Postgraduate Diploma/MA Foundation Course in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy: Part One Qualifying Course in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (D58)
The aim of the course is to introduce students to a psychoanalytic way of thinking about their clinical work and also to provide an opportunity to explore whether they may wish to pursue further training in psychoanalytic psychotherapy.
Who is this course for?
Course outline
Academic award
Why study with us?
Assessment
Attendance
Duration
Entry requirements
Fee
Start date
Closing date for applications
What students say about the course
Course tutor biography
How to apply
Not sure where to start? View the training pathway
Who is this course for?
- Mental health professionals (e.g. psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses and mental health workers) in the NHS or voluntary sector.
- Students from a non-clinical background can be considered if they have completed some introductory training and a psychiatric placement.
Course outline
The course consists of following elements:
- Personal psychotherapy
- Supervision groups
- Clinical seminar
- Theory seminar
- Workshops
- Dissertation
The course is centred around your clinical work, where you will be seeing a patient for once weekly psychotherapy in the NHS for a period of 18 months. If needed, suitable placements can be arranged through your course tutor. All staff teaching on the course are experienced practising psychoanalytic psychotherapists.
Years one and two
Supervision groups
You will meet in a supervision group with two other students and a supervisor on a weekly basis throughout the first two years (although sometimes this might continue in the third year if clinical work has not been completed). You will take it in turn to present detailed sessions of your work with the patient for psychotherapy. The focus is on developing the basic clinical skills of psychotherapy – maintaining the setting, understanding transference and countertransference, formulating interpretations, risk assessment and management and appropriate record keeping.
Clinical seminars
You will meet in groups of 8-10 students with a clinical seminar leader (one in the first year and a second in year two). You will take it in turns to present your psychotherapy patient. The aim is to reinforce the clinical skills you learned in the supervision group but also to link the clinical material with theoretical ideas and to introduce the idea of clinical formulation.
Theory seminars
Theory seminars take place weekly in a group of 20-25 students with a series of different seminar leaders. The aim is to introduce you to fundamental psychoanalytic concepts and texts, looking at these both historically and with reference to different theoretical traditions. There is reading to be undertaken prior to each seminar.
Workshops
Workshops take place three times a term in a group of 20-25 students and provide an opportunity for developing clinical skills or understanding through more active learning, e.g. role play and small groups.
Years one to three
Personal psychotherapy
You are required to be in personal psychotherapy at least once a week with a psychoanalytic psychotherapist registered by the British Psychoanalytic Council, preferably beginning six months before the course starts and continuing at least until clinical work is completed. The cost of psychotherapy is not included in the course fee and is by private arrangement with the psychotherapist. The course tutor can help you find suitable vacancies with a psychotherapist if required.
Year three
Dissertation
Three or four seminars are held in the autumn term of the third year to help you develop a dissertation proposal which is then submitted for approval. You will be required to work independently, but with a dissertation supervisor, over the spring term to write a dissertation, usually based on your clinical work in the preceding years, for submission at the beginning of the summer term.
Academic award
Upon successful completion of this course you will be awarded an MA, accredited by the University of Essex. The following intermediate award is also available:
- Postgraduate Diploma
Professional accreditation
This course is accredited by the British Psychoanalytic Council as Part One: Qualifying Course in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy.
For information on the Part Two: Qualifying Course in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, click here .
Why study with us?
This course will:
- Provide you with an opportunity to explore whether they may wish to pursue further training in psychoanalytic psychotherapy.
- Help you to gain a deeper understanding of your clinical work and dynamics in clinical settings through approaching these from a psychoanalytic point of view. This can be taken back to work situations and applied in a range of settings other than actual psychotherapy.
Assessment
Written assignments, clinical assessments (where relevant) and a dissertation. There are no written examinations for this course.
Attendance
Wednesdays, weekly.
Duration
Two years, part-time.
Entry requirements
- Good honours degree
- Professional qualification in mental health OR
- Significant clinical experience in mental health (at least one year paid) without professional qualification
Applicants from non-clinical backgrounds will usually be expected to have completed D12 (full course names and links) and D65 alongside a minimum of a six month placement in a psychiatric setting.
Fee
2013/14 Year One - £3,500
2013/14 Year Two - £3,300
2013/14 Year Three - £1,200
Start date
September 2013
Closing date for applications
July 2013
What students say about the course
Course tutor biography
Elizabeth Coates Thummel is a psychoanalyst, Fellow of the British Psychoanalytic Society with a private practice in East London. Prior to training as a psychoanalyst she graduated in Philosophy and Politics and worked as a social worker in child psychiatry and later as an expert in court proceedings. She has many years’ experience of clinical work in a variety of settings in the public sector and NHS and has taught on several postgraduate courses.
How to apply
Applications are now open. Please click here to begin your application.
