Intro

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.

The postgraduate diploma teaches models of both long-and short-term counselling, the second of which is particularly relevant to NHS work and employee counselling schemes. It stresses the importance of developing counselling awareness through practice in workshops and provides a sound theoretical foundation to the psychodynamic approach.

The course is accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and therefore recognised as preparing you for work as a professional counsellor. The university is an organisational member of the BACP as well as the Universities Psychotherapy and Counselling Association (UCPA).

Find out about postgraduate events

Key facts

Location Brighton: Moulsecoomb

Part-time 2 years

Accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy

Face-to-face therapy must be undertaken throughout the diploma with a UKCP or British Psychoanalytic Council registered psychotherapist who meets the course criteria.

The application deadline for this course is 31 January. Check the entry criteria below for info on the application process.

This course is full for 2025

This means we are not accepting applications for September 2025.

Your next opportunity to start this course is September 2026 – online applications will open in October.

Entry criteria

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
IELTS 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. Find out more about the other English qualifications that we accept.

Application process

We expect to offer 22–25 places for this course and hold a reserve list of four.

Step 1

Submit your completed application by 31 January, this includes completed references.
Ensure that you accurately record all relevant completed or pending qualifications – scan and attach your certificates.
Provide two references – alert your referees that they should receive an email request and to check all email folders. Please note that is up to you to follow up with referees to ensure these are submitted before the deadline of 31 January.

Your application may be rejected if you do not provide the correct information or references by the deadline.

Step 2

Our admissions office reviews all applications.
Complete applications meeting the entry criteria are submitted to the course tutor for review and selection.
All fully completed applications received by 31 January will receive equal consideration.
Candidates will be selected for interview based on the strength of their application.
Applications received after this date may still be considered if we have vacancies on the course or on the reserve list.

Step 3

Selected applicants will be invited for interview from early February.
You will be asked to write a character sketch to bring to your interview.
You will be interviewed by two course tutors.

Step 4

Successful applicants will be made an offer of a place on the course in May, once all applicants have been interviewed.
You will be advised if this is a reserve list place – reserve places may become available if a candidate needs to decline their accepted offer.

Step 5

Meet any conditions of your offer. This may include submitting evidence of the qualification you are studying.
Pay the non-refundable £250 deposit to confirm your place on the course. This is required within one month of your offer being made or we may offer your place to another candidate.

Course content

Course structure

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. You will also keep a professional log of your clinical work and maintain a personal journal.

Areas of study

The course contains four major elements: academic and professional studies, practical training, training supervision and personal growth and development. A strong theoretical knowledge is of great importance and considerable weight is given to canonical writers. The seminars provide a broad overview of the reading material and invite you to reflect further on it.

Psychodynamic counsellors rely on their own feelings to help make sense of the moment-by-moment changes in client sessions. This process underlies the need for a certain level of self-awareness and maturity, hence why personal growth and development is the fourth key strand on the course. This is partly met through personal development groups and partly through your own counselling or therapy.

Syllabus

Modules

Psychodynamic Counselling Theory; Human Growth and Development

The content of this module includes the philosophical underpinnings of psychodynamic counselling; models of the unconscious mind and its dynamics, including Freud and Klein; feminist critiques of Freudian and post-Freudian psychoanalytic theory; an introduction to models of short-term psychodynamic counselling; and a review of research concerned with psychological development and change across the life span.
Themes in Professional Practice

This module encourages you to examine the complex professional issues involved in the practice of therapeutic counselling. Areas covered include a critical examination of British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy’s (BACP) Framework for Good Practice; an exploration of the four ethical principles (autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence and confidentiality) and their relevance to counselling practice; power in the counselling relationship; and the purpose of counselling supervision and how to make best use of it.
Psychodynamic Counselling Workshops and Personal Development

This module provides the opportunity for you to develop your skills as a practitioner as well as gaining insights into how you relate to other students by taking part in a personal development group. This block of time over a weekend/week enables further intensive learning and will allow you to undertake practice, receive feedback and utilise that feedback to reinforce your learning.
Non-credit rated module; Portfolio of Evidence Psychodynamic Counselling

In this non-credit-rated module which continues over both years, you will produce a portfolio of evidence to record your personal and professional development in counselling practice and supervision. Throughout the course you need to accrue at least 100 hours of counselling practice in an approved counselling setting and 17 hours of counselling supervision with an approved supervisor; keep a detailed log evidencing this work; engage in weekly personal psychotherapy; keep a personal journal; and engage in a peer feedback exercise including self-evaluation.
Reflexivity and Research Methods in Counselling and Psychotherapy

