Foundations of Educational Psychology Assessment and Intervention

• Year one
• FHEQ level 8
• 15 credits
• Core and compulsory module
• Module lead: Dr Katy Cole

Module aims

The aims of the module are to:

• introduce you to the principles of psychological assessment and how to use a range of executive frameworks and theoretical lenses to structure assessment practice, and knowledge of this can be applied on practice placements
• build experience in using a range of assessment tools suitable for different age ranges and developmental needs, particularly focusing on learning and cognition, such as psychometric assessment, dynamic assessment, observation, and play-based assessment
• develop knowledge of key issues in assessing a range of specific learning needs such as difficulties with literacy, numeracy, social skills, executive functioning, and language and communication skills (including autism)
• begin to explore suitable interventions for a range of learning and developmental needs
• gain knowledge of the current legislative and context factors for EP assessment and intervention work, including diversity and inclusion
• consider developing assessment and intervention skills in relation to professional ethics and culturally responsive practice

Module assessment

You will write a scoping review and a briefing report to explore the educational needs of children and young people with an identified area of need.

Interior Lives in Social and Cultural Contexts: Theoretical Foundations

• Year one
• FHEQ level 8
• Non-credit bearing
• Core and compulsory module
• Module lead: Kay Richards 

Module aims

The aims of the module are to:

• introduce core psychological theoretical perspectives and contemporary psychoanalytic ideas as they apply to EP practice, including introducing psychoanalytic approaches to infant and young child observation
• develop your understanding of systemic approaches to working with children, families and schools
• introduce you to assessment and formulation using projective techniques

Module assessment

You will engage in a reflective conversation with a trained child and adolescent psychoanalytic psychotherapist based upon their sequence of observations of a young child in a nursery setting.

Exploring Practitioner Research

• Year one
• FHEQ leve 8
• 15 credits 
• Core and compulsory module
• Module lead: Dr Lisa Bostock

Module aims 

The aims of the module are to:

• develop your identity, knowledge and skills as a practitioner-researcher
• enhance and consolidate understanding of core research principles, design, ethics and methods
• develop your ability to critique existing research literature, synthesise understanding to generate a rationale and purpose for further doctoral study.

Module assessment

You will provide a pre-recorded presentation that demonstrates your application of research concepts to real world problems in context.

• Year one
• FHEQ level 8
• 30 credits 
• Core and compulsory module
• Module lead: Dr Emma Ní Chinnéide

Module aims

The aims of the module are to:

• introduce and provide opportunities for you to apply practice frameworks to work as an applied psychologist, and to pay particular attention to the central significance of relationships and relating in the context of effective and reflective practice
• enhance your capacity to think analytically and systemically about issues and experiences of work as psychologists, in particular the person-in-role
• develop understanding, knowledge and skills in consultation to enable you to work effectively as a professional-in-role-in-relationship with others, and to practice safely within legal and ethical boundaries
• cultivate ethical thinking and culturally responsive, anti-oppressive practice

The provision of effective supervisory opportunities alongside the academic and professional practice elements of the programme further support your reflection and learning about the networked intra-psychic, inter-personal and systems context of applied professional practice.

Module assessment

You will analyse video recordings of consultation and provide a structured reflective commentary.

• Year one
• FHEQ level 8
• 60 credits 
• Core and compulsory module
• Module lead: Dr Ben Craik

Module aims

The aims of the module are to:

• provide a comprehensive breadth and depth of training for work as an educational psychologist in role
• understand and manage effectively the complex range of demands made on them in a professional, rigorous and robust way
• support your critical reflection on the intersections between their identities, values and ethics and those with whom they work; creating a tolerance for ambiguity, a capacity to work with sameness and difference and in anti-oppressive ways
• ensure you receive and act on feedback from service users to continuously reflect on and enhance their practice
• sustain strong working partnerships between trainees, the course tutors, wider community teams, including those in the Trust itself, and local EPS’s

Module assessment

You will complete a professional practice placement portfolio. There is a further core and compulsory but non-credit bearing element of assessment, where the your supervisor provides an evaluation of the your performance on placements.

Advanced Practice in Educational Psychology Assessment and Intervention

• Year two
• FHEQ level 8
• 30 credits 
• Core and compulsory module
• Module lead: Dr Katy Cole

Module aims

The aims of the module are to:

• build on the knowledge and skills developed during your first year of training
• apply these skills within the context of the EPS/Children’s Service in which they are working
• develop therapeutic skills, particularly skills in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) based DNAV therapeutic intervention for children and young people (ACT-DNAV). DNAV refers to the skills explored within the model (Discoverer, Noticer, Advisor and Valuer)
• integrate your knowledge of child development, theories and models of psychology and evidence-based practice to develop their skills in assessment and intervention
• develop skills in training others and supporting them to implement interventions at an individual, group or whole school level
• understand how to promote social justice, equity and inclusion in their role

Module assessment

You will create a webinar on an intervention of their choice, linked to their placement context, with a reflective commentary.

