| Start date |
September 2025 |
| Location |
Streatham Campus
|
| Study modes Study mode details |
Part time 4-6 years Distance Learning available
|
Overview
- Provides training in research for psychoanalytic and systemically-informed psychological therapists, currently working with complex cases, relevant to their area and modality of clinical practice.
- Supports senior practitioners who are expected to draw upon their clinical practice whilst developing research skills.
- Provides valuable research training for advanced practitioners who are engaged in clinical leadership and supervisory roles.
- Develops innovative research which combines psychoanalytic or systemic concepts and processes with established and emerging research approaches including social science methods.
Exeter has an international reputation for research relevant to clinical practice. This doctoral programme is part of a wider portfolio of Clinical Doctorates within the department of Psychology at Exeter.
Top 75 in the world for Psychology
11th in the UK for internationally excellent research in Psychology
Internationally respected and fast developing social, environmental and organisational psychology research group, and a major centre for cognitive, clinical and neuroscience research
Research Overview
In building upon programme members’ sound clinical grounding, the main strength of the programme is its continuous focus on research into psychoanalytic concepts and practice, such as unconscious content and processes and transference-countertransference dynamics. It therefore provides a unique opportunity to explore these as aspects of evidence based practice and practice based evidence. Students are helped to consider what constitutes evidence; the particular strengths and weaknesses of particular kinds of evidence including the single case approach associated with many psychotherapeutic traditions. The programme considers the clinician as researcher; the research use that may be made of countertransferential evidence acquired in the clinical session; the formulation of hypotheses in the therapeutic encounter; their extrapolation into generalised hypotheses of human psychological functioning and the problems in so doing; the uses of extra-analytic information and theory as something which illuminates clinical practice or alternatively intrudes upon the patient therapist interaction.
Applicants' projects need to be in one of the clinical areas of:
1. Treatment outcome
2. Treatment process
3. Treatment context
4. Conceptual research relevant to your area of clinical practice
5. Basic science underpinning elements relevant to an area of clinical practice.
By the end of the programme we aim to have enabled members to:
- Develop a sophisticated understanding of research methodologies applicable to their area of clinical practice or interest;
- Become research ‘literate’;
- Develop the capacity to critically review and reflect upon the theoretical and clinical assumptions underlying their psychotherapy practice;
- Independently evaluate research using advanced scholarship and understanding of research methodologies and design and to able to understand and argue for alternative approaches;
- Conceptualise, design and implement a project for the generation of new knowledge relevant to psychotherapy practice;
- Develop a substantial, in-depth and systematic understanding of an area of their clinical practice;
- Analyse and manage ethical dilemmas and to work in an ethical manner;
- Act independently and with originality in relation to problem solving, planning and implementing tasks at an advanced level;
- Develop an enhanced capacity to reflect on their own and other’s psychological and emotional functioning in order to improve practice and manage their own continuing professional development, as well as guide and support the learning of others;
- Communicate complex and contentious information clearly and effectively to specialists and non-specialists alike and identify and explore any lack of understanding in others in order to act as a recognised and effective consultant;
- Make an original contribution to psychoanalytic or systemic psychotherapy theory and practice.
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How to apply
The DClinPrac(Res) is not accepting admissions for the academic year 24/25. The next intake will be for a September 2025 start. Applications will be open in January 2025.
Please apply online using our application portal, where you will be able to submit your supporting documents.
Please note: programmes are subject to minimum enrolment cohort numbers.
Academic requirements
An Honours degree or equivalent and evidence of ability to work academically at Master's/Doctoral level.
Professional requirements
To be eligible for the programme applicants will be qualified Psychoanalytic Psychotherapists, having successfully completed a substantial psychotherapeutic clinical training as a Psychodynamic/ Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist or Analyst (or equivalent); as a Child psychotherapist (or equivalent); as a Family or Couples’ Therapist (or equivalent); or as a Group Analyst (or equivalent), or a trainee in at least the third year of training, with an existing qualification at Master’s level or equivalent.
Some professional psychotherapy trainings or mental health trainings, for example, may be considered as equivalent but you should discuss this with programme staff, ideally prior to application.
Requirements for international students
If you are an international student, please visit our international equivalency pages to enable you to see if your existing academic qualifications meet our entry requirements.
English language requirements
International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course. The required test scores for this course fall under Profile B2: view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country.
