Graduate Conversion Diploma in Psychology (GCDP) - University of ...

Postgraduate
Graduate Conversion Diploma in Psychology (GCDP)
and Graduate Certificate in Psychology (GCP)

Why study at Winchester?
The University of Winchester offers you a
postgraduate learning experience that targets
your career ambitions, deepens your knowledge
and enhances your skills.
Location
The University of Winchester is located just
one hour away from London set in a pleasant
wooded setting overlooking the South Downs in
Hampshire. The campus is within walking distance
of Winchester city centre and the railway station.
Winchester is one of the most beautiful cathedral
cities in the UK. It is a small but lively historic city,
renowned for its ancient history, its cathedral and
high quality of life.
Postgraduate study options
Winchester offers a range of postgraduate study
designed to enhance your career prospects and
develop depth of knowledge in your chosen area.
Programmes range from PGCEs (Primary and
Secondary) to a wide selection of MA and MSc
degrees in arts, business (including an MBA),
education, humanities and social sciences.
Research and knowledge exchange are at the
heart of activities at Winchester, and we have
academic staff at the forefront of their disciplines.
A diverse range of Research degree opportunities
(PhD, MPhil, ProfD and EdD) are available
and 2 dedicated support is on hand from the
University’s Research and Knowledge Exchange
Centre.
Research excellence
In the most recent RAE (Research Assessment
Exercise) 75 per cent of the University’s research
submitted was considered internationally
recognised, with some research achieving the
highest grade possible (4*) and a rating of ‘quality
that is world-leading in terms of originality,
significance and rigour’.
Visit us
Open Days and Campus Tours are a great
opportunity to explore the campus and see
whether Winchester is the place for you to
embark on postgraduate study. Visit www.
winchester.ac.uk/opendays for more information
and to book a place.
Course Enquiries and Applications
Telephone: +44 (0) 1962 827234
Email: course.enquiries@winchester.ac.uk
www.winchester.ac.uk

