Course Description

Within the three years, the course provides an intensive and systematic programme of training, equipping each student to meet the challenges facing clinical psychology and to make a unique contribution to the Irish Health Services.

The course is structured so that the academic teaching typically takes place in term time for one and a half days per week. In addition, each placement is preceded by a teaching block of approximately four weeks duration. Students complete six clinical placements during the course, each of approximately five months duration, providing knowledge, skills and experience to work with as wide a range of clients as possible. Research training is continuous across the programme.

Course requirements include continuous clinical assessment, examinations and a research portfolio combining reports of clinical activity, small and large scale research projects and demonstrating research competency across a range of methodologies. Progress on the course is assessed by an end-of-year review which each student must pass.

Research interests of staff include attachment theory, developmental psychopathology, health psychology, research methods, forensic psychology, risk perception, quality of life perception and applied behaviour analysis.

Students of the course are employed by an approved health care provider and graduates are required to complete an additional three-year contract of employment with their sponsoring service provider.