1. What is unique about psychoanalytic training at NYU Postdoc?
Postdoc is a diverse, passionate, and welcoming community that is distinct from most free-standing analytic institutes in that it is housed in a university setting that emphasizes psychoanalytic pluralism, freedom of thought, and interdisciplinary exchange. Candidates have the choice of concentrating in a particular orientation or sampling courses and supervisors from the various orientations. We offer an internationally known teaching faculty and outstanding clinical supervisors. Postdoc is unusually flexible in terms of course of study and the pace at which candidates proceed through the program. This is based on respect for the individuality of our candidates and an appreciation of the many other professional and personal commitments we maintain in our lives.
It remains a matter of principle that students are never to be required to declare allegiance to one or another point of view but to be free to explore without prejudice the various offerings in the program as a whole.
2. Who can apply and what is involved in the application process?
Anyone who meets the following requirements may apply for analytic training:
- a doctoral degree from a program in clinical psychology or a related area of study
- two years of supervised adult psychotherapy experience
- eligibility for state certification in a mental health discipline
The admission process to the NYU Graduate School of Arts and Sciences is conducted online. For detailed instructions on how to initiate the application process to the Postdoctoral Program, send an email to gsas.postdoc@nyu.edu.
Applications are due March 1. Admission occurs for the Fall semester only. Once an application has been accepted and reviewed, prospective candidates will usually be scheduled for at least two admission interviews.
3. What does analytic training cost and is financial aid available?
Tuition for Postdoctoral training is set each year by NYU (tuition fees). In order to graduate, candidates must complete 36 points.
Postdoc provides candidates with the opportunity to receive significant scholarship aid at different levels of training. See the Tuition and Fellowships page for further information.
4. What kind of time commitment is necessary for analytic training?
Candidates must take a minimum of one course per semester. They are required to treat two patients, under faculty supervision. In addition, they are required to complete 300 hours of personal psychoanalysis at a minimum of three sessions per week. Candidates can tailor their commitments to their own individual schedule and needs.
5. Where and when are classes offered?
Courses are held either at New York University's Washington Square Campus or in the private offices of our faculty in Manhattan. Courses are scheduled at a variety of times throughout the week, offering candidates the opportunity to select courses that fit into their personal and professional schedules.
6. How do I choose analysts? If I'm already in analysis, do I have to start over with a new one?
Candidates choose their own training analysts and must begin their personal analysis by the time they start the treatment of their analytic case. A candidate who is already in analysis prior to entering Postdoc may continue with that person as long as the analyst has had five years of experience since their own graduation from an analytic training program. Moderate-cost psychoanalysis is made available to candidates by many members of our faculty. For further information regarding moderate-cost analysis, candidates may speak with the program director.
7. What opportunities are there for candidates to be involved at Postdoc?
Candidates are totally integrated into the Postdoc community. They serve on the Senate, which is the governing body of the Postdoctoral Program, and are free to join a wide range of committees in each of the tracks. In addition, candidates are encouraged to present at conferences and colloquia, as well as to work on publishing papers with the support of mentoring faculty. The annual Postdoc Weekend Retreat offers candidates an opportunity to join many other members of the community in three days of learning and socializing.
For more information about Postdoc or the application process, please email gsas.postdoc@nyu.edu or call 212.998.7890