Masters Degrees (Psychodynamic Psychotherapy)

Accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, this part-time, day-time course teaches you the essential knowledge and skills of psychodynamic counselling, with particular emphasis on its application to children and adolescents. It establishes an understanding of psychoanalytic-based theory and covers the technical processes of counselling children and adolescents, while developing the personal and professional awareness required for effective practice as defined by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.

Years 1 and 2 are classroom-based and incorporate individual work experience. A supervised placement in a counselling agency starts in Year 2 and continues in Year 3 with more intensive supervision.

On successful completion of this course, you will possess a comprehensive understanding of the basic theoretical and practical principles of psychodynamic counselling and understand the institutional dynamics which affect the provision and practice of psychodynamic counselling. You will have developed your ability to work as a psychodynamic counsellor at an appropriate professional standard with children and adolescents. You will also understand, and know how to use, psychoanalytic and psychodynamic principles to increase knowledge of both theory and practice, of personality development, of the inner and outer worlds of the child and adolescent, and of the institutional and group influences on personal development. You will possess high-level skills for thinking psychodynamically about counselling issues, and making professional communications about counselling work, and display a capacity for self-reflection, especially knowledge of your inner world and how it impacts on counselling work, and your role in groups and institutions.

Why study this course at Birkbeck?

Emphasis on how organisations and groups function, which will enable you to understand and manage professional settings and relationships.
In-depth psychodynamic study of childhood and adolescence developmental issues.
Accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.
Attracts people from a range of backgrounds, including educational, medical, field and residential social work, youth work and voluntary agencies.
You will have access to both the Birkbeck Library and Senate House Library. All postgraduates at Birkbeck benefit from a wide range of advantages related to the central location of the College, its varied and rich postgraduate life and the diversity of overlapping Master’s programmes. If required, you have access to courses on study skills offered by the College.

Our research

Birkbeck is one of the world’s leading research-intensive institutions. Our cutting-edge scholarship informs public policy, achieves scientific advances, supports the economy, promotes culture and the arts, and makes a positive difference to society.

Birkbeck’s research excellence was confirmed in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework, which placed Birkbeck 30th in the UK for research, with 73% of our research rated world-leading or internationally excellent.

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This programme provides you with a broad understanding of the theories and practices of dance movement therapy necessary for safe and effective clinical work, and enables you to practise as a dance movement therapist- http://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/ma-dance-movement-psychotherapy/

Your learning will be underpinned by the principles and practices of psychodynamic psychotherapy within the social, political and multicultural context of mental health care and educational settings. Study is informed by contemporary dance practice, Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) and somatic bodywork.

Through theoretical studies, movement observation studies, dance practice workshops, clinical work and experiential learning, you integrate cognitive understanding and practical experience with a developing awareness of self and other.

The nature of the therapeutic relationship is explored in depth through movement and dance and you have the opportunity to put your learning into practice through at least 90 days of supervised placements. This gives you the opportunity to relate your practical experience to your theoretical studies.

You'll be encouraged to develop your own dance/movement practice and to situate your work in relation to your development as a therapist, to contemporary dance and movement practice. You're required to be in personal therapy throughout the programme.

On graduation you are eligible to become a registered professional member of the Association for Dance Movement Psychotherapy (ADMP UK).

Follow us on Facebook for more about the MA, including photos of our graduate show.

Dance Movement Psychotherapy Taster Evenings, 6pm–9pm

Come along to one of our taster evenings to find out more about the programme. They are taking place on:

Monday 7 December 2015
Tuesday 16 February 2016
Monday 9 May 2016

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Caroline Frizell.

Modules & Structure

The MA in Dance Movement Psychotherapy programme is made up of 240 credits and provides you with a broad understanding of the theories and practices of Dance Movement Psychotherapy necessary for safe and effective clinical work as a Dance Movement Psychotherapist.

It aims to enhance your self-knowledge and interpersonal relationships and to promote your psychodynamic understanding of individuals, groups and society; working with questions of difference, equality and diversity.

Your learning is underpinned by the principles and practices of psychodynamic psychotherapy within the social, political and multicultural context of mental health care and educational settings, and informed by contemporary dance practice and Laban Movement Analysis (LMA). On successful completion of the MA you will be able to apply to the Association of Dance Movement Psychotherapists UK for registration.

Theory and Practice of Dance Movement Psychotherapy 1- 45 credits
Experiential Learning 1- 30 credits
Clinical Placement 1- 45 credits
Theory and Practice of Dance Movement Psychotherapy 2- 60 credits
Experiential Learning 2- 15 credits
Clinical Placement 2- 45 credits

Assessment

Coursework; mid-course case study; final clinical report; placement portfolios.

Skills

The programme enables you to develop:

research skills
understanding of research methodologies
critical evaluation skills in visual, oral and written forms

Careers

Our graduates go on to complete post-doctoral studies, take part in funded projects, progress in their careers, and undergo career changes.

Funding

Please visit http://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/fees-funding/ for details.

