Course Structure

Child Guidance Clinic
University of Cape Town

INFORMATION
AND APPLICATION FOR THE
DEGREE M.A. (CLIN. PSYCH)

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
http://www.uct.ac.za/depts/cgc

Selection Process The MA (Clin Psych)  Programme Maintenance of Standards and Discipline Administrative Information Clinic Staff The M1 Programme

M1 General Course Outline Clinical Internship Dissertation requirements Prescribed reading Application form Referee report Registration with the Professional Board of Psychology

(The following information was correct at time of printing, but is subject to change without notice)

Thank you very much for your enquiry about UCT's professional training in Psychology at the University of Cape Town. This page contains information on the MA (Clin. Psych) programme, an application form, and a referee report form. (You will need to print out three referee report forms, but only one application form). THESE FORMS CANNOT BE FILLED IN ONLINE: You must fill them in and return them to the Clinic by post (see below for posting requirements). The closing date and time for us to receive these applications is noon on May 25, 2012.

Please note that professional training in psychology in South Africa is currently under review and some of the information contained on this page may change.

THE SELECTION PROCESS

If there is anything unclear about our selection process, please address written queries to The Director, Child Guidance Clinic. We look forward to receiving your completed application.

APPLICATION FOR A PLACE IN THE M.A. (CLIN.) PROGRAMME

Applicants are required to complete the application form obtainable from the Child Guidance Clinic website and to submit this, by the due date, to the Director, Child Guidance Clinic, UCT, Chapel Road, Rosebank, 7700, by noon on May 25, 2012. In addition to the CGC application forms, UCT Admissions Application form should also be completed and submitted to the Child Guidance Clinic.  For those students who are currently registered at UCT please complete UCT Admissions Application form 5. Three referees’ reports (on forms provided for this purpose) must also be submitted by the due date.

Short listed candidates will be expected to present themselves for interviews which will be held during the week of 06 - 10 August 2012.

An orientation meeting for short-listed candidates will be held on Friday 03 August 2012.


FEES

These are set each year and details may be obtained from the Registrar. Applicants are advised to request information concerning bursaries and scholarships; this information is also available from the Registrar, University of Cape Town, Private Bag, Rondebosch, 7700, Cape Town.
Fees are payable for each year in which the student is registered for the degree i.e. M1, M2 and a third year if the completion of the dissertation requires this.
NOTE: applications for scholarships and bursaries are usually due anytime from June of the year preceeding study. We strongly advise you to apply for and submit applications for financial support timeously and not to wait for confirmation of acceptance or not into a training programme.



THE UCT MA (CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY) PROGRAMME

COURSE STRUCTURE AND PLACEMENT

The MA degree in Clinical Psychology at the University of Cape Town is awarded through the Department of Psychology in the Faculty of Humanities. It is a professional qualification which, with the stipulated internship and community service, leads to registration as a Clinical Psychologist with the Professional Board for Psychology (Health Professions Council of South Africa). At the beginning of each year of training students are required to register with the Professional Board for Psychology as student clinical psychologists (M1), and intern clinical psychologists (M2)

The requirements for the degree involves two years of full-time study and professional training as well as submission of a minor dissertation.  In the first year (Year 1) the student is required to do a minor dissertation on a clinically related topic, attend case conference at the University of Cape Town Child Guidance Clinic, and participate in various community projects run under the auspices of the Psychology Department.  The second year (M1) is based at the Child Guidance Clinic, and involves intensive clinical training.  The second year course covers a broad spectrum of courses on clinical assessment and intervention, although the emphasis is primarily on problems of childhood and adolescence, family problems and group work.  Workshops and training for groups such as parents, teachers, lay counsellors and community workers are also involved.  Once the requirements for both years are completed satisfactorily, students may apply for an internship at hospitals registered with the Professional Board (HPCSA) as internship sites.  Please note that students can only begin their internship once they have completed all academic requirements.  In other words, they must successfully complete the clinical training and the dissertation and these must have been passed.  In accordance with government regulations.  Valkenberg can no longer guarantee UCT trainees an internship position and students will have to apply to various hospitals, internship sites.  This is the student's responsibility and the CGC offers to guarantee of internships.

