PY2PCP: Professional and Clinical Practice

Module code: PY2PCP

Module provider: Psychology; School of Psych and Clin Lang Sci

Credits: 20

Level: Level 2 (Intermediate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1 / 2

Module convenor: Dr Paul Jenkins, email: p.jenkins@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: Micro placement

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 23 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module will introduce students to a range of professional skills that are required of professional psychologists, and desirable within the workplace.  Students will undertake skills workshops and complete a placement in an area related to a career from Psychology; providing experience, professional and transferable skills and boosting employability.   

Some aims of the module include: 

• Introduction to a range of professional skills that are required of professional psychologists, and desirable within the workplace; 
• Participation in skills workshops to foster an understanding of personal and professional development; 
• Complete a placement in an area related to a career from Psychology. 

The Module Lead at the University of Reading Malaysia is Vashnarekha Kumarasuriar (v.kumarasuriar@reading.edu.my).

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Critically reflect upon experiences, knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes gained and developed through engagement with the module; 
2. Demonstrate engagement with practical application of psychological knowledge and / or understanding 
3. Apply and reflect upon skills associated with professional psychology, for example: conducting interviews and focus groups, psychometric testing and clinical skills.    

Module content

Students will attend introductory lectures in skills for psychologists, such as conducting focus groups, presentation skills, psychometric testing, and clinical skills. These are followed by interactive workshops, that students will be expected to prepare for in advance. 

Students will undertake a work placement of two or more weeks (70+ hours) in a field related to a career from Psychology.  This will be supported by bookable drop-in appointments, and personal and professional development (PDP) activities.   

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Lectures / seminars; small group work; audio and video recording; role-play exercises and group discussion; online discussion boards via Blackboard Learn. 

For students studying at our campus in Malaysia: This module may be taught in a different semester and the breakdown of study hours may differ to those set out in the Study Hours table (please refer to the Module Handbook for the correct breakdown). In addition, you will be required to complete an additional 40 hours of study, taking the total number of study hours to 240 for this module. This is to comply with the Malaysian Quality Agency (MQA).

Study hours

At least 20 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Students will have the opportunity to receive: 

• Verbal feedback on skill use within workshops; 
• Peer feedback following practical exercises; 
• Contextually relevant feedback on tasks and activities within the work-placement setting.    

Reassessment

Additional costs