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Based on the idea that mental illness is to some extent the result of repressed negative experience, psychodynamic counselling aims to expose the contents of a client's unconscious to make him or her aware of any underlying psychological conflicts.
It prioritises the therapeutic relationship and draws from the work of psychoanalysts such as Freud, Klein, Winnicott and Bion, as well as more contemporary thinkers such as Lacan, Bowlby, Kohut, Mitchell and Benjamin.

The postgraduate diploma teaches models of both long-and short-term counselling, the second of which is particularly relevant to NHS work and employee counselling schemes. It stresses the importance of developing counselling awareness through practice in workshops and provides a sound theoretical foundation to the psychodynamic approach.

The course is accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and therefore recognised as preparing students for work as a professional counsellor. The university itself is an organisational member of the BACP as well as the Universities Psychotherapy and Counselling Association (UCPA).

Course structure

The courses are taught on a semester system with two semesters each year.

In addition to academic study, you will need to complete 100 hours of supervised counselling practice in an approved clinical practice agency, for example at the Rock Clinic or Sussex University counselling service.

You also need to undertake a course of personal therapy that lasts for the duration of the course, from October of year 1 to June of year 2, and we recommend that you factor in the cost of this therapy before your application.

Assessment consists of four essays and three case studies. You will also keep a professional log of your clinical work and maintain a personal journal.

Areas of study

The course contains four major elements: academic and professional studies, practical training, training supervision, and personal growth and development. A strong theoretical knowledge is of great importance and considerable weight is given to canonical writers. The seminars provide a broad overview of the reading material and invite you to reflect further on it.

Psychodynamic counsellors rely on their own feelings to help make sense of the moment-by-moment changes in client sessions. This process underlies the need for a certain level of self-awareness and maturity, hence why personal growth and development is the fourth key strand on the course. This is partly met through personal development groups and partly through your own counselling or therapy.

Syllabus

Year 1 modules:

Introduction to Psychodynamic Counselling Theory: Human Growth and Development
Themes in Professional Practice
Psychodynamic Counselling Workshops
Personal Development Groups

Year 2 modules:

Psychodynamic Counselling Practice 1
Psychodynamic Counselling Practice 2
Critical Perspectives in Psychodynamic Counselling
Research Methods for Counselling and Psychotherapy
Personal Development Groups

Completion of the Postgraduate Diploma allows continuation (after successful application) on to our Psychotherapy MSc

Careers and employability

The postgraduate diploma has an excellent reputation in the locality and our students have gone on to hold counselling posts across the public, private and voluntary sectors. Others have progressed to further training or used their counselling skills in their existing professions.

If you enjoy the course and are interested in further study, you may want to consider our Psychotherapy MSc, to which all successful graduates of the PGDip are eligible to apply.

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There are many different types of counselling, each based on their own concepts and orientations.

Psychodynamic counselling has been taught at Birkbeck now for over 40 years. Those who laid the foundations for this course had a strong commitment to promoting the value of psychodynamic counselling, which offers a model for understanding the human personality and how it develops; our network of relationships and how we interact with others; how psychological problems may originate and the repetitive patterns that maintain them; and how personal change takes place.

Why study this course at Birkbeck?

Emphasis on how organisations and groups function, which will enable you to understand and manage professional settings and relationships.
Accredited by the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy.
Counselling courses have been running at Birkbeck for over 40 years and have built up a reputation among employers for their high quality.
Offers an in-depth training in psychodynamic counselling and psychotherapy.
You have access to Birkbeck Library and courses on study skills.
You also have access to a range of lectures, seminars and workshops, feature world-renowned speakers and academics, organised by the Department of Psychosocial Studies and other events in the College.

Our research

Birkbeck is one of the world’s leading research-intensive institutions. Our cutting-edge scholarship informs public policy, achieves scientific advances, supports the economy, promotes culture and the arts, and makes a positive difference to society.

Birkbeck’s research excellence was confirmed in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework, which placed Birkbeck 30th in the UK for research, with 73% of our research rated world-leading or internationally excellent.

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Reflecting current developments in the field, this postgraduate diploma provides quality training in an Integrative approach to Psychotherapy. It is offered part-time and is suitable for those in employment. It will provide students with a constructive and challenging learning experience which develops interconnectedness of theory, practice, research, self-awareness and personal development. It offers trainee psychotherapists a sound experience for the development of an Integrative approach that forms a critical basis for practice and has ethical and professional integrity. It aims to develop practitioners who are competent to offer high-quality Integrative Psychotherapy in a variety of contexts, appropriate to the needs of the client, organisation and society.

INDUSTRY LINKS

This is a BACP accredited professional psychotherapy training, which enables those who successfully complete it to practice as a psychotherapist.

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND ASSESSMENT

The learning environment will be student-centred, using and sharing students' experiences to aid the learning process and encourage independent learning. Participants and tutors are co-learners. A diverse range of learning and teaching methodologies will be used, including student-led seminars, group discussion, group and individual psychotherapy practice and observation, the use of audio and DVD recording, case studies and discussion, experiential exercises, lectures, guest speakers and supervised practice.

