Systemic Psychotherapy

Overview

Systemic practice and family therapy helps people in close relationships to better understand and support each other. It enables individuals and family members to express and explore difficult thoughts and emotions safely, understand each other’s experiences and views, appreciate each other’s needs, build on family strengths, and work together to make useful changes in their relationships and their lives.



Systemic family therapy has been found to be effective across the life course in helping children, young people, adults, couples and families struggling with a broad range of difficulties and circumstances.



Systemic Practitioners and Family and Systemic Psychotherapists work in many health and social care settings such as children’s services, older people’s services, physical health and disability, substance misuse, justice and mental health services.



Our multidisciplinary Systemic Practice and Family Therapy programmes are suitable for professionally qualified staff who wish to enhance their skills of working with families, couples, individuals, other systems and relationship networks.



There are three levels of systemic practice clinical training: Foundation (PG Certificate), Intermediate (PG Diploma) and Qualifying (MSc Systemic Psychotherapy).



This MSc in Systemic Psychotherapy is designed for those who have completed Intermediate level training and who wish to qualify as a Systemic Family Psychotherapist and achieve full registration as a Family and Systemic Psychotherapist with the UK Council for Psychotherapy.



Please note that this course is not eligible for a Tier 4 visa.



Please note: intake for this programme is every two years, with September 2024 being the next intake.



Please note: intake for this programme is every two years, with September 2026 being the next intake.



Course Structure

This degree programme requires a major commitment over two years, involving a minimum of 1,855 study hours, at least 480 of which are indirect contact with staff. A distinctive feature of this training is 300 hours of live supervised practice in a clinical placement. Students must also be able to evidence 200 hours of supervised systemic practice in their own work setting.



Professional Accreditations

The MSc constitutes years 3 and 4 of the four-year Systemic Family Psychotherapist training leading to full clinical qualification as a Family and Systemic Psychotherapist.

The information below is intended as an example only, featuring module details for the current year of study (2024/25). Modules are reviewed on an annual basis and may be subject to future changes – revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year.

Year 1

Core Modules

Core Modules

• Specialist Practice Dissertation (60 credits)

• Family Therapy Skills and Techniques - 1. Practice Applications (40 credits)

• Family Therapy and Systemic Thinking - 2. Theoretical Perspectives (20 credits)

• Family Therapy Skills and Techniques - 2. Practice Applications (40 credits)

• MScASS - Family Therapy and Systemic Thinking - 1. Theoretical Perspectives (20 credits).

Graduate

Normally a 2.2 Honours degree or above or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University. Equivalent qualifications include the Pre-2007 Post-Qualifying Award in Social Work. Where this is not met, applicants must show that their experience and qualifications enable them to study at postgraduate level through the uptake of references and through completing a reflective assignment on their practice.



This two year pathway is suitable for applicants with a prior relevant professional qualification in a mental health or social care related discipline or equivalent (e.g. social work, nursing, clinical psychology, psychiatry) working in a range of service settings who wish to become qualified Systemic Family Psychotherapists. The course is accredited at Qualification-level by AFT, a member organisation of the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP). The degree is recognised by the core professions' continuing professional development arrangements. Applicants must have successfully completed Systemic Practice and Family Therapy training accredited by AFT at Foundation and Intermediate levels or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University. Those who have completed the CYP-IAPT (SFP) Practitioners Course are eligible to apply.



Applicants who do not hold one of the designated relevant professional qualifications, but who have completed AFT accredited Intermediate training (or equivalent) and would find the Qualifying level course useful to their work, may be accepted in accordance with the AFT training standards. This is at the discretion of the Programme Director and will be decided in consultation with AFT course requirements. Additional information and a full CV will be required and a discretionary interview may also be undertaken.



Applicants must be able to evidence 200 hours of systemic practice in their own work setting, and have access to suitable systemic supervision by a qualified Systemic Psychotherapist/Supervisor. Where systemic supervision is not available in their place of work, students may access independent systemic supervision to meet this requirement. The Programme Director will provide additional guidance and support in these circumstances.



At least two references will be sought, one of whom must be the student’s current employer. Additional references should be from someone with knowledge of the students’ systemic practice and another from a previous training course.



An individual and group interview constitute part of the selection process for this programme.



Applicants who score above the cut-off point at interview will be ranked in order of their score, and places will then be offered in rank order up to the maximum number of supervised clinical placements available. Any applicants who score above the cut-off point at interview, and who are not ranked sufficiently high to be offered a place, will be kept on a waiting list and will be offered a place (in rank order) if a supervised clinical placement becomes available.



Please note that this programme is only open to applicants who are working as Social Care Professionals within a suitable setting in NI/UK/RoI. Social Work applicants must have a recognised social work qualification and be registered with the Northern Ireland Social Care Council. It is important that Social Work applicants include their NISCC Social Care Registration Number in the Additional Information section of the application form.



International Students

Please see International Student's link below.

Closing date: 18th May 2026 at 4pm.

Assessments associated with this course are outlined below:


Assessment is by written assignment and oral presentation, including a case study and learning portfolio.


Students developing clinical practice is assessed during their supervised clinical practice placements by their supervisor and the portfolio of learning by course staff.


Students must also demonstrate 200 hours of supervised systemic practice in a current work setting or placement and access a minimum of 24 hours of individual supervision by a qualified Family and Systemic Psychotherapist.

2 years (Part Time)



Teaching Times

Teaching takes place normally one day per fortnight at QUB. This includes lectures, seminars, small group work and case presentations. Supervised training clinics are provided on one day per week through each academic year.

Entry Year: 2025/26

Please note: intake for this programme is every two years, with September 2026 being the next intake.

Career Prospects

This course provides knowledge and skills which are highly valued in both child and adult services across health and social care.



Systemic Practitioners and Systemic Family Therapists work in many health and social care settings such as children's services, older people's services, physical health and disability, substance misuse, justice and mental health services.