Module Directory

This module provides knowledge of different methodological approaches to research. It will acquaint students with a range of qualitative and quantitative methodologies, including those most relevant to and informed by psychoanalytic thinking and practice. It will provide the equipment needed to make an informed choice for the students` chosen research project and enable them to devise a viable design for their project.

Supported by ongoing individual supervision and their own independent doctoral studies, the students will be in a position by the end of the module to write a paper on the methodological issues involved in their project and to describe and justify their chosen research design.

The aims of this module are:

• To provide knowledge of different research methodologies.


• To provide the students with enough methodological understanding to choose an appropriate methodology for their project.


• To enhance students’ capacity to conduct research in accordance with a rigorous methodology.


• To provide methodological underpinning to the research design for the doctoral project.

By the end of this module, students will be expected to have:

1. Knowledge of different research methodologies and an understanding of how this knowledge relates to their chosen area of research (A3).


2. Ability to choose relevant methodology (B1).


3. Understanding of ethical issues involved in research (B2).


4. Ability to understand applications of research to psychodynamic counselling / depth psychotherapy (B3).


5. Ability to adopt and apply research methodology (C2).


6. Ability to write effective application for ethical approval for project (C4).


7. Communication (D1).

The module will take the form of 5 seminars/workshops on research methodology

• Introduction and discussion of the range of available methodologies and principles of choice.


• Qualitative methodologies – Conducting a research interview/Creating a questionnaire.


• Qualitative methodologies - Thematic Analysis, IPA, Conversation Analysis, Process Research.


• Using psychoanalytic research methods, Case study research.


• Quantitative methodologies: effectiveness/outcome research, surveys, choosing appropriate tools.

Seminars and discussion groups will be delivered across the first and second term in blocks with other seminars. These seminars are delivered either in person on an in-person teaching day or are delivered on Zoom on online teaching days. Reading will be set beforehand. Ongoing individual supervision will provide support to the student's independent study on the topic of their choice. Students are expected to conduct extensive independent study in their chosen area thereby gaining experience of exploring the relevant literature for their project.