PGDip Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy at University of Brighton

Programme overview

Based on the idea that mental illness is to some extent the result of repressed negative experience, psychodynamic counselling aims to expose the contents of a client’s unconscious to make him or her aware of any underlying psychological conflicts. It prioritises the therapeutic relationship and draws from the work of psychoanalysts such as Freud, Klein, Winnicott and Bion, as well as more contemporary thinkers such as Lacan, Bowlby, Kohut, Mitchell and Benjamin.

Faculty: School of Humanities and Social Science | Department: Counselling and Psychotherapy | Duration: part-time: 2 years | Study mode: part-time | Location: Brighton, England, United Kingdom

What you will study

The courses are taught on a semester system with two semesters each year. Semester dates can be found here on the website. In addition to academic study, you will need to complete 100 hours of supervised counselling practice in an approved clinical practice agency. You also need to undertake a course of personal therapy that lasts for the duration of the course, from October of year 1 to June of year 2, and we recommend that you factor in the cost of this therapy before your application. Assessment consists of four essays and three case studies. Modules include Psychodynamic Counselling Theory; Human Growth and Development, Themes in Professional Practice, Psychodynamic Counselling Workshops and Personal Development, Reflexivity and Research Methods in Counselling and Psychotherapy, Psychodynamic Counselling Practice 1, Psychodynamic Counselling Practice 2, Critical Perspectives in Psychodynamic Counselling, Lab facilities, Life lab, City lab.

Career pathways

The postgraduate diploma has an excellent reputation in the locality, and our students have gone on to hold counselling posts across the public, private and voluntary sectors. Others have progressed to further training or used their counselling skills in their existing professions.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Degree and experience. You should hold a degree or professional qualification, for example nursing or teaching. You need to have either successfully completed our short course, Developing a Therapeutic Relationship and Counselling Skills, or an accredited, externally assessed counselling skills course that: is at least a level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills which ordinarily involves at least 30 hours of face-to-face tuition at level 2 or level 3 (online courses are not acceptable). Please note L2 Award, Helping Skills and Introductory courses are not accepted. includes both theory and practice. was gained within the last six years. You must have experience of working with people in a helping capacity and access to clients throughout the course. Ideally, you will have gained some counselling experience through full or part-time employment or through voluntary or pastoral work. Face-to-face therapy must be undertaken throughout the diploma with a UKCP or British Psychoanalytic Council-registered psychotherapist who meets the course criteria. English language requirements. If English is not your first language, IELTS 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. Application process. We expect to offer 22–25 places for this course and hold a reserve list of four. Submit your completed application by 28 February, this includes completed references.

Domestic applicants: GBP 5,616 a year (2026/27). First-year tuition fee, part-time; fees may rise in later years. Source

International applicants: GBP 5,616 a year (2026/27). First-year tuition fee, part-time; fees may rise in later years. Source

Duration: part-time: 2 years

Apply through the official page: https://evsipr.brighton.ac.uk/urd/sits.urd/run/siw_ipp_lgn.login?process=siw_ipp_app_crs

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