Master of Arts in Psychoanalysis

Program Description

The two-year masters degree program is designed with flexibility so that students may proceed at a pace suited to their previous experience and program requirements. Students take courses in theories of early development, history of psychoanalysis, psychoanalytic theory, research, and clinical studies. First year students participate in Group Experience in Modern Psychoanalysis throughout their first year. Clinical studies include the completion of a 400 hour fieldwork externship in a setting where psychosis and regressed mental states can be observed.

The program provides an understanding of how people develop and function, how they are motivated, and how they interact. Students from background as varied as art, business, medicine, law, education as well as those already in the mental health field have found their careers enhanced by an understanding of psychoanalysis.

Curriculum

Maturation: In the maturational sequence, courses examine normal and pathological development, and theories of regression and fixation. Students learn how repetition of various developmental phases is enacted in the transference. Neurophysiological sequences are related to emotional development.

Theory: Courses in the theory sequence provide a sound foundation in classical and contemporary psychoanalytic concepts.

History: This sequence traces the origins of psychoanalysis, its language, growth, and development. The courses consider the widening scope of psychoanalysis from Freud and his contemporaries through the present day psychoanalytic thinkers.

Research: The research curriculum introduces students to methodological issues and guides them through the formulation of questions of study, one of which become the basis for the Master's thesis paper.

Fieldwork Externship: Understanding psychosis is central to the curriculum of the NYGSP. A NYGSP student begins by stepping into the world of the deeply regressed hospitalized patient. By learning to be with these patients in a way that does not violate the patient's stimulus barrier, the student learns how psychotic defenses operate and how to read and respond to the patient's symbolic attempts at communication. This experience is fundamental to an understanding of the roots of human motivation.

The two-year program allows for flexibility so that students may proceed at a pace suited to their previous experience and program requirements. Students are required to take PT 184, three semesters of PT 185, three semesters PT 111, and to be in a 400 hours externship as part of the Fieldwork Program.

Course Descriptions

NYGSP Course Descriptions.pdf

Sample Program

First Semester (Credits: 9)
PT 141 Human Development: How the Mind Unfolds: Part I (2)
PT 151a Basic Psychoanalytic Theory (2)
PT 161 History of Libido Theory in Freud (2)
PT 184 Primitive Mental States (2)
GT 190 Group Experience in Modern Psychoanalysis (1)
PT 7 Individual Psychoanalysis
 
Second Semester (Credits: 13)
PT 142 Human Development: How the Mind Unfolds: Part II (2)
Elective (2)
PT 171 Systematic Investigations in the Human Sciences (2)
PT 185 Fieldwork Seminar (5)
PT 111 Fieldwork Discussion Group (1)
GT 190 Group Experience in Modern Psychoanalysis (1)
PT 7 Individual Psychoanalysis
 
Third Semester (Credits: 12)
PT 155 Dream, Fantasy, and Symbol (2)
PT 162 History of Drive Theory in Freud (2)
PT 172 Clinical Investigations in Psychoanalysis (2)
PT 185 Fieldwork Seminar (5)
PT 111 Fieldwork Discussion Group (1)
PT 7 Individual Psychoanalysis
 
Fourth Semester (Credits: 14)
PT 154 Comparative Psychoanalysis (2)
PT 185 Fieldwork Seminar (5)
Elective (2)
PT 111 Fieldwork Discussion Group (1)
For Master's Degree, PT 525 Directed Research (4)
Usually taken over two semesters OR
PT 1787 Master's Paper course (4)
PT 7 Individual Psychoanalysis

Electives:
PT 143 Latency (2)
PT 144 Adolescence (2)
PT 147 Young Adulthood (2)
PT 150 Concepts of Group Analysis (2)
PT 151b Basic Psychoanalytic Theory II (2)
PT 152 Madness and Literature (2)
PT 157 Transference(2)
PT 158 Countertransference (2)
PT 159 Unconscious Fantasy and Delusion (2)
PT 160 History of Violence: Narcissism and Aggression (2)
PT 163 Emergence of Contemporary Psychoanalysis (2)
PT 186 Beyond Psychosis: Typology of Conflict and Defense (2)

Individual Psychoanalysis

Students in the Master's Program engage in a individual psychoanalysis with an approved training analyst. Students are required to have a minimum of 15 hours of PT 7 individual psychoanalysis before beginning the fieldwork externship and to continue in the individual psychoanalysis while completing the program.

