Course Essentials
Welcome to Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) and congratulations on joining the MSc Applied Clinical Psychology! Hopefully you are getting excited about starting your journey with us and learning all about clinical psychology, but it's okay if you are nervous too. A lot of people can be when starting something new so it is perfectly normal. Please be reassured that you are joining a friendly and supportive environment, and that we are committed to helping you adjust to higher education, succeed in your studies, and have a positive experience. We are looking forward to seeing you soon and welcoming you to our community!
Dr Elizabeth Roxburgh
Course Director
Academic Calendar: Trimesters
View key dates for this Academic Calendar for 2025-26 including when teaching starts and finishes and when you break for holidays.
The MSc Applied Clinical Psychology is intended to provide a stepping stone towards a rewarding potential career in clinical psychology or mental health and has been designed in collaboration with the Salomons Institute for Applied Psychology at CCCU. The course includes specialised teaching from qualified clinical practitioners and researchers from NHS mental health services and the Salomons Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. This enables you to gain additional knowledge regarding clinical service settings and the role of clinical psychologists, as well as giving you an opportunity to have discussions with clinicians regarding their practice.
You will be fully supported when you join the university to help your transition to higher education go as smooth as possible and to achieve your goals, and you will be allocated a Personal Academic Tutor who will support you throughout your academic studies. They will also signpost you to wider support available from the university including the Learning Skills Hub - Canterbury Christ Church University, Wellbeing support - Canterbury Christ Church University, and the Careers and Enterprise Hub - Canterbury Christ Church University for any additional help you may need. There will also be further opportunities for personal and professional development during personal and academic development weeks. We may also have some social trips (e.g. an escape room game or a visit to the Freud museum in London)!
Before you commence the course, you will be invited to take part in the CCCU Welcome Week Activities and our Psychology Postgraduate Courses Induction Day. This is an excellent opportunity to meet some of the teaching staff and other students on the course in a relaxed environment, to begin to develop a sense of belonging and community, and to learn about the teaching content, timetable, assessments, and resources and support available. You will be sent more information about Welcome Week and the Psychology Induction Day closer to the time.
This course is delivered over 3 Trimesters (please see University dates 2024-25 - Canterbury Christ Church University).
A main priority for us is for you to feel engaged in teaching, therefore interactive learning is embedded into the sessions (e.g., discussions, reflective activities, debates, groupwork etc.). It is not just going to be us reading off powerpoints! We also think diversity and inclusion is really important and so the curriculum includes delivery of teaching beyond Western frameworks. We will encourage you to question the history and context of knowledge, explore debates about diagnostic systems, consider the psychological and sociocultural, as well as biological, factors that may contribute to mental health issues, and to reflect on your own positionality, values, and beliefs.
Full-time students will be required to engage with teaching sessions 2 days per week, whilst part-time students engage 1 day per week. It is planned that all teaching will take place on Thursdays and Fridays (for full-time students), Thursdays (for part-time Year 1 students) and Fridays (for part-time Year 2 students). However, please note that the days of teaching are subject to change. You will be notified in advance if such changes occur. Outside of teaching days, you are recommended to keep an additional 2-3 days dedicated to course related activities, such as: self-directed reading, completing your assessments and building upon your clinical psychological knowledge.
Whilst you are waiting for the course to start you may wonder “what else can I do?”
Why not follow the BPS on social media and read through their website Homepage | BPS. There is a lot of helpful information, training, videos etc. that you may find helpful to prepare you for the course.
You can also keep up-to-date with psychology via our social media channels:
There's lots of evidence that being in nature helps wellbeing; why not go for a walk and listen to a podcast!
On the social side, the Student Union (CCSU) has a huge range of clubs and societies – all of which have unique social calendars of their own and offer endless opportunities to make lifelong friends and discover new hobbies. And you can always create your own society and cultivate your own community!
CCSU will be hosting their Welcome Fayre on Wednesday 18th September 2024. Make sure you keep checking the CCSU website for further details and how to get involved.
We understand that you may be nervous about your first few weeks on campus but rest assured - you'll be joining a nurturing and supportive environment where diversity, equality and individuality are part of everything we do.
You can find out more about our welcoming community and making friends here.
If you are an International Student joining us then please see our International Student Support pages for further information and guidance.
Your welcome and induction will be w/c 16th September 2024 - we look forward to meeting you then!
In the meantime, if you have any queries, please feel free to contact us: pls.postgraduate.professional@canterbury.ac.uk
Please see below some recommended textbooks that you may find helpful in preparing for the course. They are not mandatory but are a good reference point to start with.
International students: don't miss out! Make sure you register for our international student success programme which provides practical advice on preparing to live and study in the UK.