Master’s Level 9 Degree in Integrative
Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy

Equipping learners and practising therapists with the necessary knowledge, skills and competencies
to meet the therapeutic needs of children and adolescents

MA in Integrative Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy

  • Award: QQI Master of Arts in Integrative Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy

  • Start Date: 22nd September 2023

  • Duration: 2.5 Years

  • Language requirement: If English is your second language you are required to submit an IELTS (International English Language Testing System) cert at Level 6.5, or equivalent. For more information please click HERE

  • Course Fees:

    • First Year Fees: €4,350
    • Second Year Fees: €4,350
    • Final Semester Fees: €1,250

Introduction

Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy is a specialised area of practice. This Master’s programme will equip learners with the necessary knowledge, skills and competencies to meet the therapeutic needs of children and adolescents.

With a strong focus on excellence in clinical practice, learners are fully supported in making the transition from being a practising therapist with adults to clinical work with children and adolescents. A safe, nurturing environment is fostered through established links with an on-site placement centre.

Who Should Apply

This 2.5 year programme will be of interest to practising therapists and play therapists who wish to extend their existing qualification in counselling and psychotherapy
to Master’s level and work with children and adolescents.

Entry Routes

  • If English is your second language you are required to submit an IELTS (International English Language Testing System) cert at Level 6.5, or equivalent. For more information please click HERE
  • An honours degree, Level 8 on The National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), in counselling and psychotherapy, or equivalent.

OR

  • An honours degree, Level 8 on the NFQ, plus a professional diploma in counselling and psychotherapy that meets with IACP/IAHIP course
    recognition standards (or equivalent). The diploma must have counselling and psychotherapy at its core.

Learners will be invited to an interview with faculty as part of the application process.

Dates

  • Starting: 22nd September 2023
  • The programme is facilitated through monthly three block days (usually Friday evening, all day Saturday and all day Sunday)

Overview

This part-time programme consists of ten modules over 2.5 years. It is a taught Master’s with a strong research component. The programme utilises a continuous assessment strategy and learners accumulate credits though a variety of assessments over the duration of the programme.

Delivery

The MA in Child and Adolescent Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy is validated for onsite delivery in the college. We are working with QQI on a Blended learning option for our programmes, however we do not have a date for a BL version of the C&A-MA, yet. For now the 2022 intake will be based on the current onsite validation, meaning each monthly weekend will be scheduled for delivery in the college.

Student Benefits & Support

We hold that it is not enough to simply teach the skills of counselling and psychotherapy. Learners are given the space to learn, practice and be supported
as they extend the scope of their practice to work with children and adolescents.

Placement

100 hours of client work must be completed as part of this programme. Approx. 50 hours should be with children aged 6-11 and 50 should be with adolescents aged 12-17. A ratio of 60:40 is also allowable if a learner has a preference for working with one age group over the other.
Clinical hours must be completed in an approved setting, after completion of an assessment of readiness to practice with younger clients.

Learners are required to be in on-going clinical supervision, at a ratio of 1 hour of supervision to every 5 hours of clinical work regardless of accreditation status. Supervisors for this programme must be qualified, accredited therapists and supervisors with one of the main professional bodies in Ireland (IACP/IAHIP/BACP/IAPTP/APPI/FTAI). In addition, they must be experienced in supervision of clinical work with minors.

Assessment

Learners are assessed through a continuous assessment strategy, which includes a variety of mediums such as individual and group projects, skills training
assessments, case studies and process recordings, written assignments, essays and a research portfolio.

Validation & Accreditation of Award

This Master’s is a major award validated by QQI at Level 9 on the NFQ.

Credits

90 ECTS

Programme Lecturers

We have a large faculty team, including:

Protection for Enrolled Learners

This programme is covered by arrangements under section 65 (4) of the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012 whereby, in the event of IICP College ceasing to provide the programme for any reason, enrolled learners may transfer to a similar programme at another provider, or, in the event that this is not practicable, the fees most recently paid will be refunded. Current PEL arrangements consist of a 2% levy on course fees. IICP do not pass the cost of this on to learners.

Programme Structure

The programme contains ten mandatory modules over the duration of two and 1/2 years. Year 2 spans 1.5 years and covers three semesters.

The Sequentially Planned Integrative Counselling for Children (SPICC) Model

  • This module aims to give the learner a solid foundation in the theoretical and clinical underpinnings of child and adolescent counselling and psychotherapy, with a particular focus on Geldard and Geldard’s Sequentially Planned Integrative Counselling for Children (SPICC).