Graduate Conversion Diploma in Psychology (GCDP)
and Graduate Certificate in Psychology (GCP)
Thank you for considering studying
Psychology at the University of
Winchester. We hope this brochure
provides answers to the questions
you may have about our Graduate
Conversion Diploma and Graduate
Certificate in Psychology courses. If
you would like to find out more about
the University itself, please consult the
University’s website. If you have any
other queries, please do not hesitate
to contact us using the information on
page 7.
Why study the Conversion
Diploma?
The Graduate Conversion Diploma and
Graduate Certificate in Psychology are
conversion programmes designed for
graduates of any discipline who are now
seeking to pursue a psychology-related
career. The Graduate Conversion Diploma
programme at Winchester is accredited
as conferring eligibility for the Graduate
Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC)
of the British Psychological Society
(BPS), provided the minimum standard
of a Lower Second Class Honours is
achieved. This is the first step to becoming
a Chartered Psychologist. Graduates
wishing to pursue careers in clinical,
www.winchester.ac.uk
educational, forensic, health, counselling
or occupational psychology therefore gain
the professional recognition necessary
to allow them to continue the required
further study and training.
About the Psychology
Department
The Department of Psychology runs both
these graduate programmes based on our
successful, popular and highly regarded
BSc Psychology, which is accredited by
the British Psychological Society (BPS).
According to the Guardian University
Guide 2010, 92 per cent of Winchester
Psychology students said they were
satisfied with the overall quality of
their course, ranking us 5th best among
Psychology Departments in the UK. In
the National Student Survey 2011. 92
per cent of students said staff made the
subject interesting and 83 per cent said
feedback on their work was prompt,
placing us respectively 9th and 10th
highest in the UK.
We are a small but growing Department
consisting of 12 academic staff, two
administrators and a technician, and
pride ourselves on providing the best
quality educational experience for all of
our students within a friendly, intimate
and supportive learning environment.
The Department is situated on different
floors of the same building, with the hub
being the Psychology Resources Room,
which provides an alternative study
area where students and staff gather for
informal chats over tea or coffee. Nearby
is the Psychology Departmental Office,
academic staff offices and some of the
many research rooms and laboratories.
The close location of all our facilities
contributes to a lively yet intimate
academic atmosphere which allows
students and staff to get to know one
another.
The Department houses state-of-the-
art laboratories which support work in
social, developmental, cognitive and
biological psychology, and has attracted
significant investment in recent years to
support both our teaching programmes
and our research. All academic staff play
an active role in research and as part
of the GCDP course, you will be able to
undertake a research project yourself
and make your own contribution to this
vibrant research culture.
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2
Graduate Conversion Diploma in Psychology (GCDP)
and Graduate Certificate in Psychology (GCP)
Programmes and their content
Graduates who have previously taken the
equivalent of 60 credits in Psychology
(including statistics and research methods)
may proceed immediately to the 12 month
full-time/24 month part-time Graduate
Conversion Diploma. Graduates with no
previous experience of psychology proceed
to the Conversion Diploma after obtaining
60 credits of Psychology in a part-time
Graduate Certificate in Psychology.
Graduate Conversion Diploma in
Psychology
The Graduate Conversion programme
is based on the highly successful
undergraduate programmes operating
at Winchester. It focuses on the core
knowledge domains, such as personality,
social, developmental, cognitive and
biological psychology. Students gain hands-
on, practical experience of conducting
psychological research, culminating in an
extended research project.
Although psychology is an empirical
science, the programme appeals equally
to arts, humanities and science graduates,
and develops a diverse range of generic
skills that will prepare students for
employment and further study.
FACT FILE
Entry requirements for both courses:
Normally a first or second class Honours
degree of any discipline and a minimum
grade C in maths at GCSE, or equivalent.
If English is not your first language:
IELTS 6.5 (including 6.5 in writing) or a
TOEFL score of 575 (paper-based) or 232
(computer-based) or equivalent.
Additional requirements for Graduate
Conversion Diploma in Psychology:
60 credits in Psychology obtained within
the last 10 years from previous degree
study (including research methods and
statistics with SPSS and evidenced with
official university transcript).
Those with less than 60 credits can be
admitted conditionally – they will take
a one year long part-time Graduate
Certificate in Psychology course, which
will equip candidates with the required
60 credits. On successful completion
of this course they will be guaranteed
a place on the Graduate Conversion
Diploma.
Duration of GCDP:
Full-time: 1 year
Part-time: 2 years
Duration of GCP:
1 year (available part-time only)
Start dates: September
Application process: Direct Entry
Application Form
Students on both the Graduate
Certificate and Graduate Diploma will
take relevant modules from the BSc
Psychology programme at Winchester.
www.winchester.ac.uk

