Low Intensity Psychological Therapies PGCert
- Typical entry requirements
- View full entry requirements
- Course delivery
- On Campus
Course information for entry year:
Overview
This course, allows you to train as a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP). You will develop the knowledge, skills and clinical competencies to support people experiencing depression and anxiety.
The programme is delivered in partnership with NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression, formerly known as Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT).
Training focuses on evidence-based low-intensity CBT interventions. These help individuals manage and overcome their difficulties through guided self-help and behavioural change strategies.
This course combines academic study with observed clinical practice. It equips trainees to deliver low-intensity interventions safely and effectively. This may be within NHS Talking Therapies services or other public and private sector healthcare settings.
After qualifying, PWPs commonly work within NHS and other public sector mental health services, typically at NHS payment bands 5 and 6 (or equivalent).
A career as a PWP can help you to make a meaningful difference to people's lives every day. PWPs support recovery and improve access to mental health care within the NHS and wider healthcare system.
Acting Programme Director: Zoe Lambert
Team Lead: Karen Wilson
Enquiries: iapt.director@ncl.ac.uk
Important information
We've highlighted important information about your course. Please take note of any deadlines.
Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.
View our Academic experience page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2025-26.
See our terms and conditions and student complaints information, which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.
Quality and ranking
Professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by professional bodies to ensure they meet the latest industry practices and regulatory standards. This keeps your degree rigorous, relevant, and highly valued by employers, providing a clear pathway into your chosen career.
If you are studying an accredited degree and considering a career in Europe after graduation, it is important to stay informed about international standards. The best resource for current information is the UK Government's guidance on recognition of UK professional qualifications in EU member states.
This official resource provides essential details on:
- whether your profession is regulated in another country.
- the specific steps you need to take to practice abroad.
- which organisations you should contact to begin the process.
Our students
What you'll learn
You will complete three compulsory modules. These focus on the assessment and treatment of common mental health difficulties, as well as adapting therapeutic interventions to meet the needs of a diverse range of individuals.
Modules
The module information on our course pages is intended to provide an example of what you will study.
Our teaching is informed by research. Course content changes periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.
Full details of the modules on offer will be published through the Programme Regulations and Specifications ahead of each academic year. This usually happens in May.
Some courses have optional modules. Student demand for optional modules may affect availability.
How you'll learn
Teaching takes place on a Monday and Tuesday (9.30am-4.30pm). This is blended online and in-person teaching at the university campus in Newcastle city centre.
On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, trainees are on clinical placement with their service.
Placements are currently provided around the North of England. The placements are clinical services that treat individuals experiencing common mental health problems.
On completing this course you can work towards Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP) accreditation.
Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:
- Essay
- Observation of professional practice
- Oral examination
- Oral presentation
- Portfolio
- Report
- Written examination
Throughout your studies, you’ll have access to support from:
- academic staff
- academic advisers and research supervisors
- our University Student Services Team
- student representatives
- peers
You'll also be assigned an academic member of staff, who will be your academic adviser throughout your time with us. They can help with academic and personal issues.
Your teaching and learning is also supported by Canvas. Canvas is a Virtual Learning Environment. You'll use Canvas to submit your assignments and access your:
- module handbooks
- course materials
- groups
- course announcements and notifications
- written feedback
Our tutors for the Low Intensity Psychological Therapies course have over 38 years’ combined experience working in Adult Mental Health services in a variety of different roles, including as Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners and Supervisors.
They have all obtained Fellowship or Senior Fellowship of Advance HE.
Entry requirements
The entrance requirements below apply to 2027 entry.
Our entry requirements and other information will be finalised in September 2026.
Qualifications from outside the UK
English Language requirements
Admissions policy
This policy applies to all undergraduate and postgraduate admissions at Newcastle University. It is intended to provide information about our admissions policies and procedures to applicants and potential applicants, to their advisors and family members, and to staff of the University.
University Admissions Policy and related policies and procedures
Credit transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) can allow you to convert existing relevant university-level knowledge, skills and experience into credits towards a qualification. Find out more about the RPL policy which may apply to this course
Your future
Our Careers Service
Our expert Careers Service is here to help you take the next steps in your professional life. We will support you while you’re studying with us and for up to three years after you graduate.
You will have access to expert one-to-one advice and guidance through our campus careers centre and online, along with digital resources, workshops, networking opportunities, and careers and recruitment events.
We’ve been awarded 5 QS Stars for Student Employability (2025). Many of our degrees are shaped by strong links with national and international businesses. We are committed to helping you access real-world experience opportunities and develop key skills through paid work placements and internships.
Facilities
We have excellent general learning resources are available. They include access to the Canvas Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). Here you'll find all workshop and lecture slides, and programme and module handbooks.
The School of Psychology is in the Dame Margaret Barbour Building.
You'll work in the Faculty of Medical Sciences. This is part of our city-centre campus.
The Faculty is also home to:
- dentistry
- medicine
- psychology
- pharmacy
It is on the same site as Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary hospital. We are one of the largest integrated teaching/hospital complexes in the country.
Our facilities include:
- individual research laboratories where students carry out their projects
- a dedicated medical library with a wide range of specialist books and journals
- hi-tech computer clusters and study spaces
- dedicated facilities for a range of key bioscience applications. This includes flow cytometry, bioinformatics, imaging, genomics and proteomics
Fees, Funding and Scholarships
Tuition fees for 2027 entry (per year)
As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.
Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.
EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support. You may be eligible for a scholarship worth 25% off the international fee. Search our funding database.
If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance.
Scholarships
We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our searchable postgraduate funding page for more information.
Search for funding and scholarships
Find funding available for your course
What you're paying for
Tuition fees include the costs of:
- matriculation
- registration
- tuition (or supervision)
- library access
- examination
- re-examination
- graduation
Find out more about:
If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.
You can check this in the How to apply section.
If you're applying for funding, always check the funding application deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline for your course.
For some funding schemes, you need to have received an offer of a place on a course before you can apply for the funding.
How to apply
Using the application portal
The application portal has instructions to guide you through your application. It will tell you what documents you need and how to upload them.
You can choose to start your application, save your details and come back to complete it later.
If you’re ready, you can select Apply Online and you’ll be taken directly to the application portal.
Alternatively you can find out more about applying on our applications and offers pages.
Apply Online
Open days and events
Find out about how you can visit Newcastle in person and virtually
Overseas events
We regularly travel overseas to meet with students interested in studying at Newcastle University.
Visit our events calendar for the latest events
Open Day for CBT and Low Intensity Psychological Therapies
28th May, 2pm-4.30pm
Email cbt-dip.director@ncl.ac.uk.
Indicate the course you are interested in.
Get in touch
Questions about this course?
If you have specific questions about this course you can contact:
Karen Wilson
Programme Administrator (IAPT and CBT programmes)
School of Psychology
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 3915
Email: iapt.director@ncl.ac.uk
Enquiries
If you've got a question about your application, send us an enquiry via the application portal you applied through.
If you haven't applied yet, or have a general enquiry, you can send your questions via our enquiry form.
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