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy with Children and Adolescents

  • The purpose of this module is to equip learners with the necessary skills, knowledge and competencies to integrate CBT into their practice with children and adolescents. Learners will be able to intervene, utilising this framework, applying it to clinical work in a real-world setting.

Child and Adolescent Development

  • The purpose of this module is to examine the psychological, social and environmental factors that can impact on development, and to explore how disruptions to same can impact on mental health and well-being in children and adolescents.

Play, Creative Media and Expressive Arts

  • The purpose of this module is to provide learners with the skills, knowledge and competencies to employ play, creative and expressive interventions in work with children and adolescents. Learners will be able to intervene, utilising creative methods, applying it to clinical work in a real-world setting.

Clinical Skills for Working with Children and Adolescents

  • The purpose of this module is to further develop and hone the clinical skills required for working with minors. Learners will be required to demonstrate application of theory and skills in a real-world setting.

Advanced Research Methods

  • This module is designed to help students appreciate the philosophical foundations for conducting research with children and adolescents and to understand why and how research is carried out in counselling and psychotherapy. This module will give students a practical hands-on introduction to the process of counselling and psychotherapy research and an opportunity to develop and refine some of the core skills. The module will aim to support learners in reflecting critically on being a research-informed practitioner and in utilising research methods appropriate to counselling and psychotherapy.

Solution Focused Brief Therapy with Children and Adolescents

  • The purpose of this module is to provide learners with the necessary knowledge, skills and competencies to integrate solution focused brief therapy into clinical practice with children and adolescents.

Theory and Practice of Child and Adolescent Therapy

  • The aim of this module is to provide learners with ample opportunity to examine theory and practice issues in clinical work, including consideration of power, multi-agency working and assessment.

Clinical Practice and Development

  • The purpose of the module is to encourage learners to engage in evaluative case related discussion based learning, which highlights elements of dialogue, critical discovery and community based scholarly activity to probe and develop clinical placement and counselling and psychotherapy skills and practice as they relate to work with children and adolescents.

Research Portfolio

  • This module affords learners an opportunity to conduct a piece of independent, practice based research under supervision. This module will foster and develop a high level of independent research ability and skill, and to further develop student skills in the conduct, presentation and reporting of qualitative, quantitative or case-based research. This module also assists students with the intellectual process of conducting a research project by promoting their ability to read widely on a subject, to analyse various arguments and to relate them to their own work. The portfolio will demonstrate the learner’s capacity to use practice to inform research and use research to inform practice.

IICP understand that while partaking in further education is an incredibly rewarding experience it can also be a financial challenge for some students. In order to minimise the financial impact caused to students, IICP strive to keep our course fees as competitive as possible. We also provide payment plan options to facilitate learners paying the balance of their fees throughout the duration of their course.

Overall Programme Fees

(Inclusive of QQI registration fee of €200 of annual Professional Knowledge Seminar Fee)

  • Application Fees: €100
  • Year One Fees: €4,350*
  • Year Two Fees: €4,350
  • Final Semester Fees: €1,250

*Following successful interview a deposit of €1,305 is required to secure your place.

Year One: Payment Options

(1) Pay in Full before Start of Course

Deposit

€1,305On acceptance of course offer

Balance of Fees

€3,045

Total

€4,350

(2) Payment Plan Options Available (administration fee incurred*)

  • Flexible Payment Options Available.

Please Contact the IICP office to find out more!

Extra Costs

  • Except where stated, course fees cover tuition only. Learners on this programme must also complete clinical work and engage an individual supervisor for this work. Supervision fees are negotiable between learners and individual supervisors.

Getting Started

Should you have any questions in relation to making your online application please contact Triona on 086-0499154.

Simply click the below button to be brought to our online application process. When prompted, please select ‘Validated & Accredited Courses’, then select ‘MA in Integrative Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy 2023’ option and complete the form.

Online Application Form

If you have any trouble at any stage of the application please click here to get in touch and we will be happy to help.

Why choose this Programme?

  • Ideal for anyone looking to pursue a career in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy.

  • Competitively priced programme fees with payment plans available.

  • QQI validated, ensuring the highest quality content and delivery.

  • Exceptionally high levels of student support, ensuring that learners are continually guided and supported.