Doctorate in Clinical Psychology course details

The request was refused by University College London.

Dear University College London,

Please can you publish your selection and shortlisting criteria for the Clinical Doctorate in Psychology, providing details of the numbers of students at each stage of the shortlisting process, broken down by gender, age and ethnicity.

In regards to personal statements, please provide details of your marking structure and selection criteria for shortlisting. If this varies by year, then please provide the marking criteria for the 2018 entry intake.

In terms of successful students admitted onto the course, please provide details of how many students admitted onto the course worked at UCL prior to their interview. Please break this down by the number of students per year in comparison to the number of places offered and provide this data for the past 5 years.

Yours faithfully,

L. Maskell

Finance.FOI Requests, University College London

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Data Protection & FOI
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Finance.FOI Requests, University College London

Dear L Maskell,

 

We have completed the compilation of information in response to your
request.

 

We can confirm that we do hold some of the information of the description
specified in your request and this information is given below.

 

Some of the information you have requested, in relation to question 1 for
selection and shortlisting criteria and question 2 for marking structure
and selection criteria for shortlisting, is exempt from disclosure under
Section 36(2)(c) of the Act. Section 36(2)(c) states:

 

“Information to which this section applies is exempt information if, in
the reasonable opinion of a qualified person, disclosure of the
information under this Act

 

(c) would otherwise prejudice, or would be likely otherwise to prejudice,
the effective conduct of public affairs.”

 

For information held by UCL to be exempt under section 36 of the Freedom
of Information Act it must, in the reasonable opinion of a qualified
person (for UCL this is the Provost of the University), be capable of
prejudicing the effective conduct of public affairs. I can confirm that
his opinion has been sought and provided. It is in his opinion that
disclosure of this information would prejudice, or would be likely
otherwise to prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs. Section 36
is a qualified exemption, which requires a public interest test to be
conducted in order for the exemption to be applied.  In this case the
public interest factors in favour of disclosing the information you have
requested are:

-       There is a general public interest in transparency. The public
have a right to know and understand how public authorities are carrying
out their core functions, including those about admissions.

-       Disclosure of this information would contribute to a more open and
knowledgeable debate concerning the admissions assessment made by the
department, which may inform applicants.

 

The factors for withholding the information are:

-       The admissions process may be considered to be particularly
effective in assessing an applicant’s suitability for the course. If the
university were to disclose the marking structure and criteria it may be
seen to remove a proven and effective method of testing an applicant’s
suitability for admission. This would negatively affect UCL’s ability to
assess applicants in the most effective manner.

-       The disclosure of this information may be misinterpreted by
individuals and negatively affect an applicant’s application.

-       This disclosure of the information may disadvantage individuals
who are unaware of its release.

 

The outcome of the public interest test:

 

-       Whilst recognising that there is a public interest in
understanding the criteria and its application within universities, there
is also a need to effectively and truly assess applications by candidates
and to ensure individuals are not disadvantaged. The disclosure of this
information would prejudice UCL’s ability to properly assess candidate’s
suitability for admission, outweighing the public interest arguments for
disclosure. For these reasons we are unable to disclose this information.

 

 

Q1) Please can you publish your selection and shortlisting criteria for
the Clinical Doctorate in Psychology, providing details of the numbers of
students at each stage of the shortlisting process, broken down by gender,
age and ethnicity.

 

A1) We do not have the figures for 2018; equal opportunities data is
prepared by the central Clearing House and this information has not been
released (but will be in March 2019). However, we do have data for the
2017 entry. The data requested is as follows:

 

Gender Applied Shortlisted Accepted
Female 901 110 36
Male 180 33 6

 

 

Age Applied Shortlisted Accepted
20-24
years 328 42 15
25-29
years 508 76 21
30-34
years 144 17 <4
35-39
years 54 6 <4
40-44
years 29 <4 0
45-49
years 16 <4 0
50-54
years 5 0 0
55
and
over <4 0 0

 

 

Ethnicity Applied Shortlisted Accepted
Missing
data 20 0 0
White
British 799 113 34
Asian 110 13 6
Black 64 <4 <4
Mixed 62 10 0
Other 34 <4 0

 

As explained above, the requested information relating to selection and
shortlisting criteria for the Clinical Doctorate in Psychology is exempt
from disclosure under section 36. There is publically available entry
criteria for the course listed on our website -
[1]http://www.ucl.ac.uk/dclinpsy/applying.

 

 

Q2) In regards to personal statements, please provide details of your
marking structure and selection criteria for shortlisting. If this varies
by year, then please provide the marking criteria for the 2018 entry
intake.

 

A2) As explained above, the requested information relating the marking
structure and selection criteria for shortlisting for the Clinical
Doctorate in Psychology is exempt from disclosure under section 36. There
is publically available entry criteria for the course listed on our
website - [2]http://www.ucl.ac.uk/dclinpsy/applying.

 

 

Q3) In terms of successful students admitted onto the course, please
provide details of how many students admitted onto the course worked at
UCL prior to their interview. Please break this down by the number of
students per year in comparison to the number of places offered and
provide this data for the past 5 years.

 

A3)

 

Cohort entry Number previously employed at UCL / cohort size
2014 7 / 42
2015 <4 / 42
2016 5 / 42
2017 6 / 42
2018 <4 /42

 

 

As you can see, exact counts of four or less have been withheld because
these are personal data of third parties or, if linked with other personal
identifiers in the public domain, would be likely to become personal data.
This information has been withheld under section 40(2) of the FOIA by
virtue of s40 (3)(a)(i).

 

Section 40(2) of the FOIA allows a public authority to withhold
information under the FOIA where (i) the requested information is personal
data relating to someone other than the requester and (ii) its disclosure
would breach any of the data protection principles. In this case we
believe that the requested information could relate to and identify
individuals and therefore would be personal data. The disclosure of this
personal data would not be within the reasonable expectations of the
individuals concerned and it would be unfair to do so; this therefore
breaches the first data protection principle.

 

It is for these reasons that this information is exempt under section
40(2) of the Act.

 

You are free to use any information supplied for your own use, including
for non-commercial research purposes. The information may also be used for
the purposes of news reporting. However, any other type of re-use, for
example by publishing or issuing copies to the public, will require the
permission of the copyright owner.

 

If you are unhappy with our response to your request and wish to make a
complaint or request a review of our decision, please email
[3][email address]. Emails should include the words ‘Internal
Review’ in the subject and be marked For the Attention of the Vice Provost
Operations, alternatively you should write to:

 

Vice Provost Operations

University College London

1-19 Torrington Place

London WC1E 7HB

 

Please note, complaints and requests for internal review received more
than two months after the initial decision will not be handled.

 

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you may
apply directly to the Information Commissioner at the address given below.
You should do this within two months of our final decision.

 

If you have any queries or concerns, please contact me using the details
provided in this letter and including the request reference number.

 

Further information on the Freedom of Information Act is available from
the Information Commissioner’s Office:

 

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

SK9 5AF

 

01625 545700

[4]www.ico.org.uk

[5][email address]

 

Kind regards,

 

Mehwish Sultan

Data Protection and Freedom of Information Adviser

University College London

Legal Services, Finance and Business Affairs

Internal address: 6th Floor, 1-19 Torrington Place, London, WC1E 7HB

E: [6][email address] Data Protection: [7][email address]
FOI: [8][UCL request email].

Telephone: +44 (0)203 108 7862 (internal 57862)

 

References

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