The residential is assessed by a reflexive essay and tutor observation. Students are required to pass the observation before commencement of the course.

In the first year, students are required to submit a theoretical essay, a critique of a research paper, a DVD recording and evaluation, an ethics essay, a reflexive statement and a student-led presentation. There is also an end of year viva, or oral exam, with a personal tutor, which is based on a personal development statement that the student makes.

In the second year, students are required to submit a Case Study, an audio tape and self-evaluation, a reflexive practitioner extended essay, practice portfolio and a student-led presentation and include an account of their clinical supervision.

In the third year, students are required to submit a research proposal and a Masters dissertation.

FURTHER INFORMATION

UCLan’s Postgraduate Diploma in Integrative Psychotherapy is BACP accredited and those who successfully complete the Postgraduate Diploma are entitled to practice as psychotherapists. This course provides quality professional training in Integrative Psychotherapy. It will provide students with a constructive and challenging learning experience which develops interconnectedness of theory, practice, research, self-awareness and personal development. It offers trainee psychotherapists a sound experience for the development of an Integrative approach to Psychotherapy that forms a critical basis for practice and has ethical and professional integrity. It aims to develop practitioners who are competent to offer high-quality Integrative Psychotherapy in a variety of contexts, appropriate to the needs of the client, organisation and society.

The course is divided into five main areas:
-Integrative Psychotherapy theory that builds in Year 1 from a relational and phenomenological base, drawing on key influences from the Gestalt/Dialogic, Person Centred, Emotionally Focused Therapy. In Year 2 Psychodynamic and Intersubjective influences on therapeutic process are also drawn on, as well as a consideration of the existential and transpersonal dimensions of the therapeutic relationship. Students are facilitated to establish an approach to Integrative Psychotherapeutic practice via established models (Gelso and Carter, Clarkson), supported by research, awareness and skills.
-Personal Development is interwoven in the experiential nature of the course and processed throughout. There is also a Personal Development Group every week in the first two years.
-Professional Development which includes the BACP Ethical Framework, practice-based research, note-taking, supervision, issues of difference, gender, race, sexuality, spirituality, disability, and psychotherapy contexts and themes.
-Professional Practice, which includes the use of DVDs, small group work, triads, peer and tutor observation, and a supervised placement of a minimum of 100 hours in an approved setting.
-Research via a critique of a research paper, the study of research methodology, a small research project and the writing of a dissertation in the third year. Current research is imparted throughout the course.

The first two years of the program constitute the post graduate diploma in integrative psychotherapy. The successful completion of the postgraduate diploma will enable students to claim the status of a graduate of a BACP accredited training course.

The MA dissertation may then be undertaken by those students who are able to continue, having gained at least a merit in the post graduate diploma, and who wish to undertake postgraduate research.

Applicants must be aware that Accreditation of Prior Learning is not permitted on this course.

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The University of Roehampton Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy MA is a three-year part-time postgraduate course.

Students complete a range of taught classes along with practical workshops and training. The course awards a full UK Master of Arts degree.

Summary

This programme provides the training in counselling and psychotherapy necessary to become eligible for BACP (British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy) individual practitioner accreditation.

The course, accredited by the BACP, is based on an integrative relational approach to counselling and psychotherapy, which has been developed over many years by our cutting-edge teaching team. Our integrative approach, at the forefront of counselling and psychotherapy theory, practice and research, incorporates aspects from three main therapeutic traditions; person-centred, cognitive and psychodynamic. You will be encouraged to explore psychological processes and experiences from these different perspectives, and recognise the theoretical, personal and cultural assumptions which influence your work.

As well as cognitive and reflective skills, you will also learn practical ways of working with your clients in a therapeutic relationship to address conscious and unconscious needs and produce a change in emotional and cognitive processes and behaviour. This involves integrating complex and advanced skills, and responding creatively to complex, novel and unpredictable situations.

Our teaching includes life-span developmental theories, therapeutic skills practice in small groups, supervision of client work in small groups, critical analysis of approaches and research into counselling and psychotherapy. You will develop a critical understanding of the role of research in the development of the counselling and psychotherapeutic disciplines, and be able to incorporate research knowledge into clinical practice. You are required to be in personal therapy throughout the course, which will help you to develop a high level of awareness of self and the therapeutic process, to be able to use this constructively in therapeutic encounters. You will be equipped with the necessary skills to work with a wide range of people with a range of psychological issues in a variety of settings.

Content

The Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy programme is taught by means of interactive lectures and seminars, experiential skills workshops, small clinical supervision groups, and personal development work. Much of your learning will be by a process of reflection on the experience of skills practiced and the use of demonstration, observation, self, peer and tutor feedback as well as a more traditional academic study.

The course emphasises the central importance of the therapeutic relationship, and builds your understanding of a variety of theories and practices, to make informed choices about therapeutic interventions suitable for the problems which clients present. Central to developing your therapeutic skills is a sustained effort of attunement to the client as well as openness to and awareness of their and your internal processes. As well as having a theoretical understanding of these processes, from the first year you will have modules allowing you the opportunity to practice your counselling skills.

