PGDip/GradDip Psychological Therapies Practice
(Children, Young People and Families)
Please note: This page is for 2027 entry. Click here for 2026 entry.
| UCAS code | 1234 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 1 year full time |
| Entry year | 2026 |
| Campus | Streatham Campus |
| Typical offer | Requirements vary depending on your specialism |
|---|---|
Why study PGDip/GradDip Psychological Therapies Practice
(Children, Young People and Families) at Exeter?
- This programme will help you develop your practice in evidence-based psychological therapies for children, young people and families.
- You will develop the knowledge and competencies required to be an effective practitioner, as determined by the relevant national curriculum for the CYP IAPT Programme, through university-based workshops, clinical supervision groups and tutorials.
- You will also be supported to undertake supervised clinical practice with children, young people and their parents.
- We provide a high-quality and stimulating learning experience in a supportive environment that is enriched by an internationally recognised research environment, nationally recognised innovative clinical teaching approaches and current clinical practice.
Clinical Education Development and Research (CEDAR)
This programme is delivered by Clinical Education, Development and Research (CEDAR): an applied psychological practice centre of excellence, focussed on training the new psychological therapies workforce of the future.
Competency-based training, delivered according to the latest evidence-informed clinical teaching approaches
Dedicated training facilities equipped with video and audio recording
A strong emphasis throughout the programme is placed upon your personal and professional development
CEDAR is 1st in the sector for student satisfaction in three out of seven themes
National Student Survey 2025
Entry requirements
There are 5 strands (training options) available on our Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) or Graduate Diploma (GradDip) courses. Entry requirements depend on which strand you apply to:
CBT - PGDip Only
Suitable for anyone with a foundation in CBT skills. This strand requires a Level 6 qualification.
It also requires a core profession as recognised by the BABCP or ability to complete a Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes (KSA) portfolio.
Find out more about the CBT strand.
Parenting
Suitable for candidates with experience of working with children, young people and families. This strand requires a level 5 qualification if you are applying for the GradDip route or a level 6 qualification if you are applying for the PGDip route.
It also requires a core profession as recognised by the BABCP or ability to complete a Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes (KSA) portfolio.
Find out more about the parenting strand.
0-5s
Suitable for candidates with a level 5 qualification (if applying for the GradDip route) or level 6 qualification (if applying for the PGDip route).
This strand requires experience of working with parents/carers and young children.
In some circumstances, you may be eligible for the course if you have a level 4 qualification - in this case, you would need to show substantial experience of working with parents/carers and young children.
Find out more about the 0-5s strand.
Systemic Family Practice - PGDip Only (for Conduct or Eating Disorders)
Suitable for candidates who have at least two years’ experience of working with the mental health of children and young people and families.
This strand also requires a level 6 qualification and a core profession as recognised by the AFT, such as social work, psychiatry, nursing or health visiting.
Find out more about the Systemic Family Practice strand.
Autism and/or Learning Disabilities
Suitable for candidates with a level 5 qualification (if applying for the GradDip route) or level 6 qualification (if applying for the PGDip route).
This strand requires at least two years’ experience of working with the mental health of children and young people or families. Ideally, this would include some experience of learning disabilities and/or autism, but this isn’t essential.
Find out more about the ASD/LD strand.
If You Don’t Have a Degree (Equivalent of Level 6 Qualification)
This programme is offered at both postgraduate level (PGDip) and at final year undergraduate degree level (GradDip) for our Parenting, 0 – 5s and Autism and/or Learning Difficulties strands.
If you don’t have an undergraduate degree (level 6 qualification), you may be eligible for enrolment on the GradDip programme. The topics you will study are the same for both programmes. Please contact the administrative team for more information. Please note that the CBT and SFP strands are available as a PGDip only.
Please also see our guidance on essential documentation required for an initial decision on taught programme applications.
Entry requirements for international students
Please visit our entry requirements section for equivalencies from your country and further information on English language requirements.