In this module, you will learn about research methods, the role of self-reflection in qualitative research and the links between research interests, personal development and the practice of counselling and psychotherapy. You will develop a critical understanding of your own research interests and situate these and your investigation in the context of various qualitative research methods and your own ontological and epistemological position.
Psychodynamic Counselling Practice 1

Taught in a small group workshop format, this module will enable you to synthesise aspects of psychodynamic theory and practice and deepen and expand your competence as a psychodynamic counsellor. Your practice will be located within the context of relevant theory. By taking part in personal development groups, you will develop a deep level of self-awareness.
Psychodynamic Counselling Practice 2

This module is taught in a small group workshop format, enabling you to synthesise aspects of psychodynamic theory and practice, while further deepening and expanding your competence as a psychodynamic counsellor. Your practice will be located within the context of relevant psychodynamic theory. Through participation in personal development groups, you will develop a profound level of self-awareness.
Critical Perspectives in Psychodynamic Counselling

During this module you will explore the underlying philosophies of therapeutic counselling in general and psychodynamic counselling in particular. Through the study of the nature and characteristics of psychodynamic psychopathology you will deepen your understanding of work relating to counselling in areas other than those with which you have a specific involvement.

Completion of the postgraduate diploma allows continuation (after successful application) on to our Psychotherapy MSc.

Lab facilities

Mithras House has a series of lab rooms which can be used for teaching on your course or in your independent research work.

Life lab
A skills-based lab for practice-based teaching, social work, psychotherapy and counselling, and employability. The Life lab is fitted with lounge furniture to provide a comfortable space for conducting qualitative research with larger groups. The lab can be used to conduct research activities with children of all ages and can be used for meetings and events. The room also contains a dedicated space to conduct assessed role play or interviews with children.

City lab
This is a qualitative research methods and creative methods resource for all students, staff and researchers, as well as research participants, including children, community groups and the general public. It can also be used for meetings and events. The City lab contains a kitchen, a teaching/meeting room with enhanced acoustic isolation and two meeting spaces that can be separated with a screen or combined to accommodate larger groups.

Design lab
Housing our extensive collection of historic dress and textiles, which are used in some teaching on our History of Art and Design courses, this has the space and equipment for you to work on textile projects. Displays created by students on these programmes are on view in the social spaces of the building.

Community lab
A space designed for collaborative student learning, this is used by students and staff involved in the university’s Global Challenges programme – our collective mission to contribute towards solutions to tackle the pressing issues facing our world.

Stats lab
A specialist workspace with computing equipment for statistical analysis and projects involving video and audio editing software. The lab contains eight acoustically treated booths for both recording and transcribing interviews undertaken as part of dissertation research and for recording and editing podcasts.

Applied cognition lab
A dedicated research space for psychological research involving measures such as electrodermal activity (EDA) and electroencephalography (EEG). The space is designed to allow the participant and researcher to sit at separate desks whilst psychophysiological data is being collected.

VR and eye tracking lab
The VR and Eye-Tracking Lab is used for psychological research using equipment, such as eye-trackers and virtual reality headsets. The space has adjustable lighting and a blackout blind for maintaining consistent lighting conditions during eye-tracking research, as well as sensors set up in the room to allow individuals to move freely around the room during virtual reality research.

Preliminary reading

Students wishing to gain some understanding of the psychodynamic approach may wish to read some of the following texts:

Casement, P. (1985) Learning from the Patient
Freud, S. (1991) Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis
Bott, D. and Howard, P. (2012) The Therapeutic Encounter: A Cross-Modality Approach
Howard, S. (2006) Psychodynamic Counselling in a Nutshell
Jacobs, M. (2004) Psychodynamic Counselling in Action
McLeod, J. (2003) An Introduction to Counselling
Spurling, L. (2009) An Introduction to Psychodynamic Counselling

Being entirely honest with oneself is good exercise.

Sigmund Freud, letter to Wilhelm Fliess (1897)

FAQs

Should I apply for the Humanistic or Psychodynamic Psychotherapeutic Counselling Postgraduate Diploma?

We can provide a few pointers for you, but ultimately you must make the decision. To help you differentiate between the two courses, you could attend an open day or do some reading around the relevant subject areas.