Later modules in the course will familiarise you with a variety of forms of psychological assessment, so that you are able to critically evaluate the appropriateness and limitations of the procedures and underlying concepts. As many students will go on to work in a multidisciplinary team, in particular within the NHS, they need to have an understanding and working knowledge of psychiatric diagnoses and classification systems, while being aware of their acknowledge limits and critiques.

You will have the opportunity to work with a placements co-ordinator to find a suitable counselling/psychotherapy placement in which to gain the depth and range of experience necessary to become a competent practitioner. Information on over 500 different counselling placements is available.

Funding

The following postgraduate funding may be available to study the Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy MA at The University of Roehampton.

UK postgraduate loans:

• English Postgraduate Loans – Offering up to £10,280 for eligible UK or EU students ordinarily resident in England, or EU students moving to England to study.
• Welsh Postgraduate Loans – Offering up to £10,280 for eligible UK or EU students ordinarily resident in Wales.
• Scottish Postgraduate Loans – Offering up to £10,000 for eligible UK or EU students ordinarily resident in Scotland.
• Northern Irish Postgraduate Loans – Offering up to £5,500 for eligible UK or EU students ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland.

Erasmus funding:

• Erasmus Masters Loans – Offering up to €18,000 for eligible students to study a Masters abroad.

Funding from FindAMasters:

• FindAMasters Scholarships – Offering up to £5,000 to new UK, EU and international postgraduates. 

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This counselling course is accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and emphasises the integration of theory, research, practice, and self-awareness to help you develop and train to become a competent and ethically-sound counsellor.

The PG Diploma Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy has been designed to serve as professional qualification for students seeking a career as a qualified counsellor/psychotherapist working in the statutory and voluntary sectors, in business or private practice. The course is part of a group of counselling courses delivered at the University of South Wales, which have an established national reputation for excellence.

The core integrative model taught is based on the relational approach comprising of three main elements: the Contemporary Relational Psychodynamic Approach, a Humanisitic-Existential approach and third wave elements of Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy within a post modern/social constructionist overarching framework. The course facilitates students in developing a critical understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of integrative counselling practice, with a view to them developing their own coherent, ethical and effective approach to counselling practice, which can be adapted for use in a wide range of work settings for short term and long term work. You will also be taken on a journey of self-discovery as the programme demands a high level of reflection and self-awareness.

See the website http://courses.southwales.ac.uk/courses/1756-pg-diploma-integrative-counselling-and-psychotherapy

What you will study

The Postgraduate Diploma focuses on training as an integrative counselling and psychotherapy practitioner. On successful completion, you will be ready to work as a trained Integrative therapist.

Year One:
- Integrative Counselling Skills and Practice: Introduces the core model of the course and provides foundation theory & skills in humanistic/existential and relational psychodynamic counselling practice.

- Applied Integrative Practice: Introduces the foundations theory and skills of Cognitive Behavioural counselling and Mindfulness. Students learn to integrate these approaches in applied practice with client issues.

- Personal Development & Counselling Practice: This module runs throughout the year and places emphasis on personal development group work and skills practice within a sound ethical framework.

Year Two:
- Advanced Integrative Theory & Skills Practice: This module aims to further develop students understanding of core integrative theory taught in the course and how theoretical ideas can be applied to practice. Advanced research practices are introduced with a view to students being able to use research to inform their practice.

- Advanced Applied Practice: The emphasis of this module is on applied practice: showing students how the core integrative model taught can be used to work ethically with the range of client issues typically found in professional counselling practice. Research development is consolidated through students conducting a small-scale piece of research.

- Advanced Personal Development & Counselling Practice: This module runs throughout the year and places emphasis on personal development group work and skills practice within a sound ethical framework.

The Postgraduate Diploma is part of a three year MA Programme. After successful completion of the Diploma stage, which is two years, you can choose whether to proceed to the final Masters year.

Learning and teaching methods

Classes include interactive theoretical lectures, experiential workshops, personal development groups, role plays, skills groups, digital recording of skills sessions for assessment and presentations. In addition, you will need to be in placement seeing ‘real’ clients for the duration of the course and will have to have completed a minimum of 100 hours counselling practice by the end of the two years.

Attendance:
This course takes 2 years part-time to complete.

The PG Diploma is taught over 30 days each academic year. For the 2014/15 academic year the main teaching day will be on a Wednesday. Year one of the programme starts with a two-day block (Wednesday 24th & Thursday 25th September) and finishes with a two-day block (Wednesday & Thursday) at the end of May. In addition, students will be required to attend a weekend workshop each academic year (in year one, this is residential) and two one-day summer workshops. We expect that students attend all teaching sessions, and there is a minimum requirement of 80% attendance in order to complete the course successfully.

Work Experience and Employment Prospects

While more practice experience will be required to build the hours to achieve personal BACP accreditation, having successfully completed the formal training hours and assignments, graduates of the course will be ready to look for work in the field of counselling and psychotherapy.