After satisfactory completion of internship, students are required to do a year of community service and pass the Professional board exam to be a registered clinical psychologist.

The training programme is intended to provide the trainee with the knowledge and skills necessary for basic competence in the field of clinical psychology. The trainee is expected to develop a higher degree of professional competence after qualification. It is considered essential that graduates undertake continuing education in some field(s) of clinical specialisation, after registration, and seek out supervision for their work after completing this basic training.

Please note: The second year (M2) can only be undertaken once all academic requirements have been fulfilled.  This means successful completion of the M1 training and minor dissertation.  Students must apply for the internship.  We don't guarantee nor offer internships.

ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROGRAMME

The MA (Clinical Psychology) course at the University of Cape Town is undertaken by staff at the Child Guidance Clinic and in the Department of Psychology.  As the degree is awarded through the Department of Psychology, this university department holds a supervisory function over the training through the Director of the CGC. The Chairperson of the programme and convenor for the M1 year are drawn from the Clinic staff, and are accountable to the Head of the Department of Psychology and, through this route, to the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities.

In the course, students are assigned clinical supervisors who guide students in their work with patients and their families and in community settings.

MAINTENANCE OF STANDARDS AND DISCIPLINE

1. Trainees are expected to familiarise themselves with, and adhere to, standards of ethical and professional conduct for clinical psychologists.
2. Whilst at any training institution the trainee is expected to abide by the regulations laid down by the Head of that Institution.
3. Trainees are requested to present themselves appropriately when dealing with members of the public, or when attending for any purpose any of the Hospital units or community placements.
4. Trainees are expected to maintain a satisfactory standard of academic and clinical work and interpersonal conduct during the period of training. Should progress in any of these areas not be satisfactory, the trainee will be given due warning; additional assistance and monitoring will be provided as far as possible. Should this not result in improved performance the trainee may be:

a) required to serve additional time at any institution of training;
or
b) required to discontinue the course.

Measures of this nature will be decided on by the MA (Clinical Psychology) Teaching Executive Committee.

STAFF INVOLVED IN TRAINING AND CLINICAL SUPERVISION
CHILD GUIDANCE CLINIC STAFF

SALLY SWARTZ  Ph.D
Director: Child Guidance Clinic
Senior Lecturer/ Clinical Psychologist
Teaching Areas and Research Interests: Presently, my teaching spans various clinical psychology courses at the undergraduate and postgraduate level. Psychotherapy, Psychoanalytic practice in South Africa, history of Psychiatry, Psychology and Colonialism.


NOKUTHULA SHABALALA  Ph.D
Senior Lecturer/ Clinical Psychologist
M1 Course Convenor
Teaching Areas and Research Interests: Psychopathology and race; Psychological Assessment, Intellectual disability, Sexual Assault and psycho-legal issues; Public Health Care provisioning.
 

PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENT CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY STAFF

SALLY SWARTZ  Ph.D
Associate Professor/Clinical Psychologist

NOKUTHULA SHABALALA  Ph.D
Senior Lecturer/ Clinical Psychologist

PUMLA GOBODO-MADIKIZELA  Ph.D.
Professor/ Clinical Psychologist

ANASTASIA (SIA) MAW  MA
Lecturer/Clinical Psychologist
 

KEVIN THOMAS  MA
Neuropsychology

CATHERINE WARD MA
Lecturer/Clinical Psychologist
 

WAHBIE LONG MA
Lecturer/Clinical Psychologist

NOKWANDA KHUMALO MA
Lecturer/Clinical Psychologist

MARK SOLMS
Psychodynamic Theories

DEBBIE KAMINER  Ph.D
Lecturer/ Clinical Psychologist
 

PART TIME STAFF
 

ADELENE AFRICA  
Lecturer/ Clinical Psychologist
 

CECILIA ROBINS
Family Therapy

ERESHIA BENJAMIN
Adult Psychopathology

JENNY TWIGGS
Adolescence

NOLEEN SERIS
Assessment

LOUISE MINA
Ethics

SUPERVISOR'S

CATHY WARD
Clinical Supervisor

DAKSHA HARGOVAN
Clinical Supervisor

JAMIE ELKON
Clinical Supervisor

WAHBIE LONG 
Clinical Supervisor

EMILITA PECEGO
Clinical Supervisor

THE FIRST YEAR OF THE MASTERS PROGRAMME (M1)

The first year of the programme at the UCT Child Guidance Clinic runs from February through to early December.

