Welcome to your Foundations of Clinical Psychology course

Welcome to University of Staffordshire

We know you're already passionate about your subject, which is why we're excited you've chosen University of Staffordshire as the place to turn possibility into reality.

To give you an insight into what life as a Foundations of Clinical Psychology student is like, your course leaders have prepared introductions to the course and further activities.

Welcome to the MSc Foundations of Clinical Psychology Community here at Staffordshire University. We hope you are excited to be joining us in September. We are looking forward to welcoming Staffs Graduates as well as those new to us here at Staffordshire University. Starting a postgraduate course can be quite daunting, so we want to help you prepare in advance. On this page, you will find lots of useful information that will help you get settled into the Staffordshire University family.

Induction will take place between 27th-29th September during welcome week and will cover key aspects of the course, including: an overview of the modules that you will undertake; course expectations; details of learning resources you will have access to; and information about the support you will receive. Further details regarding induction will be made available in due course.

Pre-Arrival Preparation

To prepare for the course, you may want to:

- Make a list of clinical psychology topics that you are interested in and start to think about the focus of your dissertation.

- Consider the key skills that you will need to undertake postgraduate study and how this differs from undergraduate study.

- Familiarise yourself with the BPS codes of ethics and conduct (Guidelines and policies – The British Psychological Society (bps.org.uk))

- Refresh your memory of the research methods training that you have received to date (quantitative and qualitative).

Introductory Reading

If you would like to carry out some preparatory reading for the course, here are some suggestions (we don’t expect you to read them all!):

Clark-Carter, D. (2018) Quantitative psychological research: The complete student's companion. (4th edition) Hove: Psychology Press. (Or an alternative psychology research methods textbook)

Craighead, W. E., Miklowitz, D. J. & Craighead, L. W. (2017). Psychopathology: History, diagnosis, and empirical foundations (3rd ed.). John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Cromby, J., Harper, D., & Reavey, P. (2013). Psychology, mental health, and distress. Palgrave.

Scott, V. and Wolfe, S (2014) Community Psychology: Foundations for Practice. Sage

Course Delivery

If you are studying the MSc Foundations of Clinical Psychology full-time, you will usually be required to attend campus for taught sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays (10am-5pm). For part-time students, you will usually attend on Thursdays in your first year Tuesdays in your second year.

Free Downloadable Software

There is a variety of software which can be downloaded from the University’s website and can also be accessed via the button below. This software is free for all of our students, as we understand to reach your full potential and succeed in your degree you need the tools to help you. The software available includes:

Microsoft Office 365
Microsoft Teams
SPSS and AMOS
Maple
NVivo
Sophos Antivirus
Asure Dev Tools for Teaching
VMWare
Free Training

Free Software

Join a Society

Getting involved in a student group can enhance your time at University. It is a great way to make new friends and connections, learn from other students and develop new skills whilst having some fun at the same time. Whether you want to join a group as a member, get involved in running a group as part of a committee or help run an event or organise your own – your Students’ Union is here to make it happen! Please check out the Students’ Union website for more information on all of our groups, volunteering and other opportunities, or get in touch with the Students’ Union if you have more questions.

Click here for a list of the current clubs and societies

Meet the team

Dr Gemma Hurst

Course Director

I am the Course Director for Postgraduate Psychology and I contribute to our Health Psychology programmes (MSc and Professional Doctorate). I am a Chartered Psychologist (BPS) and a HCPC registered Health Psychologist.

Gemma's profile

What to expect on Welcome Week

We're so excited for you to join us on campus and to welcome you to where you matter. During your welcome week you'll be able to meet our friendly student services teams, connect with new friends, join societies, explore on-campus venues attend club nights and much more.

We look forward to welcoming you to the campus in September.

If you have any specific questions regarding the course, please contact the Course Leader, Dr Gemma Hurst (G.L.Hurst@staffs.ac.uk)