The Professional Doctorate in Consultation and the Organisation is a part-time programme offering further professional development following the two-year MA in Consultation and the Organisation: Psychoanalytic Approaches (programme D10). It is however a free-standing programme and applicants who have not completed the MA in Consultation and the Organisation: Psychoanalytic Approaches, but who have equivalent qualifications and/or experience, are welcome to apply.

The programme aims to further develop consultancy skills and capacities to an advanced level and to equip students with the knowledge and skills to undertake original research in the field. It will provide the basis for a) high level professional consultancy to large and small organisations, b) a substantial input to research and scholarly contributions to the knowledge base in the field, c) leadership in the field of organisational consultancy, d) the capacity to train others in organisational consultancy. It will also provide e) opportunities for those in or seeking high level management positions to develop and deepen their understanding of intricate organisational issues. Students will be expected to undertake complex consultancy projects under supervision, to develop advanced theoretical understanding and professional skills and to through their research projects contribute to a growing body of knowledge about organisational consultancy. The academic standard of the Professional Doctorate is equivalent to a conventional PhD, but it also enables advanced and intensive learning to be rooted in professional practice and research.

Students will be joining a well-established training enterprise in Consultation to Organisations at the Tavistock Clinic and will benefit from the established expertise and from the wide range of Professional Practice undertaken at the clinic and the Tavistock Consultancy Service. They will have access to one of the most comprehensive collections of literature on psychoanalysis and human behaviour in the world.

To enter the Professional Doctorate programme, students must have achieved the MA in Consultation and the Organisation: Psychoanalytic Approaches (D10) or equivalent and must be engaged in current work of an appropriate nature, ascertained at interview. This may include work as an organisational consultant, employed or self-employed, or as an employee within an organisation with managerial responsibilities. To be admitted to the doctorate, students will need to demonstrate a commitment to professional, personal and intellectual development. As the programme's teaching methods rely considerably on learning from experience at many different emotional, social and intellectual levels a capacity to work in this way is essential.

Students wishing to enter the Professional Doctorate programme without the MA in Consultation and the Organisation: Psychoanalytic Approaches would need either to have followed an equivalent programme to MA level and in this case they would need to demonstrate (via APL) that the programme content covered the syllabus achieved on D10, and that the quality assurance procedures in relation to the programme were equivalent.

Alternatively those wishing to enter the Professional Doctorate programme who do not have an equivalent degree must present evidence (APEL) of equivalent levels of competence in all assessed areas, including academic, professional and practice. This may include published work demonstrating professional practice and competence, curricula vitae that includes academic achievements of equivalent standards, including teaching and lecturing on equivalent and related programmes, and curricula vitae which include significant examples of consultancy work, and history of involvement and ongoing learning (CPD) in psychoanalytic, systemic and group relations interests.

In some circumstances students may wish to have credit for elements of the doctorate programme taken into consideration. Such academic credit would be dependant on the level, and quality of the programme undertaken by the student and on the quantity and quality of professional practice since then. Exemptions will not normally be given for more than one third of the programme and no exemption will be given for any part of the Research programme.

All applicants will need to have completed, or will complete by the end of the programme, a minimum of two Group Relations Conferences, at least one of which is residential, totalling a minimum of 10 days experience.

Overall Structure

This part-time programme has two main elements: they are the Professional Practice Programme and the Consultancy Research Project leading to the final thesis. Professional Practice is supported by the Professional Practice Seminar, the Consultation Work Discussion Seminar and individual supervision on consultancy practice, all of which are offered throughout the programme. Teaching and preparation for the Consultancy Research Project and Thesis will begin during the first year with a taught programme on Research Ethics, Design and Methodology and will be the focus of the Research Seminars in second and third years. Individual supervision of students’ projects will be available throughout. In addition students have the opportunity to review their experience of the programme and its application on an ongoing basis

Students will attend for one day per week in Year 1 while in Years 2 and 3 attendance will be fortnightly. Consultancy projects, supervision on consultancy practice and on the research project will be arranged in addition to this. The academic component of the programme including both taught elements and academic study is for two days each week. Students will be expected be engaged in ongoing consultancy work in a variety of settings throughout the programme for three days each week.

The Professional Practice Programme

Students will be required to conduct a number of consultancy projects throughout the programme in which they will either work alone or as part of a team. Such projects may include Consultation to Staff Groups, Role Consultation, Coaching/Mentoring, Change Management projects, Leadership Development, Team Away Day Facilitation etc. and there will be an expectation that students will work in different sectors with private, independent and public organisations.