Becoming a Practitioner-Researcher

• Year two
• FHEQ level 8
• 30 credits 
• Core and compulsory module
• Module lead: Dr Lisa Bostock 

Module aims

The aims of the module are to:

• strengthen your identity, knowledge and skills as a practitioner-researcher and support you to design, plan and implement robust, ethical doctoral research projects
• enhance your understanding of core research principles, design, ethics and methods and enable them to critically apply them to their own research, ensuring timely progression of the initial stages of their research projects
• consider the ethical implications of their research and obtain appropriate ethical approval and local permissions prior to undertaking any fieldwork with human research participants
• encourage you to think critically about different types of research impact, reflect on the intended impact or contribution of their research to the wider professional field and identify pathways for creating impact
• develop your understanding of how a doctoral thesis is typically structured, supporting them to complete initial draft chapters

Module assessment

You will write a research proposal.

Theorising the ‘Group’: Psychodynamic and Systemic Foundations for Practice

• Year two
• FHEQ level 8
• 15 credits
• Core and compulsory module
• Module lead: Kay Richards 

Module aims

The aims of the module are to:

• commission, contract and facilitate a group focusing on the needs of children, young people, parents & carers or staff members
• develop your understanding of group dynamics and processes in a work context, including in their own experiential group
• develop your understanding of key theories of group development and membership and begin to apply these to their own experiences in role
• apply taught systemic and psychoanalytic concepts to their own work and to critically reflect on theoretical ideas as a means of understanding the needs of children, young people, their families and those who work to support them.

Module assessment

You will provide a reflective account of their groups work.

• Year two
• FHEQ level 8
• 45 credits 
• Core and compulsory module
• Module lead: Dr Ben Craik

Module aims

Alongside meeting accrediting bodies’ requirement for supervised placement, etc., the aims of the placement are to:

• provide a range of opportunities to further develop and extend a coherent sense of professional identity as a psychologist-in-role
• create space to reflect on questions such as ‘…what kind of Educational Psychologist (EP) do I want to be?…’, ‘…what is important to me as a psychologist?…’, ‘what core values and principles drive my work?’ and ‘…how do I want to practice?…’
• provide a comprehensive breadth and depth of training for work as an educational psychologist in role
• understand and manage effectively the complex range of demands made on them in a professional, rigorous and robust way
• support your critical reflection on the intersections between their identities, values and ethics and those with whom they work; creating a tolerance for ambiguity, a capacity to work with sameness and difference and in anti-oppressive ways
• receive and act on feedback from service users to continuously reflect on and enhance their practice
• sustain strong working partnerships between trainees, the local authority placement providers, Tavistock staff and all other relevant stakeholders

Module assessment

You will complete a professional practice placement portfolio. There is a further core and compulsory but non-credit bearing element of assessment, where the your supervisor provides an evaluation of the your performance on placement.

Organising for Access, Equity and Inclusion: System-Psychodynamic Approaches to Working with Whole Systems

• Year three
• FHEQ level 8
• 15 credits 
• Core and compulsory
• Module lead: Kay Richards

Module aims

The aims of the module are to:

• build on your critical understanding of developmental, psychodynamic and systemic theory covered during the first and second years of the course
• further develop and apply this learning to enhance understanding of organisational dynamics and processes
• in organisational change, link individual work into organisational initiatives, evaluation or change projects within an organisation, protocol or policy development, practice development through training and so on.

Module assessment

You will provide a reflective account of their organisational analysis and change work.

Being a Practitioner-Researcher

• Year three
• FHEQ level 8
• 240 credits 
• Core and compulsory module
• Module lead: Dr Lisa Bostock 

Module aims

The aims of this module are to:

• reinforce and consolidate your identity, knowledge and skills as a practitioner-researcher and support submission of your doctoral thesis
• complete the substantive elements of their research projects, including data collection and analysis to agreed timescales
• develop your academic writing skills through the process of drafting and re-drafting individual thesis chapters, ahead of collating into a well-structured, coherent thesis in line with Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ) Level 8 learning descriptors, American Psychological Association (APA) style guidelines and the University of Essex thesis submission policy
• prepare you for the viva voce following submission of their thesis, making any corrections examiners require ahead of awarding the research degree to enable you to qualify and register with the HCPC and take up post-training employment as qualified practitioner EPs.

Module assessment

You will write a doctoral level research thesis.

• Year three
• FHEQ level 8
• 45 credits 
• Core and compulsory module
• Module lead: Dr Ben Craik

Module aims

The aims of the module are to:

• provide a range of opportunities to further develop and extend a coherent sense of professional identity as a psychologist-in-role
• create space to reflect on questions such as ‘…what kind of Educational Psychologist (EP) do I want to be?…’, ‘…what is important to me as a psychologist?…’, ‘what core values and principles drive my work?’ and ‘…how do I want to practice?…’
• provide a comprehensive breadth and depth of training for work as an educational psychologist in role
• understand and manage effectively the complex range of demands made on them in a professional, rigorous and robust way
• support your critical reflection on the intersections between their identities, values and ethics and those with whom they work; creating a tolerance for ambiguity, a capacity to work with sameness and difference and in anti-oppressive ways
• ensure you receive and act on feedback from service users to continuously reflect on and enhance their practice
• sustain strong working partnerships between trainees, the local authority placement providers, Tavistock staff and all other relevant stakeholders

Module assessment

You will complete a professional practice placement portfolio. There is a further core and compulsory but non-credit bearing element of assessment, where the your supervisor provides an evaluation of your performance on placement.