PhD Psychoanalytic Studies

We offer research supervision in the following fields:
- child development
- conceptual analysis
- creativity
- gender
- group and institutional dynamics
- history of psychoanalysis (including Jungian analysis)
- Jungian thought
- philosophical issues in psychoanalysis
- psychoanalysis and the arts
- psychoanalysis and education
- psychoanalysis and religion
- psychoanalytic methodology in clinical and non-clinical fields, especially politics and sociology
- psychoanalytic theory (eg Freudian, Kleinian, Jungian, object-relations and group theory)
- psychosis
- refugee studies
- trauma and violence
Our graduates go on to a number of different destinations, including further study and training in psychoanalysis, Jungian analysis, or psychoanalytic psychotherapy. Many of our students are already professionals, clinical and non-clinical, so return to their existing fields, either in jobs or further training, and use their time with us to deepen their understanding of their work.
Please note, part-time research study – either full-time or part-time – is also available.
- Access to Freud's original letters and research for your studies.
- You are surrounded by strong departments that fully support and enhance our work.
- Our research and teaching is deeply grounded in knowledge deriving from clinical practice, to which our highest standards of academic thinking are then applied.
Our expert staff
Within our Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies, you will be allocated a supervisor whose role it is to guide you through the different stages of your research degree. In some cases, you may have joint supervision by two members of our staff (which may include co-supervision from colleagues located in another department).
The support provided by your supervisor is a key feature of your research student experience and you will have regular one-to-one meetings to discuss progress on your research. Twice a year, you will have a supervisory panel meeting, which provides a more formal opportunity to discuss your progress and agree your plans for the next six months.
Specialist facilities
If you are studying within our Department, you will have access to our extensive facilities to aid your learning and research. In particular, our Albert Sloman Library is well stocked with books, journals, electronic resources and major archives relevant to our work and, in addition, we have our own library of specialist books and journals.
Your future
Our graduates go on to a number of different destinations, including further study and training in psychoanalysis, Jungian analysis, or psychoanalytic psychotherapy.
Many of our students are already professionals, clinical and non-clinical, so return to their existing fields, either in jobs or further training, and use study with us to deepen their understanding of their work.
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.
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.
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