PhD Psychosocial Studies - Psychosocial Studies Degree

Program Overview

The PhD in Psychosocial Studies explores the intersection of psychological, social, and political contexts. The research-based program provides comprehensive training through individual supervision, annual postgraduate conferences, and access to extensive library resources. Graduates pursue diverse careers, including further study, professional training, and research.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The PhD in Psychosocial Studies is a research-based degree that allows students to investigate their chosen topic in depth and reach a profound understanding. The program is designed to develop new high-level skills, enhance professional development, and build new networks. It can open doors to many careers. The program draws together a broad range of interdisciplinary areas, including:

• Gender and sexuality studies
• Childhood studies
• Groups and institutional dynamics
• Refugees and trauma
• Emotions and the unconscious
• The interface of the psychological with social and political contexts

Assessment:

The main mode of teaching is by individual supervision. Each supervisory process is unique in its rhythm, style, and content, and therefore, the student and their supervisor should agree on the nature and timing of each stage of the research. As a guideline, students might expect to spend the first year of their PhD (or first two years, if part-time) undertaking their literature review and refining their research question/focus. In their second year (or third and fourth years, if part-time), they work on their methodology, data collection, and data analysis. In their third year (or fifth and sixth years, if part-time), they complete their data analysis, final results, and drafting. Assessment is by submission of a thesis of no more than 80,000 words. Research theses will be examined by two examiners, one internal and one external. An oral examination is usual for all PhD and doctoral theses.

Teaching:

The program offers individual supervision as the main mode of teaching. Students will be allocated a supervisor whose role it is to guide them through the different stages of their research degree. In some cases, students may have joint supervision by two members of staff (which may include co-supervision from colleagues located in another department). Twice a year, students will have a supervisory panel meeting, which provides a more formal opportunity to discuss their progress and agree on their plans for the next six months.

Careers:

Graduates go on to a number of different destinations, including further study and training in psychoanalysis, Jungian analysis, or psychoanalytic psychotherapy. Many students are already professionals, clinical and non-clinical, so return to their existing fields, either in jobs or further training, and use their study to deepen their understanding of their work.

Other:

The Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies has a long history of exploring the interface between social and psychodynamic theory, and many dual clinicians and social theorists committed to integrating psychoanalytic and social research. Students have access to the Albert Sloman Library, which is well stocked with books, journals, electronic resources, and major archives relevant to the program's work. The department also has its own library of specialist books and journals.

Home/UK fee £4,786 per year International fee £18,750 per year Fees will increase for each academic year of study.