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Psychoanalytic Studies

MA

Application options include:

Full-time Part-time
On campus Flexible learning Online

Course Overview

The MA Psychoanalytic Studies provides you with a unique opportunity to critically explore the origins of psychoanalysis, its central concepts, and their application to areas of culture, society, history and politics. Starting with the foundational texts of Sigmund Freud, and tracing the development of psychoanalytic ideas from nineteenth century Vienna to the global present, you will learn how psychoanalysis has come to provide one of the most important and controversial ways of understanding the forces that shape the mind, and the social and political worlds we live in. 

Why choose this course?

  • You will be taught by internationally acclaimed, research-active scholars at the forefront of their field.
  • This course has close links with the Institute of Psychoanalysis, one of the main training providers for psychoanalysts in the country, through its shared events and teaching staff.
  • If you have strong clinical interests and the necessary experience, by choosing the Foundation Course at the Institute of Psychoanalysis as one of your option modules you will learn psychoanalytic theory from some of the most senior and eminent psychoanalysts in the country.

What you will learn

This course focuses on the interface between psychoanalysis as an evolving clinical practice, as a form of knowledge, and as a mode of critique. You will explore how psychoanalytic thought has been used to illuminate pressing social and political concerns, and examine the controversies that have surrounded its application outside the clinical setting.

You will be introduced to the key psychoanalytic concepts in detail, starting with Freud and moving through the history of psychoanalysis to contemporary psychoanalytic theory and practice. You will then critically assess the use of psychoanalysis to think about contemporary experiences of gender and sexuality, love and care, violence, war, racism and colonialism. 

How you will learn

You can study this course full- or part-time and on campus, online or combining both through a flexible learning option. It has an evening timetable with classes taking place in the evening which may include lectures, seminars, small-group work, and group tasks such as class presentations. We provide you with creative and accessible learning materials including pre-recorded lectures, films, radio broadcasts, artistic work and online resources. You will also be encouraged to seek out psychoanalytic events beyond Birkbeck to write about them regularly.

You will devise your own independent research project, individually supervised by an expert in your area of interest. You will also choose option modules covering a wide variety of related areas to broaden your knowledge and skills, from race, empire and postcoloniality to mental health, past and present.

This course is part of our new Birkbeck Flexible Master’s UK, which gives you the choice of how you want to study - on campus, online or via flexible learning, which combines both.

Discover the career opportunities available by taking Psychoanalytic Studies (MA).

Key information and modules

Find another course:

Highlights

  • Depending on your experience and clinical interests, this course offers you the opportunity to take an option module run by the Institute of Psychoanalysis. 
  • Birkbeck has established a formal link with the University of São Paulo, Brazil. This link enables on-campus students on this course with Portuguese language skills to undertake an option module at the university as part of their course of study at Birkbeck.
  • As well as the core course staff, lectures on our summer programme are given by internationally renowned Birkbeck associates.
  • See our film Spaces of Psychoanalysis (2016), directed by Bartek Dziadosz and produced by Lily Ford of Birkbeck's own Derek Jarman Lab.
Come and meet us Request a prospectus Contact us

Birkbeck makes all reasonable efforts to deliver educational services, modules and programmes of study as described on our website. In the event that there are material changes to our offering (for example, due to matters beyond our control), we will update applicant and student facing information as quickly as possible and offer alternatives to applicants, offer-holders and current students.

Most of our courses are taught in the evenings, however some of our courses offer a daytime timetable. Where there is an option to attend daytime teaching sessions, this is stated in the Key Information section under Attendance.

  • Entry Requirements Entry Requirements

    Entry Requirements

    At least a second-class honours degree (2:2), or equivalent, in any discipline relevant to the course, including most humanities and social science disciplines, such as psychology, history, English, languages, sociology, politics, philosophy and cultural studies.

    In exceptional circumstances, you will be considered if you do not meet this criterion but have substantial relevant professional experience (for example, in teaching, journalism, social work, counselling and psychotherapy, mediation, development work) and can demonstrate through interview and a written assignment that you have the required academic abilities to complete a Master's-level course.

    Applications are reviewed on their individual merits and your professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience will be taken into consideration positively. We actively support and encourage applications from mature learners.

    On your application form, please list all your relevant qualifications and experience, including those you expect to achieve.

    Apply now to secure your place. The earlier you apply, the sooner your application can be considered and you can enrol. You do not need to have completed your current qualification to start your application.

    International students: if you need a Student visa to study in the UK, you must meet certain minimum in-person attendance requirements. You will be required to primarily study on campus and so will only be able to apply for the on-campus study mode.

    English language requirements

    If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests.

    If you don't meet the minimum IELTS requirement, we offer pre-sessional English courses and foundation programmes to help you improve your English language skills and get your place at Birkbeck.

    Visit the International section of our website to find out more about our English language entry requirements and relevant requirements by country.

    Visa and funding requirements

    If you are not from the UK and you do not already have residency here, you may need to apply for a visa.

