Course Overview

Our MSc Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy with Children and Adolescents teaches you the essential knowledge and skills of psychodynamic counseling, with particular emphasis on its application to children and adolescents. It establishes an understanding of psychoanalytic-based theory and covers the technical processes of counseling children and adolescents while developing the personal and professional awareness required for effective practice as defined by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.

By the end of the course, you will have the ability to work as a psychodynamic counsellor at an appropriate professional standard with children and adolescents. You will understand, and know how to use, psychoanalytic and psychodynamic principles to increase knowledge of both theory and practice, of personality development, of the inner and outer worlds of the child and adolescent, and of the institutional and group influences on personal development.

You will possess high-level skills in thinking psychodynamically about counseling issues and making professional communications about counseling work, and display a capacity for self-reflection, especially knowledge of your inner world and how it impacts counseling work, and your role in groups and institutions.

Graduates can pursue career paths in counseling and education. Possible professions include:

• child psychotherapist

• counselor

• educational psychologist

• learning mentor

• youth worker.

Read about how you can become a professional counselor or psychotherapist.

We offer a comprehensive Careers Service - Birkbeck Futures - your career partner during your time at Birkbeck and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education, and future ambitions.

General Eligibility

A minimum of one year of full-time (or equivalent part-time) experience of direct work with children and/or adolescents in a professional role and/or helping capacity in an organizational setting. Prior completion of a psychodynamic counseling/psychotherapy course at Certificate of Higher Education level (Merit) or equivalent.

Part Time Work Details

n/a

Language Requirement

• If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, the requirement for this course is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 7.0, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests.