Sessions will be interactive in¿nature and¿will incorporate reflective practice as well as an opportunity for guided reflection on real life situations. Content will cover: development and maintenance of systems for legal, ethical and professional standards in health psychology; working effectively in teams; communication skills in different contexts; reflections on your development as a health psychologist and writing reflective diaries; assignment preparation, viva examination preparation and job applications and interviews. There will also be sessions run by health psychologists working in (i) the NHS and (ii) Public Health settings.

This module is supported with 18 hours of professional skills seminars. The seminars in the first year will cover the different aspects of professional skills in health psychology, and within each session there will be a time dedicated to reflective practice including opportunities for guided reflection. You will be expected to bring examples of reflective practice, on challenging situations you have faced to each session. The sessions in the following year will build upon the knowledge learnt in the first year, and specifically will focus on assessment and viva voce examination preparation,¿as well as writing CVs, job applications and interview techniques.¿

The seminars will be supplemented by 12 hours of tailored individual supervision sessions with your supervisor, and guidance from the module leader (2 hours), who will give guidance on writing up your reflexive report. They will also be supplemented by 6 x 1 hour Departmental Research Seminars where colleagues conducting research in health psychology across the UK are invited to speak, and provide opportunity for Continuing Professional Development (CPD). In preparation for your viva examination you will be offered a mock viva examination by your supervisor (2 hours).

The remaining 360 independent study hours will include writing your reflective diary, keeping¿up-to-date¿with the health psychology literature, attending health psychology conferences, reflecting on critical incidents, and writing up the reflexive report.

1. Demonstrate professional standards in research and practice including working autonomously as a health¿psychologist, and¿accepting accountability for decision making.

Knowledge & Understanding, Application, Enquiry, Learning, Problem Solving, Analysis

2. Critically reflect on and review professional practice in health psychology, including recognising needs for further development.

Reflection

3. Exercise personal responsibility in complex and unpredictable situations in professional practice and make informed professional judgements on complex issues, often in the absence of complete data, in accordance with current codes of professional legal and ethical conduct.

Reflection, Learning, Problem Solving

4. Communicate ideas and conclusions clearly and effectively to specialist and non-specialist audiences

Communication

5. Demonstrate systematic understanding of the organisational and systemic issues at the forefront of the discipline which are of relevance to the practice of applied psychologists.

Knowledge & Understanding

6. Mount a defence of the work undertaken clearly outlining its originality and contribution to the discipline. This will include discussing the theoretical and applied relevance of your¿work and¿demonstrating a detailed understanding of applicable techniques for research and advanced academic enquiry.¿

Communication, Enquiry, Learning, Application

Blackboard Virtual Learning Environment. Web-based databases to review current relevant literature in electronic database format. Internet access. Library, Resource rooms, supervision space, service user and carer group, specialist lecturers, a quiet meeting room with a table for the viva examination.¿

Bolton, G. (2018). Reflective practice: Writing and professional development (5th Ed.). Sage.


British Psychological Society (2021, Dec). Code of Ethics and Conduct. https://www.bps.org.uk/sites/www.bps.org.uk/files/Policy/Policy%20-%20Files/BPS%20Code%20of%20Ethics%20and%20Conduct.pdf


Health and Care Professions Council (2016, January 26). Revised standards of conduct, performance and ethics. http://www.hcpc-uk.org/standards/standards-of-conduct-performance-and-ethics


Michie, S., & Abraham, C. (2008). Health psychology in practice. Wiley-Blackwell.


Murray, R. (2017)¿How to write a thesis.¿¿Chapter 11: After the thesis examination: more writing?¿ Open University Press.¿

In this module you will reflect on your development as a health psychologist. Sessions will be interactive in¿nature, and¿you will get the opportunity to share reflective practice within the sessions as well as guided reflection on real life situations. Content includes: development and maintenance of systems for legal, ethical and professional standards in health psychology; working effectively in teams; communication skills in different contexts; reflections on your development as a health psychologist and career development. There will also be sessions run by registered health psychologists working in different settings.

1. Learning Plan (2,000 words maximum excluding Gantt chart)
This plan will be put together at the beginning of your studies. The learning plan will consist of some background information regarding your placement, details of how you intend to complete the competences, a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis, and a Gantt chart, charting your milestones and relevant timepoints. (Maps to learning outcomes 1 and 4). PASS/FAIL

2. Reflexive Report (6,000 words maximum excluding appendices)
The report will take the form of a reflexive account reflecting over the time that you have been on the Professional Doctorate where you will provide an in-depth evaluation of your personal and professional development as a health psychologist. In this report you will:¿

- reflect upon the extent to which your experiences, both planned and unforeseen, have allowed you to acquire specified competence in each¿component;¿
- describe critical incidents that have been key facilitators or barriers to¿progress;¿
- include reflections on your development in each¿module;¿
- demonstrate your ability to be constructively¿critical;¿
- cross-reference to current theory and research in relevant areas.¿

You will include:¿
- reference to the development and maintenance of systems for legal, ethical and professional standards in health psychology (including in health psychology research);¿
- reflections on where you have given health psychology advice and guidance to others (including assessment of needs, and evaluation of advice given);¿
- reflections on where you have used communication skills in different¿contexts;¿
- reflections on the development of team-working skills, including issues around development and maintenance of appropriate boundaries, confidentiality issues, and an understanding of team¿leadership;¿
- reflections on how you have involved service users and carers in your¿training;¿
- reflections on issues associated with equality, diversity and inclusion
- an understanding of the need to engage in continuing professional¿development;¿
- an understanding of organisational and systemic issues;
- reflections on your personal development as a professional Health Psychologist including examples of where you have demonstrated professional autonomy and¿accountability;¿
(Maps to learning outcomes 1-5).¿
¿
Additional supportive material should be attached in the Appendix. (Learning outcomes 1-5).¿
There will be opportunities for formative feedback: comments will be provided on (1) a detailed plan of the assessment given by the module leader and (2) a full draft of the assessment by your supervisor.¿ Please note: this report must be submitted with the final pieces of written work for assessment.

3. Portfolio
Once all other modules have been passed and approved by the Programme External Examiner at a Progress Board, your work will be assembled as an electronic portfolio (complete with Appendices) and submitted and sent to your Viva Examiners. (Maps to learning outcomes 1-5).¿

4. Viva Examination
Your examiners will read through your whole portfolio and will ask you questions about your work from each module during the viva voce examination. Although you will be examined on your full portfolio of work which will include all assessments from all modules, it is likely that the¿main focus¿will be on your systematic review and empirical study.

The viva voce examination is usually assessed by two examiners: an External and Internal Examiner (unless both you and the Internal Examiner are members of permanent staff at the same establishment, in which case a second External Examiner may be appointed). Both will be Registered Health Psychologists and will usually be experienced in research in at least one general area of your portfolio. The viva voce examination usually lasts between 1 and 2 hours. There will also be an independent Chair present at your viva voce examination. The purpose of the Chair is to ensure that the viva voce examination is conducted, and recommendations of the examiners presented, wholly in accordance with the University’s regulations. (Maps to learning outcomes 1, 2, 4 and 6)