Program Overview

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University Program Information

The university offers a wide range of programs, including short and online courses, undergraduate, postgraduate, professional, and research programs.

Subject Areas

• Archaeology and anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • English Local History
• Architectural history
  • Architectural History
  • History of Design
• Business and management
  • Business and management
• Data science, computing, maths
  • Data science, computing, maths
  • Nanotechnology
• Diplomatic studies and law
  • Diplomatic Studies
  • Foundations of Diplomacy Pre-Master's Course
• Economics and politics
  • Economics and politics
• Education and study skills
  • Education
• Environment and sustainability
  • Environment and sustainability
  • Sustainable Urban Development
• History of art
  • History of Art
• History, including local and social
  • History
  • History of Design
• Languages and cultural studies
  • Languages and cultural studies
• Literature, creative writing and film studies
  • Creative Writing
  • English Literature
  • Literature and Arts
• Medical and health sciences
  • Medical and health sciences
  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
  • Evidence-Based Health Care
• Music
  • Music
• Natural sciences
  • Natural sciences
• Philosophy
  • Philosophy
  • Practical Ethics
• Psychology and counselling
  • Psychology and counselling
  • Psychodynamic Counselling
• Religion and theology
  • Theological Studies
• Technology and AI
  • Technology and AI

Course Formats

• Day and weekend events
• In-person learning
• Lecture series
• Online learning
• Professional
• Summer schools
• Weekly learning

Academic Credit

Many courses can be studied for academic credit, which means they can count towards a recognised qualification.

Undergraduate Programs

Certificates

• Archaeology
• Certificate of Higher Education
• English Literature
• History
• History of Art
• Theological Studies

Diplomas

• Archaeology
• Creative Writing
• English Social and Local History
• History of Art

Advanced Diplomas

• British Archaeology
• IT Systems Analysis and Design (Online)
• Local History (Online)

Pre-Master's

• Advanced Pre-sessional Course for Graduate Students (nine weeks, full-time)
• Foundations of Diplomacy Pre-Master's Course (six months, full-time)

Postgraduate Programs

Certificates

• Architectural History
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• Ecological Survey Techniques
• Enhanced Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• Health Research
• Historical Studies
• Nanotechnology
• Patient Safety and Quality Improvement
• Psychodynamic Counselling
• Qualitative Health Research Methods
• Teaching Evidence-Based Health Care

Diplomas

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Severe Mental Health Problems
• Health Research
• International Wildlife Conservation Practice
• Psychodynamic Practice

Master of Studies (MSt)

• Creative Writing
• Diplomatic Studies
• Historical Studies
• History of Design
• Literature and Arts
• Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy
• Practical Ethics
• Psychodynamic Practice

Research Degrees (DPhil)

• Archaeology
• Architectural History
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• English Local History
• Evidence-Based Health Care
• Literature and Arts
• Sustainable Urban Development

Master of Science (MSc)

• Applied Landscape Archaeology
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• English Local History
• Evidence-Based Health Care
• Evidence-Based Health Care Medical Statistics
• Evidence-Based Health Care Systematic Reviews
• Evidence-Based Health Care Teaching and Education
• Experimental and Translational Therapeutics
• Nanotechnology for Medicine and Health Care
• Surgical Science and Practice
• Sustainable Urban Development
• Translational Health Sciences

Professional Programs

Continuing Professional Development

• Business and management
• Cultural heritage
• Data science, computing, maths
• Diplomatic studies
• Education
• Environment and sustainability
• Medical and health sciences
• Nanotechnology and nanomedicine
• Philosophy and ethics
• Psychology and counselling
• Research methods and skills
• Technology and AI
• Urban studies

Research

Research Community

Research at Oxford Lifelong Learning extends across the disciplines and is supported by a research culture that encourages interdisciplinary initiatives.

Research Areas

• Academic staff profiles
• Part-time DPhil programmes
• Research areas
• Research students

Research Forums

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) Steering Group
• Lifelong Learning Pedagogies forum
• Research Ethics Colloquium
• The Vice-Chancellors Colloquium

Psychodynamic Counselling: An Introduction

Course Details

• Code: O25P517PCW
• Credit: 10 CATS points
• Fees: From ｣375.00
• Dates: 20 Jan 2026 - 24 Mar 2026
• Sessions: 10
• Day of week: Tuesday
• Time: 10:00am-12:30pm
• Location: Ewert House, Ewert Place, Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 7DD

Overview

This course introduces key psychodynamic concepts and aspects of clinical practice, with an element of self-reflection connecting to theory and practice.

Programme Details

• Week 1: Beginnings and the nature of psychodynamic counselling
• Week 2: Theory from Freud and Klein, linked to concepts in psychodynamic counselling
• Week 3: Bowlby Attachment Theory, Winnicott object relations 'facilitating environment', Bion the concept of 'Containment'
• Week 4: The setting in counselling, Boundaries, Active listening
• Week 5: The therapeutic relationship, Unconscious communication/processes
• Week 6: Working with 'defences'
• Week 7: Stages of development and the emergence of self
• Week 8: Families from a psychodynamic perspective
• Week 9: Ethics
• Week 10: Endings, Reflecting on the process of ending counselling relationships

Recommended Reading

• Dibs in Search of Self / Axline, Virginia M
• Psychodynamic Counselling in a Nutshell / Howard, Susan
• The Examined Life / Stephen Grosz

Certification

• Credit Accumulation Transfer Scheme (CATS) Points
• Digital Certificate of Completion

Fees

• Course fee (with no assessment): ｣375.00
• Assessment and Accreditation fee: ｣60.00

Funding

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees.

Tutor

• MISS Laura McDonald

Course Aims

To examine, reflect on and integrate theory, self and practice in helping relationships, specifically relating this to the counselling relationship.

Course Objectives

• The nature and key concepts of psychodynamic counselling
• The process and significance of self reflection and self awareness in psychodynamic counselling
• The skills and attributes required to think and work from a psychodynamic approach

Teaching Methods

A wide range of methods will be employed, including case discussion, skills work, lecture input, experiential and reflective exercises in small groups and the larger group.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course students will have an increased understanding of:

• Theories underpinning Psychodynamic thinking from Freud to contemporary schools of thought, concepts and practice
• Certain concepts that underpin psychodynamic thinking: the unconscious, transference and how these aspects may become manifest with clients
• The process of self-reflection, development and change
• The dynamics of inter-personal relations, within the personal and societal domains
• A psychodynamic perspective in relation to cultural and ethical frameworks

Assessment Methods

• Draft for final piece of work, up to 500 words to be submitted to tutor
• A single piece of written work, typically of 1,500 words

Level and Demands

The Department's Weekly Classes are taught at FHEQ Level 4, i.e. first year undergraduate level, and you will be expected to engage in a significant amount of private study in preparation for the classes.