Former students from the course have enhanced their career profile within their current employment or found new positions in the voluntary sector, in health settings, in Higher or Further Education, in Employment Assistance Programmes (EAPs), in business and in private practice. It is also possible to undertake further specialised training in order to work with children and young people, or to apply for a research PhD.

Assessment methods

A range of assessments are used at the PG Diploma stage of this course to test your knowledge, skills, self awareness and practice ability.

Year One: Two essays, Two skills assessments, practice portfolio, research presentation, personal development review and a supervisor’s report

Year Two: A skills assessment, a case study with client audio, an in-class research project and a research portfolio, a personal development review and a supervisor’s report.

Facilities

We offer a suite of five spacious, dedicated rooms used by the counselling / psychotherapy courses, and a digital recording system for use in class.

Personal Therapy

Students on the Postgraduate Diploma Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy are encouraged to have therapy to help with their personal and professional development as a counsellor. A course requirement is that students have a minimum of 10 hours personal therapy for each of the two academic years.

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The Psychotherapy MSc allows graduates of our postgraduate diplomas in psychotherapeutic counselling to further their professional and academic training.
The MSc involves two further years of study in which you build on your chosen theoretical base and develop ways of working with complex presentations of human distress. You also develop skills in research design and implementation specific to the profession of psychotherapy.

The course is a unique opportunity to undertake a more general psychotherapy training, building on the cross-modality philosophy and approach of the practitioners in the counselling and psychotherapy division at Brighton.

Syllabus

You are required to regularly undertake supervised clinical practice under a supervisor in an approved setting . You must also take weekly psychotherapy yourself with an UKCP psychotherapist. Membership to the UPCA is required from the start of the course.

Modules:

Psychotherapy Practice and Models of Change
Complex Presentations in Psychotherapy
Systemic Interventions: Theory and Practice
CBT and the Relational Paradigm
Dissertation

Careers and employability

The MSc will qualify you to work as a psychotherapist in either humanistic or psychodynamic counselling, depending on your chosen specialism.

To facilitate your career progression, we recommend that you join the main local counselling organisation, Sussex Counselling, which provides a professional network as well as regular seminars and workshops.

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The British Psychotherapy Foundation, in partnership with the University of Exeter, is now offering a three year programme of qualifying training as a Psychodynamic Psychotherapist, uniquely designed to accommodate trainees from across the UK.

The programme offers an excellent standard of academic and clinical teaching delivered by experienced psychoanalytic psychotherapy practitioners, academics and researchers. The first two years of the programme consists of academic and clinical work leading to the award of a Masters in Psychological Therapies. Successful completion of a minimum of a third year of clinical training leads to qualification as a Psychodynamic Psychotherapist competent to work independently, membership of the British Psychotherapy Foundation and registration as a Psychodynamic Psychotherapist with the British Psychoanalytic Council.

The MSc may also be taken as a free standing programme. Successful completion of the MSc also makes participants eligible to apply for the Doctor of Clinical Practice programme and in this way continue their academic studying in a way that is complementary to their clinical work. Apply Applications are invited from suitably qualified and experienced people seeking either to deepen their understanding of the application of psychoanalytically informed ideas and clinical practice within their own Mental health professional Discipline or to continue training to become a Qualified Psychodynamic Psychotherapist. Applicants who are unsure as to whether their existing qualifications and experience make them eligible to apply, or who would like advice on how to gain the necessary prerequisites should contact the programme lead to discuss.

The programme is particularly orientated to people who have an existing mental health qualification, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and nurses. However, applications will also be considered from other suitably qualified and experienced people. To take part on this course applicants must have an Undergraduate Degree (or equivalent) and must also have suitable clinical experience.

Find out more about the MSc Psychological Therapies Practice and Research (Psychodynamic/Psychoanalytic Therapy) programme http://cedar.exeter.ac.uk/programmes/mscptprpsychodynamic/.

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Do you want to pursue further training as a psychodynamic counsellor? Are you looking to broaden and deepen your practice?

This course offers a professional qualification to work therapeutically with children and adolescents. You gain thorough theoretical and practical training, including a supervised placement, enabling you to qualify as a counsellor.

There are three training routes to the final qualification of MA Psychodynamic Counselling. The first year is provided by the Graduate Diploma, where you are learn about psychodynamic theory and its applications. If you're a psychology graduate, this is the ideal next step if you wish to progress in the field of psychodynamic counselling. It also provides a route to a counselling and psychotherapy qualification for professionals, such as teachers, social workers, nurses and care workers.

Those who have a suitable diploma from elsewhere or who have completed our FdA/BA Therapeutic Communication and Therapeutic Organisations (TCTO) can potentially omit the Graduate Diploma year and be accepted into the second year.

In the second year, you work towards our MA Psychodynamic Counselling. You receive clinical training to work with children and adolescents and the clinical experience through placements in agencies such as schools, voluntary organisations or other support services.

A requirement of this course is that you are in personal therapy or counselling on a weekly basis.

