We are in the process of finalising our postgraduate taught courses for 2027/28 entry. In the meantime, you can view our 2026/27 courses.
Train as an Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP) with our postgraduate diploma. Gain practical experience delivering CBT-based support in schools and colleges.
On this course, you’ll follow the National Curriculum for Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP) training.
The programme combines theory and practice-based learning at the University, alongside clinical practice under supervision within a Mental Health Support Team (MHST) in England.
Self-funding or sponsored students may undertake their clinical placement at an MHST setting.
EMHPs provide evidence-based, low-intensity cognitive behavioural-based interventions for children and young people who are experiencing mild to moderate anxiety, depression and/or behavioural difficulties.
Your academic learning will:
These therapeutic interventions will support:
Most students will be employed as trainee EMHPs within NHS-hosted MHSTs. The course is fully funded by the NHS for these students. Trainees will receive a salary equivalent to a full-time NHS band 4 over the year, along with supervision within their service.
Fully funded trainee EMHP roles are advertised on the NHS jobs website. Applicants should apply directly to NHS services for these roles. The University of Reading will review applications and be present on interview panels.
You can apply directly to the University of Reading if you are interested in self-funding (covering the costs of training yourself as an individual), or being sponsored by your employer.
Self-funded or sponsored routes are only suitable for applicants with access to appropriate training cases (clients) and supervision. You will need to complete a minimum number of clinical hours and supervision hours in order to pass the course.
You will need to complete the Information Particulars and Objectives form at enrolment. The form also offers guidance around your responsibilities, and those of your employer/placement organisation and clinical supervisor.
The University of Reading is unable to help with securing a suitable placement or supervision if these are not already in place.
This full-time taught programme spans 12 months and normally runs once per year – starting in September.
You’ll attend one online and one face-to-face induction day. These will be followed by intense week-long teaching blocks, where you will be required to attend classes from 09:00 to 16:00.
Your teaching will be a mixture of face-to-face and online, between 09:00 and 16:00.
You are expected to attend 100% of face-to-face teaching and university-directed learning sessions. If you miss a live teaching session (due to illness, for example), you will be required to watch a video recording of the session and/or complete missed activities (with the support of a programme tutor).
You are entitled to 12.5 study days over the course of the year. These must be negotiated with your line manager.
We offer a range of support services, including:
Over the year, you will need to complete a minimum of 80 clinical hours with clients and 40 supervision hours (comprising 20 hours of case management supervision and 20 hours of clinical skills supervision) within your workplace – or a suitable alternative placement for those self-funding or being sponsored by an employer.
You will also be required to:
We will assess your clinical and academic competencies formatively throughout the modules you study, and summatively at the end of each module.
Each module must be passed to successfully complete the course.
The range of summative assessments includes:
Formative assessments will support your learning and help prepare for assessed work.
You will be required to keep a Clinical Practice Outcomes Portfolio (CPO) throughout the course, providing evidence of your successful completion of all elements of the course. This includes application of theory to practice in the workplace.