Course content
There are 5 strands available to study as part of the PGDip/GradDip:
Depending which strand you apply to, on successful completion of the programme you may be eligible to apply for accreditation of your therapy practice by the appropriate Professional Standards or Regulatory Body, subject to additional requirements as necessary (e.g. British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy).
Applicants without a degree
For the ASD/LD, Parenting and 0-5s strands, this programme is offered at both postgraduate level (PGDip) and at final year undergraduate degree level (GradDip). If you do not hold an undergraduate degree you may be eligible for enrolment on the GradDip programme. The topics you will study are the same for both programmes. Please contact the administrative team for more information. Please note that the CBT and SFP strands are available as a PGDip only.
Programme progression
- On completion of this programme, you may wish to progress to MSc Psychological Therapies Practice and Research.
Please note that the module information displayed here is subject to change.
120 credits of compulsory and non-condonable modules. All students take PYCM027 then practitioners take the remaining modules that are specific to them as defined below:
A - CBT Practitioners must take the module in the CBT Practitioners Pathway group.
B - Parenting Practitioners must take the module in the Parenting Practitioners Pathway group.
C - Systemic Family (Adolescent Eating Disorders) Practitioners must take the module in the Systemic Family (Adolescent Eating Disorders) Practitioners Pathway group.
D - Systemic Family (Adolescent Conduct Disorder and Depression) Practitioners must take the module in the Systemic Family (Adolescent Conduct Disorder and Depression) Practitioners Pathway group.
E - Infant and Early Years Practitioners must take the module in the Infant and Early Years Practitioners Pathway group.
F - Autism (ASD) and Learning Disability Practitioners must take the module in the Autism (ASD) and Learning Disability Practitioners Pathway group.
Compulsory modules
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Autism (ASD) and Learning Disability Practitioners Pathway | ||
| Autism-Learning Disability Core Knowledge and Skills | 20 | |
| Assessment, Engagement and Formulation with Young People and Families (Autism and Learning Disabilities) | 20 | |
| Mental Health Interventions with Young People and Families (Autism and Learning Disabilities) | 20 | |
| CBT Practitioners Pathway | ||
| Evidence-Based CBT with Children and Young People | 60 | |
| Compulsory 1 | ||
| Core Skills for Working with Young People with Mental Health Problems and Their Families | 60 | |
| Infant and Early Years Practitioners Pathway | ||
| Key Knowledge, Theory and Frameworks for Working with 0-5s | 15 | |
| Foundations of Early Years Assessment and Formulation | 15 | |
| Interventions for 0-5s | 30 | |
| Parenting Practitioners Pathway | ||
| Evidence-Based Parenting Interventions | 60 | |
| Systemic Family (Adolescent Conduct Disorder and Depression) Practitioners Pathway | ||
| Systemic Family Practice in CAMHS | 30 | |
| Systemic Family Practice for Adolescent Conduct Disorders | 15 | |
| Systemic Family Practice for Adolescent Self-Harm/Depression | 15 | |
| Systemic Family (Adolescent Eating Disorders) Practitioners Pathway | ||
| Systemic Family Practice in CAMHS | 30 | |
| Systemic Family Practice for Adolescent Eating Disorders | 30 | |
PYCM086: Autism-Learning Disability Core Knowledge and Skills
The Psychological Therapies for Autistic Children and Young People and/or those with a Learning Disability curriculum has been developed as part of the Child and Young People Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme (CYP IAPT). Both parents and clinicians agree that autistic CYP and/or those with a Learning Disability often do not receive the psychological help they deserve because those trained in delivering evidence-based therapies feel inadequately trained in adaptations of these to CYP with Autism or Learning Disability diagnoses and those with significant experience of working with these groups are insufficiently trained in evidence-based methods of therapy. This curriculum complements existing CYP-PT curricula in specialist psychological therapies and the Enhanced Evidence-Based Practice (EEBP) curriculum. It focuses on ensuring that clinicians and practitioners are familiar with the best-evidenced practice for the treatment of children or young people with Autism or learning disabilities.
