Doctorate in Counselling Psychology

• Opening date for applications:
• 1st November 2026

• Closing date for Applications:
• 31 January 2027.

• Interview Dates (TBC):

• • 15^th,16^th, 18^th & 19^th March

This intensive full-time course provides professional training in Counselling Psychology and is accredited by the Psychological Society of Ireland. Admission is on a yearly basis for approximately 12 to 14 students.

• Course Director:
  • Dr. Daragh Keogh
• Contact Details:
  • Email: keoghd9@tcd.ie
• Course Office Contact Details:
  • Course Executive Officer
  • Telephone: +353-1-896-2431
  • Email: dcounspsych@tcd.ie
• International Student Course Queries:
  • Email: psychology@tcd.ie 
• Course Duration
  • 3 years, full-time
• Closing date for Applications:
  • 31 January 2026.

Course Overview

This intensive course provides a professional training in counselling psychology for a yearly in-take of up to approximately 12 to 14 students. The three main objectives of the course are (1) to allow students to obtain a level of postgraduate academic and research performance appropriate for the award of a doctoral qualification, (2) to progress this academic and research performance with the practice of counselling psychology, and (3) to acquire professional knowledge and skills. The course emphasizes the scientist-practitioner model and research-informed practice. The scientist-practitioner model is fostered through research classes and work on the research dissertation. Students are informed on a variety of research strategies (including e.g. experimental, quasi-experimental as well as descriptive and qualitative, phenomenological, hermeneutic, discourse analytic and grounded theory approaches) and learn to critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different methodologies.