Overview

Professional programmes in Clinical Neuropsychology have been offered within University of Bristol since 2010 and are delivered in partnership with North Bristol NHS Trust, which includes a large regional neurosciences and major trauma centre.

Our Clinical courses aim to engage and inspire clinicians to enhance their skills in Clinical Neuropsychology and support entry on to the British Psychological Society's (BPS) Specialist Register of Clinical Neuropsychologists (SRCN). This MSc is accredited by the BPS and delivers the adult knowledge and practice component of the competency requirements for advanced training in clinical neuropsychology.

Around 80% of the taught content is delivered by practising clinicians. We promote a biopsychosocial scientist-practitioner approach and strongly advocate for neuropsychological research to be relevant and applicable to patient care, and for clinical practice to be underpinned by a thorough and ongoing engagement with scientific research.

In order to accrue relevant clinical experience, it is your responsibility to secure paid employment within a neuropsychology service during your enrolment on the MSc. It is also your responsibility to secure supervision for your work when enrolled on the course. However, we provide additional oversight and support towards developing your case portfolio and ensuring your clinical experience demonstrates the required competencies for entry to the SRCN. This support is provided by clinicians on the SRCN and offers opportunities for feedback on case reports, including a practice viva experience.

The programme is largely online and can be taken from home or work. Exams will be held online. Please see the Neuropsychology programme webpage for more information.

Our courses include delivery of the practice component and require evidence that the applicant's research competencies meet standards and requirements for entry to the SRCN. Completion of a BPS accredited doctorate in clinical psychology or counselling psychology within 8 years of starting this degree meets research competency requirements.

Applicants with non-doctoral backgrounds might include forensic psychologists, health psychologists, some counselling psychologists or some practitioner psychologist members of HCPC with international training backgrounds. If you do not meet the 8 year doctoral requirement, or do not have a doctoral background you can indicate the training you have undertaken and its research component on the Research Competencies Form submitted with your application.

Should you wish to discuss your research competencies with our team prior to application please contact postgrad-psychology@bristol.ac.uk.

Programme structure

The programme consists of taught content (knowledge component) delivered within five units and a clinical practice component. Collectively, these two BPS accredited components meet the 'knowledge' and 'practice' requirements for entrance to the Specialist Register of Clinical Neuropsychologists (SRCN).

Taught content includes

  1. Applied Clinical Neuropsychology and Principles of Neuropsychological Assessment covers a range of common neuropsychological disorders and the principles of patient assessment and interpretation of neuropsychological tests.
  2. Issues in Clinical Neuropsychology covers a range of issues commonly encountered in clinical neuropsychology (e.g. For pain and cognition, PTSD, performance validity testing and FND).
  3. Theoretical Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Methods covers theories of brain function (e.g. emotion and cognition, language, ageing). This unit also delivers a thorough grounding in neuroanatomy and neuroscience methods.
  4. Neurorehabilitation and Multidisciplinary Approaches within Clinical Psychology considers a range of rehabilitation techniques. The unit also considers the interface between clinical neuropsychology and allied healthcare disciplines.
  5. Evidence Based Neuropsychology (EBN) and Case Study. The EBN component involves critical reviews of peer reviewed papers, and the Case Study component requires each student to review a clinical case in detail.

Please visit our programme catalogue for full details of the structure and unit content.

Entry requirements

You will typically need to be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a practitioner with a specialism as 'Clinical' or 'Counselling'. If you have a 'Forensic' or 'Health' specialism then these will be considered on a case-by-case basis due to upcoming changes that may broaden access to training. You must also demonstrate how you meet the Research Competencies requirement for the programme. In addition, applicants with a 'Counselling' specialism must demonstrate Generic Competencies in Clinical Neuropsychology.

You must submit all required documents as detailed in the programmes Admissions Statement to be considered for review.

See international equivalent qualifications on the International Office website.

Read the programme admissions statement for important information on entry requirements, the application process and supporting documents required.

Go to admissions statement

If English is not your first language, you will need to reach the requirements outlined in our profile level C.

Further information about English language requirements and profile levels.

Fees and funding

Home: full-time
£15,000 per year
Home: part-time (three years)
£5,000 per year
Home: part-time (two years)
£7,500 per year
Overseas: full-time
£26,800 per year

Fees are subject to an annual review. For programmes that last longer than one year, please budget for up to an 8% increase in fees each year.

More about tuition fees, living costs and financial support.

Alumni discount

University of Bristol students and graduates can benefit from a 25% reduction in tuition fees for postgraduate study. Check your eligibility for an alumni discount.

Funding and scholarships

Please note that NHS England now provide significant amounts of funding to support costs of training in clinical neuropsychology. This funding can support both knowledge component and practice component requirements for entry to the Specialist Register of Clinical Neuropsychologists (SRCN).

The process of allocating and distributing funding to Trusts will be led primarily by NHS England regional colleagues and supported by Psychological Professions Networks. You are strongly encouraged to explore potential sources of funding as NHS England is doubling the number of funded places in 2024-25 versus the previous year.

For further information on other potential sources of funding please check the University of Bristol website which includes an online funding search tool.

Further information on funding for prospective UK and international postgraduate students.

Career prospects

This programme is designed for anyone who wants to gain and demonstrate the UK's highest level of competence in professional clinical neuropsychology. The MSc is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and successful completion provides both the knowledge and practice competencies required for entry on to the Specialist Register of Clinical Neuropsychologists (SRCN).