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Part time — Closed
Graduate

PGCert in Enhanced Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Psychological Trauma and Personality Development)

This is a part-time taught course that offers comprehensive training in Enhanced Cognitive Behavioural Therapy with a specialism in Psychological Trauma and Personality Development.

Closed: Part time

Closed to applications for entry in 2026-27. Register to receive an email when applications open (for entry in 2027-28). 

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Expected length:
  • Part time: 11 months
Expected start date:
  • Part time:
English language level:
  • Higher level required
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About the course

To apply to this course you must have already completed or be in the process of completing the University's PGCert in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or equivalent high-intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy training (see Entry requirements for further details).

This course aims to equip experienced CBT healthcare professionals with the enhanced CBT skills necessary to implement evidence-based treatment across a wide range of clinical presentations, and to disseminate these treatments as trainers and supervisors to other practitioners. 

The course offers comprehensive, specialist training in Enhanced CBT with a strong grounding in current psychological and CBT theories and research. It is designed to offer an in-depth understanding of the range of difficulties experienced by those who have suffered developmental trauma and adversity, alongside an in-depth understanding of the personality development issues that can have a significant impact on functioning. The course highlights the CBT principles, theory and research that can guide optimal treatment delivery to people living with the legacy of trauma and/or with personality development issues.

This course is designed to help you achieve certain aims. By the end of the course, you should be able to:

  • appreciate how theory, research and clinical practice inform each other in cognitive behavioural therapy, contributing to its continued development
  • establish and practise a repertoire of enhanced cognitive behavioural skills
  • develop the ability to apply these skills with specialist patient groups and problem areas encountered in their own places of work
  • establish and maintain warm, respectful, collaborative relationships, and develop the ability to understand and manage difficulties in the alliance (including the student’s contribution) using a cognitive conceptual framework
  • through consultation, identify and resolve difficulties in practice, whether arising from theoretical, practical, interpersonal, personal or ethical problems.

You will be expected to have access to treatment settings with regular clinical and CBT supervision where cognitive behavioural therapy skills can be practised and refined on a regular basis.

Course structure

This section provides an overview of the course structure, while details of the individual course components are provided below.

Twenty days of training and supervision are spread over an academic year, between November and July.

There are five teaching blocks, each lasting for four days:

  1. Block 1 (Michaelmas Induction) is in November
  2. Block 2 is in January
  3. Block 3 is in March
  4. Block 4 is in May
  5. Block 5 is in July.

There are twelve, expert-led, small group clinical supervision sessions between November and July. Over the duration of the course, students are normally expected to engage in CBT with at least four patients with a significant trauma history, which has impacted on their current mental health presentation, and/or who have personality development issues that impair functioning. We expect patients to demonstrate complex, co-morbid and/or interpersonal difficulties. Therapy must demonstrate the Enhanced CBT skills and knowledge relevant to working with this population.

You will be expected to complete therapy with at least one patient over the duration of the course, although student caseloads will need to be a minimum of three to account for drop-out. To gain most from the course we encourage you to arrange your caseloads so therapy is completed with more than one patient.

Coursework is spread over the period of training; three assignments are formative, and four assignments are summative.

Reading, completion of written assignments and presentations will be undertaken in addition to the teaching days. Many students find it effective to set aside at least six to seven hours a week for private study.

Some of the teaching days on this course may be made available to a wider audience as publicly bookable workshops via the Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre. This enables course participants to interact and share with a broader group of specialist practitioners. All participants will be expected to have an appropriate level of competence to participate fully.

Core components

You will undertake training and supervision, patient therapy and complete coursework. 

Course details

Entry requirements

For entry in 2026-27

Funding and costs

College preference

Before you apply

Completing your application

Contact details