Undergraduate Course

FdA Therapeutic Communication and Therapeutic Organisations

FdA Therapeutic Communication and Therapeutic Organisations

Overview

The details
Therapeutic Communication and Therapeutic Organisations
LX51
October 2025
Full-time
2 years
Distance Learning

This is an online version of our FDA Therapeutic Communication and Therapeutic Organisations. This course is taught through distance learning meaning the entire two years of the course is taught online with no face-to-face, in-person teaching. You will graduate with the same qualification as our campus based FDA, the only difference being you will attend all teaching virtually and not on campus.

Interested in the course but want to study on campus? Click here.

How can you support the people who need your service most effectively?

How can you work more collaboratively with your colleagues?

What counts as therapeutic support for children, young people, or older adults?

Our Foundation Degree, comprising of one afternoon of teaching a week, offers a theoretical understanding and the practical tools for emotionally grounded therapeutic work with children, adolescents, and adults, whatever your role.

Using a psychodynamic framework, the course will help you develop a thorough understanding of the human processes within and around the people who use your service and the people who are trying to help them. We also equip you with an awareness of the wider dimension of organisational dynamics. Put together, these both will contribute to your development as an effective and perceptive practitioner.

You study:

  • Psychodynamic theory
  • Child and adult development
  • Issues of trauma and violence
  • The dynamics of therapeutic interventions in organisations

You also have the opportunity to develop your insight as a reflective thinker through reflective observation workshops.

After finishing this Foundation Degree, you have the opportunity to take a further one year course on campus to gain a BA Honours Degree. The course is accredited by APPCIOS (The Association of Psychodynamic Practice and Counselling in Organisational Settings).

Professional accreditation

Accredited by the Association for Psychodynamic Practice and Counselling in Organisational Settings (APPCIOS).

Why we're great.
  • Our course tutors are experienced practitioners, who have worked with children and adults facing challenging circumstances, over many years.
  • The course gives you the concepts, tools and support to develop your therapeutic work, and at the same time, you can continue progressing with your career.
  • Build your reputation and profile in existing roles in social work, healthcare, mental health, community work and education.

Our expert staff

What sets our teaching team apart is that each one blends clinical experience and expertise in their field with the academic rigour for which the Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies has such a reputation. You will be taught by lecturers who have years of experience working directly with troubled individuals and groups in specialist settings. This means they can draw upon not only the enduring academic tradition and the latest research in the field of psychoanalytic studies but also upon years of clinical experience as teachers, psychotherapists, and therapeutic community practitioners.

Mr Chris Tanner, Fd.A Course Director, brings many years of experience in special education and therapeutic communities, having held a number of leaderships and directorships roles in such organisations. He also works as an organisational consultant working across diverse sectors in the UK. He is a Specialist Member of the Ministry of Justice Health, Education and Social Care Tribunal. He has postgraduate qualifications in special education, psychoanalytic studies, and organisational consultancy.

Mrs Arianna Pulsoni is a child and adolescent psychoanalytic psychotherapist. Arianna has worked in NHS and in schools. She is the lead on the wellbeing and counselling service in an international school. She has also worked with mother and baby refugees and she is doing a research on intergenerational family difficulties and parent work at the Tavistock Clinic. Arianna also works as a clinical supervisor and specialist consultant.

Dr Chris Nicholson has some 15 years experience working in residential childcare and therapeutic communities. His PhD thesis concerned the effects of war trauma upon the literary works of Robert Graves. He is the primary author and editor of Children and Adolescents in Trauma: Creative Therapeutic Approaches published in 2010. Chris sits on the Advisory Board for Children and Young People at the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Therapeutic Communities section. He speaks at both national and international conferences and teaches here as well as in Greece.

Specialist facilities

You will experience a lively, informal environment with many possibilities to pursue your own interests:

  • You will have access to the Albert Sloman Library, which houses a strong collection of books, journals, electronic resources and major archives
  • The Department has its own dedicated library of specialist texts which inform and influence our research
  • Free evening Open Seminars on topics relevant to psychoanalysis which are open to students, staff and members of the public.

Your future

In undertaking this course you'll study a range of psychoanalytic concepts - applying them to individuals, relationships and organisations, which will provide you with a unique perspective of why we are the way we are, on understanding others and knowing how to relate to them, which will make you suited for further clinical training, postgraduate study in different fields, or employment.

