B. Hons Degree in Psychology or its equivalent in addition to a six month supervised internship and examination approved by the HPCSA.

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1 Doctor of Psychology (DPSYCH) (DPS800) Introduction The D. Psych is an applied three year doctoral degree in psychology leading to registration as psychologist with the Professional Board for Psychology of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). The curriculum consists of three basic units: 1.1 the university coursework DPS a thesis DPS a twelve month internship Minimum Admission Requirements B. Psych/Bachelor of Psychology (an applied four year degree accredited for registration with HPCSA as psychological counsellor which is equivalent to 600 credits or NQF level 6b.) B. Hons Degree in Psychology or its equivalent in addition to a six month supervised internship and examination approved by the HPCSA. Applicants have to attend a selection committee and are selected in terms of various criteria such as academic merit, personal suitability and availability of instructional resources. Duration The course extends over a minimum period of three years, one full time academic year, a twelve month internship and completion of other course requirements which include a case study, scientific paper and thesis. Curriculum Goals of the curriculum Consistent with the University of Zululand Mission Statement of providing community service, research, teaching and general academic excellence, the goals of this curriculum are: - to train students in accordance with the rules and regulations of the HPCSA Professional Board for Psychology and along international standards. - To introduce students to the philosophical bases of different theoretical frameworks/models of applied psychology. - To enable students to acquire various knowledge, gain exposure, experience, expertise, skills and competence required for practicing as psychologist. - To develop students towards acquiring an integrated personal conceptual framework and becoming autonomous practitioners capable of making informed decisions with regard to professional psychological practice. - To expose students towards a wide culturally diverse spectrum of clients, couples, families, groups and communities to develop relevant practical experience. - To produce evidence based, scientist-practitioner psychologists based on the following learning outcomes, skills and competencies.

2 Learning outcome The essential learning outcome is the production of qualified and competent professional psychologists owing to shortage of psychologists, underdevelopment of psychological services and the great need therefore in South Africa generally. This course will assist in the prevention of social and community problems and the promotion of health, education, development and well being. Critical outcomes for this professional training include the following: - Critical outcomes - Academic quality as required by SAQA and NQF educational standards. Besides the stringent and rigorous course requirements as set out in this document, the evidence based scientist practitioner model of professional psychology requires various academic and research skills. - Personal integrity includes the social and emotional responsibility, maturity and flexibility required by the demands of professional psychological practice in multi-professional, multidisciplinary and general community contexts. - Generalist/specialist practitioner who is able to provide both general psychological services as well as specialist services in an area of sufficient exposure, experience and expertise. Students must satisfy both dual related critical outcomes during the course of their training. - Professional knowledge as required by the HPCSA for autonomous, independent practicing psychologists. This also includes a critical and innovative approach towards this practice, ethical standards, and taking responsibility for personal and professional continuing development and education. - Community services. Critical outcomes are graduates with assessment, intervention, social pathology, organization, research and other skills especially appropriate for the culturally diverse, South African community. Skills and competencies The professional training and critical outcomes require the following five broad skill categories and their concomitant competencies - Assessment skills. These require competencies in interviewing, describing, identifying, understanding, interpreting, classifying, assessing, evaluating, diagnosing, reporting, explaining and predicting human cultural and social psychological phenomena. - Interventionist skills. These require competencies in caring, helping, advising, guiding, teaching, intervening, counselling, psychotherapy, prevention, promotion and healing at developmental, individual, couple, family, group, community and general social level. - Social psychopathologist skills. These require knowledge in various forms of individual and social psychopathology and competence with regard to specific

