MSc in Theoretical Psychoanalytic Studies

Assessment

In order to pass the MSc programme (180 credits) students need to pass all of the following elements of assessment:

Module: PSYCGT10 Fundamentals of Psychoanalytic Theory/Freud Reading Seminars (30 credits)

Assessment: Exam 50% (2 questions/2 Hours) Essay 50% (2,500 words)

Module: PSYCGT11 Major Schools of Psychoanalysis (30 credits)

Assessment: Exam 50% (2 questions/2 Hours) Essay 50% (2,500 words)

Module: PSYCGT12 Core Psychoanalytic Theory (30 credits)

Assessment: Exam 50% (2 questions/2 Hours) Essay 50% (2,500 words)

Module: PSYCGT13 Applications of Psychoanalysis (30 credits)

Assessment: Exam 50% (2 questions/2 Hours) Essay 50% (2,500 words)

Module: PSYCGT98 Dissertation (60 credits)

Essays

During the year students write four essays of up to 2,500 words including everything except an appendix (if used), to allow continuous assessment to be made, and to help the students to deepen and consolidate learning in their chosen areas. These essays are designed to assess the extent to which students are able and ready to evaluate critically, claims, theories and evidence in the relevant literature; show awareness of the nature, history, content and context of psychoanalytic theories; and communicate effectively.

Click here to see example essay questions.

Examinations

Students are required to complete four unseen examinations in June to assess the extent to which each student has been able to: gain an outline understanding of the medical and cultural context in which psychoanalysis began, together with its development over the following century; become familiar with the major theoretical and clinical works of Sigmund Freud; become aware of the central ideas characterising the three major British groups, contrasted with European schools; and study the debates concerning psychoanalytic thinking in relation to psychopathology, clinical technique, and the applications of psychoanalytic ideas to understanding the wider culture.

Click here to see example exam papers.

Dissertation (60 credits)

Students write a dissertation of between 8,000 and 11,000 words including everything except an appendix, on a conceptual or theoretical issue of their choice. The dissertation is supervised by a psychoanalyst of the student's choice, or by arrangement with an alternative approved supervisor (most often an academic in a related field). The supervisor might be more appropriately named a consultant or advisor, since the amount of help given is normally restricted to about three discussions with the student, together with feedback on a draft. The work is intended to be very much the student's own, with some orientation advice and comments from the supervisor. Generally, the final month of work on the dissertation (July-early August) is independent. Some extra credit in marking is given if the ideas clearly belong to the student, who has written the dissertation without much help. Some students do need more support and feedback, in which case this is available but marking will take the fact into account. The dissertation is submitted in mid-August. The dissertation allows the student the fullest opportunity to show the quality of his or her independent reading and thinking, to demonstrate their level of awareness and understanding of psychoanalytic theory and their capacity to present an argument and give an appraisal of the relevant literature. It is important that the subject chosen is clearly within the area of psychoanalytic theory; it does not have to have been specifically taught in the MSc programme, but students are advised to consult with the Programme Tutor before undertaking their work.

This MSc is a non-clinical programme, and does not require clinical training or experience. Understanding of clinical material is only included in the programme to the extent that it illuminates theoretical issues or the ways in which theory has developed (e.g. Freud's case histories are relevant because they were crucial in his developing theoretical formulations and sometimes in his technical innovations). We do not wish to give an unfair advantage, in formal assessments, to those students who have had clinical experience. We therefore issue the following guidelines:

There is no need for students to show knowledge of any clinical material which has not been set as part of the required reading for the programme, and students who do not use clinical illustrations will not be penalised;

If students have access to unpublished clinical material, e.g. from professional practice, this should not be used in assessed work. Only clinical material which has been published (whether by the student or someone else), which is therefore available in principle to all students and to the examiners, may be included;

If students choose to illustrate theoretical arguments with clinical examples, they should be careful to consider the extent to which these examples are really evidence for their conclusions, and remember that the marking will take into account only the strength of theoretical understanding and originality, not clinical knowledge. They should also take into account that writing about clinical material will use some of the space allowed, and so is not advisable unless it is the best way of furthering the theoretical argument. Students should beware of going beyond their competence, in interpreting clinical observations. Particularly if not clinically trained, offering explanations of clinical phenomena is likely to be risky. Students need to have a lively respect for the complexity of clinical work and of its relationship to theoretical developments. Venturing interpretations without adequate information about the case, and/or without appropriate training, risks suggesting to the examiners that the student has not recognised the limitations of the knowledge covered by the degree programme, and by implication that he or she may not have sufficient appreciation of the difficulties of applying psychoanalytic theory in practice.

The University Guidelines on Plagiarism

Plagiarism as well as failure to properly attribute sources are taken very seriously by the Psychoanalysis Unit. Please, therefore, read the following extract from the UCL Examination Regulations Booklet, (Appendix 3, Plagiarism) very carefully.

1. The College is subject to the University of London 's General Regulations for Internal Students and the policy detailed below has been drawn up in accordance with those Regulations.

2. Plagiarism is defined as the presentation of another person's thoughts or words or artefacts or software as though they were a student's own.

3. Any quotation from the published or unpublished works of other persons must, therefore be clearly identified as such by being placed inside quotation marks, and students should identify their sources as accurately and fully as possible.

4. A series of short quotations from several different sources, if not clearly identified as such, constitutes plagiarism just as much as does a single unacknowledged long quotation from single source. Equally, if a student summarises another person's ideas, judgements, figures, diagrams or software, a reference to that person in the text must be made and the work referred to must be included in the bibliography.

5. Recourse to the services of "ghost-writing" agencies (for example in the preparation of essays or reports) or of word-processing agencies which offer "correction/improvement of English" is strictly forbidden, and students who make use of the services of such agencies render themselves liable for an academic penalty.

6. Where part of an examination consists of "take away" papers, essays or other work written in a student's own time, or a coursework assessment, the work submitted must be the candidate's own.

7. Some departments give specific advice about non-originality, plagiarism and the use of material by others, and students must make themselves aware of such departmental guidelines and abide by them. For some assessments it is also illicit to reproduce material which a student has used in other work/assessment for the programme concerned. Students should make themselves aware of their department's rules on this "self-plagiarism". If in doubt, students should consult their Personal Tutor or an appropriate other Tutor.

Failure to observe any of the provisions of this policy or of approved departmental guidelines constitutes an examination offence under the University Regulations. Examination offences will normally be treated as cheating or irregularities under the regulations for Proceedings in respect of Examination Irregularities. Under these Regulations, students found to have committed an offence may be excluded from all further examinations of the University and/or the College.

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This page last modified 7 November, 2009 by Sophie Bennett