PG Certificate (Postgraduate Certificate) Clinical Neuropsychology Practice

  • PG Certificate (Postgraduate Certificate)

Overview

The programmes at the University of Bristol have run since 2010 and are delivered in partnership with North Bristol NHS Trust, which includes a large regional neurosciences and major trauma centre. Our Clinical programmes 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 certificate is accredited by the BPS Division of Neuropsychology and will support you in developing the practice competencies required for entry on to SRCN. This degree is for applicants pursuing qualification in adult or paediatric neuropsychology.

In order to accrue relevant clinical experience, it is your responsibility to secure paid employment within a neuropsychology service during your enrolment on the certificate. 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 and a thorough review of your progress halfway through your study with us.

This programme is largely online and can be taken from home or work, with the viva for the clinical practice dissertation taking place in Bristol or online.

Please see the Neuropsychology programme web page for more information.

Please note that acceptance on this certificate requires evidence of research competencies meeting 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 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. Checking research competency status is an issue for any UK programme supporting entry to the SRCN.

Programme structure

The certificate consists of a clinical practice dissertation that delivers the equivalent to the BPS Qualification in Clinical Neuropsychology (QiCN) portfolio requirements. As such it requires the submission of six clinical cases, satisfactory performance in a viva, along with evidence of clinical practice and supervision.

Please visit our programme catalogue for full details of the structure and unit content for our Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Neuropsychology Practice.

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', 'Educational' 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. In addition, applicants should have the BPS qualification in Clinical Neuropsychology (QiCN) knowledge component certificate from UCL, Bristol, Salomon's (Canterbury) or Glasgow. Applicants who do not have the knowledge component from the prior list but have taken the PGDip or MSc Applied Neuropsychology at the University of Bristol can be considered. Applicants 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
£4,100 per year
Home: part-time (three years)
£1,367 per year
Home: part-time (two years)
£2,050 per year
Overseas: full-time
£5,600 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.

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 this 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 certificate provides professional training in clinical neuropsychology. The certificate is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) Division of Neuropsychology and supports you in developing the practice competencies required for entry on to the Specialist Register of Clinical Neuropsychologists (SRCN).