    The visa you apply for varies according to the length of your course:

    • Courses of more than six months' duration: Student visa
    • Courses of less than six months' duration: Standard Visitor visa

    International students who require a Student visa should apply for our full-time courses as these qualify for Student visa sponsorship. If you are living in the UK on a Student visa, you will not be eligible to enrol as a student on Birkbeck's part-time courses (with the exception of some modules).

    For full information, read our visa information for international students page.

    Please also visit the international section of our website to find out more about relevant visa and funding requirements by country.

    Please note students receiving US Federal Aid are only able to apply for in-person, on-campus programmes which will have no elements of online study.

    Credits and accredited prior learning (APL)

    If you have studied at university, you may have accumulated credits through the modules you studied. It may be possible to transfer these credits from your previous study to Birkbeck or another institution.

  • Fees Fees

    Fees

    Psychoanalytic Studies MA: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2025-26

    Academic year 2025–26, starting October 2025

    Part-time home students: £6,225 per year
    Full-time home students: £12,450 per year
    Part-time international students: £10,170 per year
    Full-time international students: £20,340 per year

    Psychoanalytic Studies MA: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time, flexible learning, starting in academic year 2025-26

    Academic year 2025–26, starting October 2025

    Part-time home students: £6,225 per year
    Full-time home students: £12,450 per year
    Part-time international students: £10,170 per year
    Full-time international students: £20,340 per year

    Psychoanalytic Studies MA: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time, online, starting in academic year 2025-26

    Academic year 2025–26, starting October 2025

    Part-time home students: £6,225 per year
    Full-time home students: £12,450 per year
    Part-time international students: £10,170 per year
    Full-time international students: £20,340 per year

    Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing on their course in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases. For more information, please see the College Fees Policy.

    If you’ve studied at Birkbeck before and successfully completed an award with us, take advantage of our Lifelong Learning Guarantee to gain a discount on the tuition fee of this course.

    Discover the financial support available to you to help with your studies at Birkbeck.

    International scholarships

    We provide a range of scholarships for eligible international students, including our Global Future Scholarship. Discover if you are eligible for a scholarship.

  • Teaching and Assessment Teaching and Assessment

    Teaching

    At Birkbeck, most of our courses are taught in the evening and all of our teaching is designed to support students who are juggling evening study with work and other commitments. We actively encourage innovative and engaging ways of teaching, to ensure our students have the best learning experience.

    Teaching may include formal lectures, seminars, and practical classes and tutorials. Formal lectures are used in most degree programmes to give an overview of a particular field of study. They aim to provide the stimulus and the starting point for deeper exploration of the subject during your own personal reading. Seminars give you the chance to explore a specific aspect of your subject in depth and to discuss and exchange ideas with fellow students. They typically require preparatory study.

    In addition, you will have access to pastoral support via a named Personal Tutor.

    Methods of teaching on this course

    Lectures, seminars, tutorials, and group and individual supervision by staff from Birkbeck's Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, as well as (for those students taking the Foundation Course option) by the Institute of Psychoanalysis.

    If you undertake the option module run by the Institute of Psychoanalysis you will be required to attend one evening a week at their West London premises for 30 weeks.

    Key teaching staff on this course

    Staff who may teach on this MA include:

    Key teaching staff on this course

    Staff who may teach on this MA include:

    This group of academics brings together world-leading researchers in psychosocial studies, history, literary studies and clinical practice.

    Teaching hours

    Our evening hours are normally between 6pm and 9pm (6-7.30pm and 7.30-9pm). Some programmes also offer teaching during the day and this will be clearly signposted to you where it is available.

    On our taught courses, you will have scheduled teaching and study sessions each year. Scheduled teaching sessions may include lectures, seminars, workshops or laboratory work. Depending on the modules you take, you may also have additional scheduled academic activities, such as tutorials, dissertation supervision, practical classes, visits and field trips. On our taught courses, the actual amount of time you spend in the classroom and in contact with your lecturers will depend on your course, the option modules you select and when you undertake your final-year project (if applicable).

    Alongside your contact hours, you will also undertake assessment activities and independent learning outside of class. The amount of time you need to allocate to study both for taught sessions (this might include online sessions and/or in-person sessions) and personal study will depend on how much you are studying during the year and whether you are studying full time or part time.

    Birkbeck’s courses are made up of modules and allocated ‘credit’. One credit is equivalent to ten hours of learning time. Modules are usually in 15, 30 or 60 credit units. A 15-credit module will mean around 150 hours of learning, including taught sessions and independent study or group work. This is spread out over the whole period of that module and includes the time you spend on any assessments, including in examinations, preparing and writing assessments or engaged in practical work as well as any study support sessions to help you in your learning.

    On our distance-learning and blended-learning courses, discussion, collaboration and interaction with your lecturers and fellow students is encouraged and enabled through various learning technologies.

    Timetables

    Timetables are usually available from September onwards and you can access your personalised timetable via your My Birkbeck Profile online (if you have been invited to enrol).

    Indicative class size

    Class sizes vary, depending on your course, the module you are undertaking, and the method of teaching. For example, lectures are presented to larger groups, whereas seminars usually consist of small, interactive groups led by a tutor.