A variant offering training in work with adults is potentially available but is not currently expected to run in 2016/17.

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Are you interested in how people develop and how they relate to each other, both personally and in organisations? Do you want to make a start on pursuing a training to work therapeutically with children and adolescents/adults?

Taught at our Colchester Campus, this course offers a grounding in psychodynamic theory and its applications. It can be pursued in its own right if you're interested in the psychodynamic approach but also constitutes the first year of our Grad Dip/MA training in Psychodynamic Counselling (if you have taken our FdA/BA Therapeutic Communication and Therapeutic Organisations (TCTO) course you can enter the MA direct).

If you're a psychology graduate, this course is the ideal next step if you wish to progress in the field of psychodynamic counselling. It also provides a route to a counselling and psychotherapy qualification for professionals, such as teachers, social workers, nurses and care workers.

It is not possible to study via distance learning on this course.

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This programme will provide you with a broad understanding of the theories and practices of art psychotherapy necessary for safe and effective clinical work- http://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/ma-art-psychotherapy/

The Masters enables you to practice as an art therapist in the NHS, Social Services, and educational establishments, and to become a practitioner registered with the British Association of Art Therapists and eligible to apply for registration with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC).

Your learning is underpinned by the principles and practices of psychodynamic psychotherapy practised within the context of mental health care, and informed by contemporary art practice.

Via theoretical studies, clinical work and experiential learning you will integrate cognitive understanding and practical experience with a developing awareness of self and other. The nature of the therapeutic relationship between client, their art work, and the art therapist is explored, and you have the opportunity to put your learning into practice through two 60-day placements which are supervised and supported in-depth.

You are encouraged to develop your own art practice and to situate your work in relationship to your development as a therapist, to contemporary art practice and to psychoanalytic theories. You must be in personal therapy throughout the programme.

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Dr Sally Skaife.

Modes of study

The MA in Art Psychotherapy is a course that leads to successful applicants becoming eligible to apply for registration as an Arts Therapist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), the body which regulates and monitors standards of practice in the public sector. The programme can be studied in two modes - full-time for 2 years or part-time for 3 years. A clear indication of the mode chosen should be stated on application forms.

Full-time study

Year 1: all day Monday and Tuesday in college. Clinical placement days are usually Thursday and Friday. One day should be set aside for on-going studio practice where possible.

Years 2: all day Tuesday in college plus two days clinical placement to be arranged on other days – usually two consecutive days and these are negotiated with your placement. There are also three two day blocks of time for experiential groups (Mondays and Tuesdays). One day should be set aside for on-going studio practice where possible.

Part-time study

Year 1: all day Monday and Tuesday in college. One day should be set aside for on-going studio practice where possible.

Year 2: all day Tuesday in college plus two days clinical placement to be arranged on other days – usually two consecutive days. There are also three two day blocks of time for experiential groups. One day should be set aside for on-going studio practice where possible.

Year 3: Half a day in college on Tuesdays with some full-time Tuesdays (the yearly timetable will have details of which Tuesdays are half day or full day), plus, two days clinical placement to be arranged on other days – usually two consecutive days. One day should be set aside for on-going studio practice where possible.

Personal therapy

It's a mandatory aspect of the course that all students must be in personal therapy for the duration of their training. Therapy may be on a group or individual basis and can be art therapy or verbal psychotherapy.

Skills

The MA will develop skills including:

the ability to work with a range of client populations
an understanding of psychodynamic concepts
development of your own art practice
Careers
Completion of the programme provides eligibility for the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration as an art psychotherapist.

Our graduates are invariably seen as offering a valuable and unique service to their clients and to the multidisciplinary teams in which they work – graduates have gone on to practice as art psychotherapists in the NHS, social services and in the education sector.

Funding

Please visit http://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/fees-funding/ for details.

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Summary

This course is designed for experienced artists and professionals who have worked within a clinical setting and would like to build a rewarding career as an art psychotherapist.

You will be taught by leading experts who will equip you with the skills, experience, and confidence to work as an art psychotherapist in challenging, yet rewarding environments. Our graduating students are eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC). Registered practitioners work in a variety of different settings including psychiatric hospitals, social services departments, special education, prisons and the voluntary sector.

Our comprehensive programme is divided into three areas covering theory, experiential learning and work placement experience. The theoretical aspect covers child developmental and psychodynamic principles alongside art therapy theory and Jungian analytical psychology. This perspective is located within the larger field of analytical psychotherapy and provides you with an in-depth theoretical underpinning that informs clinical practice.

A vital part of the programme is a supervised clinical placement which allows you to complete one hundred mandatory days of practice during your training. Placements are available in a variety of settings that include mental health (both in the NHS and other psychiatric hospitals and day centres), disabilities services or in hospitals or social services, special education, or a range of other settings.

Content

The course is divided into three distinct areas; theory, which will develop your understanding as it relates to clinical practice, experiential learning where you will engage in art therapeutic processes to develop an understanding of the discipline from the inside while developing your identity as an artist, and lastly, a work placement. You will also get the opportunity to collaborate with the other students within the arts and play therapies in workshops and shared modules.

