Dr Melania Anna Duca

What inspired you to study Clinical Psychiatry, and why did you choose Learna | Diploma MSc?

I studied Philosophy at university in Italy, my home country. It was a special curriculum that included several psychology modules, which sparked my passion for research. After completing my PhD, I was offered a chair to teach Philosophy of Mind to psychology students. I had a lot of fun in academia, but my heart has always been in helping people and doing something more concrete about it.

So I kept studying psychology in the United Kingdom, eventually founding my own company and private school of psychotherapy. I find being a clinician extremely rewarding. Psychotherapy is, to me, the surgery of the mind and I like to be precise, surgical, in my interventions.

Clinical psychiatry was the natural next step to meet the needs of my most demanding clients - the ones often let down by the system, those with atypical or complex psychiatric presentations. I love complexity. I love seeing what’s inside the clock, so to speak.

The Learna | Diploma MSc Clinical Psychiatry programme with the University of South Wales struck me as a modern institution, and during the pandemic, they offered online courses that were genuinely accessible. They’re the only institution providing this level and quality of education globally. How could I miss that? I applied immediately.

The application wasn’t easy, but I was fortunate to have substantial experience in clinical settings and medical facilities and to know some brilliant people who gave me excellent references. That’s how I got in.

How did you find the experience of studying online with a global group of professionals?

Amazing. This has been the aspect I’ve loved the most. No other institution could have offered me such an opportunity - to connect with people from remote corners of the world, all bringing incredible experience and expertise.
We created a WhatsApp group for our projects and stayed in touch through LinkedIn. We continue to inspire each other in so many ways.

This is how humanity should work together. This is my dream for the future of our species: overcoming all kinds of divergences for the greater good.

It makes me emotional just thinking about it.

Can you describe a particularly memorable or impactful moment from the programme?

During the postgraduate course that served as a foundation for the master’s degree, I came up with the idea of exploring borderline personality disorder as a form of neurodivergence. I created a PowerPoint presentation on the topic, which allowed me to dive into literature documenting the biological and metabolic underpinnings of the condition. It was part of one of the modules.

That experience inspired me to write a book - which has since been published - and even to train a chatbot designed to support people with borderline personality disorder. I used this chatbot in the randomised controlled trial that forms the basis of my master’s dissertation.

This programme has helped me grow both personally and professionally. It allowed me to give back to society in new ways, especially through my creativity.

How has the qualification influenced your day-to-day clinical work or approach with patients?

I now provide comprehensive mental health assessments that truly make people feel seen and validated. I’ve been able to offer this expertise to multinational EAP providers, and thanks to the qualification I obtained, I’m now paid more for the work I do.
Money was never my priority - but I have to admit, it feels good to be fairly remunerated for all the passion and dedication I put into my work.

What personal or professional achievements have followed since completing the MSc?

I was recently awarded the Learna/USW Outstanding Achievement Award 2025 for achieving the highest grade in my cohort - something I truly didn’t expect. I see it as further confirmation of the passion I put into everything I do.

But the greatest reward will always come from the people I’m privileged to help: 200 individuals in 2024 alone, all while working across five different continents.

What would you say to someone who is considering this programme but feels unsure?

I hope my experience has helped convey that there’s no such thing as the “right” time to study or expand our knowledge - we should strive to do that continuously.

I see the meaning of life as a journey of constant improvement: becoming better people, better versions of ourselves, so that we can serve others and the universe - in the best way possible.