The Child Guidance Clinic is a postgraduate training centre, established in 1935 and serves a limited client intake drawn from all strata of society. It is registered with the Department of Health as a Child Guidance Clinic, and with the Health Professions Council of SA as an intern-training institution. It is a teaching unit of the Department of Psychology, located in the Faculty of Humanities. A central function is to act as a centre for the professional training of clinical psychologists. There are two full-time clinical psychologist lecturers on the staff, and part-time instructors and supervisors from the University, Hospitals and private practice teach in their areas of speciality.

The Clinic is situated on the Lower Campus, near public transport facilities. Students work full time at the Clinic. There are sophisticated administrative infrastructures and good colour video facilities, observation rooms, teaching rooms and a private professional library for the use of students and staff working at the Clinic.

AIMS AND TRAINING METHODS

Training is aimed primarily at development in the areas which have important bearing on competence as a clinical psychologist: academic knowledge related directly to the field, practical clinical skills, an understanding of the complexities of life in South African communities and the needs of the broad community, and personal development.

Academic knowledge is pursued in fields cognate to childhood development and developmental challenges, family dynamics and parenting, psychological assessment, psychiatric diagnosis, and a range of interventions, including psychotherapy, community consultation and training. Academic seminar and discussion meetings requiring intensive reading and preparation are regularly scheduled.

Practical clinical skills are acquired mainly through supervised practical experience. They include clinical assessment and formulation skills, psychological testing and assessment, clinical record-keeping, report-writing, case presentation, and a range of basic professional communication skills, case management, counselling and psychotherapeutic skills, consultation and training to disseminate clinical and related skills, and ethical issues. Teaching methods include demonstrations, detailed supervision of case management, therapy and other interventions, observation and discussion of interviewing and therapy sessions, and participation in case conferences. This training falls fundamentally within an “apprenticeship” model, with the trainee working closely with more experienced clinicians.

In both academic and practical training, there is a strong emphasis on relating clinical practice to the broader South African context. Specific community oriented projects (consultations, training sessions, support groups) and seminars are integral to the training. Emphasis is placed on competence in working in a multilingual and multicultural society.

Personal development is facilitated, particularly in areas which have a bearing on professional skills. The trainee is expected to work consistently towards developing sound self-knowledge such that he/she is able to detect and compensate for modes of response which may interfere with effective assessment or treatment of clients, or effective co-operative teamwork with professional colleagues in clinical psychology or allied disciplines. Assistance is provided in this area through feedback from staff and peers in a range of contexts. Students are expected to be in personal individual therapy.

GENERAL COURSE OUTLINE AND SEQUENCE
 

The requirements for the degree involves two years of full-time study and professional training as well as submission of a minor dissertation.  In the first year (Year 1) the student is required to do a minor dissertation on a clinically related topic, attend case conference at the University of Cape Town Child Guidance Clinic, and participate in various community projects run under the auspices of the Psychology Department.  The second year (M1) is based at the Child Guidance Clinic, and involves intensive clinical training.  The second year course covers a broad spectrum of courses on clinical assessment and intervention, although the emphasis is primarily on problems of childhood and adolescence, family problems and group work.  Workshops and training for groups such as parents, teachers, lay counsellors and community workers are also involved.  Once the requirements for both years are completed satisfactorily, students may apply for an internship at hospitals registered with the Professional Board (HPCSA) as internship sites.  Please note that students can only begin their internship once they have completed all academic requirements.  In other words, they must successfully complete the clinical training and the dissertation and these must have been passed.  In accordance with government regulations.  Valkenberg can no longer guarantee UCT trainees an internship position and students will have to apply to various hospitals, internship sites.  This is the student's responsibility and the CGC offers to guarantee of internships.

