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  • MSc Clinical Associate in Psychology Apprenticeship - Level 7

Clinical Associate in Psychology Level 7 Apprenticeship MSc

Employers – Make an enquiry Apply now Information for apprentices Information for employers
  • Level of study:
    Masters, Apprenticeship
  • Entry Requirements:
    More information
  • Start date:
    September 2026
  • Duration:
    18 months taught, with up to 3 months EPA period
  • Attendance:
    Part-time
  • Course delivery:
    Block (City Campus)
Psychology students

About this course

This degree apprenticeship will allow psychology graduates to gain the core skills required to pursue a career as a Clinical Associate in Psychology. Applicants can choose one of the following pathways to specialise in a specific clinical area.

The pathways available (see below) will vary annually, depending on employer demand. 

  • Adult Mental Health
  • Child and Adolescent Mental Health
  • Older Adults
  • Physical Health
  • Intellectual Disabilities

This programme provides the formal apprenticeship training required as part of the student’s employment within healthcare.

Students will undertake training in the fundamentals of applied psychology, including the assessment, formulation, intervention and evaluation, according to the British Psychological Society (BPS) principles. Upon successful completion of the course, apprentices will be equipped to provide evidence-based psychological interventions tailored to service users’ individual needs.

Apprentices will also undertake training in research and evaluation as applied to local contexts, in order to enable meaningful local service development.

  • Benefit from excellent support

    from our academic team to enhance your learning.

  • Study in the heart of Nottingham

    One of Europe’s top 25 student cities, and home to over 75,000 learners.

  • Learn from the experts

    at a university rated TEF ‘Gold’ for teaching and learning.

You will learn the core skills required to pursue a career as a Clinical Associate in Psychology in your chosen clinical area. Throughout all elements of the course, there will be an emphasis on developing abilities to provide inclusive and antiracist practices, in order to meet the diverse needs of services and service users.

Module information

Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll be studying throughout the course:

Core modules

Year Two is mainly work-based. You will have three teaching days in preparation for the End Point Assessment (EPA). If you pass your portfolio from the Clinical Application module, you will enter a gateway for the EPA, which will assess your academic and work-based knowledge, skills and behaviour as described in the Institute of Apprenticeship standards and the British Psychological Society Standard for Clinical Associate Psychologists.

Core modules

Completing your Apprenticeship

To achieve the apprenticeship, all apprentices must complete an End-Point Assessment (EPA). The EPA is an independent assessment that ascertains whether an apprentice is competent in their occupation.

Gateway

Gateway is the period of time between the end of the off-the-job training (practical period) and the beginning of the assessment period when EPA will take place.

At Gateway, the apprentice, employer and training provider will review the apprentice’s knowledge, skills and behaviours to determine whether they are ready to take their EPA. This is normally done at a Gateway review meeting which takes place near the end of the apprenticeship. At this meeting, all three parties will check that the mandatory aspects of the apprenticeship have been completed and that the apprentice is ready to take their final assessment(s).

Apprentices must meet the Gateway requirement set out in the assessment plan before taking their EPA.

End-Point Assessment

This apprenticeship is integrated. This means that the end-point assessment is administered by Nottingham Trent University and is usually linked to the academic award that apprentices study whilst in their off-the-job training period. The assessments are conducted by Independent End-Point Assessors who have been selected to assess apprentices against industry-specific competences.

Details of the assessment elements can be found in the assessment plan.

There are two elements to this end-point assessment:

  1. Demonstration of Practice.
  2. Professional Discussion.

Achievement of the EPA enables apprentices to be professionally recognised as: Graduate Membership of the British Psychological Society.

We regularly review our course content based on student and employer feedback to ensure they remain current and relevant. This may result in changes to module content or availability in future years. Optional modules will only run where there is sufficient demand. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis to protect the academic and student experience.

How you're taught

The overall aim of this apprenticeship is to develop Clinical Associates in Psychology who will be able to provide high quality, evidence-based psychological assessments and interventions for a specific population from different backgrounds, cultures and beliefs.

