IMPROVING ACCESS TO PSYCHOLOGICAL THERAPIES (IAPT)
Briefing for training commissioners and providers on access to Low
Intensity Training for Non Graduates
The Low Intensity training course for IAPT has been developed as a post
graduate certificate, with a bespoke curriculum and training materials. IAPT
services are encouraged to recruit people from diverse backgrounds into the low
intensity workforce. The intention is that the vast majority of people recruited to
the programme will be graduates with Degree level qualifications.
In order to accommodate the training of people who may come forward with
different academic starting points, particularly people who are non-graduates,
commissioners should request that education providers consider the following
possible routes for accrediting the training of suitably experienced candidates.
The most common route, known as advanced standing, for these people is
described below.
Advanced Standing
To allow direct access to the post graduate certificate programme by candidates
achieving “advanced standing”. Applicants are usually required to provide a
portfolio of evidence to the institution supporting their claim that their previous
education and experience is at graduate level. The crucial issue is to allow
applicants to provide the evidence that they can work at a graduate level and
could successfully complete the post graduate programme.
There are however likely to be a number of applicants who show exceptional
ability but do not have clear evidence of graduate level standing. These could be
people who have completed Foundation Degrees and wish to complete a third
year of a Degree programme or others who have acquired considerable
competence through education and experience. For this group, education
providers are encouraged to develop an undergraduate level Degree route as
detailed below.
Undergraduate Level Three Route
Education providers should consider the published learning outcomes in the low
intensity curriculum as mostly suitable for a course running at postgraduate
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level. Education providers may need to rewrite some learning outcomes using
suitable language to provide the course at undergraduate level. Commissioners
and providers should note the following:o The skills based competency assessments are ‘neutral’ in terms of academic
level. Therefore, all students must pass these as defined in the curriculum,
whichever academic level they are studying at.
o Academic assessments are presented and marked at different levels.
Different exams and assignments need to be written for undergraduate and
postgraduate course and marked according to the regulations and
examinations framework of the university/education provider.
o It is satisfactory to teach students who are studying at different levels in the
same classroom. In general, this is regarded as perfectly acceptable for
students who are studying course validated one academic level apart.
o If institutions are validating and teaching under the post graduate course
alongside each other it will be necessary to amend some of the learning
outcomes to distinguish between the two courses.
o For individuals completing this route they are likely to need further
undergraduate level work before being able to pursue the High Intensity post
graduate training. Individuals with Foundation Degrees who also passed the
level 3 programme would not be so restricted.
The above are two possibilities which allow non-graduates to access low intensity
training programmes. These may not be the only possibilities and education
providers may be able to find other ways to allow access which would be in the
interests of all. Not all institutions may have the flexibility to accommodate nongraduate entry routes into LI Courses, and commissioners may have to accept
graduate-only courses, particularly within the first twelve months.
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