MA Psychodynamic Counselling & Psychotherapy

This programme is ideal if you wish to qualify and pursue a career as a professional counsellor. It's designed to enable you to develop as a reflective counselling practitioner.

• This is a psychodynamic course that gives you solid theoretical foundations, as well as basic counselling skills in psychodynamic counselling and psychotherapy.
• It combines classical with contemporary psychodynamic theory and has a strong emphasis on issues relating to diversity and multiculturalism in theory and practice.
• The curriculum focuses on psychodynamic, psychoanalytic and relational psychoanalytic perspectives. Through engagement in a range of learning contexts, including lectures, group seminars, therapeutic skills practice workshops, creative workshops, experiential group work, counselling placements, tutorials, independent study and dissertation supervision, students are supported in developing links between personal, clinical and theoretical knowledge.
• You will be required to be in personal therapy until you complete your second year, and your clinical placement hours – please note this is at your own cost.
• The programme offers a full-time mode of study extending over a minimum of two years and a part-time mode of study extending over a minimum of three years. Both modes of study carry a total of 240 credits on completion, as opposed to the usual 180 for an MA programme.
• On completion of this programme, you will have achieved all the educational requirements to be eligible to apply for personal accreditation with the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Eric Harper.

You should have (or expect to be awarded) an undergraduate degree of at least second class standard in a relevant/related subject and a certificate in Counselling/Counselling Skills as well as experience of working in a counselling-related field or where interpersonal communication skills are central to your role.

We also welcome applications from individuals with relevant work experience. All applicants must have knowledge and/or experience in psychodynamic theory and practice, and provide evidence of this with an up to date CV, references, and personal statement.

You must also be able to demonstrate evidence of the capacity to develop the competencies for professional counselling practice:

• Emotional insight
• Robustness
• Ability to provide a reliable, honest, containing and reflexive relationship to clients

These will be evaluated through the application and interview process. The Admissions Tutor will seek to understand your qualities as a person and assess your suitability to practice with vulnerable clients.

Please note: You must also fulfil our Fitness to Train requirements.

International qualifications

We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.

If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.5 with a 6.5 in writing and no element lower than 6.0 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for postgraduate-level study.

Where this degree can take you

Suitable careers for graduates of this programme include:

• Counselling
• Teaching
• Support and welfare work
• Advocacy and mentoring

Find out more about employability at Goldsmiths.

Skills you'll gain

The programme will enable you to develop:

• Critical thinking, evaluation and interpretation
• Interpersonal and therapeutic skills
• Communication in a range of modes (written, spoken, interpersonal)
• Research skills