Our full-time course starts with an intensive week followed by two taught days, two further days of clinical placement and one day for studio practice per week. The part-time route starts with an intensive week followed by one day per week in University and a minimum of one further day on clinical placement. You will need to complete one hundred days of supervised clinical practice over the duration of the programme. You will also attend weekly personal therapy which is compulsory to become a professional registered practitioner.

We also offer introductory courses which provide a useful background in related professions. For more information on our Introduction Courses, Summer Schools and Foundation Course in Art Psychotherapy, see our Psychology Short Courses.

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Additional Entry requirements:

Normally a minimum of one year’s full-time experience (or p/t equivalent) of work in a caring capacity or equivalent. Relevant care work includes: nursing assistant, project worker, arts instructor, care work in a community setting, art teaching, or facilitating art workshops. Some experience of personal art psychotherapy or psychodynamic psychotherapy, or experiential workshops in creative therapies is desirable. In the absence of a degree, work experience of 8-10 years in one position will be considered for entry.

International: Where your honours degree has not been studied in English, you will be required to provide evidence of English language competence at no less than IELTS 7.0 and no individual component score below 6.5.

Interview:

Home applicants are expected to attend an interview at QMU and will be required to submit their art portfolio electronically. Interviews will take place normally between December and May.  Interviews for international students will be conducted over Skype.

Criminal records check:

A satisfactory criminal records check will be required

Course Description:

The discipline of art psychotherapy draws upon the visual arts, psychotherapy and psychology and is applied within psychiatry, special  education, social services and the voluntary sector. Art psychotherapists work with individuals, groups and communities. Art psychotherapists enable clients to access their own image-making abilities. The therapist and their client jointly explore the meaning of the process and image/art object in the light of personal experiences and/or interpersonal relationships that may sometimes be distressing or troubling. The aim is to facilitate the intra-personal and interpersonal communication of experiences that the client may initially find difficulty in discussing verbally.

The art psychotherapist’s task is to support processes of emotional integration by providing a safe, reliable and containing therapeutic environment within which the client can create and use art making to develop insight and promote change.  This course is designed for people who usually have at least one year’s experience of, or are currently, working in a caring capacity such as psychiatry, special education, social services and the voluntary sector.

Teaching, learning and assessment

You will attend classes, work in groups and carry out independent learning. Assessment methods include reports, essays, and presentations. Each year group contains 25-30 students. However, most classes take the form of supervision, seminar, lectures and interpersonal learning groups with a maximum of 15 students. You will undertake 110 days supervised practice placement over the training period; placements are allocated by QMU. All students are required to be in personal psychotherapy throughout the duration of the course. Students will attend supervision on site at the practice placement setting and at QMU throughout the training.

Full-time students attend practice placement two days per week and part-time students attend one day per week over two semesters.

Teaching hours and attendance

Year One classes for full-time students take place usually from 9-5pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Year Two classes take place from 9-5pm on Thursdays only. Part-time students attend classes on Tuesdays, 9-5 pm and Wednesdays, 9-1pm for Year One and in Year Two, Wednesdays and Thursday only for Year Three and/or Four of the part-time route. You will also be required to carry out independent learning. Full-time students attend practice placement two days per week and part-time students attend one day per week over two semesters. Part-time students wishing to complete their Clinical Project in Year Four will attend personal academic tutorials by appointment. All students will be required to the training programme. The Art Studio will be open for art practice on Mondays, Fridays and weekends.

Links with industry/ professional bodies

Graduates are eligible for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council as Registered Arts Therapists (Art) and are eligible for full membership of BAAT (British Association of Art Therapists).

Modules

Level 1 (f/t -year 1; p/t-years 1 & 2) Art Psychotherapy Practice Placement 1/ Art Psychotherapy Therapeutic Skills & Inter- Personal Learning Groups 1/ Interdisciplinary Studies 1/ Pre-registration Research Methods

Level 2 (f/t- year 2; p/t- years 3&4) Art Psychotherapy Practice Placement 2/ Interdisciplinary Studies 2 & IPL Groups 2/ Clinical Project.

All modules are 30 credits, except Clinical Project, which is 60 credits.

Careers

Art psychotherapists work with a wide range of clients and communities, individually or with groups, within the public and private sectors throughout the world. The course meets the requirements of the Health and Care Professions Council Standards of Proficiency for Art Therapists. This degree carries 240 credits/120 European Credits which are transferable across Europe and attracts students from all over the world. Graduates work in a wide variety of different settings across the globe including health, education and the voluntary sector.

Quick Facts

• Graduates are eligible for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council UK.
• The course has an international perspective and welcomes students from across the world. 
• It is the only MSc Art Psychotherapy in the UK based in a school of health sciences and includes a strong research component.

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About the course

Clinical Academic Programme -

The academic programme is based on a ‘core competency’ model (BPS, 2007) and comprises four main areas of teaching: Professional Practice and Personal Development; Therapeutic Models and Interventions; Research Methods in Clinical Psychology; and Client Groups and Client Contexts.