    Independent learning

    On our taught courses, much of your time outside of class will be spent on self-directed, independent learning, including preparing for classes and following up afterwards. This will usually include, but is not limited to, reading books and journal articles, undertaking research, working on coursework and assignments, and preparing for presentations and assessments.

    Independent learning is absolutely vital to your success as a student. Everyone is different, and the study time required varies topic by topic, but, as a guide, expect to schedule up to five hours of self-study for each hour of teaching.

    Study skills and additional support

    Birkbeck offers study and learning support to undergraduate and postgraduate students to help them succeed. Our Learning Development Service can help you in the following areas:

    • academic skills (including planning your workload, research, writing, exam preparation and writing a dissertation)
    • written English (including structure, punctuation and grammar)
    • numerical skills (basic mathematics and statistics).

    Our Disability and Dyslexia Service can support you if you have additional learning needs resulting from a disability or from dyslexia.

    Our Counselling Service can support you if you are struggling with emotional or psychological difficulties during your studies.

    Our Mental Health Advisory Service can support you if you are experiencing short- or long-term mental health difficulties during your studies.

    Assessment

    Assessment is an integral part of your university studies and usually consists of a combination of coursework and examinations, although this will vary from course to course - on some of our courses, assessment is entirely by coursework. The methods of assessment on this course are specified below under 'Methods of assessment on this course'. You will need to allow time to complete coursework and prepare for exams.

    Where a course has unseen written examinations, these may be held termly, but, on the majority of our courses, exams are usually taken in the Summer term, during May to June. Exams may be held at other times of the year as well. In most cases, exams are held during the day on a weekday - if you have daytime commitments, you will need to make arrangements for daytime attendance - but some exams are held in the evening. Exam timetables are published online.

    Find out more about assessment at Birkbeck, including guidance on assessment, feedback and our assessment offences policy.

    Methods of assessment on this course

    Written and practical assignments, oral presentations and a dissertation of 10,000-12,000 words.

  • Careers and employability Careers and employability

    Careers and employability

    On successfully graduating from this MA Psychoanalytic Studies, you will have gained an array of important transferable skills, including:

    • an advanced critical ability in understanding and applying psychoanalytic ideas
    • an understanding of how this links to real-world ideas and contemporary debates
    • a grasp of the complex ethical debates and controversies around different ideas
    • strong skills and initiative in collecting and organising complex materials and writing up clear, well-presented work.

    Graduates have pursued a whole range of career paths in psychoanalysis, psychotherapy, counselling, research, education, journalism and politics. Possible professions include:

    • psychoanalyst
    • psychotherapist
    • counsellor
    • clinical psychologist.

    We offer a comprehensive careers service - Careers and Enterprise - your career partner during your time at Birkbeck and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education and future ambitions.

  • How to apply How to apply

    How to apply

    You apply directly to Birkbeck for this course, using the online application link.

    You will need to prove your identity when you apply - read more about suitable forms of identification.

    When to apply

    You are strongly advised to apply now, to ensure there are still places on your chosen course and to give you enough time to complete the admissions process, to arrange funding and to enrol.

    You don't need to complete your current programme of study before you apply - Birkbeck can offer you a place that is conditional on your results.

    You will also receive information about subject-specific induction sessions over the summer.

    Help and advice with your application

    Get all the information you need about the application, admission and enrolment process at Birkbeck.

    Our online personal statement tool will guide you through every step of writing the personal statement part of your application.

    Apply for your course

    Apply for your course using the apply now button in the key information section.

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Related courses

Course structure

Course structure listing

Course structure and modules for Psychoanalytic Studies MA: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time, on campus, starting October 2025

For this on-campus route you must complete modules worth a total of 180 credits, consisting of:

  • two core modules (30 credits each)
  • two option modules from the list below and/or from other options offered by the College (30 credits each)
  • an independent research module (60 credits).

A limited number of students can apply to take the option module in psychoanalysis at the British Psychoanalytical Society (details subject to review).

You may also take an option module at the University of São Paulo, Brazil.

Core modules
Indicative option modules
MA Psychoanalytic Studies independent research module

Course structure and modules for Psychoanalytic Studies MA: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time, flexible learning, starting October 2025

For this flexible route, you can choose to take modules online or you can choose to take them on campus. You must complete modules worth a total of 180 credits, consisting of:

  • two core modules (30 credits each)
  • two option modules from the list below and/or from other options offered by the College (30 credits each)
  • an independent research module (60 credits).

A limited number of students can apply to take the option module in psychoanalysis at the British Psychoanalytical Society (details subject to review).

You may also take an option module at the University of São Paulo, Brazil.

Core modules - online or on campus
Indicative option modules - on campus
Indicative online option modules
MA Psychoanalytic Studies independent research module

Course structure and modules for Psychoanalytic Studies MA: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time, online, starting October 2025

For this online route you must complete modules worth a total of 180 credits, consisting of:

  • two core modules (30 credits each)
  • two option modules from the list below and/or from other options offered by the College (30 credits each)
  • an independent research module (60 credits).

A limited number of students can apply to take the option module in psychoanalysis at the British Psychoanalytical Society (details subject to review).

Core modules
Indicative option modules
MA Psychoanalytic Studies independent research module