Graduate Conversion Diploma in Psychology (GCDP)
and Graduate Certificate in Psychology (GCP)
Modules include:
• Cognitive Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Personality and Individual Differences
• Psychobiology
• Qualitative Methods of Analysis
• Social Psychology
• Statistics and Applied Statistics
• Empirical Project for Conversion
Diploma
Those who obtain an average mark of 60%
or more will be awarded the Graduate
Conversion Diploma with Merit. Those
averaging 70% or more will be awarded a
Diploma with Distinction.
Graduate Certificate in
Psychology
Students with no previous experience
of studying psychology must first
successfully complete a part-time first
year. In this, students will be introduced
to different approaches within psychology
– personality, social, developmental,
cognitive and biological – illustrating how
they lead to distinct perspectives on key
research questions. Students are also
introduced to the methods psychologists
use to answer these questions, gaining
hands-on experience of practical work.
www.winchester.ac.uk
Modules include:
• Exploring Psychology
• Introduction to Research Methods and
Practice
Learning and teaching
Students on the GCDP and GCP
programmes will be taught alongside those
studying for their Bachelors’ degrees. This
allows both groups of students to benefit
from interaction and learn from one
another’s experience.
A diverse range of teaching methods are
employed, including laboratory classes,
workshops, lectures, seminars, tutorials,
guided reading, independent study, student
groups and individual project supervision.
These are designed to support students’
progression through the programme.
Students are encouraged to take a critical
stance to psychological theories, models,
findings and approaches, as well as acquire
a diverse range of generic and subject-
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Graduate Conversion Diploma in Psychology (GCDP)
and Graduate Certificate in Psychology (GCP)
specific skills and abilities, such as written
and oral communication and key IT-related
skills, and skills of analysis, interpretation
and evaluation.
Assessment
Consonant with our teaching practice,
and the range of psychological skills
students will develop, students also
experience a wide variety of different
forms of assessment, including
examinations, assessed essays, practical
reports, multiple-choice tests and critical
evaluations. Students also complete a
research project, normally an independent,
empirical project reporting on a substantial
piece of research.
Teaching team
The Department of Psychology has an
active and developing research culture,
centring on three research groups with
foci in cognitive, developmental and social
psychology. These underpin the curriculum
as staff are encouraged to use research
activity to inform their teaching. Examples
of staff research interests within these
three areas of psychology are as follows:
• Dr Bonnardel’s work on colour
vision; Dr Harvey’s work on short-term
memory; and Dr Kneller’s work on
psychology and law.
• Social psychology: Dr Giles’s interest and
research experience in social psychology
and media; Dr Luyt’s work concerning
the social psychology of gender and
masculinities; and Dr Zawisza’s work on
gender stereotypes and advertising.
• Developmental psychology: Dr
Bayless’s work on the face and eye
gaze processing; Dr Prat-Sala’s work
on children’s acquisition of language;
Dr Pye’s work on dyslexia and reading
difficulty; and Dr Van Duuren’s work on
children’s face perception.
This wealth of research experience and
knowledge is also reflected in the teaching
of qualitative and quantitative methods
as well as practical issues in psychological
research. All academic staff are expected
to be active in the production of Research
and/or Knowledge Exchange outputs, and
to draw on this expertise in their teaching.
www.winchester.ac.uk

Graduate Conversion Diploma in Psychology (GCDP)
and Graduate Certificate in Psychology (GCP)
Career opportunities
Due to the wide range of generic skills and
the rigour with which they are taught, a
training in psychology is widely accepted
as providing an excellent preparation for
many careers. In addition to subject skills
and knowledge, graduates also develop
skills in communication, numeracy,
team work, critical thinking, computing,
independent learning and many others, all
of which are highly valued by employers.
As stated previously, the Graduate
Conversion Diploma programme at
Winchester is accredited as conferring
eligibility for the Graduate Basis for
Chartered Membership (GBC) of the British
Psychological Society (BPS), provided the
minimum standard of a Lower Second
Class Honours is achieved. This is the first
step to becoming a Chartered Psychologist.
Graduates wishing to pursue careers in
clinical, educational, forensic, health,
counselling or occupational psychology
therefore gain the professional recognition
necessary to allow them to continue
the required further study and training.
In addition to these, students are also
well-prepared for careers in teaching,
immigration, probation, human resources
and marketing, among others.
Some students choose to continue their
education at Winchester by taking one
of our MSc courses in Psychology. The
MSc in Psychological Research Methods
is an essential step for anyone wishing to
embark on further postgraduate work in
Psychology, such as a PhD, or intending to
pursue a research-based Psychology career.
It also offers The British Psychological
Society (BPS) Level A Certificate of
Competence in Occupational Testing – a
useful qualification for those interested in
working in applied settings, such as Human
Resources, where testing and assessment is
commonplace.
Other MSc courses include the MSc in
Psychological Disorders, aimed at applicants
wishing to strengthen a future application
to study Clinical Psychology, and MSc in
Child Development, aimed at applicants
wishing to strengthen a future application
to study Educational Psychology. In addition
to this, the Department will soon be offering
courses in Applied Psychology and in Social
Psychology.
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6
Graduate Conversion Diploma in Psychology (GCDP)
and Graduate Certificate in Psychology (GCP)
Frequently asked questions
Does my A level in Psychology count
towards the 60 credits?
Unfortunately the BPS (British
Psychological Association), our accrediting
body, does not allow A-level Psychology to
be considered as part of the 60 credits.
Does my previous (work) experience
in psychology count towards the 60
credits? Can I apply for APEL?
Unfortunately, in accordance with BPS,
Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning
(APEL) is not permitted.
Does my prior learning of Psychology
count towards the 60 credits? Can I
apply for APL?
Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) is
allowed by BPS but is limited to:
• a maximum of 60 credits on the basis
of substitution for other modules only
• prior modules where there is evidence
of the same learning outcomes
• prior modules completed within the ten
academic years preceding registration
on the accredited conversion
programme.
No exemption on the grounds of APL may
be granted for the Empirical Project.
The procedure is explained on the
University of Winchester website under
Freedom of Information, where the
appropriate forms are available.
You may want to contact Admissions for
further guidance if needed.
When should I make an application?
You can apply at any point throughout
the year and there is no strict deadline
for applications. We normally advise
candidates to apply in April/May for entry
in September the same year. However,
later applications may be considered
subject to availability of places.
How do I make an application?
Applicants should complete a direct entry
application form, which can be obtained
from the University of Winchester website
www.winchester.ac.uk
When submitting your application please
include the following:
If you are applying for the Graduate
Conversion Diploma in Psychology
(GCDP):
• one academic reference
• a copy of your degree certificate
• a copy of the transcript showing the
60 credits in Psychology from previous
study (including statistics and research
methods).
If you are applying for the introductory
part-time Graduate Certificate in
Psychology (GCP) for 60 credits:
• one academic reference
• a copy of your degree certificate.
www.winchester.ac.uk

