The Four-Year Program in Psychoanalysis



PPSC offers high-quality psychoanalytic training that provides candidates with broad exposure to the history of psychoanalytic thought, while at same time providing a treatment and supervision experience that promotes the highest degree of personal maturity on the part of the graduate analyst.

Like our Three-Year Program, the Four-Year Program consists of courses in contemporary Freudian, modern analytic, object relations, relational and self psychological schools of thought.  But in the fourth year of the program, advanced integrative seminars and advanced special electives further deepen the candidates’ learning. We believe that psychoanalysis continues to be a rich and thorough technique to relieve and improve mental health symptoms, and to promote the attainment of self-knowledge for a vital and productive life. Classes can be taken on either a full-time or part-time basis.

Certificate Requirements

Because of the ambitious nature of psychoanalysis, the requirements for graduation are rigorous.

  • Four years of course work (See Curriculum)

  • 405 hours of personal analysis, including one year of 3x/week, and two years of 2x/week.

  • 45 hours of personal analysis prior to admission.

  • 360 hours of supervision at 2x/week for full time candidates.

  • 810 clinical control case hours.

  • Clinical Case Presentation and Paper.

These requirements represent minimum standards.  Exact requirements may differ based on review by the candidates’ advisors and the PPSC Training Committee.

Graduates of the Three-Year Program may apply their course work, supervision and analysis credits toward these requirements.

Please see the following for more information on our admissions policy and scholarship opportunities. 

Curious to hear more? Please join us at an Open House.

If you're ready to apply, please download an application. 

PPSC does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual preference, national or ethnic origin, or analytic orientation in the administration of its admissions and education policies.