Module manager: k.hall1@leeds.ac.uk
Email: k.hall1@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
See programme entry requirements
| FAMT5661M | Systemic Psychotherapy Research |
| FAMT5771M | Systemic Psychotherapy Theory (One) |
| FAMT5881M | Systemic Psychotherapy Practice (One) |
| FAMT5662M | Systemic Research Project |
| FAMT5882M | Systemic Psychotherapy Practice (Two) |
FAMT5311M FAMT5480M
This module is not approved as an Elective
This module builds on first-year systemic family therapy teaching and on practice theory in working with families in module FAMT5771M. Students will develop clinical portfolio across this module and FAMT5882 to document their clinical practice and skills development and learning and practice outcomes building on learning developed in Modules FAMT5771 and FAMT5881 in the first year. In this module, students will develop their knowledge of contemporary systemic theories as they relate to psychotherapy and broader clinical practice including team working and organisational functioning. Students will develop critical understanding of theories of change as they relate to complex clinical problems; different perspectives on mental distress and relationships; and how systemic family therapy compares with other therapeutic models in relation to these issues. Attention to the ethics of systemic psychotherapy, with reference to issues of power and social difference in terms of anti-discriminatory and decolonising practice, continues to be an important focus within this module. A key feature of this module is developing extending student’s critical relationship with theory to practice links in live clinical practice within a family therapy training clinic with live supervision in readiness for independent practice as a systemic family therapist.
In this module two linked aims combine to extend student’s application of advanced systemic psychotherapy theory to their practice and to the practice context of service delivery in complex organisational settings. This builds upon learning in the first year Module FAMT5771M
Teaching and learning activities will develop a sophisticated theoretical understanding of the theory of change in contemporary systemic psychotherapy.
Students will learn to apply sophisticated systemic theory to understandings of mental health presentations and diagnoses and the treatment structures and organisational contexts of psychotherapy delivery to the population.
Both aims of this module will use systemic family therapy theory to enable identification and critique of power and coloniality in systems relevant to practice, which contribute to inequity, discrimination and marginalisation and its effects.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1 - Provide a theoretically coherent approach, method and technique in the practice of contemporary systemic family therapy.
2 - Contribute specialist systemic family therapy consultation perspectives to individual professionals or multi-disciplinary teams in health or social care settings and advise on the suitability of a systemic intervention.
3 - Provide a systemic theoretically informed perspective on issues of social justice, decolonisation, and anti-discrimination practices in health and social care and other related settings.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
Academic Skills
AS2 – Presentation skills: Present the theory of systemic family psychotherapy in a clear, concise, and structured manner, in both verbal and written form.
Work ready skills
WR 4 - Team work and collaboration: Work positively and effectively with others and collaborate with other healthcare professionals bringing different perspectives and contributions.
WR 5 - Problem solving and analytical skills: Gather, analyse and synthesise information relevant to service, clinical issues and research and use this in generating solutions to problems in systemic family psychotherapy clinical practice.
WR 8- Ethical practice and social justice: Critically evaluate social and institutional practices of power and marginalisation to identify practices that marginalise and oppress people creating inequity in mental health experience and healthcare.
Digital Skills
DS2 - Digital creation: Use software to generate written and visual presentations of assignments.
Sustainability Skills
SS2 - Relationship development: Build effective therapeutic and working relationships across gender, race, cultural, professional, class, education and ability differences to understand and work with different perspectives and needs in the resolution of problems.
The syllabus will cover the following topic areas through a combination of lectures, seminars and clinical supervisory discussions:
- Modernism, postmodernism and systemic family therapy.
- The social construction of language and meaning in changes processes of systemic family.
- Systemic perspectives on societal processes of marginalisation and minoritisation
- Systemic approaches to anti-discriminatory and de-colonising practice
- Multi-disciplinary contexts and systemic family therapy.
- Introduction to systemic teaching, consultation and supervision
- Application of systemic perspectives to team and organisational contexts.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical Practice | 20 | 5 | 100 |
| Lecture | 8 | 1.5 | 12 |
| Seminar | 4 | 2 | 8 |
| Private study hours | 30 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 120 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 150 | ||
Students will have weekly clinic-based opportunities for feedback on their understanding of theory as applied clinical practice and their ability to take a self – reflexive position in relation to the development of their knowledge and its application. This culminates in the formative Clinical Portfolio entry – Theory in which students demonstrate their clinical competencies in the use of theory and are given detailed feedback.
In the university context there will be tutorial support for students in the development of their group theoretical seminar presentation and students will receive detailed feedback on this from teaching staff and peers.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Formative Clinical Portfolio entry – theory 1000 words Formative reflexive review of development in clinical competencies in the use of systemic theory, Formative feedback to be given by clinic supervisor and University staff tutor. | |
| Coursework | Formative Clinical practice Approximately fortnightly feedback from clinical supervisor | |
| Coursework | Summative Theory based teaching presentation in groups (groups of approximately 4 for a one hour presentation). | 50 |
| Coursework | Summative Clinical Portolio entry – theory 1000 words Reflexive review of development in clinical competencies in the use of sophisticated systemic psychotherapy theory. The student references their practice in clinical placement for theory to practice links. Summative feedback to be given by clinic supervisor and University staff tutor | 50 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Students have one formative assessment in this module for which detailed developmental feedback is given. Students also receive fortnightly written and verbal feedback on their clinical practice from their clinical supervisor which is combine theory and practice feedback. In this module more than one assessment component assesses the same subject specific learning outcomes because the requirement of clinical practice are such that assessed work cannot easily attend to some aspects of systemic family therapy practice and not others. For example attention to risk which would always be required for passing a clinically based component whether clinical practice, presentation of clinical work or in essay format. The group presentation provides a discussion and group development task in which students prepare a theory presentation for their peers. Theory to practice links are central to this assessment. Students also receive verbal formative feedback during preparation of group presentations. Individual tutorials are scheduled at the beginning of this module and further tutorials are offered on request in which feedback can be discussed and developed as needed. Student progress is closely monitored, and any difficulties are identified at the earliest opportunity and tutorial and clinical supervisory support is offered. No compensation: All elements of the module assessment must be passed independently. In the event of failure of one component, the module mark will be capped at 50 on successful resit of a similar type to the original assessment.
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 30/04/2026
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