Key areas of employment for people with these skills include marketing, advertising, human resources, management, the media, care work, teaching or health care. Our recent graduates have gone on to work in a wide range of careers, including:

  • Psychoanalytic therapy
  • Clinical psychology
  • NHS Mental Health work
  • Management Consultancy
  • Country Director (Afghanistan) with the Danish Refugee Council
  • Therapeutic Consultancy

We also work with the University's Student Development Team to help you find out about further work experience, internships, placements, and voluntary opportunities.

“I never expected to develop such enthusiasm and passion for my chosen subject. I have acquired and built on a range of different skills, and by the end of my first year I had obtained paid employment within two separate organisations: a community interest company in Essex and a registered charity in Suffolk.”

David Bloomfield, FdA Therapeutic Communication and Therapeutic Organisation.

Entry requirements

UK entry requirements

Our applicants must demonstrate capacity to study for Foundation Degree as evidenced by NVQ, A-level and access courses or other evidence, perhaps including evidence of relevant experience and ability from the workplace.

We accept a wide range of other qualifications from applicants studying in the UK, EU and other countries. For further details about the qualifications that we accept, please e-mail us with information about the high school qualifications you have already completed or are currently taking.

We welcome applications from mature students and students wishing to defer entry.

Additional requirements

You must also have a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check (including child and adult barred list check) - both of these are organised by the University. Please contact our DBS team if you have any questions relating to this.

A satisfactory Overseas Criminal Record Check/Local Police Certificate is also required, in addition to a DBS Check, where you have lived outside of the UK in the last 5 years for 6 months or more.

International & EU entry requirements

We accept a wide range of qualifications from applicants studying in the EU and other countries. Get in touch with any questions you may have about the qualifications we accept. Remember to tell us about the qualifications you have already completed or are currently taking.

Sorry, the entry requirements for the country that you have selected are not available here. Please contact our Undergraduate Admissions team at ugquery@essex.ac.uk to request the entry requirements for this country.

English language requirements

English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English: IELTS 6.0 overall, or specified score in another equivalent test that we accept.

Details of English language requirements, including UK Visas and Immigration minimum component scores, and the tests we accept for applicants who require a Student visa (excluding Nationals of Majority English Speaking Countries) can be found here

If we accept the English component of an international qualification then it will be included in the information given about the academic levels listed above for the relevant countries.

Please note that date restrictions may apply to some English language qualifications.

If you are an international student requiring a Student visa to study in the UK please see our immigration webpages for the latest Home Office guidance on English language qualifications.

What if my IELTS does not meet your requirements?

If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.

Do I need to have achieved an acceptable English language qualification before I apply?

You don’t need to achieve the required level before making your application, but it will be one of the conditions of your offer.

What if the English language qualification I hold, or am taking, is not listed?

If you cannot find the qualification that you have achieved or are pending, then please contact Admissions on ugquery@essex.ac.uk for advice.

What are the requirements for second and final year entry?

Different requirements apply for second and final year entry, and specified component grades are also required for applicants who require a visa to study in the UK. Details of English language requirements, including UK Visas and Immigration minimum component scores, and the tests we accept for applicants who require a Student visa (excluding Nationals of Majority English Speaking Countries) can be found here

Additional Notes

If you’re an international student, but do not meet the English language or academic requirements for direct admission to this degree, you could prepare and gain entry through a pathway course. Find out more about opportunities available to you at the University of Essex International College

Structure

Course structure

We offer a flexible course structure with a mixture of core/compulsory modules, and optional modules chosen from lists.

Our research-led teaching is continually evolving to address the latest challenges and breakthroughs in the field. The course content is therefore reviewed on an annual basis to ensure our courses remain up-to-date so modules listed are subject to change.

Please note that in both years, you choose between two modules - Theory, Practice and Responsibility (Child and Adolescent) and Theory, Practice and Responsibility (Adult) - depending on your preferred route.

Components and modules explained

Components

Components are the blocks of study that make up your course. A component may have a set module which you must study, or a number of modules from which you can choose.

Each component has a status and carries a certain number of credits towards your qualification.

