The course is specifically designed for those whose main interest or workload consists of work with young people. It covers the adolescent developmental process from a broad psychoanalytic perspective as well as taking into account biological and social influences on development. The course provides an introduction to the problems and disturbances of adolescence.

The course offers:

• A distinctive, multidisciplinary training for mainly front line workers who will be equipped to work across the adolescent age range and think across service boundaries.

• A forum for developing self-reflective practice, greater observational capacities and therapeutic communication with young people.

• An opportunity to study the 16-25 age group highlighted by many social policy documents recently as being a group in particular need of specialist services and hence of training for staff working with this group.

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.

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.

The course is divided between a large group theoretical lecture/seminar and work discussion groups where students take it in turns to present their work in role. Additionally, students are expected to be working with young people for the duration of the course.

There are no exams in this course. For Year 1 and 2 modules of the course, the academic requirements are in the form of essays, some of which are focussed on theory, and some of which demand evidence of a capacity to apply theory to work-based examples. For the MA award, a dissertation will need to be submitted. Progression through the course is dependent on successful completion of all the academic requirements in each year of the course.

The overall emphasis of the course is practice-based. The course aims to enhance students’ existing skills in working with young people and to extend their understanding of adolescence through theoretical and clinical experience. Attention is paid to students’ working context and professional roles in helping them to think about the influence of context on therapeutic practice, and on group and institutional processes at work in settings providing services to young people.

Students choose the focus for their essays and dissertation in accordance with their own personal interests and professional roles. A personal tutoring system is in place to assist students to tailor the choice of essay topics and of dissertation to their professional interests.

This course provides an opportunity to develop specialist knowledge of adolescence and to enhance communication skills with this particular age group. It will be of benefit professionally to those seeking to specialise in working with adolescents. Additionally, this course provides a unique forum for a multidisciplinary discussion of the adolescent process, allowing students to develop a good understanding of the various organisational contexts in which adolescents and their families are seen.

The course provides a good theoretical and practical foundation in the understanding and management of difficulties during adolescence. It expands the professional skills of people already involved in work with adolescents and in so doing, enhances the therapeutic contribution they can make in their existing role. It offers students a model of work that helps with the management of anxiety related to the client group, and helps to improve their observational, self-reflective and analytic skills. It provides a thorough course of continuing professional development, deepening the knowledge and skills base with a distinctive client group.

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 associate 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.