PGDip Psychological Intervention (CBT)

Why choose this course

• Study a curriculum designed to meet standards set by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and underpinned by core NHS values, to help people use cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to understand and manage their own thoughts and feelings in their daily lives
• Spend part of your training in clinical placements, to practice your skills in healthcare settings, under the supervision of qualified practitioners
• Learn from lecturers who are experienced CBT practitioners
• Get the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies’ (BABCP) minimum training standards for the practice of CBT, to become eligible to apply for accreditation and work as a high-intensity CBT practitioner.

What you will study

You’ll learn how to effectively deliver CBT to help patients improve their emotional and mental well-being. We'll challenge you with current issues in therapeutic practice and you’ll benefit from clinical presentations and input from people using CBT services. You'll be exposed to a range of learning experiences, ensuring theory is integrated with practice.

You’ll learn about assessment and formulation for common mental health problems and the CBT framework used to treat these. You’ll explore some of the challenges and dilemmas in working with more complex, chronic, or co-morbid presentations of anxiety and depression, and you’ll be introduced to the theory, research, and practice of some of the newer third-wave approaches to CBT.

You’ll receive expert clinical supervision and learn how to use this effectively within a professional and ethical framework. You'll also be supported to apply CBT to your own experiences as a therapist to enhance your practice. Upon completion of the course, you’ll be a confident and competent therapist, able to provide effective, informed psychological treatment.

Professional Recognition

PGDip - British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychologies (BABCP)

Accredited by BABCP as providing all the necessary training so that on graduation from Level 2 courses, individuals will have received the training required to fulfill BABCP's Minimum Training Standards.

The modules listed are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. Please note that modules may be subject to teaching availability, student demand, and/or class size caps.

The University operates a credit framework for all taught programs based on a 15-credit tariff. Modules can be either 15, 30, 45, 75, and 120 credits, and additionally for some masters dissertations, 90 credits.

The structure of our programs follows clear educational aims that are tailored to each program. These are all outlined in the programme specifications which include further details such as the learning outcomes:

• Fundamentals of cbt 1: theory and research
• Fundamentals of cbt 2: practice
• Cbt for anxiety disorders & depression: complexity and co- Morbidity 1
• Cbt for anxiety disorders & depression: complexity and co- Morbidity 2
• Cbt for anxiety disorders and depression 2
• Experiential, professional, and reflective practice in cbt
• Cbt for anxiety disorders and depression 1 experiential,
• Professional and reflective practice in cbt 1

Timetable

The course has six block teaching weeks throughout the year and on other weeks the teaching will be on a Thursday and Friday. You’ll be provided with a timetable at the beginning of the course.

Assessment

We use a variety of methods to assess you, including coursework, essays, examinations, and presentations.

We offer career information, advice, and guidance to all students whilst studying with us, which is extended to our alumni for three years after leaving the University. Our graduates have lifetime access to Surrey Pathfinder, our online portal for appointment and event bookings, jobs, placements, and interactive development tools.

The Department of Health’s NHS Talking Therapies for Anxiety and Depression (formally IAPT) program looks to improve access to evidence-based talking therapies within the NHS and through other qualified healthcare providers, through continuous growth of the psychological therapy workforce and its services. As a graduate of this course, you’ll become part of this workforce.

On successful completion of this course, you’ll meet the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies’ (BABCP) minimum training standards for the practice of CBT. This means you’ll be eligible to apply for accreditation and work as a high-intensity CBT practitioner. 100 percent of our postgraduate psychology graduates go on to employment or further study (Graduate Outcomes survey 2023, HESA). Our alumni work for NHS trusts and mental health organizations throughout the UK.

Clinical placements

You’ll complete a clinical placement as part of this course. This will usually be with an NHS Talking Therapies for Anxiety and Depression service (formally IAPT), in the local area, where you will typically be employed. Throughout your placement, you’ll have an educational supervisor who’s a senior clinician. They'll guide you through your experience and feed into your evidence portfolio. You’ll be evaluated on your clinical competence as part of these practical learning experiences.

You’ll be required to complete 200 clinical hours by the end of the year, and a minimum of 70 hours of this will be supported by a clinical supervisor on the course and within the service setting. You’ll also complete six weeks of clinical workshops across the year.