***Amendments to Regulation 38 were last approved by the University Council at the meeting held on 11 July 2018, with changes taking immediate effect.***

38.12 Regulations for the Degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology (DClinPsych)

(1) General

(a) The degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology is awarded jointly by Coventry University and the University of Warwick. The programme is managed by a Programme Director (employed by Coventry University) and a Board of Study which shall adhere to the Terms of Reference for Coventry University and include representatives from both Universities.

(b) During their period of study candidates shall be registered students of both Universities. They shall have the same rights and responsibilities as other students of each University except where special provision is made within these regulations.

(c) A candidate for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology shall be required to follow the approved programme of study for a period of three years full-time. The programme is not available by part-time study. No provision is made for Accreditation of Prior (Experiential) Learning (APL/APEL). The maximum registration period is 5 years from the point of first enrolment, any periods of interruption shall be included within the maximum registration period for the award.

(d) It shall be a condition of registration on the degree that candidates have an approved contract of employment with an appropriate National Health Service Trust. Candidates whose contract of employment is terminated prior to completion of their degree shall be required to withdraw from the programme.

(e) A single taught doctorate (level D) module shall be rated at 10 credits, and modules shall be additionally available in the following multiples: 20, 40, 50, 90.

(f) One taught level D module credit equates to a minimum of 10 hours of student effort, which shall be devoted to taught time, preparing assessed work, private study, and, as applicable, to attending courses of residential study, and final examinations.

(g) The minimum number of credits to be passed for the Doctorate is 540 level D credits. The minimum number of credits to be passed for an interim Masters award is 360 level D credits. Where a student becomes eligible for an interim award by completing part of the doctorate, the interim qualification is only conferred if the student fails or withdraws from the next stage of the course. The interim award is not jointly conferred but awarded by Coventry University.

(h) A student shall be deemed to have passed a taught module or project module on obtaining an overall module mark of 50% or more, subject to any criteria specified in the module descriptor as to how the mark is to be calculated (e.g. by specifying the relative weighting of coursework, examination or other components) and any other conditions (e.g. the minimum marks to be required in each component); marks between 49.5% and 50% inclusive shall be regarded as 50% for these purposes.

(2) Progression and Award of the Degree

(a) The Programme Assessment Board for the degree shall be appointed by Coventry University in accordance with Coventry University Academic Regulations. The Board shall include representatives from both Universities.

(b) At the end of the first and second years, the Programme Assessment Board shall consider the progress of candidates on the basis of performance in written coursework assignments and reports from professional placement supervisors, and candidates shall either:

(i) be permitted to proceed to the next year of the Doctor of Clinical Psychology programme; or

(ii) be permitted to resubmit within a prescribed period a limited number of coursework assignments and one placement as defined in the Programme specification; or

(iii) be awarded the degree of MSc in Therapeutic Psychology by Coventry University for satisfactory completion of all components of the first two years of the programme; or

(iv) be required to withdraw from the Doctor of Clinical Psychology programme.

Where a candidate has been permitted to resubmit work in accordance with paragraph (ii) above, the Programme Assessment Board shall consider the resubmitted work presented by the candidate and shall make a decision on the candidate's progress in accordance with either paragraph (i), (iii) or (iv) above. Students may be permitted only one resubmission in a module, where resubmissions are allowed.

(c) In accordance with the Programme Regulations for the degree, in addition to a placement report and professional portfolio, students will be required to submit a research thesis during the third year. The report shall not exceed 20,000 words in length exclusive of appendices, footnotes, tables and bibliography. Extensions to the submission deadline for the thesis shall only be permitted in exceptional circumstances.

(d) In order for the candidate to be eligible for the award of the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology, the research thesis must constitute an original contribution to knowledge which is, in principle, worthy of publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

(e) The appointment and duties of the examiners for the research thesis shall be in accordance with Coventry University’s Academic Regulations. Upon approval by Coventry University, University of Warwick will be notified of the appointment.

(f) Candidates shall be required to undergo an oral examination concerning the research thesis.

(g) As in Regulation 38.8, the joint report of the examiners of the research thesis shall conclude with one of the following recommendations:

(i) That the thesis be approved in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology.

(ii) That the thesis submitted be approved in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology, subject to minor amendments or corrections specified by the examiners and defined in regulation 38.8.3: Minor amendments or corrections must be completed by the candidate to the satisfaction of the internal examiner. Minor corrections should consist of the correction of typographical errors, minor errors of logic or referencing only. The examiners must specify the time available for completion of the corrections, up to a maximum of three months. The internal examiner shall ensure that the one copy of the thesis has been amended. In the case of a PhD by published work, the examiners may require minor amendments to the covering document.

(iii) (First submission only, not available for a resubmitted thesis). That the thesis submitted be approved in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology, subject to major amendments or corrections specified by the examiners. Major amendments or corrections must be completed by the candidate to the satisfaction of at least one examiner (usually the internal examiner, where appointed). Major corrections should not entail a significant amount of further research or analysis. The examiners must specify the time available for completion of the corrections, up to a maximum of six months. At least one examiner, usually the internal examiner, shall ensure that one copy of the thesis has been amended. In the case of a PhD by published work, the examiners may require major amendments to the covering document.

(iv) That the thesis be not approved in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology in its present form, but that the candidate be permitted to submit a revised thesis. The examiners must set a deadline for resubmission of the thesis, within a maximum of 12 months from official notification by the University. In the case of a PhD by published work, the examiners may permit the submission of a revised covering document and/or a different selection of published material.

