Entry requirements

The student should be admitted to the Master's programme in Psychology. For admission to the course, the courses 1-20 of the Psychologist programme should be completed.

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course, the student should: present knowledge of the work of psychologists, methods and work situations that are of general importance for applied psychological activities,. be able to account for the established goals of their placement, its organisational context in society, its organisation and regulations, as well as the position of the psychologist and his/her tasks,. show knowledge of and to an appropriate extent have applied the use of psychological working methods within evaluations, measures, follow up and prevention e g evaluation consultations, testing, support talks, assessment and planning work,. shown ability to constructively be supervised and cooperate with the supervisor and other staff in the placement/s, and have developed a professional attitude regarding assessment and ethics e g in choices of approach and working methods and behaviour in the relation to clients, relatives and staff.

Content

The aim of the course is to give experience in psychological work and provide an orientation regarding where psychologists are situated in the work force. It should give practical training and experience of general importance for the exercise of the psychologist profession and thereby is an occasion to integrate theory and practice and to develop a professional attitude to clients, employers and colleagues. The course is carried out mainly at at least one workplace with an authorised psychologist as supervisor. The university prevalent rules for disqualification apply. The placement is a job experience and the student should, in the extent supervisor and course directors prescribe, under supervision, carry out tasks that normally fall on a psychologist. Because the course should primarily give a general experience of psychologist work, the contents should be designed as broad as possible, considering the workplace conditions. It thus is an ambition to give tasks and experiences within several fields, with different problem areas, on different levels (such as individual, group and organisational level) and within different phases of psychological work such as evaluations -, measure -, follow up and preventive phase. Each student must have an individual plan for the course, which includes the content and structure of his/her work placement. It is prepared by the supervisor in consultation with the student at the start of the course and has been reviewed and accepted of the course director. The course also includes some 50% of the part Educational therapy in the Psychologist programme. The educational therapy can be started before the start of the course.

Instruction

The teaching is mainly given in the form of supervision of the student practical work in the placement and in seminars at the educational department. The placement should be carried out full-time under office hours. In exceptional circumstances, the department can admit placement on 75%. Certificate and special study plan are required.

Assessment

Assessment of the student's knowledge and skills takes place continuously, based on the department requirements for passing, which the supervisor receives before the placement. Apart from classic performance assessments, compulsory attendance (working hours) constitutes an important passing requirement. At the assessment, strong emphasis should be placed on shown judgement and approaches. Compulsory attendance applies also at certain seminars at the department. A written account for and evaluation of the placement should be submitted to the course director for approval. If responsible placement supervisor assesses the student's behaviour as unskilled or the achievements so inferior that it jeopardises the workplace or its client group, can he/she with immediate effect expell the student from the workplace. As examiner, the course director decides the grade for the student's achievements. Normally, grades are given upon completion of the course. In special cases, the grade failed can come in question during an on-going course. Before a renewed, supervised placement, course directors can prescribe assessment of the student's suitability and personal preconditions pertaining to new admission. Forms for this assessment are established by the director of studies, who can also prescribe supplementary assignments to failed students, in addition to current entry requirements for the part in question and that the student's achievements on these assignments should be approved before renewed admission. Date for renewed admission to the part is also determined by the studies director. For the grade Pass on the Educational therapy part within the course, at least 50% of the total set of educational therapy points in the Psychologist programme should be finished For examination, the grades used are passed and failed. Further, the student should write minor essays that aim to let the student reflect on set aims within Psychology degree as well as within the course. In accordance with the decisions of Vice-Chancellor 08/03/2005 (Dnrs UFV 2005/205) the number of practical training sessions are limited and in that included examination to a number of two, with possibility for the department board to allow for an additional occasion if special circumstances apply.

Other regulations

Other requirements, preconditions and conditions for participation and fulfilment of the course (e g compulsory attendance, design of own work etc.) will be given at the start of the course or by way of instructions from the placement supervisor. Students who do not satisfy mandatory requirements for the grade Pass are usually given occasion to take the course, or remaining part of the course, the following semester and/or at the command of the course director, possibly in consultation with the placement supervisor, complete complementary assignments. Students who already have gone through educational therapy within the framework of an psychologist education, or the equivalent, have the possibility to apply to include part of or all of the educational therapy.