Doctorate in Educational Psychology

This fully funded, doctorate programme aims to provide you with an advanced level of knowledge in educational psychology and, upon completion of the course, you will be qualified to practice as an Educational Psychologist.

You will also be eligible to apply for registration as a practitioner psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), and to the British Psychological Society (BPS) for Chartered EP status.

You will spend each year of study in practical fieldwork placements in local authority (LA) Educational Psychology Services as well as attending university-based sessions within the Cardiff University Centre for Human Development (CUCHDS) - our dedicated developmental psychology centre.

This programme provides you with the opportunity to develop your critical and reflective skills to the relevant theories and approaches which comprise the subject. By the end of the three years, you should:

• Have a detailed knowledge of educational psychology, its key theories and the findings which support or challenge those theories.
• Have an ability to use your knowledge of the subject in original and creative ways.
• Have the ability to conduct research within different paradigms.
• Be able to apply your research findings in creative, novel ways.
• Adopt a psychological, change-focused approach to the issues and concerns of:
  • children as they develop from babies though to adults
  • the parents, carers, teachers and other professionals who contribute to the development of the children in their care
  • the organisations and systems within local authorities which employ educational psychologists.

The programme provides a wide-ranging overview of issues and practices in educational psychology. Within this broad framework, you will be encouraged to develop your own particular strengths and theoretical perspectives.

Programme aims

The aim of the programme is to offer knowledge and expertise for a career as an educational psychologist (EP), via doctorate-level study. Completion of the programme confers eligibility to apply for registration as a practitioner psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and to the British Psychological Society (BPS) for Chartered EP status.

Applicants should note the following:

• Cardiff University has in place a Policy for Determining Applicants’ Fitness to Practise and Eligibility to Pursue Regulated Programmes of Study. This policy will be followed where information is disclosed or received about applicants, which suggests that a fitness to practise assessment is required.
• Eligibility to enrol on the programme, if offered a place, is dependent upon satisfactory completion of an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check, i.e., one that does not reveal any information that suggests a trainee would be unsuitable for work with children, young people and vulnerable adults.
• The HCPC carries out its own health and character checks to determine whether individuals are fit to practise and can be included on the Register. So passing all elements of this programme does not guarantee automatic inclusion on the HCPC’s Register.

Distinctive features

• Fully funded by the Welsh Government, with trainees receiving a bursary for all three years
• You will undertake three placements across Wales and England, which are negotiated prior to commencing the course. This provides you with greater flexibility and enables you to plan and prepare effectively
• This programme is underpinned by a psychologically informed framework for educational psychology practice called COMOIRA (The Constructionist Model for Informed and Reasoned Action: Rhydderch & Gameson, 2008; 2010; 2017) which was developed within the Cardiff DEdPsy Programme itself
• Based within the Cardiff University Centre for Human Development (CUCHDS), an active, psychological and stimulating research environment
• Gradual approach to carrying out and reporting research, an element of the Programme which trainees have reported to be ‘well scaffolded’ and ensures that they are equipped to fulfil the requirements of the thesis and to pursue research post-qualification
• Small, cohesive group of tutors who have a diverse range of experiences and professional backgrounds within the field of educational psychology

Key facts

Postgraduate research courses

There are a number of possible entry routes to our postgraduate research courses. We will consider applicants who have successfully completed a Masters from a recognised Jordanian institution.

In some cases, we will consider applicants who only have a Bachelor's degree (minimum Second Class, Higher Division), although applicants may be required to complete a Master's course at Cardiff University prior to embarking upon PhD studies.