2015/16
ACCREDITATION THROUGH PARTNERSHIP
Competencies mapping document for Doctoral programmes in
Occupational Psychology
Programmes will need to evidence that they meet the competency standards we outline in our Standards for the accreditation of Doctoral
programmes in Occupational Psychology handbook in full. Differing levels of emphasis on particular aspects by different providers will allow
flexibility and enable the unique identity of particular programmes to be preserved. You should use the table below to tell us where particular
competencies are addressed. Our self-evaluation questionnaire requires you to provide additional narrative explaining how your programme
reflects each of these components.
Note: If you are putting forward an integrated Doctorate in Occupational Psychology that incorporates theoretical material that would typically
be addressed through completion of an MSc prior to progression to a stage two Doctorate, and you do not already offer a relevant accredited
MSc, you should also complete the corresponding section of the self-evaluation questionnaire for new MSc programmes, as well as the MSc
Occupational Psychology curriculum and skills development mapping document.
Competencies
Module(s)/coverage
Reviewers’ comments
Key Role 1: Develop, implement and maintain personal and professional standards and ethical practice
1.1
Establish, maintain and develop systems for legal,
ethical and professional standards in occupational
psychology.
1.1.1 Establish and maintain systems for the security of
information.
1.1.2 Establish, maintain and review systems for the control of
information.
1.1.3 Ensure compliance with legal, ethical and professional
practices for self and others.
1.1.4 Establish, implement and evaluate established procedures
to ensure competence in psychological practice and
research.
1.2
Comply with legal, ethical and professional standards
in occupational psychology.
1.2.1 Monitor and evaluate developments in legal, ethical and
professional standards in occupational psychology.
1.2.2 Implement developments in legal, ethical and professional
standards in occupational psychology.
1.3
Contribute to the continuing development of oneself
as a professional occupational psychologist.
1.3.1 Establish, evaluate and implement processes to develop
oneself as a practitioner.
1.3.2 Elicit, monitor and evaluate knowledge and feedback to
inform practice.
1.3.3 Organise, clarify and utilise
consultation and advice.
access
to
competent
1.3.4 Develop and enhance oneself as a psychological
practitioner.
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1.3.5 Incorporate best practice into one’s own work.
1.4
Respond to unpredictable
professionally and ethically.
contexts
and
events
1.4.1 Work autonomously as an occupational psychologist
across a varied set of contexts.
1.4.2 Evaluate and respond to change in service delivery
context.
1.4.3 Apply creative and innovative techniques, principles and
solutions to psychological practice.
1.4.4 Understand organisational and systemic issues of
relevance to the practice of applied psychologists.
Note: The Society’s core requirements for all accredited Doctoral programmes
are that graduates:
● understand organisational and systemic issues of relevance to the practice of
applied psychologists, including:
● understanding the organisational context for their practice;
● understanding the structures and functions of service providers
applicable to the work of their profession; and
● understanding current legislation applicable to their work.
● recognise the role of other professionals and stakeholders of relevance to their
work, including the role of service users, carers, and / or community groups;
● are able to adapt their practice to different organisational contexts for service
delivery, as appropriate;
● are able to bring psychological influence to bear; for example, through
consultancy, training, and working effectively in multidisciplinary and / or crossprofessional teams.
1.5
Formulate developments in legal, ethical and
professional standards in occupational psychology.
1.5.1 Seek out and participate in professional psychological
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affairs.
1.5.2 Make recommendations for policy changes.
Key Role 2: Apply psychological and related methods, concepts, models, theories and knowledge derived from
reproducible findings
2.1
Establish requirements for and benefits of
occupational psychology.
2.1.1 Identify, prioritise and agree expectations, needs and
requirements of clients.
2.1.2 Assess client’s expectations of the applications.
2.1.3 Review psychological literature and other information
sources for applications.
2.2
Plan applications of occupational psychology.
2.2.1 Determine aims, objectives, criteria, theoretical
frameworks and scope of applications.
2.2.2 Assess resources, requirements and constraints for the
applications.
2.2.3 Produce implementation plans for the applications.
2.3
Establish, develop and maintain working relationships
with clients.
2.3.1 Establish contact with clients.
2.3.2 Develop and maintain working agreements and practices
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with clients.
2.3.3 Develop and maintain working relationships with clients.
2.3.4 Monitor and evaluate working relationships and practices
with clients.
2.4
Conduct applications of occupational psychology.
2.4.1 Establish operations to deliver the planned activities and
procedures.
2.4.2 Implement planned applications.
2.4.3 Maintain systems for recording the processes and
outcomes of the applications.
2.4.4 Analyse and interpret results and outcomes from the
applications.
2.5
Direct the implementation of applications of
occupational psychology.
2.5.1 Establish needs and implement strategies for the
procurement of application services.
2.5.2 Assess the capabilities of human resources required for
the application.
2.5.3 Advise and guide the activities of designated others.
2.5.4 Ensure technical support for applications.
2.5.5 Oversee and direct the conduct of the applications.
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2.6
Monitor the implementation of the applications of
occupational psychology.
2.6.1 Review the application programme.
2.6.2 Prioritise and implement changes identified by the
monitoring process.
2.6.3 Review client needs, requirements and expectations
within application programmes.
2.6.4 Implement quality assurance and control mechanisms.
2.7
Evaluate the impact of the applications of
occupational psychology.
