Programme summary for MA Psychodynamic Approaches to Working with Adolescents (London, Leeds, Bristol)

About the programme

The School of Humanities and Social Sciences offers a number of programmes in partnership with the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust. The programmes are delivered at the world-renowned Tavistock Clinic in London. The Trust is the UK’s leading provider of multi-disciplinary postgraduate training in mental health and is a major provider of clinical services.

The Trust has a national and international reputation as a centre of excellence in the therapeutic treatment of complex and serious mental health disorders, clinical training, consultancy, research
and scholarship.

Programme structure

The course structure is the same for London, Leeds and Bristol.

The first year of the course consists of a work discussion seminar in which professionals working with adolescents can develop the capacity to communicate therapeutically with adolescents in a range of settings and roles. Alongside this is a theory unit that introduces students to understanding adolescent development, problems in adolescence, and therapeutic methods of intervention. The theory module will be delivered using a mixture of lectures chaired by the Organising Tutor and reading seminars focussed on key papers looking at applied psychoanalytic theory, taught by the Organising Tutor.

The second year, will include a more advanced theory unit, based on reading seminars, which will explore core psychoanalytic concepts, and analyse ways of developing therapeutic understanding of adolescents in difficulties. Students will learn the theory which is necessary to support their capacity to work therapeutically with adolescents in their work role. Additionally there will be theoretical seminars focusing on late adolescence/early adulthood so that the course will be relevant for those working with young people in the 13- 25 age group.

The second year 'work discussion' seminar will provide opportunities for developing skills and understanding in working therapeutically with adolescents. Students will be expected to focus in greater detail on work undertaken in their setting and role. The work discussion seminar provides for reflective supervision and learning developing from this work. Students may develop specialist interest in, for example, the application of a psychoanalytic framework to brief interventions, working with families, working with adolescents who are 'looked after' etc. Students will also be encouraged to focus on group and institutional processes in their work setting as they emerge within work discussion presentations. There is also a requirement to attend an experiential group during the second year.

In the third year, the MA dissertation will provide the opportunity for students to write in depth about an area of therapeutic practice with adolescents. This may take the form of a practice based project which is reflectively written up, or a more academic or research oriented dissertation.

Career opportunities

This programme is aimed at professionals whose interest or work is with adolescents and young people, including psychiatrists, social workers, probation officers, doctors, nurses, teachers and counsellors.

Support

The support structures are the same in all three teaching centres. Each student is allocated a personal tutor. Meetings with tutors take place on a termly basis, more frequently if required. The tutorials provide an opportunity for discussing coursework and getting help with this, as well as exploring professional development issues.

The building that houses the course in London hosts one of the most extensive libraries on mental health and psychoanalytic theory and practice. This rich resource is available to all students (including those in outlying centres) who can also benefit from extensive support in doing literature searches etc. of the best specialist libraries in the United Kingdom.

The close link with the Adolescent Department at the Tavistock Clinic offers the opportunity to be taught by leading practitioners in the field of adolescence. The teaching staff are all experienced clinicians with many years of expertise in working with young people. Several, have established national and international reputations in the field and have published widely.

Admission

Admission is by application form and interview. Many applicants will hold a first degree or equivalent, but application is also encouraged by individuals from across the health, education, and social care sectors without a formal qualification, who can demonstrate extensive experience in a working role with young people, and who can show that they are able to engage in sustained study at this level. All students must be able to show that they are currently working with young people and will do so throughout the course of study. References are required for all applicants, one of which should ideally from the work setting.

In the case of applicants whose first language is not English, then IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) is required. International qualifications will be checked for appropriate matriculation to UK Higher Education postgraduate courses.

Students that apply to enter stages of the programme may be admitted through normal Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) or Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning (APL) processes, or through an approved articulation agreement. Therefore such applicants must be able to demonstrate and evidence that they have the required learning outcomes as listed in the modules for which they are seeking exemption.