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Course Overview

The role of a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP) is a crucial component of NHS Talking Therapies for Anxiety and Depression.

PWPs work in NHS Talking Therapy services following the Stepped Care Model and work at Step 2 to deliver assessments and treatments. These treatments are NICE approved evidence-based low intensity CBT based treatments and can be delivered through a range of modes of delivery based on patient choice. This can include guided self-help, delivered on a one-to-one basis or as a group, and via the telephone, interactive text or computerised cognitive behavioural therapy (cCBT).

PWP interventions aim to have a meaningful impact on patients' lives, improving social inclusion, employment and community connection, as well as symptoms.

The course is available as the standard part-time route and as an adapted part-time route for those who are employed part-time. Additionally, the course is available at Undergraduate and Postgraduate, depending on your previous level of study.

Why Choose Lincoln

Learn from subject experts

Fully funded by NHS England

Opportunities to practice and apply theory within clinical workshops

Delivered through blended learning (in person and online)

Students sat at a table with laptops

How You Study

You will study alongside working in a clinical setting. Teaching is a blend of online and face-to-face, and content is delivered through a combination of lectures and practical workshops, both delivered by qualified and experienced Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners.

Lectures give you the opportunity to explore the underpinning theories and evidence base, and workshops provide a chance to apply this theory into your clinical practice through experiential learning strategies by role playing with actors or other trainees.

Trainees on the standard part-time route will have one study day per week to undertake self-directed study including essays, portfolio work, and directed practice-based learning, and will work three days a week in a clinical setting.

Trainees on the adapted part-time route will work in a clinical setting, as well as having the equivalent number of protected study time to undertake self-directed study including essays, portfolio work, and directed practice-based learning.

Placements

Alongside the course, as a trainee Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner, you will work in an NHS Talking Therapy service.

Trainees need to be able to travel to our Brayford Pool Campus to attend face-to-face teaching as a mandatory requirement of the course.

BPS Accreditation

The course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) meaning those who complete the course can register with the BPS or the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies.

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How to Apply

Postgraduate Application Support

Applying for a postgraduate programme at Lincoln is easy. Find out more about the application process and what you'll need to complete on our How to Apply page. Here, you'll also be able to find out more about the entry requirements we accept and how to contact us for dedicated support during the process.

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Entry Requirements 2025-26

Entry Requirements

Trainees must be employed, either full-time or part-time, as a trainee PWP by an NHS Talking Therapies service at the point of entry, and must be eligible for funding from NHS-England.

Recruitment is shared with employers, and therefore applicants must also meet the criteria for the employing organisation. Trainees must be able to provide suitable references. Trainees must be deemed suitable by both the university and the employing service.

To be eligible to study on the Postgraduate course, trainees must be able to evidence their previous successful study at Level 6.

Candidates whose first language is not English will be required to have a recognised English language qualification achieved no more than two years prior to admission: A British Council IELTS overall minimum score of 7.5 with no element below 7.0, achieved no more than two years prior to admission. OR Pearson Test of English Academic 73 (minimum 67). OR CELE pre-sessional course final assessment of "Pass with High Distinction".

Fees and funding

This course is fully funded by NHS England.

NHS England Funding Guidance

In line with guidance from NHS England (formally Health Education England), individuals who have had NHS funding for a psychological professions training programme will not normally be eligible to receive NHS funding for a subsequent psychological professions training until a minimum of 2 years after the award for training is recommended by the qualifying examination board or by the chairs action after the qualifying exam board.

This rule also applies to any individual who starts and subsequently completes, withdraws, or fails to complete the qualifying requirements of a training programme.

For more information, please see NHS funding for psychological professions training programmes | NHS England | Workforce, training and education.

Find out More

If you would like to know more about this course, please contact pwp@lincoln.ac.uk.

Alternative Courses

For those without a degree, we also offer an Undergraduate route  UniDip Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner.

For qualified PWPs with enough experience, we also deliver a NHS Talking Therapies Supervisor Training course.

Postgraduate Events

To get a real feel for what it is like to study at the University of Lincoln, we hold a number of dedicated postgraduate events and activities throughout the year for you to take part in.

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The University intends to provide its courses as outlined in these pages, although the University may make changes in accordance with the Student Admissions Terms and Conditions.