PY3PMP: MSci Applied Psychology (Clinical) Placement Preparation

Module code: PY3PMP

Module provider: Psychology; School of Psych and Clin Lang Sci

Credits: 0

Level: 6

When you’ll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Mr James Kachellek, email: j.c.kachellek@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2026/7

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 7 July 2026

Overview

Module aims and purpose

A non-credit bearing module further orienting students to the part-4 PWP training year. 

The aim of this module is to orient students to the required next steps for the training year including:

1. A timeline overview of the key placement-related activities during part-3
2. Placement allocations and the allocation ranking form
3. Preparing for interviews – Interview skills and expectations
4. Onboarding for placement – The online pathway
5. Professionalism in the workplace – expectations for working in a talking therapies service
6. Support and Wellbeing – Getting the most out of the year and staying well

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Describe individual components of the pre-placement process, including: the allocation ranking process, the interview process and the online pathway process
2. Outline what is expected at an interview with a talking therapies service
3. Explain what is needed to complete the online pre-placement pathway
4. Reflect on professionalism in the workplace and apply this in a group discussion
5. Consider wellbeing during the training year and create an action plan to address this

Module content

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Three interactive lectures will form the basis of this module:

• Pre-placement overview and the core components of pre-placement (allocations, interview and pathway)
• Interviews and Professionalism
• Wellbeing, support and problem-solving

Group discussions and reflections will form a core part of each lecture. Each topic will be further consolidated with written reflective exercises including action plans.  

Vignettes and will be introduced to help students consider scenarios relevant to the training year and how these could be addressed.

A Blackboard discussion board will form a means for students to begin to ask questions and receive answers as a group to aid understanding of common questions around pre-placement.  

A blog submitted during the module will help to highlight key reflections to aid with planning and support.

Study hours

At least 6 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

There are no summative requirements to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each calendar day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three calendar days;
• where the piece of work is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in you Individual Learning Plan), the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three calendar days of the deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

Where a piece of work is submitted late after a deadline which has been revised owing to an extension granted through the Assessment Adjustments policy and process (self-certified or otherwise), it will be subject to the maximum penalty (i.e., considered to be more than three calendar days late). This will also apply when such an extension is used in conjunction with a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Formative activities will include the creation of an action plan and a blog reflection to aid in the preparation for the training year.  The module convenor will review and provide feedback on action plans and blogs.

Session attendance is expected and will include essential preparation and planning for placement.

Reassessment

Additional costs