PYCM087: Assessment, Engagement and Formulation with Young People and Families (Autism and Learning Disabilities)
This module will cover the fundamentals of assessment, engagement and formulation with young people, families and wider staff teams when working with autism and/or a learning disability. There will be some repetition of topics covered in PYCM086 Autism-Learning Disability Core Knowledge and Skills but they will be covered in greater depth. Trainees will need to have attended PYCM086.
Teaching will cover how to recognise core signs and symptoms of Autism and Learning Disability as evidenced in NICE (CG128, 2011) and how these may present emotionally and behaviourally, as well as co-morbidly with mental health disorders. It will also cover how core symptomology will inform a basic mental health assessment, or an admission assessment in the case of tier 4. It will cover how assessments need to be modified, both in content (e.g. questions specific to social communication) and process (e.g. gathering information on a range of sources and contexts to inform level of pervasiveness of problems).
PYCM088: Mental Health Interventions with Young People and Families (Autism and Learning Disabilities)
This module will cover mental health interventions of young people and families, and builds on PYCM087 Assessment, Engagement and Formulation with Young People and Families (Autism and Learning Disabilities). Trainees will need to have completed the modules PYCM086 Autism-Learning Disability Core Knowledge and Skills and PYCM087 Assessment, Engagement and Formulation with Young People and Families (Autism and Learning Disabilities) to access this module. It provides an introduction to the broad principles of intervention response following assessment and the organisation of implementation teams in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
Some topics are more generic and will be suitable for all trainees (for instance, generic competencies, post diagnostic support for families, environmental management. Other topics may be more suitable for more specialist trainees (for instance specific interventions for core features of autism and commonly occurring comorbidities and associated problems).
PYCM028: Evidence-Based CBT with Children and Young People
Applying evidence-based psychological therapies to children, young people and their families requires fundamental academic knowledge and clinical skills together with a reflective approach to practice. This module delivers the Department of Health's Improving Access to Psychological Therapies national curriculum of specific knowledge and skills you will need in order to practice effectively as a cognitive behavioural therapist (CBT) with children and young people. You will explore how session-by-session measurement and routine outcome monitoring are fundamental components of effective practice.
In this module you will develop your practice in evidence-based psychological therapies for children, young people and families. You will develop the knowledge and core competencies required to be an effective CBT practitioner, as determined by the relevant national curriculum for the CYP Psychological Training Programme (such as CBT for Emotional Disorders).
PYCM027: Core Skills for Working with Young People with Mental Health Problems and Their Families
Applying evidence-based psychological therapies to children, young people and their families requires fundamental academic knowledge and clinical skills together with a reflective approach to practice. This module delivers the Department of Health's Improving Access to Psychological Therapies for Children and Young People Programme (CYP-IAPT) national curriculum of core knowledge and skills you will need in order to practice effectively as an evidence-based psychological therapist. You will explore how session-by-session measurement and routine outcome monitoring are fundamental components of effective practice. You will have the opportunity to reflect on the importance of user involvement in all aspects of CYP IAPT.
In this module you will develop your practice in evidence-based psychological therapies for children, young people and families. You will develop the knowledge and core competencies required to be an effective practitioner, as determined by the national curriculum for the CYP IAPT Programme.
PYCM143: Key Knowledge, Theory and Frameworks for Working with 0-5s
Applying evidence-based psychological therapies to children, young people and their families requires fundamental academic knowledge and clinical skills together with a reflective approach to practice. This module delivers the Department of Health’s Children and Young People’s Psychological Training (CYP PT) national curriculum of specific knowledge and skills you will need in order to practice effectively as an Infant and Early Years Practitioner (IEYP).
This module will provide you with a broad foundation of knowledge, across the full age range of 0–5 years, of the core principles of early child development, context, theory, and ethical frameworks.