Status What this means
Core
You must take the set module for this component and you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Core with Options
You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component but you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Compulsory
You must take the set module for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Compulsory with Options
You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Optional
You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.

The modules that are available for you to choose for each component will depend on several factors, including which modules you have chosen for other components, which modules you have completed in previous years of your course, and which term the module is taught in.

Modules

Modules are the individual units of study for your course. Each module has its own set of learning outcomes and assessment criteria and also carries a certain number of credits.

In most cases you will study one module per component, but in some cases you may need to study more than one module. For example, a 30-credit component may comprise of either one 30-credit module, or two 15-credit modules, depending on the options available.

Modules may be taught at different times of the year and by a different department or school to the one your course is primarily based in. You can find this information from the module code. For example, the module code HR100-4-FY means:

HR 100  4  FY

The department or school the module will be taught by.

In this example, the module would be taught by the Department of History.

The module number. 

The UK academic level of the module.

A standard undergraduate course will comprise of level 4, 5 and 6 modules - increasing as you progress through the course.

A standard postgraduate taught course will comprise of level 7 modules.

A postgraduate research degree is a level 8 qualification.

The term the module will be taught in.

  • AU: Autumn term
  • SP: Spring term
  • SU: Summer term
  • FY: Full year 
  • AP: Autumn and Spring terms
  • PS: Spring and Summer terms
  • AS: Autumn and Summer terms

COMPONENT 01: CORE

PA123-4-AT
(15 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 02: CORE

PA124-4-AP
(30 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 03: CORE

PA125-4-PT
(15 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 04: CORE

PA120-4-AP
(30 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 05: COMPULSORY

PA119-4-AP
(30 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 01: CORE

PA223-5-AT
(15 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 02: CORE

PA224-5-AP
(30 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 03: CORE

PA225-5-PT
(15 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 04: CORE

PA220-5-AP
(30 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 05: CORE

PA121-5-PT
(15 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 06: COMPULSORY

PA133-5-PT
(15 CREDITS)

Teaching

  • Undergraduate students in the Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies typically attend a one-hour lecture and a one-hour seminar for each module per week. There are some variations in place depending on the module.
  • Teaching takes place in relatively small seminars and fora, with a focus on group discussion
  • Discussion in seminars includes both discussing other peoples' work and discussing your own experiences in the workplace

Assessment

  • Your grade is made up entirely of coursework marks, including essays and reflective reports

Fees and funding

Home/UK fee

£9,250 per year

As part of your course, you’re required to undertake work-based observations and attend a conference. You may incur associated travel costs.

International fee

£20,475 per year

As part of your course, you’re required to undertake work-based observations and attend a conference. You may incur associated travel costs.

Fees will increase for each academic year of study.

What's next

Open Days

Our events are a great way to find out more about studying at Essex. We run a number of Open Days throughout the year which enable you to discover what our campus has to offer. You have the chance to:

  • tour our campus and accommodation
  • find out answers to your questions about our courses, student finance, graduate employability, student support and more
  • meet our students and staff

Check out our Visit Us pages to find out more information about booking onto one of our events. And if the dates aren’t suitable for you, feel free to book a campus tour here.

Applying

If you are interested in applying for this course you will need to complete our online application form. If you have any questions please contact ppsug@essex.ac.uk for further information on how to apply.

View from Square 2 outside the Rab Butler Building looking towards Square 3

Virtual tours

If you live too far away to come to Essex (or have a busy lifestyle), no problem. Our 360 degree virtual tours allows you to explore our University from the comfort of your home. Check out our Colchester virtual tour and Southend virtual tour to see accommodation options, facilities and social spaces.

At Essex we pride ourselves on being a welcoming and inclusive student community. We offer a wide range of support to individuals and groups of student members who may have specific requirements, interests or responsibilities.

Find out more

The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its programme specification is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to courses, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include, but are not limited to: strikes, other industrial action, staff illness, severe weather, fire, civil commotion, riot, invasion, terrorist attack or threat of terrorist attack (whether declared or not), natural disaster, restrictions imposed by government or public authorities, epidemic or pandemic disease, failure of public utilities or transport systems or the withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to courses may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications. The University would inform and engage with you if your course was to be discontinued, and would provide you with options, where appropriate, in line with our Compensation and Refund Policy.

The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.

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