How to become a neuropsychologist

What is a neuropsychologist?

Clinical neuropsychologists are concerned with the assessment and rehabilitation of people with brain injury or other neurological disease.

Starting your career as neuropsychologist

Choosing subjects at school

To become a neuropsychologist, you need a good standard of education. Useful subjects include:

• Psychology
• Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies
• English
• Human Biology
• Maths

Speak to your guidance teacher or careers adviser about subjects offered at your school.

Education and training pathway

Neuropsychology is a post-qualification discipline, available to chartered psychologists within the field of clinical or educational psychology.

Widening access

Widening participation supports adult learners who want to go to university. If you’re an adult with few or no qualifications, you could get into higher education through the Scottish Wider Access Programme (SWAP). Many universities also provide access programmes to help you get the degree entry qualifications you need. 

Accessing a psychology degree

Most universities accept a wide range of qualifications, so you have the option of applying directly from school or going to college first.

At college, you could do a Higher National Certificate (HNC) or Higher National Diploma (HND) to set you on the right path. These include:

• HNC Counselling
• HND Counselling

You can search for college courses on My World of Work.

Psychology training

In order to undertake any neuropsychology courses, you'll need one of the following:

• a doctorate in clinical or counselling psychology
• an equivalent qualification recognised by the British Psychological Society (BPS)

On completion of training, practitioners will usually work for at least one year in a specialist service and then undertake the BPS Qualification in Clinical Neuropsychology (QiCN), or the equivalent accredited route via a university provider, which confers eligibility for entry to the society’s Specialist Register of Clinical Neuropsychologists.

Criteria for the QiCN and accredited routes involve completing a postdoctoral diploma in clinical neuropsychology and examining a portfolio of clinical neuropsychology cases.

Learning and development

Once qualified and registered with HCPC, you'll be eligible to work in NHSScotland as a practitioner psychologist. You will then be eligible to apply to become a chartered member (CPsychol) of the British Psychological Society (BPS).

Professional bodies

British Psychological Society (BPS)

The BPS is the professional body for psychologists in the UK. They offer 3 levels of membership:

1. Student membership is open to everyone studying on a BPS-accredited undergraduate degree or conversion course.
2. Graduate membership of the society is the starting point to your career as a psychologist. It is a prerequisite for many accredited postgraduate and doctoral programmes.
3. Chartered membership reflects the highest level of psychological knowledge and expertise.

Find out more on the BPS website.

Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)

The HCPC is an independent, UK-wide regulatory body responsible for setting and maintaining standards for health, psychological and, in England, social work professionals. It maintains a public register of qualified professionals and works to improve industry standards and education.

Find out more on the HCPC website.