Workshops in the module will include teaching using a range of techniques that are aimed at developing an understanding of early years development, including emotional, social and behavioural development, a clear understanding of the key theories that influence early years development, including attachment theory, social learning, and behavioural theory, and an understanding of the diagnoses that can affect children in the early years. This will include learning about the contextual influences on early years development and parenting, including common parental mental health problems, issues such as domestic abuse/substance dependency, wider factors such as stress and poverty, understanding of diversity and cultural influences on parenting, and understanding of the legal frameworks that are important in the early years.
An explicit focus will be placed on the relational context for early development and in particular the contribution of early parenting (e.g. parental sensitivity; parent-infant/child interaction; parental reflective functioning etc.) to optimal outcomes, and the type of early parent-infant/child interactions that can lead to non-optimal outcomes. The module will also examine evidence-based practice as it applies to the early years.
The module aims for you to:
- Develop knowledge about social, emotional, physical, cognitive, motor and language development in infants and young children.
- Develop critical knowledge of the core theories and approaches underpinning early years working.
- Understand the key frameworks that are used in diagnosis and assessment in an early years population.
- Understand the relational and contextual factors within which such development occurs, and the factors that contribute to both risk and resilience and their impact on parenting.
This module will provide opportunities for trainees to develop and demonstrate the following areas of knowledge:
PYCM144: Foundations of Early Years Assessment and Formulation
Applying evidence-based psychological therapies to children, young people and their families requires fundamental academic knowledge and clinical skills together with a reflective approach to practice. This module focuses on assessment, formulation, and safeguarding, with common content for all trainees, and selected specialist elements for trainees on the parent–infant pathway and the early childhood pathway.
The aim of this module is to provide trainee practitioners with a broad understanding of the purpose, principles, and practice of conducting comprehensive and holistic assessments, developing a formulation for the purposes of understanding a child and family’s needs, and collaboratively planning ongoing support and intervention.
This module will build on learning acquired in the key theories and frameworks module and will introduce you to applying this to enable effective assessments and formulations to happen.
This module delivers the Department of Health’s Children and Young People’s Psychological Training (CYP PT) national curriculum of specific knowledge and skills you will need in order to practice effectively as an Infant and Early Years Practitioner.
You will explore how session-by-session measurement and routine outcome monitoring are fundamental components of effective practice.
Lectures in the module will focus on the content of effective assessment and collaborative formulation.
PYCM145: Interventions for 0-5s
Focus on intervention, with some shared content on common principles, and specialist elements for trainees on the parent–infant pathway and the early childhood pathway, with each respectively utilising Video Interaction Guidance and evidence-based intervention for behavioural management.
The aim of this module is to provide trainee Infant and Early Years Practitioners with core knowledge and skills for intervening to support families with infants and young children. After completing common training on general principles of good practice (key knowledge theory and frameworks; assessment and formulation), trainees will focus in depth on interventions that are central to their chosen pathway (the parent–infant pathway or the early childhood pathway). Trainees in each pathway will, in addition, complete training in an evidence-based intervention. Specific competencies with regulatory difficulties in infancy and early childhood (sleep problems, toileting issues, feeding or eating issues) will be developed through the use of a social learning theory-based intervention for all trainees.
Workshops in this module will provide you with the ability to adopt an overall mentalising stance with parents/carers that holds the caregiver’s and infant’s/child’s voice in mind and embeds assessment and therapeutic interventions in an empathic, emotionally validating, and supportive relationship. This will include the ability to engage a caregiver and infant/child in therapeutic assessment and/or treatment, develop shared goals, co-construct an intervention with caregivers, making sure the intervention is paced correctly for the child and family to meet their goals, and collaboratively discussing any concerns or challenges. Furthermore, skills in structuring sessions, making onward referrals, using supervision, and recognising when further specialist support is needed will be developed.
The module aims for you to:
- Obtain a critical knowledge and understanding of regulatory difficulties (sleep problems, toileting issues, feeding or eating issues).
- Social and emotional difficulties (e.g. general anxiety, specific fears, separation anxiety, and stressor related adjustment).