You will be engaged in studying relevant psychological theory and practice through lectures, seminars, clinical skills workshops, presentations, reflective practice groups, and self-directed study, which will amount to at least 20% of the apprenticeship.

Through your employment, you will be engaged in work-based learning for the remaining working week. You will be allocated an Academic Supervisor for your studies and be supervised by a HCPC-registered practitioner psychologist in your workplace. You will have access to online course materials, the PebblePad e-portfolio tool, library resources and student support services.

Teaching will be delivered through a mixture of face-to-face and online sessions, with a majority of the teaching online. We expect 100% attendance regardless of whether it is face-to-face or online.

The term will start with a two-week face-to-face teaching block where you will be based at the University Monday through to Thursday, with a study day on the Friday. This will then be followed by online teaching each Wednesday during term time across Year 1.

Teaching will begin in January, with a further three-day week block of face-to-face teaching (Monday to Wednesday), followed by online teaching on a Wednesday.

There is then a further face-to-face three-day teaching block in February and a final week block of face-to-face teaching in May.

Between the week blocks, all teaching will be delivered online on Wednesdays during term time.

In Year Two, most of the teaching will be delivered online on a Thursday morning across the term. There may be a few in-person teaching sessions in Term 2, however this will be agreed at the time.

Teaching will be provided by clinical psychologists who are experts in their area of clinical practice, as well as by the course team (all of whom are also experienced clinical psychologists in different areas of clinical practice).

How you're assessed

You will be assessed throughout the course using both formative and summative assessments through a range of methods, including written academic essay, role plays, presentations, and case studies. You will also be required to submit a Portfolio describing your application of your learning across the academic course to your practice in your clinical specialism.

Following successful completion of the taught program of the course, Apprentices will go on to complete the End Point Assessment (EPA), which is assessed by two elements: a demonstration of your clinical skills across four different scenarios (Governance and Practice; Assessment and Risk; Formulation; and Evidence-Based Psychological Intervention) as assessed via role-play exercises; and a Professional Discussion, focusing on your knowledge, skills and behaviour competencies.  The EPA is carried out by two external (to the course) assessors.

Entry requirements

UK students

In order to be eligible to undertake an Apprenticeship, you must ensure the following are in place prior to the start date of the course:

  • You are a UK resident or have the right to work in the UK.
  • Have a job or a job offer from an employer who will support you to complete your apprenticeship.
  • Will spend at least 50% of your working week in England over the duration of the apprenticeship.  This also applies to remote and hybrid workers

Make sure to read the course-specific entry requirements in the additional requirements section below.

International students

In order to be eligible to undertake an Apprenticeship, you must ensure you can fulfil the following prior to the start date of the course:

  • You have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands for at least the previous 3-year period on the first day of your apprenticeship.
  • Your ordinary residence in the UK and Islands has not during any part of that period been wholly or mainly for the purpose of receiving full-time education.
  • You have permission granted by the UK government to live in the UK and such permission is not for education purposes only.
  • You must be able to complete the apprenticeship in the time you have available (e.g. your Visa must last for the duration of the apprenticeship as well as your contract of employment).

Make sure to read the course-specific entry requirements in the additional requirements section below.

Policies

We strive to make our admissions procedures as fair and clear as possible. To find out more about how we make offers, visit our admissions policies page.

Fees and funding

UK students

- see the fees for this course, as well as information about funding and support.

To undertake an apprenticeship, you must be employed. Your employer will pay your tuition fees.

If you or your employer have any questions regarding the fees and funding available for this apprenticeship, please see our Apprenticeships pages, email our Apprenticeships team, or call  +44 (0)115 848 2589.

International students

- see the fees for this course, as well as payment advice and scholarships.

To undertake an apprenticeship you must be employed. Your employer will pay your tuition fees.

