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Low Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Interventions for Common Mental Health Problems PG Cert

London, Bloomsbury

This Postgraduate Certificate provides the formal training required as part of a student's employment within an NHS Talking Therapies (formerly IAPT) service. Students on this programme will secure a placement working as a trainee Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP) delivering low intensity cognitive behavioural interventions.

UK students International students
Study mode
Part-time
UK tuition fees (2024/25)
See Fees Note
Overseas tuition fees (2024/25)
See Fees Note
Duration
1 academic year
Programme starts
February 2024
September 2024
Applications accepted
September 2024 entry: 25 Apr – 13 May 2024

Applications closed

February 2025 entry: 09 Sep – 30 Sep 2024

Applications closed

Find similar courses still open

Entry requirements

A minimum of a second-class Bachelor's degree from a UK university or a qualification of an equivalent standard.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

Trainees on this programme will gain the knowledge necessary for providing low intensity interventions for clients with mild to moderate depression and anxiety in their primary healthcare work setting, together with the clinical skills essential to assess and engage clients, and to deliver interventions within a guided self-help model.

Who this course is for

Applicants are required to show evidence of ability to study successfully at postgraduate level and evidence of experience in an employed or formal volunteer helping role with people with psychological, interpersonal or social problems. They should have a broad understanding of mental health issues and ability to form a good helping relationship with people with mental health problems, obtained through work or volunteer experience. Applicants should also have good communication skills, and the ability to use clinical supervision and personal development positively and effectively.

We do not currently accept applications from international students unless they have no restrictions on working and studying in the UK for at least one year from starting the course. The programme is not eligible for student sponsorship as part-time courses cannot be sponsored at UCL.

We have also received guidance from UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) that this programme is not eligible under the Graduate Route visa scheme. This means that you would not be able to commence PWP training with this visa.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

The UCL programme is run and taught by experienced practitioners in the field, and therefore a balance is achieved between the teaching of the theoretical knowledge needed and the practical skills necessary in training as a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP).

Students will receive employment and practical experience in an NHS Talking Therapies Service alongside this formal training needed in order to become a qualified Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner.

Continued employment by an NHS Talking Therapies employer for the full duration of the UCL training programme is a condition of the course and a requirement for successful completion of the course. If, during the course of their training programme at UCL, a trainee ceases to be employed by their NHS Talking Therapies employer (whether through their employment being terminated by the employer or through the trainee’s resignation or otherwise) then they will be automatically withdrawn/required to immediately withdraw from the UCL training programme and will not be able to complete the course.

Please note that the Health Education England 2-year psychological professions funding rule policy applies to this programme. This means that once a trainee commences an NHS-funded psychological professions training programme, they will not normally be eligible to receive NHS funding for another psychological professions training programme for a minimum of 2 years, taken from the expected completion date of that training. This rule applies whether a trainee completes, withdraws or fails to complete the training programme. Further information can be found here: NHS funding for psychological professions.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

It is anticipated that qualified PWPs will stay in their training service after completing the programme. Career development include progression to Senior PWP and supervisory positions, Step 2 (PWP) Lead roles.

Employability

The Postgraduate Certificate is the formal training required as part of the student's employment as an NHS Talking Therapies Trainee Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner. Trainee PWPs are appointed at band 4 and upon successful completion of the programme will move to being qualified PWPs. It is anticipated that trainees will stay in these positions after completing the programme, working as a qualified PWP in an NHS Talking Therapies service.

For further details, please visit the NHS Careers website.

Options for career development include progression to Senior PWP and supervisory positions, Step 2 (PWP) Lead roles. Other options include moving into related fields such as NHS Talking Therapies high intensity therapy, teaching, social work and clinical psychology.

Networking

Trainee PWPs will have plenty of opportunities to network with trainee PWPs from other NHS Talking Therapies services.

Accreditation

This programme is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS).

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, workshops, skills practice, clinical seminar skills groups, directed reading and e-learning.

The course starts with an intensive teaching block which introduces trainees to the LI course, NHS Talking Therapies and Low Intensity work within a stepped care and primary health care context. Intensive skills days aim to equip trainees with an understanding of depression and anxiety, and the clinical skills essential to assess and engage clients, and to deliver low intensity interventions within a guided self help model.

Subsequent course days continue to teach low intensity interventions and the contextual factors associated with their delivery. These include working with diversity and applications to different client groups, the impact of high volume low intensity working and using supervision to support this.

Teaching in smaller seminar groups provides an opportunity to integrate and apply learning to clinical cases. Trainees present clinical cases on a rotating basis for group discussion around a particular clinical theme.

Assessments are a combination of written and oral assignments. Written assignments include an examination, a supervision case report and reflective accounts. Oral assignments are an Assessment Simulation (OSCE), live recording of a treatment session and a Diversity case presentation exam.

The programme is delivered over 45 days. Approximately 25 days are university taught days with 20 practice-based learning days in service

Modules

The training programme lasts a year during which trainees study one day a week at UCL and work four days a week under supervision in NHS Talking Therapies Services. The course programme consists of three compulsory modules (two modules of 15 credits and one module of 30 credits) which are based on the National Curriculum for the Education of Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners PWP Review Curriculum.

Compulsory modules





Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 60 credits. Upon successful completion of 60 credits, you will be awarded a PG Cert in Low Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Interventions for Common Mental Health Problems.

Placement

Please see the PWP recruitment pack for a complete list of placements/NHS services which we work with: this can be accessed by clicking here.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Part-time
Tuition fees (2024/25) See Fees Note
Tuition fees (2024/25) See Fees Note

Fees for this programme are available on request from the department.

Additional costs

There are no additional costs for this programme.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs.

Funding your studies

Training course fees on this programme are fully funded by the NHS. In addition, trainees will receive a salary from the London NHS Talking Therapies service where they undertake their four-day a week placement over the year of the programme. This is likely to be a full-time NHS band 4 or equivalent salary. Shortlisted candidates will be informed of the agreed salary on offer of interview.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Next steps

When we assess your application we would like to learn how your knowledge, experience, and skills fit with the person specification for this position. Applications to this position are extremely competitive and therefore they should be well-written and tailored to this position.

The application windows for the PG Cert Low Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Interventions (CMHP route) will run in May and September each year. Please note these application windows are indicative and subject to change. Entry to this programme is through a training contract with an NHS Talking Therapies site. Positions are co-ordinated centrally and advertised via UCL Admissions. Recruitment is organised in tranches with the application process open for a limited period only each year (usually in the months of May and September). Please read the NHS Talking Therapies Recruitment Pack before applying, which can be accessed by clicking here.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Got questions? Get in touch

Division of Psychology and Language Sciences
Division of Psychology and Language Sciences

pwprecruitment@ucl.ac.uk

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