- Develop critical knowledge and understanding of evidence-based interventions for infants and early years children
- Develop practical skills and competencies of interventions with parents of infants and early years children
- Develop critical knowledge of the theoretical and research literature underpinning behavioural, regulatory, social and emotional difficulties, and attachment.
The module further aims for you to have a critical understanding of:
Regulatory Difficulties
- The ability to explore family and cultural beliefs around co-sleeping and independent sleeping, toileting, and mealtimes along with considerations of children’s age, development stage and needs, and the ability to explore parents’ expectations and concerns.
- Exploring sources of stress in parents associated with their children’s sleep and helping parents to anticipate and plan ahead in order to avoid stress or conflict where possible; supporting parents in problem-solving around the issues they are facing.
- The ability to support parents, where indicated, to use a sleep diary to monitor sleep patterns and progress.
- The ability to support parents in developing an individualised bedtime routine, reducing stimulation, and promoting relaxation and soothing, and a sleep programme (for example, a gradual reduction in parental presence once a child has been put to bed, and a graded transition to falling asleep alone).
- The ability to use core principles of behavioural interventions to support the learning of healthy sleeping habits, focusing on the establishment of helpful routines and the encouragement and gradual shaping of children’s behaviour through social or other appropriate rewards (for example, praise, stickers, star charts) in small steps.
- The ability to explore sources of stress in parents associated with their child’s toileting, and to help parents anticipate and plan ahead in order to avoid stress or conflict where possible; supporting parents in problem-solving around the issues they are facing.
- The ability to explain principles of social learning such as graded exposure and chaining, according to the evidence base. For example, potty- or toilet-sitting might be a crucial intermediate step in learning to use the toilet, but children need to show signs of developmental readiness for this task and parents may need support to know whether their child is ready or not. Using basic narrative approaches such as ’Sneaky poo’ and ‘Poo goes to Pooland’ for children struggling with toilet training, and using praise or appropriate and acceptable rewards to support children who need additional motivation to use the potty or toilet.
- The ability to explain to caregivers how common-sense approaches can lead to unintended negative consequences when attempting to encourage healthy eating. For example, rewards for eating more, or the imperative to finish all the food on a plate, can lead to children eating more than they want or need; telling children certain foods are healthy can decrease acceptance; restriction of high-calorie foods can heighten a child’s preference for them; increased attention to eating can reinforce food avoidance or tantrums.
- The ability to support parents to explore their own approaches to eating, their values, and what eating means in their culture and family system. To recognise when they are expecting too much/too little of their children – for example, knowing how long their young child can sit at a table before needing to get down and play or run around, and how to respond when children reject or throw food.
- The ability to explore sources of stress in parents associated with their children’s eating, and to help parents anticipate and plan ahead in order to avoid stress or conflict where possible; supporting parents in problem-solving around the issues they are facing.
- Explaining to parents/carers how repeated exposure to novel foods increases children’s openness and exploration with food, and how playing and experimenting with food can help broaden toddlers’ and young children’s preferences.
- The ability to help parents/carers understand the role of physical health conditions and the impact of traumatic experiences (for example, gastrointestinal surgery, nasogastric tubes in the case of feeding difficulties), learning disability, temperament and other pre-existing factors that might increase the likelihood of difficulties developing, as appropriate.
- Signposting caregivers to, and supporting the use of, evidence-based written guidelines or psychoeducational groups.
- The ability to make appropriate referrals where the difficulties are complex (for example, difficulties associated with trauma or a chronic medical or developmental condition).
Parent-infant Pathway
- Ability to assess the suitability of the dyad for video feedback intervention.
- Ability to explain the principles and general procedures of video feedback to parents/carers responsible for informed consent to treatment.
- Ability to set up filming sessions in a way that maximises the likelihood of attuned interaction between the infant/young child and caregiver in accordance with the family’s goals or concerns; micro-analysis of video clips in order to facilitate the intervention; delivery of sessions where the video is jointly reviewed by the parent and clinician to develop a new understanding of attuned interactions from the perspective of the infant/child.
