Part Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants currently residing outside of the EEA Region. No

It is relevant for any mental health professional, including GPs, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, social care workers, therapists, chaplains, counsellors, and nurses. The programme also accepts applications from candidates from other backgrounds who are suitable for the programme based on their own prior experience of their own psychoanalysis.

This part-time four-year programme provides a rigorous supervised clinical training in psychoanalytic psychotherapy contributing to a professional qualification to practice this therapeutic method with adults.

The MSc in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy develops in a student a foundational understanding of psychoanalysis, a practice centred on the existence of unconscious mental processes as discovered by Sigmund Freud. Central to the programme is the student’s experience of their own psychoanalysis, experience of supervised clinical practice in clinical and social care settings, theoretical scholarship and research and participation in psychiatric case conferences. Through the programme with their study of psychoanalysis, psychoanalytic practice and  experience of psychoanalysis, students achieve a strong foundation in the practice of psychoanalytic psychotherapy and an extensive understanding of the discourse of mental health, mental disorders and the current dominant treatment strategies.  Students learn about the work of Sigmund Freud and Jacques Lacan and how their work is of crucial relevance to the response to psychopathology. The components of the programme provide students with a framework for the development of clinical technique and competencies to engage with the complexities and challenges of working with unconscious processes of mind in health, social care and private practice settings.

Assessment strategies include group based presentation exercises, academic writing, weekly case conference report writing and a series of reports from clinical supervisors. Through these methods the clinical competencies and academic learning components of the programme are rigorously assessed. 

The programme is taught in The School of Psychotherapy, St. Vincent’s University Hospital, which has over thirty year’s experience teaching in the psychoanalytic field. This programme is informed by developments towards the Statutory Recognition of the title psychotherapist in Ireland. It is recognised by the Association for Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy in Ireland (APPI). 

Psychoanalytic practice has substantial recognition as providing an essential perspective and a crucial, effective form of clinical intervention in psychological work in Ireland and internationally.

View All Modules Here

ProfMasters Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (X993) Part Time
EU          Year 1 - € 7700
nonEU    Year 1 - € 13500
EU          Year 2 - € 7700
nonEU    Year 2 - € 13500
EU          Year 3 - € 6000
nonEU    Year 3 - € 11200
EU          Year 4 - € 6000
nonEU    Year 4 - € 11200

***Fees are subject to change

Currently professional bodies within the Irish Council for Psychotherapy (ICP) require a four-year period of training.
The Association for Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy in Ireland (appipsychotherapy.com) and the Irish Forum for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (www.ifpp.ie) are members of the Psychoanalytic Section of the ICP and have ICP Standards as requirements for membership.

The Professional Masters in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy is a four-year clinical programme that fulfils these ICP requirements. The programme contributes essentially to the education and training of psychoanalytic psychotherapists.

Graduates have, over the years, successfully applied for membership of professional bodies representing this modality of psychotherapy.

Further information on criteria for application for membership of APPI are available at: https://appi.ie/membership/

Further information on criteria for application for membership of IFPP are available at: https://ifpp.ie/membership-criteria/

• Applicants must hold an honours degree (NFQ Level 8  or interntaional equivalent )
• Evidence of commitment to engaging in their own psychoanalysis – ideally where this has already been in place for some time
• at the time of application.
• Suitability to engage in supervised clinical practice based on endorsements from appropriately qualified referees
• Applicants will be invited to participate in a two-part interview process.

• Grad Dip Psychoanalytic Studies PT
• MSc Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Studies PT

Another option to consider, where an applicant is not looking for psychotherapy professional body recognition, is the two-year MSc in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Studies. This programme consists of the modules - clinical and theoretical - of the first two years of the four-year Professional Masters. As with all of our programmes involving engagement with the psychoanalytic field it is required that students on this two-year programme are in their own personal psychoanalysis. More information here: https://www.ucd.ie/medicine/studywithus/graduate/psychotherapy/mscinpsychoanalyticpsychotherapystudies/

Also for your consideration, where an applicant chooses not to take up clinical training at this point in time but is interested in engagement in their own psychoanalysis and formal structured psychoanalytic study, is the two year Graduate Diploma in Psychoanalytic Studies. This programme consists of the theoretical modules of the first two years of the Professional Masters. As with all of our programmes involving engagement with the psychoanalytic field it is required that students on this two-year programme are in their own personal psychoanalysis. More information here: https://www.ucd.ie/medicine/studywithus/graduate/psychotherapy/graduatediplomapsychoanalyticstudies/

The following entry routes are available:

* Courses will remain open until such time as all places have been filled, therefore early application is advised