Counselling MSc

• Overview

  Our Counselling MSc course provides you with a level of knowledge and skills in counselling which will allow you to develop as counsellors, and once you have gained further experience and client hours you will be able to pursue a range of professional opportunities. If you have a first degree in Psychology that is Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) accredited your postgraduate training opportunities will include doctoral training on British Psychological Society (BPS) accredited courses in Counselling Psychology.

  Course

  Highlights

  • Face-to-face client placement.
  • Course can count towards a professional body accreditation with BACP.

  Apply Now Open Days

  
• Course Details

  The course will also provide you with a range of skills that will be highly relevant to you if you are wishing to undertake further training in a range of related careers and specialisms. In addition to careers options, the degree will provide you with a range of communication skills and personal development skills that will be highly valued in a range of organisations and situations. Most of all, this course enables you to feel that you belong to a process of development that is enriching and supportive.

  This course allows you to draw together different counselling theories and examine issues within a variety of contexts and situations. Course modules will concentrate upon developing your skills and therapeutic competencies and explore professional issues and organisational settings. Importantly, the course offers you the opportunity to maximise your self-awareness and reflect on your process and the way that others practice. The placement module allows you to take your competencies to organisations to work with clients.

  Throughout the course you will be encouraged to develop a critical, evaluative approach to the knowledge which underpins present-day professional practice as well as building your ability to make evidence-based decisions. Current issues within counselling and therapy will be considered critically with particular emphasis on their relationship to client practice.

  This course requires you to undertake a supervised placement of a minimum of 100 client hours plus supervision and a minimum 40 hours of personal therapy with an approved and registered or accredited counsellor or therapist. A student membership of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) is advised and professional indemnity insurance and a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be required for entry onto this course.

  The course may be used as a basis for personal accreditation with BACP once further experience and an additional 350 client hours have been gained.

  Methods of Learning

  Teaching methods on the MSc Counselling include workshops, one-to-one sessions, private study, group work, role plays.

  • ‘Counselling Theory and Practice’ involves approximately 145 formal taught hours, 255 independent study hours.
  • ‘Counselling Skills and Process’ involves approximately 107 formal taught hours, 193  independent study hours.
  • ‘Self-awareness and Reflectiveness’ involves approximately 74 formal taught hours, 40 hours of personal therapy and 86 independent study hours.
  • ‘Placement and Supervision’ involves approximately 135 practice and supervision hours; 18 formal taught hours and 147 independent study hours.

  Schedule

  Formal teaching takes place on one day per week in the first year. In addition, there is a three day taught intensive session for all students three times per year (first year only). In addition to this, students will be expected to attend one-to-one tutorials at least twice per trimester.

  There is a minimum 80% attendance requirement across each element of the course.

  Assessments

  Assessment methods include coursework and a dissertation. The dissertation will require you to write 12,000 words on any aspect of counselling. Many counselling students take a qualitative approach to their research and previous dissertations have included working with autistic clients, the implications of money for therapists and a personal experience of bereavement.

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  Additional

  Information

  Placement

  This course requires you to undertake a supervised placement of a minimum of 100 client hours plus supervision and a minimum 40 hours of personal therapy with an approved and registered or accredited counsellor or therapist. A student membership of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) is advised and a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be required for entry onto this course. The course may be used as a basis for personal accreditation with BACP once further experience and an additional 350 client hours have been gained.

• Careers and Events
  • Open Days

    See for yourself

    Our Open Days offer you a fantastic opportunity to get a real taste of university life at Northampton and discover how studying here will be a life-changing experience.

    Each Open Day has a postgraduate stall, where you can speak with tutors about the postgraduate courses that interest you, to give you all the information you need about studying at the University of Northampton.

    To find out more about the day, please feel free to have a look at our Open Day Guide.

    
  • Careers

    Career Opportunities

    Upon completion of this course you may find employment opportunities within NHS settings or schools, as well as further or higher educational counselling settings. Various opportunities are available within organisational settings and police settings, as well as in continuing professional development (CPD) work. The government agenda for Improved Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) offers good opportunity for trained counsellors.

    
• Requirements

  You will need to hold a first or second class bachelors’ degree in order to be eligible to apply for this course. You will need to be prepared to carry out placements where you will be working with clients. You will need a high level of critical self-awareness and a willingness to reflect on your own process throughout this course. Voluntary or professional experience of support work with adults is desirable, but not essential.

  English Language Requirements

  All International and EU students applying for a course with us must meet the following minimum English language requirements:

  • Minimum standard – IELTS 7 in all categories (or equivalent)
    for study at postgraduate level.

  For information regarding English language requirements at the University, please see our IELTS page.

