MA in Counselling and Psychotherapy (Psychodynamic Modalities)
Course Overview
Looking to further your career in Counselling and Psychotherapy with a particular focus on Psychodynamic Modalities?
This is an ICHAS course delivered at Griffith College by ICHAS.
Successful completion of the programme provides learners with a QQI-awarded Master's qualification. The programme is designed primarily for health and human sciences graduates, particularly graduates of counselling and psychotherapy-related programmes, as well as graduates of disciplines such as nursing, social care, social work, psychology, and other programmes.
It is especially suited to those who work with (or seek to work with) individuals, families, and communities exposed to or experiencing psychological/psychosocial challenges in various health or social care environments.
Why study a Master’s in Counselling and Psychotherapy (Psychodynamic Modalities)?
This programme enables students to employ counselling and psychotherapy competencies as tools for prevention and rehabilitation/recovery based on psychodynamic philosophies by creating and modelling learning opportunities where all learners can participate successfully within the context of their strengths and abilities.
The aims of the MA in Counselling and Psychotherapy (Psychodynamic Modalities) are to:
- This programme meets the requirements for professional accreditation with the Association of Professional Counsellors and Psychotherapists and the National Association for Professional Counselling & Psychotherapy.
- This programme is congruent with providing accessible and flexible programmes to adult learners and has been designed with particular emphasis on using blended learning technologies to support traditional classroom learning.
- It supports learners' personal and professional development, enabling them to achieve a Master’s Degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy focusing on Psychodynamic Modalities.
- Develop learner’s knowledge, skills & competence to an appropriate level of ‘Higher Order Practice’.
- Build personal capacity, collaborative problem-solving skills and an understanding of the systems and context within which individuals may be best supported.
- The programme provides a progression opportunity to complete various Programmes at Level 10 nationally and internationally.
Intake Dates
- Dublin - Part-Time - September 2025
- Limerick - Part-Time - September 2025
- Limerick - Part-Time - September 2026
- Dublin - Part-Time - September 2026
Course Details
Course Placement & Personal Therapy
Practicum Module:
Learners must undertake work-based learning requiring 200 hours of Client Work in a counselling or psychotherapy setting. This allows learners to apply the theoretical and practical aspects of the programme, working therapeutically with clients in a clinical setting and developing transferable, adaptable, appropriate therapeutic and active listening skills under appropriate clinical supervisory arrangements. Students are required to undertake Clinical Supervision during their placement.
The placement will also enhance the development of your professional disposition to work confidently and independently in various settings. Some of the placement providers that we work closely with are Aiseiri Treatment Centres (Nationwide), MyMind (Nationwide), Let’s Get Talking (Galway, Shannon, Dublin, Wexford), Cuan Mhuire, Jigsaw, SOSAD, Haven Hub (Limerick, Clare), and various youth-focused and childhood-based settings.
Knowing Self Module:
Learners will undertake 50 hours of Personal Psychotherapeutic experience as part of the Knowing Self module.
Module Outline
The module aims to facilitate students in critically evaluating the conceptual basis of psychodynamic psychotherapy within the range of modalities of psychotherapeutic practice appropriate to a range of manifestations of wellness and dysfunction. Learners will focus on the theoretical basis for psychodynamic psychotherapeutic approaches over the period of the module. They will be required to appraise the evidence base for a range of explanatory theories and practices in the field and compare integrative approaches with other evidence-based psychosocial interventions.
The aim of the module is to facilitate students to critically evaluate the differing approaches and methods used for the generation of evidence.
The module aims to facilitate students to explore and critically evaluate skills and competencies used in individual psychodynamic counselling & psychotherapy. Learners will focus on the central place of the therapeutic relationship and the role of the practitioner in supporting and facilitating change over the period of the module. They will be required to appraise the evidence base for psychodynamic approaches.
This module aims to support learners in developing an in-depth understanding of the complexity and impact of therapeutic group work within psychodynamic traditions in various therapeutic settings. The module will introduce students to key psychodynamic group psychotherapy modalities to deepen existing knowledge of the role of unconscious processes in individual and group interactions. The focus will be on historical developments in group psychotherapies. The principles of group psychodynamic psychotherapy, the role of the therapist. The selection of group members, ethical issues, communication processes, group development and dynamics and the end stages of therapy.