Fieldwork Placement

Understanding psychosis is central to the curriculum of the NYGSP. Whether studying for a master's degree or pursuing a certificate in psychoanalysis, a NYGSP student begins by stepping into the world of the deeply regressed hospitalized patient. By learning to be with these patients in a way that does not violate the patient's stimulus barrier, the student learns how psychotic defenses operate and how to read and respond to the patient's symbolic attempts at communication. This experience is fundamental to an understanding of the roots of human motivation.

The Program

The two-year program is designed with flexibility so that students may proceed at a pace suited to their previous experience and program requirements. Students are required to take PT 184 Primitive Mental States, and PT 186 Clinical Psychopathology, three semesters of PT 185 Fieldwork Seminar, three semesters PT 111, Field Placement Observation, and to be in a 400 hours externship as part of the Fieldwork Program.

Fieldwork students typically begin the clinical program at this level by enrolling in PT 184, the prerequisite for entering the Externship and PT 185. During this course, the student makes three visits to treatment settings for severely regressed and psychotic patients to become acquainted with the milieu.
By the second semester, the student begins the Externship. Many placement options are available. New placement options may be opened by special request to the Fieldwork Coordinator. During the second and third semester, students are actively involved in the hospital placement (seeing patients, going to team meetings, and having regular meetings with the administrative supervisor at the hospital). Students in NYGSP contracted placements take PT185 Fieldwork Seminar and PT 111 small group Field Placement Observation. Students are expected to observe three patients over the year. At the end of the third semester, the typical full-time student makes the final case presentation to the fieldwork seminar.

In the fourth semester, students enroll in PT 186. They begin the study of the less regressed pathologies.

Bulletin

Below is the 2008-2009 bulletin. Some of the information may have been revised. Such changes are reflected in the information on the web site.

DOWNLOAD BULLETIN [476 KB PDF] of the 2008-2009 NYGSP program
NYGSP Bulletin 08-09.pdf

Registration Info & Calendar

Registration Information - Fall 2008

NYGSP Registration Information.pdf

FALL 2008 CALENDAR OF CLASSES
Classes start: Monday, September 8, 2008
Classes end: Friday, December 19, 2008
Exam weeks: December 29, 2008 - January 9, 2009
No Classes
September 29 - October 10, 2008
November 24-28, 2008
December 22-26, 2008
Administrative Office Hours
Monday-Friday 9:00-5:00

Holidays (*Classes in session)
Monday, Septmber 1, Labor Day
Tuesday, September 30, Rosh Hashanah
Thursday, October 9, Yom Kippur
Monday, October 13, Columbus Day*
Monday, November 10, Veterans' Day*
Thursday, November 27, Thanksgiving
Monday, December 22, Hannukah
Thursday, December 25, Christmas

Class Syllabi –Spring 2008

Please click on the links below to view course detail in PDF:

PT 141: How the Mind Unfolds, S. Sheftel

PT 144: Adolescence, L. Laub

PT 151a: Basic Psychoanalytic Theory (Part I), A. Musolino

PT 157: Transference, E. Barz

PT 159: Unconscious Fantasy, R. Rothman

PT 162: History of Drive Theory in Freud, N. Kirman

PT 171: Systematic Investigations and Ethics, D. Gilhooley

PT 172: Clinical Investigations & Ethics in Psychoanalysis, S. Poser

PT 184: Primitive Mental States, E. Kalin

PT 185a: Clinical Experience in Institutional Settings, J. Lippincott

PT 185a: Clinical Experience in Institutional Settings, F. Newsome

PT 186: Beyond Psychosis: Typology of Conflict & Defense, J. Mattair