(v) That the work be not approved in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Clinical Psychology.

The referral of a thesis in accordance with recommendation (iii) above shall be permitted on one occasion only and the period prescribed for resubmission shall not normally exceed twelve months from the date on which the candidate is notified by the University of the decision of the examiners.

(h) The final recommendation of the examiners of the research thesis shall be considered by the Programme Assessment Board for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology together with the performance of the candidate in the other components of the third year of study and the Programme Assessment Board shall recommend either:

(i) That the candidate be awarded the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology; or

(ii) That the candidate be awarded the degree of MSc in Therapeutic Psychology by Coventry University where the examiners of the research thesis have concluded that the thesis does not meet the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology.

Candidates who are not eligible for the award of the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology may be considered by the Programme Assessment Board for the award of the degree of MSc in Therapeutic Psychology by Coventry University where the candidate has completed in full the requirements of the first two years of the Doctor of Clinical Psychology programme, whether or not the candidate has submitted a research thesis.

In the case of h (i), the recommendation for the award is also considered by the Steering Committee, on behalf of the Senate, at the University of Warwick. The award will be confirm upon approval of the committee.

Where an aegrotat award is awarded the candidate is not eligible for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

(3) Appeals

(a) A candidate for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology shall have the right of appeal against the decision of the Programme Assessment Board that he/she be required to withdraw from the programme under paragraph 2(b)(iv) above or that the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology not be awarded under paragraph 2(h)(ii) above. There shall be no right of appeal against the requirement to resubmit work relating to any component of the programme with the exception of a requirement to repeat a period of clinical placement.

(b) Appeals against the decisions of the Programme Assessment Board as defined in (3)(a) above will be considered where:

(i) a student is in possession of evidence which was not available to the examiners when their decision was reached and can provide good reasons for not having made the examiners aware of the circumstances affecting his/her performance prior to the meeting of the Programme Assessment Board; or

(ii) there appear to have been procedural irregularities in the conduct of the examination; or

(iii) there appears to be evidence of prejudice or of bias or of inadequate assessment on the part of one or more of the examiners.

An appeal on the grounds of inadequate supervisory or other arrangements during the period of study may also be considered where the candidate can provide good reasons for not having made known his/her complaint at an earlier stage.

(c) Notification of the intention to appeal must be lodged by the candidate with the Academic Registrar of Coventry University (via the following email address: ArgAppeals.reg@coventry.ac.uk) within 10 working days of receiving notification of the decision of the Programme Assessment Board.

(d) The Coventry University procedures for reviewing award decisions and considering appeals by students as defined in the Coventry University Academic Regulations shall apply. The membership of the Assessments Review Group and Assessments Appeals Committee shall additionally include two representatives from the University of Warwick. The representatives from the University of Warwick shall be appointed by the Senate of the University and shall normally include the Chair of the University's Graduate Appeals Committee and one other member of that Committee.

(e) The Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education ("OIA") operates an independent student complaints scheme pursuant to the Higher Education Act 2004. Students or former students may take their complaint relating to a final decision reached under the Coventry University's review and appeal process to the OIA once all internal processes have been exhausted. The OIA cannot look at complaints relating to matters of academic judgement. A "Completion of Procedures" letter will be issued from the office of the Coventry University Registrar & Secretary when it has been determined that all internal processes have been completed. The OIA must receive a completed Scheme Application Form within three months of the date of Completion of Procedures Letter.

(4) Disciplinary Matters

(a) Disciplinary matters will be considered under the relevant regulations and procedures of either Coventry University, University of Warwick or the NHS grievance policy depending on the location and parties involved in the issue concerned. Where the Coventry University Professional Suitability procedure are invoked a representative from the University of Warwick will be co-opted on the panel.

(b) Paragraph 4(a) shall apply to matters such car parking, damage to property, library regulations, regulations governing the use of computing facilities, safety regulations, use or sale of drugs, assault or serious threatening behaviour, abusive or unreasonable behaviour, freedom of speech, breaches of codes of practice relevant to the programme. This list is not intended to be exhaustive.

(5) Cheating and Plagiarism

(a) Cases of suspected cheating or plagiarism by candidates in the first two years of the programme shall normally be investigated in accordance with the General Regulations of Coventry University, relating to the examinations responsibilities of students.

(b) In all cases where an Investigating Panel or Committee is convened, the Panel or Committee shall include at least one representative from each University.

(6) Complaints

(a) Candidates who wish to lodge a formal complaint regarding any aspect of the programme may do so in accordance with the procedures laid down for complaints in the General Regulations of Coventry University. The complainant may lodge their complaint with the Programme Director, the Dean of the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at Coventry University, the Head of the Department of Psychology at the University of Warwick or with the Vice-Chancellor of either University.

(b) The investigation of the complaint will be conducted in accordance with the general procedures set down in the General Regulations of Coventry University but the personnel to be involved in the investigation will be determined on a case by case basis by agreement between the two Universities depending on the nature of the complaint and the parties involved. The candidate shall be informed of the names and posts of the individuals involved in the investigation.

(7) Relationship to other regulations

(a) Where there is a conflict between these regulations and other regulations at either university, these regulations take precedent. Where advice is required, the Coventry University Registrar and Secretary should be consulted.