Graduate Conversion Diploma in Psychology (GCDP)
and Graduate Certificate in Psychology (GCP)
Contact us
The Department of Psychology is located
in the Herbert Jarman Building on the King
Alfred Campus in Winchester.
Department of Psychology
Faculty of Social Sciences
The University of Winchester
Winchester
SO22 4NR
Psychology Administrators
Telephone: +44 (0) 1962 827302
or +44 (0) 1962 827690
www.winchester.ac.uk
Course Enquiries and Applications
Telephone: +44 (0) 1962 827234
Email: course.enquiries@winchester.ac.uk
www.winchester.ac.uk 7

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www.winchester.ac.uk

Explore the Winchester experience
There is a wealth of academic and social facilities
offered on or close to the campus providing
excellent opportunities for study, research,
enterprise, learning, teaching, socialising, sports
and recreation.
Research and Knowledge Exchange
Centre
The key facility for postgraduate students is
the Research and Knowledge Exchange Centre,
which is dedicated to research, enterprise and
consultancy. It provides excellent resources,
particularly for research students, as it is the
centre of research administration and support
services.
The Martial Rose Library
The central library is a modern three-storey
building offering excellent facilities for study
and research. It houses a collection of 250,000
books, videos and sound recordings and receives
some 1,000 journals with electronic access to
thousands more. There are study spaces for more
than 450 readers, of which over 100 are equipped
with computers.
IT resources
There are over 600 networked PCs for students
located within the library, the IT Centre, faculty
buildings and the 24-hour access Learning Café.
There is also wireless internet access available
across the campus.
University Centre
The University Centre offers a number of social
facilities including the Student Union, an internet
café, mini-mart, dining hall and a bookshop.
The Student Union caters for a wide selection of
tastes offering comedy nights and film showings
in its cinema.
Accommodation
Campus accommodation and university managed
housing is available. The Student Housing
Services team ensures you have quality
housing throughout your study and can advise
on private housing in the city.
Sports
We offer excellent sports facilities located
on and close to the campus. The Winchester
Sports Stadium offers a 400m eight-lane
running track with supporting athletic facilities
for field events, an all-weather hockey and
general sports pitch, floodlighting and a
pavilion. We also have a gym, sports hall and
outdoor tennis courts.

Finding out more...
Course Enquiries and Applications
Telephone: +44 (0)1962 827234
Email: course.enquiries@winchester.ac.uk
The University of Winchester
Winchester
Hampshire S022 4NR
www.winchester.ac.uk
03142/05/12
a large print version of this
booklet is available on request