In the summer term of the third year the academic programme is organised by the third year trainees themselves. Trainees' needs, vocational and research interests are therefore paramount in the choice of teaching as well as the placements. Trainees are encouraged to choose their specialist topic of interest for the major research thesis at the end of Year 1, with teaching and guidance from staff. They develop their proposals in the early part of Year 2, and carry out the project and write up throughout Years 2 and 3 under the supervision of an individual with expertise in the field. At the start of training, each trainee is allocated an academic tutor who has responsibility throughout the three years of the course to provide advice, mark and give feedback on exams and case reports.
Local psychologists are available to give advice about access to personal therapy.
Finally, the college has a large and well-staffed student counselling service. The course considers that it is responsive to feedback from trainees and from clinical psychologists in the region. Each year there is an open Annual Course Review. In addition, each trainee cohort has a year tutor to act as a conduit for information between the staff and the trainees, and trainees have representation on relevant course management committees and policy bodies. The award of the degree of Doctor in Clinical Psychology is dependent upon the submission of a research thesis which makes a distinct contribution to knowledge of the subject.