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Tuition fees per year 2024/25
Home:
- £9,000 per annum years for 1 and 2; £6,400 per annum for years 3 to 6
International:
- £10,500 per annum for years 1 and 2; £7,900 per annum for years 3 to 6
Tuition fees per year 2023/24
Home:
- £9,000 year 1 and 2; £5,000 year 3 to 6
International:
- £10,500 year 1 and 2; £6,750 year 3 to 6
Our Postgraduate Funding webpage provides links to further information. If you are considering a PhD in the future, in addition to University of Exeter funding, we have been successful at securing postgraduate funding for PhD research through our Funded centres.
Current available funding
Course content
The course structure consists of:
- Typically four residential blocks over the first two years of the programme, which are the only times that attendance at the University of Exeter site is essential.
- Regular facilitated Learning Groups convened across the UK that can also be accessed internationally via Skype or similar video communications platforms.
- Below is a typical outline of modules providing examples of what you can expect to learn on this course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, and student demand.
|
Modules
|
Credits
|
|
Evidence Based-Practice and Practice-Based Evidence: Critical Appraisal
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90
|
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Linking Research and Clinical Practice
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90
|
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Small Scale Research Project
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60
|
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Thesis Project Proposal
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60
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Thesis
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240
|
|
Total credits
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540
|
Assessment
A range of assessment methods are utilised to assess the modules within the programme. Assessments are innovative and are designed to prepare students for research and leadership in the real world. The programme utilises both formative assessments to help students develop and provide feedback to enhance their performance, and summative assessments to evaluate their progress.
Assignments
Students complete a number of academic assignments which are intended to support the development of their ideas and thinking about clinical practice and research. See accordions below for more information about the assignments that need to be completed at each stage.
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Stage 1 typically includes the following:
|
Credits
|
Module title
|
Assessment
|
Percentage of module marks
|
|
60
|
Thesis Project Proposal
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Thesis Proposal made up of 3,000 word literature review and 3,000 word proposal (6,000 words)
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80%
|
|
Mini Viva
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20%
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60
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Small Scale Research Project
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SSRP- Journal Submission: small scale research project – data collection, analysis and presentation (4,000 words max)
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80%
|
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Poster and Presentation: presentation of small scale research project (A1 Poster format)
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20%
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|
90
|
Evidence-based Practice and Practice-based Evidence
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PBL Individual Report: critical analysis of a piece of analytically informed research and treatment approach (3,000 words)
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60%
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Thesis Proposal Appraisal: appraisal of each other’s draft thesis proposals (2,000 words)
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40%
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90
|
Linking Research and Clinical Practice
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Writing for Publication Assignment: peer-reviewed journal article (6,000 words)
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60%
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Reflecting on linking theory, practice and research (4,000 words)
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40%
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Stage 2 typically includes the following:
|
Credits
|
Module title
|
Assessment
|
Percentage of module marks
|
|
240
|
Thesis
|
Research Thesis as a single thesis or three linked papers (50,000 words)
|
100%
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|
Viva voce Examination
|
Selected examples of recent projects completed by graduates of this programme:
- O’Connor, C (2022), What is the impact of whistleblowing on psychosocial health?
- (Loh, C (2022) to Evaluating the process of embodied experiences in critical moments of therapeutic change: a qualitative study.
- Casas Pardo, A (2022), Sibling relationships and their relevance to psychoanalytic work: a qualitative study.
- Sitrava, S (2021), Romantic Relationship Issues Described by Young Adults with Moratorium Ego Identity Status and Anxious Attachment Style.
- MacDonald, S (2020), How do we understand suicide-communication in primary school-age children?
- Gozho, J (2020), Does racial colour difference between client and therapist affect the transference relationship? If it does, how does it emerge, and do therapists engage with it, to establish a therapeutic relationship: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.
- Sherbersky, H (2020), ‘Treating this place like home’ An exploration of the notions of home within an adolescent inpatient unit and subsequent implications for staff training.
- Moreland, J (2019), The experience of bariatric or weight-loss surgery (WLS) - with particular reference to changes in the relationship with food.
Supervision
As well as senior and experienced trained clinicians who are also working in various clinical settings, teaching on the programme, students also have access to senior, research active supervisors and teachers in a range of research methodologies, qualitative and quantitative, with a wide spectrum of research interests. For more information about the course team and their clinical and research interests, see our Staff Profiles.
You can expect:
- High-quality research supervision to develop and nurture your potential
- A tailored supervision approach to help best suit your requirements
- Accessible supervisors who are enthusiastic about working directly with postgraduate research students
- Regular meetings with your supervisor
- Regular meetings with your supervisory team, other members of your research group, and mentors
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