This module aims to help the learner achieve a higher-order understanding of the importance of mental illness and disorder in the context of psychotherapeutic activities.
The module will focus on developing in-depth ‘personal’ knowledge through structured forms of psychotherapeutic engagement. This module will offer an experiential orientation introduction to personal psychotherapeutic experience.
The module aims to facilitate students in critically evaluating the use of psychodynamic counselling and psychotherapy in differing contexts and with differing populations.
This module aims to support learners in acquiring the skills, knowledge, and attitude to work within applied settings at a higher-order level using a defined structure to enhance ongoing performance. The fields of counselling and psychotherapy have dimensions that extend beyond the acquisition of theoretic knowledge alone, and the professional Practicum placement allows learning to take place in appropriate professional contexts.
Additionally, the module aims to extend the professional experience of learners through exposure to varied counselling and psychotherapeutic approaches and philosophies and allow them the opportunity to experience a range of service provision models. This experience will enable learners to reflect critically on the quality and delivery of practice. The module will further explore the concepts of professionalism, ethical practice and continuing professional development, enabling learners to develop knowledge, skills and attitudes for dealing with personal and professional issues.
As a capstone module, the aim is to facilitate students in completing a research project, drawing on their own learning within the programme.
Timetables
Timetable:
Timetables will be made available closer to the course start date.
This course is delivered part-time over two years. Lectures are delivered one evening a week from 6 pm-9 pm and on Saturdays from 9:30 am-4:30 pm in the academic year (Sept-May).
The programme utilises Blended learning for theoretic elements of engagement. In-person attendance is required for skills-based modules. This allows the learner to access classes in person or online, allowing for flexibility in achieving a work/life/study balance. In addition, skill-based learning is undertaken in practice settings as part of the Practicum Module.
How to Apply
Entry Requirements
- This programme is designed for graduates in health and human sciences and in particular graduates of Counselling related programmes as well as, nursing, social care, social work, psychology and programmes in cognate areas who wish to expand their knowledge and understanding of the human condition.
- The knowledge, skills and competence required to successfully participate in and complete this Level 9 Programme.
- Applicants will normally have successfully achieved a Level 2:2 award in a relevant Human Science Level 8 degree.
- Those who have completed other relevant education programmes or have relevant professional experience, etc., where Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) and Acquired Prior Learning (APL) can be applied to the programme by submission of programme content, qualification, and assignments equivalent to an appropriate Level 8 award at an Honours 2:2 standard can also be considered.
- All applicants undertake a selection interview to support applicants to make an informed decision regarding their choice of programme and to ensure suitability.
- Successful applicants would be required to complete Garda Vetting at the College.
- If English is not your native language, you must meet the minimum English language proficiency requirement for this programme is B2+ in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages which is equivalent to an IELTS score of 6.5.
Fees
Please note that not all study modes may be offered at all times; for confirmation, refer to the Intake dates on the Overview tab.
Tuition Fees
Study Mode: Part-Time
Dublin Main Campus
€7,800.00 (this includes a 2% PEL levy)
Limerick Campus
€7,800.00 (this includes a 2% PEL levy)
Flexible Payment Options
Students wishing to avail of an instalment plan should contact professionalacademy@griffith.ie
Students who opt for an instalment plan will incur an extra annual fee of €150 to avail of this facility.
All fees are fully protected under our Protection of Enrolled Learners’ Policy:
All QQI accredited programmes of education and training of 3 months or longer duration are covered by arrangements under section 65 (4) of the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012 whereby, in the event of the provider ceasing to provide the programme for any reason, enrolled learners may transfer to a similar programme at another provider, or, in the event that this is not practicable, the fees most recently paid will be refunded.
Progression
Progression:
Upon successfully completing the MA in Counselling & Psychotherapy, learners will be qualified to access Level 10 Programmes on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ).
Career Options:
This programme is designed to meet the requirement of professional accreditation with the Association of Professional Counsellors and Psychotherapists (APCP) and the National Association for Professional Counselling & Psychotherapy.
Graduates from this programme can be found working in various settings across the caring profession and can be found working in such as:
- Private Practice
- HSE
- Addiction Treatment Centres
- Pieta House
- Mental health Services
- Aiseiri
- My Move Counselling Services
- Tusla
- Social Care
- Mental Health Nursing