I haven’t studied psychology before. Does this matter?

No, it doesn’t. While counselling training draws on psychology theory, we don’t expect you to have studied it formally before the course begins. We do, however, require you to have spent a minimum of 30 hours on an accredited counselling skills course.

Does it matter that I’ve been out of education for a number of years?

No. Provided you meet all the requirements, you should be offered an interview for the course. Many of our students are returning to study after a few years away. In fact, the average age for the postgraduate diplomas is around 40.

I use counselling skills in my job as a nurse/social worker/teacher. Do I still have to take an introductory counselling course?

Yes, unless as a formal part of your training you took an assessed module in counselling skills. If so, you would need to provide full details of the module you took in the further information section on the application form.

Will my previous counselling or therapy count in lieu of the requirement to be in therapy during the course?

No. You will need to start therapy again with an approved therapist.

I know a counselling placement is part of the course, but does the course guarantee to find me one?

No. We do have a list of clinical practice agencies which previous students have gone to and we have good relationships with many local counselling agencies but the final responsibility lies with you. During the first semester we invite a number of practice managers/directors to come and talk about what they offer, but you must make your own applications to agencies.

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Careers

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.

If you enjoy the course and are interested in further study, you may want to consider our Psychotherapy MSc. All successful graduates of this PGDip are eligible to apply.

Fees and costs

Course fees

UK (part-time, per year) 5,350 GBP

International (part-time, per year)5,350 GBP

Non-refundable deposit

To secure your offer of a place, a £250 non-refundable deposit is required within one month of notification for payment. If your offer is received after 15 August, it may be possible to negotiate a date with the course leader. Please note this payment is required before you begin the course.

Scholarships, bursaries and loans

We offer a range of scholarships for postgraduate students. Bursaries and loans may also be available to you.

Find out more about postgraduate fees and funding.

The fees listed here are for the first year of study if you start your course in the academic year 2025–26.

You will pay fees for each year of your course. Some fees may increase each year. UK undergraduate and some postgraduate fees are regulated by the UK government and increases will not be more than the maximum amount allowed. Course fees that are not regulated may increase each year by up to 5% or RPI (depending on which is higher).

If you have specific queries about the course fee, our fees team will be happy to help. Email them at fees@brighton.ac.uk.

Find out more

Advice and guidance for part-time students.
Fees, bursaries, scholarships and government funding info for UK and international undergraduate and postgraduate students
Student finance and budgeting while studying
About the university’s fees, including fee status and payment, by checking our student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf)

What's included

Here you’ll find details of specific resources and services that are included in the tuition fee for our counselling and psychotherapy students. To help you to budget for your studies, there is also information on any additional costs that you may have to pay or can choose to pay in addition to your tuition fee.

Find out how tuition fees enable us to support all of our students with important services, facilities and resources across the university and check out our finance pages for info about fees, funding and scholarships along with advice on international and island fee-paying status.

You can chat with our enquiries team if you have a question or need more information.

What's included in your tuition fee

Course books, magazines and journals are available in the university libraries. You do not need to have your own copies. See the subject area in the library for an up-to-date list of key subject journals and databases.
You will have access to computers and necessary software on campus – and can borrow a laptop from us if yours is broken or you don’t have a computer at home. Specialist equipment is provided to cover essential learning.

Additional costs

Humanistic Counselling and Psychotherapy PGDip, and Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy PGDip students undertake face-to-face therapy through their course. The cost of this is not included in the tuition fee. You can expect to pay £3000–£4200 over the course. Estimated based on £55-£60 per hour.
Psychotherapy MSc students are required to undertake supervised clinical practice throughout the course. The cost is not included in the fee. You'll need to budget for supervision fees of around £1,300 for each full year. Estimated based on £50 per hour with fortnightly meetings. In some agencies, supervision will be provided at no cost. Where students have to pay, the cost will only begin when supervision begins.
Most coursework submissions are electronic but you may wish to print notes and should budget up to £100 for printing.
The courses are accredited by the BACP (PGDip) and UKCP (MSc) and provide a route for accreditation and registration respectively with these bodies. Fees for memberships of BACP and UKCP are not included in the fees for the course.
For some assessments you may be required to print large format posters for presentations at a cost of £5–£10 per poster.
Some courses include an optional placement module for which students will need to cover the costs of travel to and from the placement and DBS checks as required.
For a number of courses you will have the opportunity to attend field trips and off-site visits. These are optional and are not required to pass your course but under normal circumstances we would expect a budget of approximately £150 per year will cover the costs of particular trips. The amount spent would be based on location and number of trips taken.
You’ll need to budget for printing and stationery for personal study, and books if you decide to buy your own. Budget £200 if you decide to buy your own copies of textbooks.
Many students choose to buy their own hardware, software and accessories. The amount spent will depend on your individual choices, but this expenditure is not essential to pass any of our courses.

