Professional Doctorate Health Psychology

This part-time programme provides BPS-accredited Stage 2 training, a doctoral-level education and a professional Health Care Professions Council qualification. Taught by a highly experienced team, it gives you the research, training and supervision to take your career to the next level.

For individuals working in a health setting, this course provides the knowledge and skills to develop careers and become a Chartered Psychologist. You will come to UWE Bristol for around 14 Professional Doctorate Training Days and supervision meetings each year over three years, while working in your existing role as you carry out your research. You receive strong course support in person and online, so wherever you are in the country you can be sure of the best support.

Outstanding professional support

You will learn from our outstanding team of HCPC-registered Health Psychologists, benefiting from their expertise in research, behaviour change, consultancy and teaching and training and their extensive professional network and strong links in the region. Each year ends with a review day, where you can speak to tutors face to face about your progress.

You will prepare for accreditation as a Chartered Psychologist through training and supervision in five areas of competency. These five areas are specified by the British Psychological Society's Board of Examiners in Health Psychology. On completing this course you'll be eligible to apply for the Register of Health Psychologists held by the Health and Care Professions Council.

The BPS accreditation team commends this course based on:

• the high level of student satisfaction and the resources and facilities that support their training
• the high level of support the academic team provides, and their accessibility and approachability
• the strong research experience and wide-ranging expertise of the programme team, and its commitment and enthusiasm to the course
• the forward-looking nature of the course, including the commitment to its continual development
• the programme team's responsiveness to feedback from students, employers and professional bodies
• the diversity of the assessment methods and our commitment to developing new ones.
• the emphasis on integrating theory and practice at every stage.

Learning and Teaching

The course is mostly distance-based, with around 14 days on campus across the three years. This approach is highly popular for employers and employees, and is supported by a range of clinical experts alongside the UWE academic team. It's designed to give you the knowledge and skills needed to practice in a safe and competent manner, and the education and research base to evaluate and inform current and future practice.

There are opportunities for professional collaboration and shared learning in practical settings.

Study time

You will continue working in your existing role, but attend campus for normally 12 workshop days per year. During this time, you will undertake empirical research.

Assessment

We assess your work through modular assignments looking for evidence you've acquired the professional teaching and training, consultancy and behaviour-change interventions skills you need. And your thesis, which includes your systematic review and report on a major piece of empirical research, plus an oral exam.

Professional accreditation

This Professional Doctorate is accredited by the British Psychological Society, and provides Stage 2 training to become eligible for Chartered Psychologist status. It is also approved by the Health and Care Professions Council, so you are eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council.

Study facilities

UWE Bristol's Allied Health Professions Department, based at the Glenside campus, provides an extensive range of teaching and learning resources, and the Glenside library is one of the best healthcare libraries in England. It contains a huge selection of books, e-books, journals, and audio-visual materials - including access to specialist health and social care software packages. You can access much of this material online.

Careers/further study

Once you have completed the course you will be eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council to become an accredited practitioner, and for full membership of the British Psychological Society.

Our award-winning careers service helps you develop your employment potential through career coaching, a vacancy service for internships, placements, jobs, global opportunities, volunteering and community activity plus support for entrepreneurial activity, and access to employer events.