Program Overview

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Would you like to build on your clinical training by learning about research methods and then applying this to a topic of your choice? If so, you can study at the Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic studies at the University of Essex, where we have an established tradition of combining clinical thinking with research expertise. This allows you to further your own professional development, explore the area of greatest interest to you and make an original contribution to the development of your profession. Our professional doctorates constitute the academic and research component, building on what you have already studied and achieved in your professional training. The Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies is uniquely positioned to offer a professional doctorate of this kind. The department has a long and rich history of bringing clinicians and researchers from a wide range of orientations into fruitful collaboration and has a thriving research community. On this programme you will have access, alongside the specific course content, to all elements of the department’s provision, bringing you into contact with leading practitioners and researchers in your field as well as an exciting group of both staff and student researchers in related areas. This degree constitutes the academic and research top-up for graduates with at least masters-level training in psychodynamic counselling of at least 3 years’ duration. It will also support students towards personal BACP accreditation. There are few comparable doctorates available. This course enables those who have already completed a full relevant training to add the academic and research component to gain a doctorate and to contribute to the field. The course aims to provide you with relevant knowledge and skills so that you can conduct a rigorous piece of original research in the field of psychodynamic counselling. This could be theoretical/literature-based or empirical, employing qualitative or quantitative methodologies. The aim of the taught first year is to enable you, a qualified Psychodynamic Counsellor, graduate of an MA/MSc Psychodynamic training, to make the transition from practitioner to researcher, to decide on your research question, design and methodology and to prepare for your empirical project. Assignments in the first year are all directly connected to and will provide elements of the final thesis. In years 2 and 3 you will be supported in supervision and workshops in conducting your individual doctoral research project. To arrange an informal conversation, please email Professor Sue Kegerreis or Dr Deborah Wright Why we're great.

• Our research and teaching is deeply grounded in knowledge deriving from clinical practice, to which our highest standards of academic thinking are then applied.
• Access to many of Freud’s letters and works in the ‘Special Collections’ housed in the University of Essex Library as well as use of the library services including PEBWEB access.
• Be part of a strong department and international Research Community and benefit from many events throughout the year.

Our expert staff

Within our Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies , you will be allocated a supervisor whose role it is to guide you through the different stages of your research degree. In some cases, you may have joint supervision by two members of our staff (which may include co-supervision from colleagues located in another department). The support provided by your supervisor is a key feature of your research student experience and you will have regular one-to-one meetings to discuss progress on your research. Once a year you you will have a supervisory panel meeting involving one or two additional staff, which provides a more formal opportunity to discuss your progress and agree your plans for the next phase of your work.

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Specialist facilities

If you are studying within our Department, you will have access to our extensive facilities to aid your learning and research. In particular, our Albert Sloman Library is well stocked with books, journals, electronic resources and major archives relevant to our work and, in addition, we have our own library of specialist books and journals.