Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology

Purpose

The Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology prepares learners for the independent practice of clinical psychology. The practice involves the analysis, diagnosis, and clinical treatment of psychological disorders and behavioural pathologies in children, adolescents and adults. These interventions include clinical assessment, interviewing, diagnosis, clinical psychopharmacology, behaviour modification, as well as individual and group therapeutic intervention strategies. Clinical psychologists formulate the nature, causes, and maintenance factors of highly distressing psychopathologies and personality disorders and a range of clinical, theoretical and conceptual models inform the interventions. Clinical psychologists will communicate such clinical formulations professionally in line with internationally recognised diagnostic classification systems such as the DSMV and the ICD10. Clinical training within the qualification is sequential, developmental and graded in complexity.

The design of the qualification is to develop the human potential of learners in the full spectrum of their cognitive, economic, social, cultural, aesthetic and personal functioning. Clinical Psychologists assess, diagnose and intervene with people in dealing with all forms of psychopathology. Clinical psychologists must understand therapeutic techniques and processes applied when working with a range of individuals, including:

• those who experience difficulties related to anxiety, mood, adjustment to adverse circumstances or life-events,
• use of substances and
• those with somatoform, psychosexual, developmental, personality, cognitive and neurological presentations.

Rationale

The National Mental Health Policy Framework and Strategic Plan 2013 to 2020 highlight the need for investing in mental health and specifically identifies several psychopathological problems requiring the input of appropriately trained clinicians. This qualification aims at producing competent, ethical and professional clinical psychologists. These professionals will provide psychological services that will enhance and promote the psychological well-being of the South African population. This qualification is critical in providing quality clinical psychological care at primary, secondary and tertiary health care levels in a variety of settings. Clinical psychologists need to be able to draw on knowledge of development, social and neuropsychological processes across the lifespan. The knowledge helps to facilitate adaptability and change in individuals, groups, families, organisations and communities.

The rationale of this qualification is to educate, train and prepare learners to fulfil the requirements of the Professional Board for Psychology for purposes of registration as Clinical psychologists. The qualifying practitioner can register with the Health Professional Council of South Africa as a Clinical Psychologist. The Clinical Psychologist will render psychological services in a variety of settings, focusing on prevention, promotion, assessment, treatment of psychological disorders. They will also conduct research and promotion of mental health as defined according to the Health Professions Act no 56 of 1974 and subsequent amendments. Learners will be able to function as professional psychologists in a variety of multicultural-professional contexts including primary, secondary and tertiary mental health care in psychiatric hospitals and clinics and private health care facilities.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

RPL for access

Learners who do not meet the direct admission requirements are required to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Institution that they have a qualification plus suitable experiential- or work-based learning, which has taken the learner to an equivalent of the entry-level of the qualification. Such learners may be considered for admission through RPL after assessment via a portfolio of evidence of the prior learning that has been done.

RPL for credits

For learners who have already qualified with a cognate qualification and have done modules in their qualification that are equivalent to modules within this qualification may apply for the equivalent module/s to be credited. The learner needs to apply for RPL as per the Institutional policy.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Bachelor of Arts Honours in Psychology, NQF Level 8.

Or

• Bachelor of Psychology, NQF, Level 8.

This qualification consists of compulsory modules at NQF Level 9 totalling 270 Credits

Compulsory modules, NQF Level 9, 270 Credits

• Professional Practice and Psychological Ethics, 20 Credits.
• Psychological Assessment and Psychometrics, 20 Credits.
• Child, Adolescent and Adult Psychopathology, 20 Credits.
• Multi-Contextual Psychological Intervention, 20 Credits.
• Neuropsychology, 20, Credits.
• Research Methodology, 20 Credits.
• Treatise, 60, Credits.
• Internship, 90 Credits.

