Course summary
This MSc is a well-established counselling and psychotherapy training course that is ideal if you wish to work therapeutically with children and young people. It offers you a thorough grounding in contemporary psychodynamic theory and practice and integrates unique psychosocial and organisational perspectives to facilitate a broad understanding of children in context. Why choose this course?
- This course offers you a two-year clinical placement, divided equally into work with children (5-11 years) and work with adolescents (12-18 years), so that you can gain work experience valuable for your future employability and learn how to work safely and collaboratively within an interdisciplinary organisational setting.
- It includes a one-year mother-infant observation to hone your observation skills.
- It is ideal if you have some experience of working with children and adolescents and wish to pursue a career in the counselling and psychotherapy sector, for example if you are a nurse, teacher, youth worker, child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) practitioner or social worker.
- It is taught by experienced, practising psychodynamic and/or psychoanalytic psychotherapists who also have training in higher education teaching.
- This course is accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and the British Psychoanalytic Council.
- Birkbeck has 50 years' experience of teaching psychodynamic counselling and practice and an excellent reputation with employers.
- There is an emphasis on this course on how organisations and groups function which will enable you to understand and manage professional settings and relationships.
- The course attracts people from a range of backgrounds, including educational, medical, field and residential social work, youth work and voluntary agencies.
- listening
- clinical thinking
- critical thinking
- academic writing
- observation
- reflexivity
- effective group/organisational participation.
- child psychotherapist
- counsellor
- educational psychologist
- learning mentor
- youth worker.
Modules
For information about course structure and the modules you will be studying, please visit Birkbeck’s online prospectus.
Assessment method
Year 1: two termly essays, a 'take-away' examination and a student review. Year 2: infant observation assessment, case study and student review. Year 3: mid-year essay, final portfolio and student review.
Professional bodies
Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.
- British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy
How to apply
International applicants
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 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests. If you don't meet the minimum IELTS requirement, we offer pre-sessional English courses and foundation programmes to help you improve your English language skills and get your place at Birkbeck.
Entry requirements
Our standard postgraduate entry requirement is a second-class honours degree (2:2 or above) or an equivalent international qualification, however, professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience are taken into consideration positively and may be accepted in place of a degree. We actively support and encourage applications from mature learners. A minimum of one year 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 organisational setting is required. You should also have completed a psychodynamic counselling/psychotherapy course at Certificate of Higher Education level (Merit) or equivalent. We will request a short assignment from non-standard entrants.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| England | £8130 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £8130 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £8130 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £8130 | Year 1 |
| International | £12000 | Year 1 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their programme. Tuition fees for students continuing on their programme in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases.
As well as fees, you should expect to pay other study-related expenses, for travel to and from College, books, stationery, etc. Birkbeck provides advice and financial support for students who experience hardship in meeting the travel costs of essential fieldwork or study visits.
Students must be seeing a personal therapist at least once a week for the duration of this course. You will need to find your own therapist, although the course tutors can help you with this, and you will have to fund your therapy yourself. The cost of therapy can vary widely, depending on location, availability and income, but you should expect to pay £45-90 per therapy session.
Provider information
Birkbeck, University of London
Malet Street
Bloomsbury
London
WC1E 7HX
Course contact details
Visit our course pageBirkbeck Student Advice Service
0203 907 0700