Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology

The discipline of psychology sits in the Division of Psychology and Language Sciences headed by Professor David Shanks. The Division is located within the Faculty of Brain Sciences. A full description of the Division's activities can be found at: www.ucl.ac.uk/psychlangsci/.

Within the Division psychology is represented by three Research Departments:

The Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology is an applied psychology grouping including educational, health and social psychology in addition to a large clinical psychology section.  The Research Department is headed by Peter Fonagy and has 50 academic staff, 37 research staff and 14 support staff based at Torrington Place and Bedford Way.  In addition to approximately 150 DClinPsy trainees it has around 30 PhD students and 70 Master's students.  In the last RAE submission the grouping could boast of over 700 peer reviewed publications and £33m research grant funding.  The Clinical Psychology programme is the 'jewel in the crown' of the Research Department and is based in Torrington Place. Trainees are members of the Research Department and are welcomed as participants in Departmental activities, including the general and specialist seminar series. Also based at Torrington Place are the BPS Centre for Outcomes and Effectiveness (CORE) and the Centre for Behaviour Change, and the Psychoanalysis Unit CORE undertakes a number of major research programmes; perhaps the most significant in terms of public policy is its role in the preparation of NICE guidance on interventions for people with psychological problems. It also hosts IAPT training for 'low-intensity' interventions for depression and anxiety The Psychoanalysis Unit hosts a number of programmes, including the MSc in Theoretical Psychoanalytic Studies, the MSc in Psychoanalytic Developmental Psychology and a Doctorate in Psychotherapy (Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy). These are linked to the Anna Freud Centre (a specialist treatment, research and clinical training institute located in Hampstead).

The Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience straddles life and medical sciences.  It is linked to the Wellcome Functional Imaging Laboratory and is one of the great centres for human neuroscience in the World. It is based at Queen's Square.

Cognition and Brain Sciences is a primarily experimental psychology group and has its own imaging and animal laboratory facilities situated in the Bedford Way building within which CBS is located.