- Ability to build a supportive, therapeutic relationship with caregivers and consistently model sensitivity.
- Ability to observe and describe infant cues, signals, and responses.
- Ability to recognise cues from the infant/young child, to interpret the child’s behaviour based on the cues, and to support parents/carers to learn to recognise these cues for themselves.
- Demonstrating a capacity to maintain a stance of curiosity and bi-directional empathy towards the parent/carer and child.
- Ability to recognise, describe and support the parents’/carers’ sensitive responses to the infant/young child (through video feedback)
- Ability to build on parents’/carers’ strengths by recognising positive moments and sensitive behaviour, however subtle, promoting parents’/carers’ self-confidence, and showing them where they could use further sensitive responses.
- Ability to use supervision to support the learning and delivery of video feedback.
- Ability to deliver a video feedback intervention (either VIPP or VIG) to support caregiver sensitivity.
- Ability to sensitively use video feedback for different case scenarios (for example, couples, the use of an interpreter, twins).
- Ability to use clinical measurement to monitor the video feedback process and outcomes.
Early Childhood Pathway
PYCM029: Evidence-Based Parenting Interventions
Applying evidence-based psychological therapies to children, young people and their families requires fundamental academic knowledge and clinical skills together with a reflective approach to practice. This module delivers the Department of Health’s Improving Access to Psychological Therapies national curriculum of specific knowledge and skills you will need in order to practice effectively as a Parent Support Therapist. You will explore how session-by-session measurement and routine outcome monitoring are fundamental components of effective practice.
In this module you will develop your practice in evidence-based psychological therapies for children, young people and families. You will develop the knowledge and core competencies required to be an effective practitioner, as determined by the relevant national curriculum for the CYP IAPT Programme (such as the Incredible Years Parenting Programme).
PYCM030: Systemic Family Practice in CAMHS
Applying evidence-based psychological therapies to children, young people and their families requires you to have fundamental academic knowledge and clinical skills together with a reflective approach to practice. This module delivers the Department of Health's Improving Access to Psychological Therapies national curriculum of specific knowledge and skills you will need in order to deliver effective Systemic Family Practice with children, young people and parents. You will explore how session-by-session measurement and routine outcome monitoring are fundamental components of effective practice.
In this module you will develop your knowledge, skills and competency in Systemic Family Practice (SFP) for children, young people and families. You will develop the knowledge and core competencies required to be an effective SFP practitioner, as determined by the relevant national curriculum for the CYP IAPT Programme (Systemic Work with Families - Basic Module).
PYCM032: Systemic Family Practice for Adolescent Conduct Disorders
Applying evidence-based psychological therapies to children, young people and their families requires you to have fundamental academic knowledge and clinical skills together with a reflective approach to practice. This module delivers the Department of Health's Improving Access to Psychological Therapies national curriculum of specific knowledge and skills you will need in order to deliver effective Systemic Family Practice for adolescents with conduct disorders and their families. You will explore how session-by-session measurement and routine outcome monitoring are fundamental components of effective practice.
In this module you will develop your knowledge, skills and competency in Systemic Family Practice (SFP) for adolescents with eating disorders and their families. You will develop the knowledge and core competencies required to be an effective SFP practitioner, as determined by the relevant national curriculum for the CYP IAPT Programme (Specialist Systemic Module for Conduct Disorder).
PYCM033: Systemic Family Practice for Adolescent Self-Harm/Depression
Applying evidence-based psychological therapies to children, young people and their families requires fundamental academic knowledge and clinical skills together with a reflective approach to practice. This module delivers the Department of Health's Improving Access to Psychological Therapies national curriculum of specific knowledge and skills you will need in order to deliver effective Systemic Family Practice for adolescents with self-harm/depression and their families. You will explore how session-by-session measurement and routine outcome monitoring are fundamental components of effective practice.