The M1 course is divided into phases:

1. ORIENTATION PERIOD:

This is an intensive five or six week period of introductory study and preparation. Students begin to develop basic skills necessary for assessment and intervention at the level of the individual, family, group, organisation or community. They study developmental psychology, practice history-taking, clinical skills, case formulation, basic diagnostic procedures and record-keeping. They begin to learn about problem clarification and consultation in organisational and community settings. They also receive preparatory instruction for the core courses.

2. CORE TRAINING PERIOD:

This extends from March to October and involves academic study, clinical training and supervision, workshops, case conferences, case management, and routine clinical activities. The focus is on problems of childhood and adolescence and of families, although training on general diagnostic psychiatry and psychotherapy is provided. Different approaches to therapy, courses on mental handicap, and training for work in community settings are given.

Observed case intakes and presentations of formulations are arranged in June and there is formal feedback on progress four times in the year.

a) Academic/training sessions

The training falls into the following broad areas, psychological assessment, psychodiagnostics and clinical intervention.
Psychological assessment training covers the adequate collection of information concerning problem issues presenting in a case and all likely related areas of difficulty, decisions about the use of Psychometric or other instruments, and the formulation of a plan of intervention.
Psychodiagnostics training includes courses in childhood psychopathology and adult psychopathology.
Clinical Intervention training includes major courses in general principles of counselling and short term psychodynamic psychotherapy, cognitive/behaviour therapy and family therapy. Various approaches to work in community settings form another major focus. Short courses in assessment for psychotherapy, play therapy, group therapy, and brief interventions are included.
Academic class meetings require reading and preparation in advance by all class members. Classes may involve seminars presented by students, clinically related problem-solving/discussion sessions, experiential or role-play work, and practical demonstrations or videoed or live work, together with discussion.

b) Case conferences

Teaching case conferences are held weekly where students present material for discussion on a rotational basis. A high standard of preparation and presentation is required. These conferences are multi-disciplinary and may be attended by staff and students from educational and medically-oriented fields as well as other psychologists and mental health workers, by arrangement with the Director.

c) Groups

Students are required to co-facilitate therapeutic group work at the Clinic. The groups are varied and students are closely supervised by experienced clinicians.

d) Case management

From March trainees carry a case load of up to five clients at a time. The running of groups and trainings count as part of the case load. Normally fourteen to sixteen hours per week are available for clinical case management. Trainees, under supervision, take full clinical responsibility for all aspects of case management. Assignment of cases is made by Child Guidance Clinic staff in consultation with the clinical supervisor. The range of cases seen at the Clinic includes children from toddler age through to high school pupils, normally with medium-level difficulties in scholastic, emotional and behavioural areas. In addition, trainees see at least one young adult client for ongoing individual therapy, couples for marital therapy or parental counselling, and families for family therapy. All aspects of clinical administration and record-keeping are expected to be punctually and exactingly carried out, including appropriate liaison and reports to GPs, schools and other professionals concerned with a case.

e) Training

Trainees will undertake at least one training intervention in a community setting. Emphasis is placed on consultation and collaborative planning with the organisation requesting the intervention. Examples may include a series of workshops for pre-school teachers on dealing with behaviour problems in the classroom, or training of front-line workers (e.g. nurses, police) who come into regular contact with survivors of traumatic events such as rape or sexual assault. Trainees may be required to give educational public talks related to clinical psychology from time to time.

f) Supervision

Individual supervision: Each student is assigned to a clinical supervisor who takes responsibility for the clinical guidance and detailed assessment of that student’s performance. An average of 11/2 hours per week is given to this supervision.
Psychological Assessment supervision: A consultant is available at a fixed time for supervision of assessment, psychometric testing and interpretation.
Group supervision in Family therapy, Cognitive behaviour therapy, Play therapy and Adult long term therapy are given on a regular basis.