We will review your identity documents / immigration status to verify your residency eligibility in line with the apprenticeship funding rules, at the application stage.

If you or your employer have any questions regarding the fees and funding available for this apprenticeship, please see our apprenticeships FAQs, contact our Apprenticeships team at apprenticeships@ntu.ac.uk, or call +44 (0)115 848 2589.

Additional costs

Your course fees cover the cost of studies and include loads of great benefits, such as the use of our library, support from our expert Employability team and free use of the IT equipment across our campuses. There are just a few additional things you may need to budget for:

Textbooks and library books

Your modules will point you to key textbooks and recommended reading. Many are available online, and in our libraries, but some students choose to buy their own copies. You’ll receive resource lists showing where to access eBooks, digital resources and physical copies. Our friendly Library team is always on hand to help you find what you need.

Printing and photocopying costs

The University allocates an annual printing and copying allowance of £20 depending on the course you are studying. For more details about costs for additional print and copying required over and above the annual allowance please see the printing and photocopying information on the Library website.

Careers and employability

  • Employability Promise

    Personalised support, one-on-one coaching and industry-specific advice – it’s all part of our Employability Promise. And it doesn’t end when you leave NTU – you’ll have access to all our careers services for three years after you graduate (conditions apply).

  • NTU Enterprise

    If you’re a budding entrepreneur, NTU Student Enterprise can help you to develop your ideas and innovations and turn them into a reality. We also offer training, mentoring, workshops, financial advice and more to develop your business skills.

Campus and facilities

You’ll mainly be studying in the Chaucer and Newton buildings, at the centre of our vibrant City Campus. As well as a range of classrooms and lecture theatres, the facilities including a mock prison cell, banks of open-access PCs, social spaces for either quiet study or busy group work.

NTU’s City Campus has everything you’ll need to stay busy between lectures. As well as the Boots Library and its beautiful roof garden, there’s our stylish Students’ Union building and two-storey, 100-station gym; a whole host of cafés, bars, restaurants and food outlets for every taste; our much-loved Global Lounge; performance and rehearsal spaces for musicians; and much, much more!

Take a few steps off campus and you’ll find yourself in the heart of Nottingham — one of Britain’s top 10 student cities, and one of Europe’s top 25. It’s stuffed with history, culture, and well-kept secrets to discover at your leisure. Enjoy lush green spaces, galleries, hidden cinemas and vintage shopping by day, and an acclaimed food, drink and social scene by night.

Take our virtual tour to get a real feel for the campus.

Applying

UK students

Applications to this course can be made through NTU Applicant Portal.

To apply for this course, you must have secured your employer's agreement to support you through the degree apprenticeship course and have been allocated an architecturally qualified Employment Mentor from your place of work.

Firstly, your employer should contact our Apprenticeships team to discuss next steps in the applications process, and support available.

Apply now

International students

In order to be eligible to undertake an Apprenticeship, you must ensure you can fulfil the following prior to the start date of the course:

  • You have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands for at least the previous 3-year period on the first day of your apprenticeship.
  • Your ordinary residence in the UK and Islands has not during any part of that period been wholly or mainly for the purpose of receiving full-time education.
  • You have permission granted by the UK government to live in the UK and such permission is not for education purposes only.
  • You must be able to complete the apprenticeship in the time you have available (e.g. your Visa must last for the duration of the apprenticeship as well as your contract of employment).

If you are able to fulfil this, please follow the application guidelines for UK students.

Please read our application guidance before you start your application.

We advise you to prepare and apply as early as you can as Student visa processing time can vary.

We'll send you important emails throughout the application process. Please check your emails regularly, including your junk/spam mail folder.

Apply now

Application guidance for apprenticeships

We have lots of useful advice and guidance to help you discuss your options with your employer or apply for available apprenticeship opportunities.

Application support

If you need more help or support, you can call our Apprenticeship team on +44 (0)115 848 2589, or email apprenticeships@ntu.ac.uk.

Keeping in touch

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