Psychotherapy

Accreditation

The MA in Psychotherapy offers a postgraduate qualification which meets requirements for professional training for individuals interested in training as humanistic and psychodynamic psychotherapists in the integrative model.



For instance, the Masters in Psychotherapy combined with our Higher Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy is recognised as a 4 year training by IAHIP (Irish Association for Humanistic Integrative Psychotherapy).



Awarding Body and NFQ Level

The programme is also currently recognised by the Irish Association for Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy (IAHIP) as part of an overall 4 year training programme in conjunction with the Higher Diploma in Arts in Counselling and Psychotherapy, to allow learners to meet the accreditation criteria in IAHIP Bye-law 11.



As part of our ongoing obligation to quality assurance for QQI and IAHIP, DBS will carry out reviews and submit the programme for re-approval as required. This means that there may be changes to programme content or delivery during your programme of study. If this does occur, DBS will carefully consider all transition arrangements to ensure consistency for learners.



CORU Recognition

CORU is Ireland's multi-profession health regulator whose role is to protect the public through regulating the health and social care professions listed in the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (as amended). It includes the Health and Social Care Professionals Council and the Registration Boards established under the Act 2005 (as amended).



CORU confirmed the establishment of and appointment of members to the Counsellors and Psychotherapists Registration Board in 2019, under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (amended) to separately regulate the professions of Counsellors and Psychotherapists.



Currently there is no date for the opening of the CORU registers for Counsellors and Psychotherapists. Please refer to the CORU website for more information.



DBS will make an application for programme approval to the Registration Board when CORU opens the process.



Programme Specific Regulations

Given the responsibility involved in the practice of psychotherapy it is essential that only learners assessed to be suitable for clinical practice are recommended to the Master of Arts in Psychotherapy to engage in supervised client practice regardless of their academic achievement. For this reason, the Higher Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy as a Level 8 award at the end of the first two years of the four-year professional training, which is recognised by IAHIP, is part of the assessment of suitability. Aside from this, there is also a further interview on application to the MA programme. This is fundamental to the design of the Masters in combination with the Higher Diploma as together they constitute four-year professional training recognised by IAHIP and in terms of maintaining standards for training and protecting learners and the public from inappropriate situations.

The Master of Arts (MA) in Psychotherapy programme has the following content:



Core Modules

• Supervised Clinical Practice

• Clinical Group Supervision

• Process Group

• Theory and Practice 1: Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

• Theory and Practice 2: Integrative Psychotherapy

• Theory and Practice 3: Object Relations

• Theory and Practice 4: Integrative Psychotherapy

• Gesalt Therapy

• Existential Psychotherapy

• Ethics and Contemporary Issues

• The Body in Psychotherapy

• Psychotherapy and the Public Sphere

• Workshops

• Self, Subject, Person

• Research Project

The minimum entry requirements for the Master of Arts in Psychotherapy are:

• A Level 8 undergraduate honours degree with a minimum Second-Class Second Division (2.2) from a recognised third level institution in Counselling and Psychotherapy or an equivalent qualification in a cognate area from a recognised third level institution, or



• A graduate of any non-cognate discipline and hold a qualification in a conversion-style programme such as the DBS Higher Diploma in Arts in Counselling and Psychotherapy (wherein they have passed all requirements at honours level, including oral examination of professional suitability), or



• Hold an equivalent qualification in the field of Humanistic, Integrative and Psychodynamic study and training or have equivalent professional qualifications.



• Suitable candidates should be able to demonstrate significant life experience, self-awareness and maturity. Learners on the Master of Arts in Psychotherapy programme are required to have entered their own psychotherapy before commencement of the programme. This will have been a requirement of the required prior learning qualification indicated above. Prior learning qualifications should also have included a minimum of 60 hours process

group work.



• Ideally candidates should also have experience either professionally or on a voluntary basis in a role which can be related to the work of counselling/psychotherapy. Candidates are expected to be able to show evidence of having the personal qualities necessary to undertake psychotherapy training. To this end there is an interview process as part of the admissions procedure in order to assess academic and personal suitability.



• It is a requirement that all applicants are interviewed to assess professional suitability.



Applicants who do not have a Level 8 qualification at a 2.2 award level and who have at least 3 years’ work experience may also be considered through the college’s normal RPL procedures. Relevant professional experience may be taken into account and individuals will be assessed on a case-by-case basis through DBS RPL procedures.



Garda Vetting

Part-time: 2 years.



All learners are expected to attend in person in class.

Next intake: September 2026

Career Opportunities

Holders of the MA in Psychotherapy will be qualified to work in the following areas:

• The Voluntary Sector

• Primary Care settings

• Social Care settings

• Educational settings

• Private Practice following admission to a professional body



It is envisaged that the programme will appeal to those interested in further postgraduate study, such as at PhD level.