   

  Contacts

  Course enquiries
  study@northampton.ac.uk

  Application status enquiries
  admissions2020@northampton.ac.uk

  Current student enquiries
  SID@northampton.ac.uk

  International student enquiries
  international@northampton.ac.uk

  Enquire online
  Online enquiry form

  Applying for 2020
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  Office hours:
  Mon – Thu: 9am – 5pm
  Fri: 9am – 4.30pm

  Phone Call

  0300 303 2772

  +44 (0)1604 892134

  +44 (0)1604 892546

• Course Content
  • Level 7

  • Counselling Theory and Practice (40 Credits)
    Module code: PSYM107

    Core Module Y
  • Counselling Skills and Process (30 Credits)
    Module code: PSYM088

    Core Module Y
  • Self-Awareness and Reflectiveness (20 Credits)
    Module code: PSYM108

    Core Module Y
  • Placement and Supervision (30 Credits)
    Module code: PSYM090P

    Core Module Y
  • Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods (10 Credits)
    Module code: PSYM085

    Core Module Y
  • Dissertation and Research Methods (50 Credits)
    Module code: PSYM086

    Core Module Y

  Facilities &

  Special Features

  It is important that those attending this course are prepared to carry out a placement when they will be working with clients. Therefore, individuals on this course will need a high level of critical self-awareness and a willingness to reflect on their own process.

• Further Studies
  • Alumni 20% Discount

    Our Graduate Discount Scheme

    If you have previously studied an undergraduate degree with the University of Northampton, you may be eligible for a 20% discount on Postgraduate course fees.

    Visit our Graduate Discount Scheme page to find out more information and eligibility requirements.

    
  • Postgraduate Loan

    Get funding to study

    If you are starting a postgraduate Master’s course either full-time or part-time you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan through Student finance England.

    Visit the GOV website for more information on eligibility.

     

    
• Fees & Funding
  • UK & EU
  • International

  20/21 Tuition Fees

  Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 20/21 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.

  Part Time: Year 1 £3,705(90 Credits) / Year 2 £3,705* (90 Credits)

  *Fee may be subject to an inflationary increase in 21/22

  Additional costs

  • It is compulsory for students to complete at least 40 hours of personal therapy which you would need to pay for (average costs £30 to £50 per hour).
  • BACP student membership is required for many placements (currently £82 per year).
  • Supervision of the client work is compulsory and students may need to contribute to the cost of supervision at the placement agency, or if the agency does not provide this they will need to find and pay for a private supervisor (average of £40 to 60 per hour; a minimum of two hours of individual supervision or equivalent is required per month from the start of the placement).
  • You may also need to pay for professional indemnity insurance (costs vary; around £100 per year) if your agency does not cover you for this. Some agencies also require trainees to attend their training which they may charge for.
  • Travel costs to and from placements, and extra costs associate with placements, may be incurred throughout your studies depending on where you are based.

  19/20 Tuition Fees

  Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 19/20 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.

  Part Time: Year 1 £3,645 (90 Credits) / Year 2 £3,645* (90 Credits)

  *Fee may be subject to an inflationary increase in 20/21

  Additional costs

  • It is compulsory for students to complete at least 40 hours of personal therapy which you would need to pay for (average costs £30 to £50 per hour).
  • BACP student membership is required for many placements (currently £82 per year).
  • Supervision of the client work is compulsory and students may need to contribute to the cost of supervision at the placement agency, or if the agency does not provide this they will need to find and pay for a private supervisor (average of £40 to 60 per hour; a minimum of two hours of individual supervision or equivalent is required per month from the start of the placement).
  • You may also need to pay for professional indemnity insurance (costs vary; around £100 per year) if your agency does not cover you for this. Some agencies also require trainees to attend their training which they may charge for.
  • Travel costs to and from placements, and extra costs associate with placements, may be incurred throughout your studies depending on where you are based.

  19/20 Tuition Fees

  Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 19/20 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.

  International: £12,750
  International Part-time: Fee: £2,125  per 30 credit module

  To count towards a professional body accreditation, such as UKCP or BACP, this course requires you to undertake a supervised placement practice of a minimum of 100 hours plus supervision and a minimum 40 hours of personal therapy with an approved and registered or accredited counsellor or therapist. A student membership of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) is advised and professional indemnity insurance and a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be required for entry onto this course.

  Please note that all of the requirements listed above involve additional costs in addition to the course fee.

  Tuition Fees 18/19

  Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 18/19 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.

  International: £12,200
  International Part-time Fee: £2,030 per 30 credit module

  Scholarships

  EU and International Scholarships

  We’re committed to offering the opportunity to study in the UK to the best and brightest students from around the world.

  TD Lewis Scholarship

  The T D Lewis Scholarship provides both undergraduate and postgraduate students with financial awards of up to £1,000.  This scholarship is awarded on educational excellence…

  The Chancellor's Fund

  The Chancellor’s Fund is a bi-annual fund providing students with awards of between £100 and £1,000. You must be a current student to apply.  The…

• Part Time Study

  Courses offered on a part time basis are an excellent way of gaining a qualification around a busy home life or job. The University of Northampton recognises that many of our students have family and work commitments and offer various courses on a part time study basis, working flexibly around your requirements.

  A lot of our courses can be completed part-time, so you can fit your studies around your life. The majority of part-time and professional courses start in October. Please apply as soon as possible to ensure we have your details before your course starts.

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