Psychodynamic Counselling

MSc Psychodynamic Counselling

Introduction

The MSc is a part-time course which meets one day a week for three academic years.

Psychodynamic counselling means applying the therapeutic insights and techniques developed in psycho-analysis to different kinds of counselling situations. Students are taught the application of psycho-analysis by being introduced to analytic theories and techniques, discussing their counselling practice in work discussion groups, having individual supervision of their actual work and studying their experience of learning on the course by using psycho-analytic methods. A unique feature of the course is an emphasis on understanding how organizations function to enable students to manage themselves in their professional settings and relationships.

The course is intended for people who have a full or part-time counselling post or have a counselling aspect to their work, with the aim of enabling course members to develop their counselling potential through application and evaluation of what they learn on the course in their daily work.

The MSc is accredited by the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy. It is also an organizational member of the BACP. The course has its own complaints procedure, which is compatible with that of BACP.

Requirements

In order to be eligible to apply for the MSc, students must have a second class honours degree in any subject or a professional or other qualification obtained by written examinations. Candidates who have neither of these but have substantial related work experience and academic achievement in the counselling or related fields will also be considered.

Applicants who do not have a first degree will be admitted onto the Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling and need to successfully complete the first two years of the course in order to be admitted on to the MSc. All non-degree applicants will be required to submit a piece of written work as evidence of their academic ability.

Students must be working in a setting which provides them with material to bring for discussion and which enables them to apply what they are learning on the course.

Applicants are also expected to have succes sfully completed a basic psychodynamic counselling course at certificate or diploma level. Applicants who have no prior counselling qualification are advised to apply for the Certificate in Psychodynamic Counselling in Work Settings in the Department which is designed as a preliminary course to the MSc.

Applicants would need to demonstrate their emotional maturity and readiness to take on counselling work.