The Professional Practice Seminar together with the Consultancy Work Discussion Seminar and individual supervision on consultancy practice offer both taught and practical elements to support all of these consultancy endeavours. The Work Discussion seminar will also be available to other professionals in consultancy practice (with appropriate experience and qualification) who do not wish to follow the whole doctoral programme, who will attend for their own professional development.

The Consultancy Research Project

The Consultancy Research Project will involve an investigation informed by psychoanalytic and/or systemic theoretical frameworks, will be expected to make an original and scholarly contribution to the field of organisational consultancy or to the understanding of organisational dynamics in the form of a thesis of up to 40,00 words. It will draw on consultation work done within the professional programme. The Consultancy Research Project will be supported by a seminar series Research Ethics, Design and Methodology and by Research Seminars and individual supervision. In addition students will have the opportunity to attend an annual programme of seminars and research presentations organised for all research students at the Tavistock & Portman NHS Trust.

Review and Application Groups

The programme is completed by Review and Application groups in which students are encouraged to reflect on the learning from the programme and its application to their professional lives. In time third year students may consult to the first year Review and Application Groups.

Continuous Assessment will be an integral part of each work discussion seminar, individual and team supervision. Tutors and supervisors will provide termly written reports for each student throughout the programme.

There are four assessed written submissions over the three years of the programme. The Essay, the Professional Practice Portfolio, the Research Proposal and the Thesis

The Essay - up to 4,000 words, is submitted at the end of Year 1.

Students choose their own title and write a scholarly paper that reviews the relevant theoretical literature for an area relevant to their intended consultancy project.

The Professional Practice Portfolio is submitted the end of Year 2. This contains:

• Four Consultancy Reports of up to 4,000 words in length. (Submitted as the work is completed, at least two to be submitted at the beginning of Year 2. Reports will be evaluated with feedback to students)
• Summary Reports of 1,000-1,500 words in length of all other consultancy projects undertaken. At least four such reports should be included and are submitted as the work is completed.
• A Self-Development Summary Report of up to1,500 words

The Portfolio should contain examples of at least four different types of consultation and reflect work in a variety of sectors and settings and will demonstrate a capacity to work in a variety of consultative situations, utilising process consultancy skills professionally and creatively.

The Research Proposal, up to 3,000 words in length, is submitted by the end of the second term in Year 2.

The Thesis - up to 40,000 words in length is submitted at the end of the final year of the programme. As such, the thesis forms 66% of the written requirements.

The work undertaken on the professional doctorate will be of obvious and immediate value to students’ professional development. The regular supervision and discussion of ongoing consultancy work provides opportunity for reflexive practice and development of advanced professional skills.

The consultancy research project as described above is an opportunity to contribute the knowledge base in the field of systems psychodynamics, consultancy and organisations. Research ideas will be developed from a wide range of possibilities and could include:

• Responses to change/innovation in organisations
• Exploration of new theoretical developments and extension of theoretical concepts
• Evaluation of interventions with innovative methodologies
• Explorations of leadership, task, organisation in the mind etc.
• Evaluation of consultation with new client groups

The Tavistock is currently engaging in discussions with other training organisations who offer related trainings in consultation and organisational development with the intention that a professional body be established to register and accredit those who have qualified from recognised training programmes in consulting to organisation. Currently no such professional body exists.

Possession of the professional doctorate would be an advantage in applying for high level posts with a consultation brief both nationally or internationally. Additionally the experience of having undertaken projects evaluating consultancy practice would be highly valued. Graduates might be expected to contribute to training others in consultancy skills. Similarly this doctorate would also be advantageous in applying for or being promoted to high-level managerial positions, where a capacity to understand complexity of organisational issues, together with skills in enabling development and change in an organisation would be highly relevant.

Students are supported by their personal tutor, thesis and professional practice supervisors, work discussion and thesis seminar leaders. There is a range of support services organised by UEL which students are able to access.

The Tavistock is an internationally renowned centre of excellence for psychoanalytic studies, research, and clinical work. There are also opportunities to hear speakers eminent in the field and to meet colleagues from a diversity of backgrounds who have a common interest in psychoanalytical and systemic perspectives on understanding organisations and consultation.

Small groups, together with the emphasis on review and reflection that is a central tenet of the programme provide opportunity for students to work closely together in a supportive and environment within which lasting professional relationships may be forged.

The interactive approach of the programme provides added value for organisations, as some of the projects may be developed within the context of the student’s own organisation. This consultative approach is thus available within the organisation through the student’s work on the programme. Organisations may thus be willing to fund students to undertake the programme. The interactive approach is also of value to self-employed students, who will acquire a peer group and supervision opportunities for some of their work.