Becoming a practicing psychologist

The first step to training as a professional psychologist is to complete a British Psychological Society (BPS) accredited undergraduate degree course (The University of Manchester course is accredited). If your first degree is not in Psychology, then you will need to complete a conversion course accredited by the BPS (e.g. the MEd Psychology of Education course at UoM).

Clinical Psychology

Clinical psychologists use psychological methods and principles to assess and treat psychological problems. In the main the job entails the following:

  • Promoting and enhancing mental well-being and evaluating new models of psychological therapy.
  • Supporting people with issues including anxiety, child and family problems and serious mental illness.
  • Working closely with other professionals such as doctors and social workers to enable them to better support patients.

To qualify as a Chartered Clinical Psychologist, you will need a society-accredited Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. For more information on how to achieve this, see the link below:

Clinical Associate Psychology

This new role has been created within adult mental health provision and sits between the roles of assistant psychologist and clinical psychologist. Clinical Associate Psychologists (CAPs) practise autonomously providing high-quality psychological interventions. Their work involves:

  • Using psychological theory and evidence to find the best interventions for clients' needs.
  • Conducting research and using tools to evaluate psychological interventions and improve quality of practice.
  • Delivering supervised therapeutic support.

To train as a CAP, you will need to complete an 18-month, level 7 degree apprenticeship offered by an employer, alongside training on a validated university programme. Following completion you will have gained a master's qualification and can progress as a fully qualified CAP.

Counselling Psychology

Counselling psychologists employ psychological methods and a therapeutic approach to help people manage difficult events in their lives. Counselling psychologists may see clients from any age or clinical group in both the public and private sectors. Their work includes:

  • Counselling the bereaved, couples and families with relationship problems or with mental health or addiction issues.
  • Understanding diagnosis and medical context to mental health problems.
  • Undertaking assessments of their clients and establishing a collaborative working relationship with them to establish trust.

Once you have completed a psychology degree or conversion course. You will then be able to complete a Qualification in Counselling Psychology (QCoP), to become a counselling psychologist.

Educational Psychology

Educational psychologists use psychological methods, theories and research to help children and young people who are experiencing difficulties in education. These can include learning, behavioural, social or emotional problems. Their work includes:

  • Assessing a young person by observation, discussion and consultation with teachers, parents and other professionals.
  • Supporting groups of children with similar needs.
  • Supporting schools and parents to develop interventions.

To qualify as an educational psychologist, you will need to complete a three- year BPS- accredited Doctorate in educational psychology.

Forensic Psychology

Forensic psychologists are trained to apply psychological theory to legal processes in the criminal and civil justice field. The main focus of theory work is with offenders, victims and professionals within the crimincal justice system. Some typical responsibilities involve:

  • Carrying out one-to-one assessments, often to assess the risk of re-offending behaviour.
  • Developing and implementing offender treatment for rehabilitation programmes.
  • Providing expert witness testimony at court.

To qualify as a forensic psychologist, you will need to complete a BPS-accredited Masters in Forensic Psychology, as well as Stage 2 of the BPS Qualification in Forensic Psychology- QFP (Stage 2). Some Universities offer a Doctorate programme in Forensic Psychology, which combines the Master's and QFP qualifications.

Health Psychology

Health psychology is a relatively new field of psychology. Health psychologists advocate healthy living through education and a healthy lifestyle. They use psychological principles to change people's attitudes towards health and illness. Their work can involve:

  • Providing the public information about disease prevention and cure.
  • Supporting patients and their families during illness and working with teams providing palliative care.
  • Conducting research for healthcare providers, helping to inform health policy decisions and the impact of public health campaigns.

To qualify as a health psychologist you will need to complete a BPS-accredited Master's degree in Health Psychology, followed by a QHP (Stage 2) qualification.

Neuropsychology

Neuropsychology provides a scientific understanding of the relationship between the brain and neuropsychological function. This helps form the basis for the assessment and rehabilitation of people with brain injury, or other neurological diseases. Their work may include:

  • Working with people of all ages who may have had a traumatic brain injury, stroke, tumours and neurodegenerative diseases.
  • Working in acute settings, usually in regional neuroscience centres where their main focus is on the early effects of trauma, neurosurgery and neurological diseases.
  • Working in rehabilitation centres providing post-acute assessment, training and support for people who have sustained brain injury, or who have other neurological problems.

To qualify as a Neuropsychologist you will need to have a post-graduate qualification in Clinical or Education Psychology qualification before you can progress on to the Qualification in Clinical Neuropsychology (QiCN).

Occupational Psychology

Occupational Psychologists are concerned with how people function in work environments. They use psychological methods to assess how the nature of work and working conditions can affect people. Their work can include:

  • Involvement in recruitment and selection of candidates including input on psychometric tests and assessment centre exercises.
  • Providing coaching and guidance to employees to help them plan and manage their careers
  • Analysing the training needs of employees.

To qualify as an Occupational Psychologist you will need to complete aBPS-accredited Masters in Occupational Psychology, followed by the BPS Qualification in Occupational Psychology (QOP) Stage 2

Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP)

Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners (PWPs) are trained to assess and support people experiencing common mental health problems such as anxiety disorders and depression. They self-manage patients' recovery, via evidence-based interventions, informed by underlying cognitive/behavioural principles. Their work can include:

  • Working with a large number of people in a practical way, with each client session lasting 20 to 30 minutes on average.
  • Managing referrals and signposting to other agencies are often common parts of the role.
  • working closely with other healthcare professionals to provide the best support.

To qualify as a PWP, you'll need to complete an IAPT low-intensity or PWP training course accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS).

Sport & Exercise Psychologist

Sports psychologists use psychological methods to help sporting participants achieve positive results. Their work can include:

  • Working with individuals or teams alongside coaches and managers at both amateur and elite levels.
  • Aim to help athletes prepare psychologically for competition and to deal with the psychological demands of both competition and training, to improve motivation.
  • Offer support to clients dealing with the psychological and emotional consequences of injuries.

There are several routes to qualify as a Sport and Exercise Psychologist, please see the below profile for further information:

Trainee Associate Psychological Practitioner

This role provides psychological training for psychology graduates, allowing them to build relevant working experience. Their work can include:

  • Being involved in a range of different specialities (including critical care, older adults, primary care, neuropsychology
  • Work with a qualified Psychological Professional who'll provide weekly clinical supervision.
  • Advance your psychology knowledge through a range of different methods.

The TAPP roles are only suitable for psychology graduates and the course aims to build directly upon graduates’ BSc or MSc giving them greater psychological training than they would receive as a PWP.