Each of these four areas is further divided into a number of specific teaching modules that span the three years of training and correspond as much as possible with the structure and sequence of clinical placements. An awareness of the issues of ethical practice and equality for all is highlighted in all modules. Particular consideration is given to the many ways in which issues relating to diversity and inequality impact on the work of practising clinical psychologists within the lectures, and all lectures are formally evaluated on this by the trainees. Additionally, there are specific lectures considering a wide range of diversity issues within the Clients in Context module taught across the three years.

Four models of psychological therapy are currently taught on the programme: cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), systemic and family psychotherapy, personal construct therapy and psychodynamic psychotherapy. The content of the introductory CBT module is mapped onto the IAPT curriculum to enable trainees to include this in their portfolio of competencies, should they wish to seek employment where this is a specific requirement. More advanced training is provided in the third year of training. A previous trainee recently gained accreditation with the BABCP based on their CBT training at the University of Hertfordshire.

The academic programme is located within the overall programme philosophy which places particular emphasis on incorporating constructivist and social constructionist approaches to conceptualising psychological difficulties and their management. In line with the programme philosophy, an important aim of the academic programme is to train clinical psychologists who can understand and apply a range of psychological theories and approaches to both clinical practice and research. We teach our trainees to draw on multiple theoretical and evidence bases to develop individually tailored assessments, formulations, interventions and evaluations of complex psychological problems. We emphasise the flexibility to adapt and combine different approaches as a key competence, and our curriculum therefore aims to develop a broad, thorough and sophisticated understanding of various psychological theories and therapeutic approaches.

Service User Participation:

The DClinpsych course encourages service user and carers' participation in the training and have established a committee of service users and carers who consult and participate in the training course.

Problem Based learning -

Problem-based learning (PBL) forms an important part of clinical training at the University of Hertfordshire. As part of the academic programme trainees complete a series of small-group based PBL exercises, which aim to promote reflective, collaborative and self-directed learning.

Throughout the three years, trainees also participate in a series of small group discussions to consider academic papers and clinical cases. These discussions provide an academic context for trainees to integrate theory and research, to highlight theory-practice links, and to enable peer review of formulation and intervention plans. More formal case presentations are undertaken in the third year.

A unique feature of our clinical psychology training at UH is the access that our teachers and trainees have to a purpose-built, advanced simulation training centre.

The trainees are regarded as mature students, and for this reason an adult learning model is adopted. In line with this model and the overall programme philosophy, it is recognised that not only do trainees learn in different ways, but also that they can pursue their own perceptions of the material being taught and interpret it for themselves.

In line with HPC requirements for all clinical training programmes, all trainees selected will be informed of the various activities that form part of the academic curriculum (e.g., role-plays, problem-based learning, simulation training, small group discussions, etc). Consent to participate in all aspects of the academic programme will be sought prior to the programme commencing.

How to apply

All applications for funded places to the Doctorate are made through the national Clearing House for Postgraduate Courses in Clinical Psychology (http://www.leeds.ac.uk/chpccp)

Our next intake of Trainees will be at the end of September 2016. Application packs are available from the Clearing House from September 2015, and the deadline for applications is early December 2015.

Each academic year starts at the end of September or beginning of October with a compulsory four-week, full-time introductory block of teaching. This is followed by teaching all day on Thursdays and Fridays during term-time.

We are now accepting self funding trainees from September 2015: See below on how to apply.

Up to two fee-paying places, on our doctoral programme for International, European and British applicants, are available for entry in Autumn 2015. Fee-paying students will follow the same programme of study as trainees with NHS funded places.

Applications for our fee-paying places need to be made directly to the programme, using our application form. The closing date for these applications is 1st March 2016.

Overseas applicants are strongly advised to apply for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) from the British Psychological Society (BPS) before applying. For further details about how to go about this, please view the BPS website.

How to contact us

For further information, please contact the Course Administrators Ms Neeli Clarke ([email protected]) or Catriona Roy ([email protected]) or tel +44 (0)1707 286322 +44 (0)1707 286322

How to find us

We are based in the Health Research Building on the College Lane Campus. Where to find us - http://www.herts.ac.uk/contact-us/where-to-find-us/college-lane-maps-and-directions

Why choose this course?

The course has a particular remit to train clinical psychologists to take up NHS positions. Clinical psychologists working in the region support the course, and many are working in collaboration with the Programme Team to provide placement supervision, research supervision, teaching and skills workshops.
The DClinPsy Trainees attend the University for their lectures, seminars and tutor support, but also spend approximately three days per week on their clinical placements.

Careers

In line with the concept of the "scientist-practitioner", the programme of research aims to equip trainees with the knowledge and skills required to undertake high-quality research, appraise literature critically, and adopt an evidence-based approach to clinical practice, where possible. It also aims to foster in trainees an awareness of the need for, and motivation to undertake, research in clinical settings - both during their placements and after qualification - to contribute to the evidence base of the profession.

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