Group therapy and workshop supervision: Students receive regular supervision while running groups or workshops.

g) Clinic attendance

Attendance at the Clinic involves full-time commitment to a 5 day working week. Trainees are expected to be at the Clinic from 8.30 a.m. with the working day extending normally to 5.30 or 6 p.m. Saturday clinical appointments may be made between 9 a.m. and l2 noon. From time to time trainees will be required to attend evening or weekend classes or workshops. There will be approximately five weeks of vacation during the academic year. The dates of vacations are in the timetable for the year, available in February, but usually will be the same as UCT vacation periods in April, July and September. This time should be used in part for work on the dissertation.

h) Feedback sessions

Feedback will be arranged at least twice during the year (normally in June and September) Trainees will receive detailed comment on their progress and on problem areas by supervisors and staff. All aspects of the trainees’ functioning in the Clinic setting may be discussed.

3. INCORPORATION OF RESEARCH INTO THE TRAINING PROGRAMME

Time must be allocated by students to research and the minor dissertation in the first year of training. Portions of weekends and vacation periods should be set aside for this work. The first two weeks in December of the M1 year should be devoted to the dissertation.

EVALUATION (MI) (Note: Evaluation methods are currently under review)
WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS


1. Child and Family Issues (October/November)

This paper covers basic childhood psychopathology and also deals with strategies of psychological assessment, basic issues, family dynamics, mental handicap and ethical issues in clinical psychology. It is intended to bring all trainees to a basic level of knowledge in relation to childhood/family problems.

2. Adult Psychopathology (November)

This examination will cover the basics of adult psychiatry and differential diagnosis. It is intended to help draw together the year’s training in this area prior to entering the Hospital internship. Practical oral examinations may be involved.

3. Psychometrics
This examination evaluates the student's capacity to scope and interpret a psychological assessment and protocol and to make recommendations based on their interpretations.


ORAL EXAMINATIONS

Individual two hour oral examinations are held in November. Each trainee is required to present two cases drawing on child and family case material (one focusing on assessment/diagnostic issues and the other on therapeutic intervention issues) to a committee of examiners. Following each case presentation there is an oral examination on the case presented.

YEAR’S WORK

The student’s development of clinical skills will be evaluated, and all clinical records and reports will be examined. A mark is assigned to the year’s work on this basis.

AWARD OF THE DEGREE

The Head of the Department of Psychology makes the recommendation for the award of the degree to the Postgraduate Education Committee of the Faculty of Humanities.

Criteria considered for the award of the degree are the class of pass in the M1 year, and the recommendations of the Examiners of the dissertation.

All examinations are University examinations and thus are subject to the discretion and approval of the Psychology Department, the Faculty and of External Examiners (who are appointed by the University). Written examinations will be written under standard conditions. The External Examiner will have a casting vote, where necessary.

The degree may be awarded with distinction when the candidate obtains distinction (75% or more) an aggregate over the written, oral and research components of the course. (But see Rules in current Faculty handbook). If there is a class difference between the marks awarded for the dissertation by the External and Internal Examiners, the Head of Department of Psychology may appoint a moderator whose recommendations will be accepted.
The final recommendation shall be made in the consolidated report by the Head of the Psychology Department in consultation with the Course Chairperson, taking into account all relevant information.

THE DISSERTATION REQUIREMENTS

MA (Clinical Psychology) students are required to submit a clinically oriented minor dissertation in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Masters’ degree in Clinical Psychology. This carries the weighting of half (50%) of the marks towards the Degree.

GUIDELINES FOR EXAMINERS: CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY MASTERS RESEARCH DISSERTATIONS

1. The minor dissertation must be written on a clinical or clinically related topic.
2. The length of the minor dissertation should be approximately 20 000 words, including references. Formal application may be made by the Supervisor to the Head of the Department of Psychology to exceed this maximum.
3. As a general guideline the minor dissertation should address a question or problem requiring research, and should employ a methodology appropriate to the problem. This may include, for example, single case studies, empirical investigations requiring statistical treatment of results, or conceptual or theoretical investigations relevant to applied clinical psychology.