In this module you will develop your knowledge, skills and competency in Systemic Family practice (SFP) for adolescents with self-harm/depression and their families. You will develop the knowledge and core competencies required to be an effective SFP practitioner, as determined by the relevant national curriculum for the CYP IAPT Programme (Specialist Systemic Module for Self-harm and Depression).
PYCM031: Systemic Family Practice for Adolescent Eating Disorders
Applying evidence-based psychological therapies to children, young people and their families requires you to have fundamental academic knowledge and clinical skills together with a reflective approach to practice. This module delivers the Department of Health's Improving Access to Psychological Therapies national curriculum of specific knowledge and skills you will need in order to deliver effective Systemic Family Practice for adolescents with eating disorders and their families. You will explore how session-by-session measurement and routine outcome monitoring are fundamental components of effective practice.
In this module you will develop your knowledge, skills and competency in Systemic Family Practice (SFP) for adolescents with eating disorders and their families. You will develop the knowledge and core competencies required to be an effective SFP practitioner, as determined by the relevant national curriculum for the CYP IAPT Programme (Specialist Systemic Module for Eating Disorders).
How to apply
To apply for this programme, you will need to currently be:
- Working in a service providing direct support to children and families (e.g. in a CAMHS service)
OR - Selected for a Recruit-to-Train practitioner role, where you’ll be employed by one of our NHS/voluntary sector partner services while you study with us (please see the SW CYP IAPT website for a full list of services)
Recruit to Train opportunities will be advertised on the NHS jobs website and on individual partner websites, as well as on our SW CYP IAPT website.
Once you have been selected for a Recruit to Train placement, you will then be put forward by your workplace for the PGDip/GradDip course. Please note it is not possible to attend this course without being employed by an NHS or voluntary sector service due to the clinical requirements and course funding arrangements.
For more information and common candidate FAQs, see the SW CYP IAPT website.
Fees
This course is funded by NHS England, so fees are not typically payable by candidates. You will be employed and paid by your service on a minimum 12-month contract, and will work 1 FTE, including 2 days per week studying at the university.
If you work for a non-NHS employer and are interested in a self-funded place, please contact our Programme Administrator for more information.
Scholarships
The University of Exeter offers a wide range of scholarships to support your education, with £7 million available for international students applying to study with us in the 2026/27 academic year, including our prestigious Exeter Excellence Scholarships. We also provide awards for sport, music and other achievements, as well as regional and partner scholarships with organisations such as Chevening, The Beacon Trust and the British Council. For more information on scholarships and other financial support, please visit our scholarships and bursaries page.
University of Exeter Alumni Scholarship
We are pleased to offer the University of Exeter Alumni Scholarship, a scholarship for University of Exeter alumni beginning a standalone postgraduate programme in 2026/27 with us a scholarship worth 20% of the cost of your first year tuition fees.
Terms and conditions, including deadlines, apply.
Teaching and research
Teaching consists of lectures and workshops and small group tutorials. Sessions will include role-play, practical exercises and small group discussions. There will also be regular supervision sessions with University supervisors. Guided independent study is expected to take place.
Types of assessments include:
- supervisor rating of core therapy competencies (CAPS)
- essays
- reflective practice logs
- competency tapes and self-rating of competencies
- case presentation
- case reports
- and a clinical portfolio.
If you are on the CBT or Parenting strand and do not have a core profession, you will be required to complete a KSA portfolio during the course to evidence how you meet the prerequisite clinical competencies equivalent to a core professional training programme. See the BABCP website to find out more about the KSA portfolio.
Careers
This programme is training people already in a career within the NHS or NHS Talking Therapies service. It will provide you with an outstanding opportunity to develop your competencies and knowledge associated with practice as a Practitioner.
A strong emphasis throughout the programme is placed upon your personal and professional development.
Advantages of the programme are that:
- You will study within a vibrant, stimulating and internationally-recognised research environment, where members of your teaching team have first-hand experience within the clinical setting.
- Your learning experience will be enriched by nationally-recognised, innovative, clinical teaching approaches, designed to develop you on your terms.