Location and student life

Campus where this course is taught

Moulsecoomb campus

Two miles north of Brighton seafront, Moulsecoomb is our largest campus and student village. Moulsecoomb has been transformed by a recent development of our estate. On campus you’ll find new Students’ Union, events venue and sports and fitness facilities, alongside the library and student centre.

Over 900 students live here in our Moulsecoomb Place halls and the new Mithras halls – Brunswick, Goldstone, Hanover, Preston and Regency.

Moulsecoomb has easy access to buses and trains so you can access all the exciting things happening in our home city.

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Accommodation

We guarantee an offer of a place in halls of residence to all eligible students. So if you applied for halls by the deadline you are guaranteed a room in our halls of residence.

Brighton: Moulsecoomb

Halls of residence
We have self-catered halls on all our campuses, within minutes of your classes, and other options that are very nearby.

You can apply for any of our halls, but the options closest to your study location are:

Mithras Halls are stylish new high-rises in the heart of the student village at our revitalised Moulsecoomb campus with ensuite rooms for more than 800 students.
Varley Park is a popular dedicated halls site, offering a mix of rooms and bathroom options at different prices. It is around two miles from Moulsecoomb campus and four miles from the city centre, and is easy to get to by bus.

Want to live independently?
We can help – find out more about private renting.

Modern accommodation at Moulsecoomb

Relaxing in halls near the campus

Student Union social space at Moulsecoomb

Local area

One of Time Out's 50 best cities in the world

“Brighton has… all the important parts of a sprawling cosmopolitan metropolis (connections to London in under an hour, an array of properly excellent restaurants, energetic late-night spots) … with the easy-breezy beachy attitude to life that makes you feel welcome in an instant.”
Time Out’s 50 Best Cities in the World, 2025

About Brighton

The city of Brighton & Hove is a forward-thinking place which leads the way in the arts, technology, sustainability and creativity. You'll find living here plays a key role in your learning experience.

Brighton is a leading centre for creative media technology, recently named the startup capital of the UK.

The city is home to a national 5G testbed and over 1,000 tech businesses. The digital sector is worth over £1bn a year to the local economy – as much as tourism.

All of our full-time undergraduate courses involve work-based learning - this could be through placements, live briefs and guest lectures. Many of these opportunities are provided by local businesses and organisations.

It's only 50 minutes by train from Brighton to central London and there are daily direct trains to Bristol, Bedford, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Maps

Moulsecoomb campus map

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Support and wellbeing

Your course team

Your personal academic tutor, course leader and other tutors are all there to help you with your personal and academic progress. You'll also have a student support and guidance tutor (SSGT) who can help with everything from homesickness, managing stress or accommodation issues.

Your academic skills

Our Brighton Student Skills Hub gives you extra support and resources to develop the skills you'll need for university study, whatever your level of experience so far.

Your mental health and wellbeing

As well as being supported to succeed, we want you to feel good too. You'll be part of a community that builds you up, with lots of ways to connect with one another, as well having access to dedicated experts if you need them. Find out more about how we support your wellbeing.

Sport at Brighton

Sport Brighton

Sport Brighton brings together our sport and recreation services. As a Brighton student you'll have use of sport and fitness facilities across all our campuses and there are opportunities to play for fun, fitness or take part in serious competition.

Find out more about Sport Brighton.

Sports scholarships

Our sports scholarship scheme is designed to help students develop their full sporting potential to train and compete at the highest level. We offer scholarships for elite athletes, elite disabled athletes and talented sports performers.

Find out more about sport scholarships.

Brighton Cricket Academy

Develop your cricketing skills in the UK’s largest indoor cricket facility alongside studying for a degree. Whether you can already play or you’re new to the game offers the opportunity to train with top coaches in our world-class training environment.

Find out about the Brighton Cricket Academy.

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Take a tour of sport facilities on our Falmer campus