The following dissertation formats may be considered:

•  Theoretical investigation and analysis. In this instance, a student may choose to explore a theoretical issue in a body of clinical literature, complete a critical review of relevant material, and argue a theoretical position. Case material may be used as illustration if appropriate.
   

• Theoretically oriented clinical studies/clinical case description. In a study of this kind, the student is exploring an aspect of clinical theory, drawn for example from literature on diagnosis, aetiology, therapeutic intervention, developmental studies, etc. Clinical case material is used to illustrate theoretical argument.
   

• Single case study. Students may present a detailed case study, embedded in a review of relevant literature, discussion of theoretical issues, implications for intervention (where appropriate), and recommendation for further research. In this instance, the dissertation must demonstrate the ways in which the case study makes a contribution to clinical knowledge.
   

• Community service description. As with a single case study, students may choose to present a detailed description of a community service, such as a training programme, a series of groups in a community setting, etc. As with a single case study, the dissertation must demonstrate the ways in which the material makes a contribution to clinical knowledge.
   

•  Programme evaluation. Students may choose to evaluate a programme of clinical intervention, a training programme, etc.
   

• Correlational or experimental studies, systematic observation studies (e.g. developmental processes). If this option is chosen the clinical relevance must be clear.

PRIVILEGES

The University Library, email and sports facilities are available to trainees in both years of the course.


COMMUNITY SERVICE

Having obtained their degree, trainees must complete one year of community service. Community service posts have been established throughout South Africa, and are designed to provide mental health services to areas that are under-resourced in this respect. Relocation costs are covered, and the salary is equivalent to that of an entry-level registered psychologist in government service.

NATIONAL EXAMINATION

In addition you required to pass the Professional Board for Psychology’s National Exam prior to registration as a psychologist. The examinations are usually held in Pretoria, Polokwane, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban and Bloemfontein. You will be permitted to either write the examination prior to commencement of community service or during the completion of the 12 month’s community service, but prior to their registration for independent practice.
 

PRESCRIBED AND RECOMMENDED READING :

Essential readings are:

1. Herman, J. (1992). Trauma and recovery, New York: Basic Books.

2. Carr, A (1999). The handbook of child and adolescent clinical psychology: a contextual approach. London and New York: Routledge

3. Allan, A. (2001). The law for psychotherapists and counsellors. Somerset West: Inter-Ed Publishers

4. Fonagy, P. (2001). Attachment Theory and Psychoanalysis, Other Press, New York.

5. American Psychiatric Association. (2000) The diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 4th edition, Text revision (DSM-IV TR). Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association



In addition the following are key texts are referred to throughout the year:

Key texts:

American Psychiatric Association. (2000). The diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 4^th Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV TR). Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association.

Carr, A. (1999). The handbook of child and adolescent clinical psychology: A contextual approach. London and New York: Routledge.

Herman, J. (1992). Trauma and recovery. New York: Basic Books. (As reflected above).

Allan, A.(2001). The law for psychotherapists and counsellors. Somerset West: Inter-Ed Publishers.

Useful references:

1. Casement, P. (1985). On Learning from the patient, London: Routledge

2. Sadock, B.J. & Sadock, V.A. (2000). Kaplan and Sadock's synopsis of psychiatry: behavioural sciences / clinical psychiatry. Baltimore: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.

3. Foxcroft, C. & Roodt, G. (2005) (Eds). An introduction of psychological assessment in the South African context. Cape Town: Oxford University Press, Chapters 1,2,3,7,8,9,14 and 15.

4.Malan, D. (1979). Individual psychotherapy and the science of psychodynamics. London: Butterworths.

5. Rutter, M, Hersov, L. (Eds) (1995) Child and adolescent psychiatry modern approaches. Oxford: Blackwell.

6. Siegel, A.M. (1996) Heinz Kohut and the Psychology of Self. London: Routledege

7. Seedat, M., Duncan, N. & Lazarus, S. (Eds.) (2001). Theory, method and practice in community psychology: South African and other perspectives. Cape Town: Oxford University Press.

8. Swartz, L., Gibson, K. & Gelman, T. (Eds.) (2002). Reflective Practice: psychodynamic ideas in the community. HSRC Publishers: South Africa.