STAGE I: FOUNDATIONS OF PROFESSIONAL PSYCHOLOGY (FPP)

Module 101: Advanced General Psychology & Neuro-Sciences

• Unit 1: Neuroanatomy and Behavior — The structure and function of the central nervous system; neurotransmitters and their pathways; the endocrine system; and the biological substrates of emotion, memory, and cognitive processing.
• Unit 2: Sensation, Perception, and Consciousness — Psychophysics; visual, auditory, and somatosensory processing; attentional mechanisms; altered states of consciousness; and sleep disorders.
• Unit 3: Learning and Memory Systems — Classical and operant conditioning; observational learning; cognitive models of memory (encoding, storage, retrieval); and mechanisms of forgetting.

Module 102: Theories of Personality & Psychopathology

• Unit 1: Personality Frameworks — Critical evaluation of Psychodynamic, Humanistic, Behavioral, Trait, and Social-Cognitive theories of personality.
• Unit 2: Psychopathology and Diagnostics — Etiology, symptom presentation, and diagnostic criteria of mood disorders, anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders (including schizophrenia), personality disorders, and neurodevelopmental disorders using the DSM-5 and ICD-11.
• Unit 3: Cultural Concepts of Distress — Understanding mental health expressions within the African and Nigerian cultural contexts; identifying culture-bound syndromes and adjusting diagnostic lenses accordingly.

Module 103: Ethics, Law, and Jurisprudence in Nigerian Practice

• Unit 1: The ICPN Code of Ethics — Core principles: Beneficence and Non-maleficence, Fidelity and Responsibility, Integrity, Justice, and Respect for People’s Rights and Dignity.
• Unit 2: Legal Frameworks in Mental Health — The legal rights of mental health patients in Nigeria; involuntary commitment procedures; malpractice liability; and the psychologist as an expert witness in court.
• Unit 3: Operational Bioethics — Managing dual relationships, maintaining professional boundaries, handling breaches of confidentiality, and ethical considerations in digital/tele-psychology practice.

STAGE II: APPLIED METHODOLOGY & DIAGNOSTICS (AMD)

Module 201: Psychometrics, Psychological Testing & Assessment

• Unit 1: Test Construction and Validation — Classical Test Theory (CTT) vs. Item Response Theory (IRT); standardizing psychological tools; determining reliability (internal consistency, test-retest) and validity (content, construct, criterion).
• Unit 2: Clinical and Diagnostic Assessment — Administration, scoring, and interpretation of objective and projective tests (e.g., MMPI, WAIS, Beck Depression Inventory, thematic apperception protocols).
• Unit 3: Industrial and Educational Testing — Utilizing psychometric batteries for corporate recruitment, performance appraisal, vocational counseling, and identifying learning disabilities in educational environments.

Module 202: Advanced Research Methodology & Bio-Statistics

• Unit 1: Experimental and Non-Experimental Designs — Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-experimental designs, cross-sectional vs. longitudinal surveys, and case-study methodologies.
• Unit 2: Statistical Analysis and Data Tools — Hypothesis testing, parametric vs. non-parametric statistics, ANOVA, multiple regression analysis, and structural equation modeling using software (SPSS, R, or NVivo).
• Unit 3: Qualitative Paradigms — Thematic analysis, Grounded Theory, Phenomenology, and mixed-methods approaches in behavioral research.

Module 203: Psychological Interventions & Therapeutic Modalities

• Unit 1: Cognitive Behavioral Therapies (CBT) — Cognitive restructuring, behavioral activation, exposure therapies, and rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT).
• Unit 2: Systemic and Group Interventions — Family systems theory, structural and strategic family therapy, and dynamics of group psychotherapy.
• Unit 3: Crisis Intervention and Brief Therapies — Psychological First Aid (PFA), trauma-informed care, and solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) for acute situational crises.

STAGE III: ADVANCED SPECIALIZATION & STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP (ASSL)

Module 301: Track-Specific Electives (Specialist Domain Focus)

• Option A: Advanced Clinical & Trauma Psychology — Deep-dive into complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD), neuropsychological rehabilitation, addiction counseling, and specialized clinical management.
• Option B: Strategic Industrial-Organizational & Leadership Psychology — Organisational culture and development, consumer behavior, executive coaching, workplace ergonomics, conflict resolution, and managing employee burnout.
• Option C: Advanced Child & Educational Counselling — Pedagogical psychology, managing neurodivergence (ADHD, Autism Spectrum), behavioral interventions in schools, and child advocacy law.

Module 302: E-Health, Tele-Psychology, and Digital Practices

• Unit 1: Tele-Behavioral Health Infrastructure — Setting up secure, encrypted virtual practices; selecting compliant videoconferencing platforms; and managing crisis risks during remote sessions.
• Unit 2: Digital Psychometrics and AI — The emergence of AI-driven behavioral analytics, digital tracking apps, and automated assessment tools; understanding their limitations and ethical usage.
• Unit 3: Online Community Management — Moderating digital support groups, managing online public mental health advocacy campaigns, and combating online psychological misinformation.

Module 303: Case Study Defense & Practicum Portfolio

• Unit 1: Supervised Residency (Practicum) — Completion of a mandatory 6-month clinical or organizational placement under the direct supervision of an approved ICPN Fellow or Chartered Member.
• Unit 2: Portfolio Compilation — Documenting a minimum of five (5) comprehensive, distinct case studies highlighting intake assessment, diagnostic formulation, intervention design, outcome measurement, and ethical reflections.
• Unit 3: Viva Voce (Oral Defense) — Presentation and rigorous oral defense of the practicum portfolio before a designated panel of the Institute’s Examiners.