Applicant interview information
The MSci in Applied Psychology (Clinical) course includes all the academic rigour of a BPS accredited psychology degree, including the opportunity to carry out research. In addition, as part of this course, you will be trained as a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP) to work in the NHS with people who have common mental health problems. Applicants for this course will be assessed for entry using an interview, in addition to the academic requirements. This interview is an opportunity for us to check that you have sufficient understanding of what the course entails, what the role of a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP) looks like, and whether you hold the personal and professional values required to train and work as a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP) within the NHS.
Before the interview day
Once you have submitted your application via UCAS this will be reviewed by our Admissions team, who will consider your overall academic performance alongside your personal statement and reference. If your application meets our initial selection criteria, you will receive an email from the Admissions team inviting you to attend an online interview, which will take place via Microsoft Teams. The email will contain instructions on how to book a date for your interview.
The online interview will last for approximately 20 minutes. Please note, we will be arranging online interviews for candidates between 09:40 and 14:40 (UK time) on each interview date and you will be allocated a 20-minute interview slot within this time frame.
Approximately one week before the date of your interview, a member of staff from the School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences will contact you via email to:
- Confirm the time slot for your online interview
- Provide instructions on how to join your online interview using Microsoft Teams
- Please note that we are aware of issues for some users trying to join interviews using Safari or Firefox browsers using Private Browsing mode. We therefore recommend using Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge if you wish to join your interview via a web browser.
If you have not received an email containing this information at least 48 hours before the date of your interview, or if you are from a country where Microsoft Teams does not function, please email the Admissions Support team. Please note that, occasionally, our emails could arrive in your junk/spam folders – please check your junk/spam folders carefully for the email confirming the time slot for your online interview and containing instructions on how to join your online interview using Microsoft Teams before contacting us.
We are fully committed to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion in our admissions and interview processes. If you would like to request any specific requirements or adjustments around accessibility for your interview, please email the Admissions Support team. Please rest assured that requesting reasonable adjustments or having specific requirements will not affect the outcome of the interview or our decision on whether you are offered a place on the course.
What to expect on the day of your interview
Your interview will usually take place with the admissions tutor and another member of our teaching staff. Once you have logged into the session, the interviewers will introduce themselves and explain the interview process. At any time during the interview, you may request that your interviewers repeat or clarify a question. This does not affect the mark awarded for your performance and you will not be penalised for this. You may take notes during the interview.
The interview will comprise of five assessed questions. These are used to:
- Establish your motivation to study on the MSci Applied Psychology (Clinical) course and understand what steps you have taken to ensure that this is a fully informed decision
- Explore what personal strengths you have which make you a good candidate for this programme of study
- Assess your understanding of the PWP role
- Assess the extent to which you understand the different types of clients you’ll be working with in your placement year
- Ensure you have the necessary personal attributes needed to work with distressed clients in service as a PWP
Once you have answered the last of the assessed questions, the interviewers will share further information about what the PWP training year will look like. You are then free to ask any questions you may have about the programme or life as a student at Reading (it can be helpful to write these down beforehand, so you don’t forget anything important).
Preparing for your interview
It is very important that you understand what the MSci in Applied Psychology (Clinical) course entails (especially what the PWP role looks like), so please take the time to ensure you are sufficiently prepared to speak about this in your interview.
To find out more about the MSci in Applied Psychology (Clinical) at the University of Reading please refer to our course information.
To learn more about the PWP role, please refer to the:
After the interview
The interviewers will provide a recommendation to the Admissions team as to whether you have met the standard required in the interview to be eligible to receive an offer to study with us at Reading on the MSci in Applied Psychology (Clinical) programme.
The University Admissions team will contact you to let you know the outcome. If the interviewers don’t feel that you are suitable for the MSci in Applied Psychology (Clinical), an offer is normally made to study with us on the BSc Psychology programme instead (subject to receiving the required qualifications).
Free online course to help with your interview
The University of Reading have developed a free online course called Stress-Free University Interviews, for students who have received interview offers from the University for interviewing subjects. The course is designed to help you make the most of your skills, build confidence, and practice those all-important interview techniques.
Stress-Free University Interviews: Confidence-Building Tips and Success Strategies