Psychosocial Studies MA

Birkbeck, University of London

This MA Psychosocial Studies pioneers an exciting interdisciplinary approach to understanding the psychosocial constitution of the human subject and the relationship between the psychic and the social. It gives you the chance to develop an in-depth understanding of the relation between individual subjectivities and identities, and historical and contemporary social and political formations. Why choose this course? It offers you a range of critical frameworks to explore, including psychoanalytic theory, social theory, feminist and queer theory, cultural and post-colonial studies and qualitative psychosocial methodologies. It is specifically designed to develop the skills and knowledge you need to work with a psychosocial lens in a range of future employment situations. It gives you the opportunity to undertake your own psychosocial research project. We encourage you to take a creative approach to this, for example employing visual or art-based methods. What you will learn On this course you will develop your understanding of human experience, social conflict and mental health beyond conventional distinctions made between the psychological and social. You will gain a grounding in the work of key social and psychoanalytic theorists, exploring power, ‘otherness’, violence, affect, aesthetics, memory, resistance, care and identity. To help you put theory into practice, you will be given training in psychosocial research methodologies, including visual and arts-based methods. How you will learn This MA Psychosocial Studies is available to study full- or part-time. It has an evening timetable with classes taking place in the evening. Teaching on this course is a combination of lectures (some pre-recorded) and seminars. Lectures will provide you with an outline or overview of the topic, to engage you with the material and direct you to other resources. Seminars are group sessions with discussion or group work, and often a class presentation around the topic, with material set in advance. This course is part of our Birkbeck Flexible Master’s UK, which gives you the choice of how you want to study - on campus, online or via flexible learning, which combines both. If you require a Student visa to study in the UK, you will only be able to apply for the on-campus study option for this course. Online and flexible options will not be available to you because they may affect the conditions of your visa.