• Explain the theoretical groundings of psychological and forensic assessment, as applied to individuals, groups and families.
• Discuss the psychotherapeutic processes, principles and theories grounding child, adolescent, family, and group psychological intervention.
• Assess the dynamics of normal and abnormal functioning and psychodiagnostic of individuals, groups and families.
• Conceptualise and debate clinical formulations, of psychopathologies and personality disorders, in line with internationally recognised diagnostic classification systems such as the DSMV and the ICD10.
• Conceptualise, design and implement interventions relating to complex and challenging acute and chronic psychopathological conditions.
• Formulate a therapeutic intervention that is acceptable in a multi-cultural context.
• Debate the possible intended and unintended consequences of psychological interventions.
• Apply professional ethics in psychology practice and professional interactions.
• Explain the management principles of private practice.
• Critique, utilise and apply scientific research methods and findings by applying to the treatment of clients with psychopathological conditions and the modification of human behaviour.
• Demonstrate ethically acceptable behaviour in psychological assessment, intervention, consulting, and research situations.
• Apply theory to function as a competent professional in psychiatric and private health care settings.
• Demonstrate ethical and appropriate use of specialised psychological assessment measures in assessing, for example, development, intelligence, school-readiness, career, emotional status and temperament, personality, scholastic, and neurological assessments.
• Appropriate selection, administration, scoring, interpretation, and integration of a variety of psychological assessment measures in specialised assessment, forensic, and psychodiagnostic contexts.
• Compile and present case studies to communicate present discourse and treatment regimes.
• Utilise scientific research methods and findings in investigating psychopathology and human behaviour.
• Utilise the appropriate psychotherapeutic interventions with children, adults and groups in a variety of contexts.
• Justify and make independent decisions regarding psychological interventions and case management plan.
• Demonstrate practical and advanced skills in the assessment, management, diagnosis and treatment of a variety of psychopathologies.
• Demonstrate competence in conveying professional findings (including expert opinions) via written and verbal communication to clients, referral sources and other professionals.
• Refer clients to the appropriate stakeholders within the health-care system.
• Demonstrate the ability to manage a clinical case.
• Work effectively in a multi-disciplinary team in assessment, psychodiagnostic and therapeutic contexts.
• Demonstrate a caring, compassionate and respectful attitude towards other professionals, clients and families.
• Develop a scientific research proposal.
• Produce a completed clinically-based research treatise.
• Critically evaluate specialised psychological assessment, intervention, consulting, and research practice within the multi-cultural South African context.
• Explain how the profession of psychology and clinical psychologists in particular, synergistically interact with related professions.
• Discuss how their cultural background and values impact on the process of specialised psychological assessment, intervention, consulting, and research practice.

The following Associated Assessment Criteria will assess the Exit Level Outcomes

• Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the general principles and theories that form the basis of the scientific study of human and systemic functioning within a multi-cultural context.
• Apply in-depth knowledge of the principles and theoretical groundings of psychological assessment, psychotherapy, intervention and development, psychopathology, and research.
• Identify and diagnose functional and dysfunctional behaviour in individuals, groups and systems.
• Demonstrate the ability to integrate theory and practice in a clinical environment, through compiling and presenting case studies to communicate present discourse and treatment regimes.
• Demonstrate appropriate reflection and consulting skills within group, individual and systemic contexts.
• Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information.
• Demonstrate appropriate problem solving during the assessment and planning phases of client care.
• Apply critical and creative thinking skills in developing treatment options.
• Demonstrate appropriate written and oral communication and presentation skills through the successful engagement of clients, the psychological team, other health professionals and the broader public and other relevant stakeholders in all spheres of the practice.
• Apply advanced psychological assessment, intervention, consulting, and research practice within the multi-cultural South African context.
• Select, administer, score, interpret, and report on a broad range of psychological assessment measures (including specialised measures).
• Assess, plan and implement interventions, manage care, and evaluate outcomes of clients with psychopathologic conditions.
• Conduct long-term psychotherapeutic interventions in a professional and ethically acceptable manner.
• Demonstrate successful case management skills as well as organising and managing self in complex environments.
• Demonstrate appropriate skills related to when and how to refer a client to another professional in the health care system.
• Demonstrate research skills related to choosing a research problem, planning a study, conducting a study of significant scope, analysing the resultant information and reporting on the study.
• Produce a clinically based research treatise of a high standard to examine by an external moderator.
• Demonstrate competence during psychotherapeutic intervention procedures in psychiatric and private health care settings during the internship year.
• Demonstrate cultural and aesthetic sensitivity through acceptance and satisfaction of professional care across social contexts.
• Identify how their cultural background and values impact how they practice psychological assessment, intervention, consulting, and research.
• Work effectively in a multi-disciplinary team with their peers, groups, organisations, communities, other psychologists and health professionals, and a supervisor/mentor in the practice of advanced psychological assessment, intervention, consulting, and research.
• Perform continuous self-assessment to demonstrate life-long learning activities and accompanying professional growth.

Integrated Assessment

Integrated assessment of the qualification provides an opportunity for the learners to show that they can integrate concepts, ideas and actions. The learners will achieve competence that is grounded and coherent with the purpose of the learning qualification. Integrated assessment will show how already demonstrated competence in individual areas can be linked and applied for the achievement of a holistic outcome as described in the exit level outcomes. The qualification will include several formative and summative assessment opportunities, case formulation and case presentations, written case reports, written tests, peer reviews, Research project, and other assessment opportunities.