3 clinical, neuropsychological, psychopharmacological and other forms of intervention and problem solving. - Organizational skills. These require competencies in administration, management of professional responsibilities as well as community work e.g. advocacy, mediation, networking, consultation, leadership, multi-professional and general community collaboration. - Research skills. These require evidence based practice competencies with special reference to collecting and analyzing psychological data as well as specific competencies in conceptualization of models, theoretical frameworks, research methods and techniques. Course components The D. Psych consists of ten components or papers as indicated below PAPER SUBJECT CREDITS 1 Professional practice 16 2 Psychological assessment 16 3 Social psychopathology 16 4 Psychological intervention 16 5 Elective paper (s) 16 6 Practical work 48 7 Research Methodology 32 8 Case study 32 9 Thesis Scientific paper 32 The system of credits reflects quantitative rather than qualitative values and time. Qualitative values vary according to the nature of the paper, brief descriptions of which follow. - Paper 1. Professional practice, module AYPP00. Ethical and legal principles and issues concerning the professional practice of psychology - Paper 2. Social psychopathology, module AYSA00. Theory and practice in identification of and intervention for various social psychopathologies. - Paper 3. Psychological assessment, module AYPA00. Theory and practice in formal and informal psychological assessment, evaluation and diagnosis. - Paper 4. Psychological interventions, module AYPI00. Theory and practice in psychological interventions at individual, couple, family, group, community and general social level. - Paper 5. Elective paper(s) from various alternatives such as the following which vary from year to year depending upon available teaching expertise and instructional resources. - Health psychology module AYHP00 - Community psychology module AYCY00 - Cultural psychology module AYCU00 - Sport psychology modules AYSO00 - Paper 6. Practical work module AYPW00. Practical work modules refer to

4 supervised practical work experience gained during the required 15 hours per week (approximately 480 notional hours) spent at the Community Centre and related community centres - Paper 7. Research Methodology modules AYRM00. Experience in both quantitative and qualitative methods is acquired which assists students with therequirements of papers 8, 9 and Paper 8. Case Study modules AYCS00. The case study concerns an intensive rigorously researched theoretical and practice report involving an individual, couple, family, group, coming and/or social context encountered during the internship year. This case study linked to the internship determines area of specialization which could be in any elective taken during the first year in addition to the following more traditional electives. - Clinical psychology modules AYCL00 - Counselling psychology modules AYCO00 - Educational psychology modules AYEP00 - Industrial psychology modules AYIP00 - Research psychology modules AYRP00 - PAPER 9. Thesis, modules AYTH00. Thesis refers to an original, rigorous contribution to scientific knowledge at acceptable doctoral level. - PAPER 10. Scientific paper AYSC011. The scientific paper which may or may not be linked to the thesis and/or area of specialization must be submitted to a peer review journal. Internship This refers to the twelve month internship supervised by a registered senior psychologist at an HPCSA accredited institution. Students may choose various internships. As a general rule, a minimum of six months should be spent in a general practice or university setting, a minimum of three months in a private practice setting. Extension of internship in any setting will be approved only subject to the record of unsatisfactory progress or on medical grounds. Course requirements - Registration Students enrolling for this course are required to register with the Professional Board for Psychology of the Health Professions Council. They must register each year until such time as they qualify, at which stage they will register as Psychologists. This means that they will be subject to the ethical rules of the Board at all stages of their training. It is important that students acquaint themselves with the ethical standards of practice to which they must adhere. - Examination Written and oral, continuous and terminal assessment and evaluation is conducted with formal external examination at the end of each year of training. Integrated assessment includes varying forms as required by the very nature of the papers. Students must have passed papers 1 to 6 in order to continue with their doctoral programme. Students who exit after passing papers 1 to 6 will graduate with an M. Psych Degree.

5 Continuous assessment will also include many other course requirements which include: - seminars - supervision sessions - workshop attendance by visiting lecturers - case conferences - visits to community centres - community based work The interview held at the end of the internship year will assess whether the student s performance meets the requirements set out by the Board for Psychology. Should this not be the case, s/he will be required to complete a further internship as specified by the Board for Psychology. Students are advised to start work on their thesis as soon as possible. The university calendar stipulates thesis submission criteria, dates and other relevant matters. Graduates are required to pass a national examination set by the Professional Board for Psychology before being able to practice legally and professionally as psychologists.