2.7.1 Establish evaluation needs and design evaluation.
2.7.2 Implement planned evaluation.
2.7.3 Assess the outcomes of the evaluation.
Key Role 3: Research and develop new and existing psychological methods, concepts, models, theories and instruments
in occupational psychology
Note: The Society’s core requirement for all accredited Doctoral programmes is that trainees demonstrate the ability to conceptualise, design and conduct independent,
original research of a quality to satisfy peer review, extend the forefront of the discipline, and merit publication. This should include the ability to: identify appropriate research
questions; understand and reflect on ethical issues; choose appropriate research methods and approaches to analysis; report outcomes; and identify appropriate pathways for
dissemination. The Society has published Supplementary guidance for research and research methods on Society accredited postgraduate programmes (October 2014), and
providers are encouraged to consider this in designing the research component of their programme(s).
3.1
Design psychological research activities.
3.1.1 Generate ideas for specific psychological research.
3.1.2 Formulate specific questions for psychological research.
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3.1.3 Generate theoretical contexts for specific psychological
research.
3.1.4 Define the parameters and resources for psychological
research.
3.1.5 Describe the methodology for psychological
investigations.
3.1.6 Prepare, present and revise research designs for
psychological investigations.
3.2
Conduct psychological research activities.
3.2.1 Negotiate procurement of resources and access to
conduct research.
3.2.2 Prepare to implement research designs.
3.2.3 Collect data as specified by research designs.
3.2.4 Conduct preliminary investigations of existing measures,
methods, techniques and models.
3.3
Analyse and evaluate psychological research data.
3.3.1 Analyse data as specified by research designs.
3.3.2 Interpret results of research.
3.3.3 Evaluate and make recommendations on the outcomes
from research.
3.3.4 Write up and report research findings.
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3.3.5 Review the research process.
3.3.6 Review and evaluate the relationships between current
issues in psychological theory and practice.
3.4
Initiate and develop psychological research and
knowledge.
3.4.1 Identify areas of occupational psychology that offer
development opportunities.
3.4.2 Review and evaluate existing measures, methods,
techniques and models.
3.4.3 Explore development opportunities in occupational
psychology.
3.5
Produce and evaluate original psychological research
and knowledge.
3.5.1 Conduct research to advance existing methods, models,
theories, instruments and understanding in occupational
psychology.
3.5.2 Monitor and evaluate investigations against the proposal.
3.5.3 Evaluate implications of research outcomes for new
developments.
3.5.4 Evaluate the potential impact of new developments.
3.6
Conduct systematic review.
3.6.1 Define and search parameters.
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3.6.2 Conduct a search using appropriate database and
sources.
3.6.3 Summarise findings from the review
Key Role 4: Communicate psychological knowledge, principles, methods, needs and policy requirements
4.1
Promote psychological principles, practices, services
and benefits.
4.1.1 Seek opportunities for the promotion of occupational
psychology.
4.1.2 Evaluate needs and requirements for promoting
psychological principles, practices and services.
4.1.3 Evaluate methods and resources for use in promotion of
psychological principles, practices and services.
4.1.4 Select promotional resources and services to demonstrate
the value of psychological principles, practices and
services.
4.2
Provide psychological advice and guidance to others
and facilitate the use of psychological services.
4.2.1 Provide psychological advice to aid problem solving and
decision making.
4.2.2 Provide psychological advice about specific psychological
processes and outcomes of psychological interaction,
applications and developments.
4.3
Provide psychological advice to aid policy decision
making.
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4.3.1 Provide advice on the assessment on the policy
documents from a psychological perspective.
4.3.2 Monitor, evaluate and feedback on the implementation of
policy in relation to occupational psychology services.
4.3.3 Make recommendations to change policy
4.4
Communicate the processes and outcomes of
psychological and other applications and
developments.
4.4.1 Prepare information for dissemination.
4.4.2 Present information to individuals, groups, organisations
on the processes and outcomes of psychological
applications and developments.
4.4.3 Evaluate the impact of disseminated information.
4.5
Disseminate psychological knowledge to address
current issues in society.
4.5.1 Identify and analyse psychological components of current
social issues.
4.5.2 Present psychological analysis of current social issues.
4.6
Prepare and present evidence in formal settings.
4.6.1 Prepare psychological evidence and produce reports.
4.6.2 Present testimony in formal situations.
4.7
Provide expert psychological opinion to informal
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information requests.
4.7.1 Evaluate the implications of responses to information
requests.
4.7.2 Appraise the scope and nature of information reports.
4.7.3 Analyse and select response options.
4.7.4 Provide responses to information requests.
4.8
Provide feedback to clients.
4.8.1 Evaluate feedback needs of client.
4.8.2 Prepare and structure feedback.
4.8.3 Select methods of communicating feedback.
4.8.4 Present feedback to clients.
The additional skills that trainees are expected to demonstrate in relation to their practice as trainee occupational
psychologists are as follows:
Process skills:
●
Gathering information
●
Testing or analysing the information
●
Evaluating the information
●
Applying the information
Generic skills:
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●
Questionnaire or survey design
●
Interviewing
●
Report writing
●
Presentation skills
●
Statistical skills or qualitative analyses
●
Evaluation techniques
Consultancy cycle
●
Establishing agreements with customer
●
Identifying needs and problems
●
Analysing needs and problems
●
Formulating solutions
●
Implementing and reviewing solutions
●
Evaluating outcomes
●
Reporting and reflecting on outcomes
●
Reflections
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