Psychotherapy MSc

Application process

This course runs every two years. Your next opportunity to apply is October 2025 to start in September 2026.

We expect to offer 15 places for this course and hold a reserve list of three.

Step 1

• Submit your completed application by 15 January, this includes completed references.  
• Ensure that you accurately record all relevant completed or pending qualifications – scan and attach your certificates.  
• If you are a graduate of the PGDip from the University of Brighton then you need only provide one reference from your supervisor. If you are an external applicant, you will need to provide a further reference.
• Alert your referee/s that they should receive an email request and to check all email folders. Please note that is up to you to follow up with your referee/s to ensure this is submitted before the deadline of 15 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 leader for review and selection.
• All fully completed applications received by 15 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 for a place on the reserve list.

Step 3

• Selected applicants will be invited for interview from early February.
• 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.

Syllabus

You are required to regularly undertake supervised clinical practice under a supervisor in an approved setting. You must also take weekly psychotherapy yourself with an UKCP psychotherapist. Membership to the UPCA is required from the start of the course.

Modules

• Psychotherapy Practice and Models of Change
• Systemic Interventions: Theory and Practice
• Complex Presentations in Psychotherapy
• Implications of Neuroscience for Psychotherapy: Body, Mind and Brain
• Psychotherapeutic Practice and Supervision
• Dissertation

Lab facilities

Mithras House is home to all our School of Humanities and Social Science courses. It has a series of ‘labs’, which may be used for teaching on your course or in your independent research work.

Life lab
A comfortable space with lounge furniture intended for qualitative research with larger groups. Due to its relaxed layout and naturalistic environment, the space is suited to research using focus groups, research using observation-based methods and child research.

The space is also used for teaching on some social science courses, as well as for dissertation research for projects.
 
City lab
A space designed for collaborative student learning. It is used by students and staff involved in the university’s Global Challenges programme, our collective mission to contribute towards solutions to tackling the pressing issues facing our world.

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

Stats lab
A specialist workspace with computing equipment for statistical analysis and projects involving video and audio editing software. The lab is accessible as a study space to students on psychology courses.

It is also available to students studying courses involving video and audio recording and editing, such as politics degrees and our creative writing programmes. The stats lab contains eight soundproof booths for recording or transcribing interviews undertaken as part of dissertation research.

VR and eye tracking lab
This lab is used for psychological research, specifically eye-tracking research and virtual reality research. Equipment includes an electroencephalography (EEG) headset and Electrodermal Activity (EDA) equipment.

Course fees

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 the course begins.

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)

Campus where this course is taught

Accommodation

Local area

Maps

Support and wellbeing

Sport at Brighton