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Person Centred Counselling (Top-Up)

Course details
  • 1 Study option
  • Undergraduate
Course location
South Hampshire College Group - Southampton College Campus

Course summary

This is a new course and we’re currently finalising the detailed information for this page. You can still see entry requirements and apply.

Overview
If you have a DipHE in counselling (or an equivalent Level 5 counselling qualification), you can top it up to a Bachelor's degree on this 1-year course.

Person-centred counselling is about helping people through a genuine, supportive relationship where they feel truly heard, understood and empowered. On this course you’ll explore how person-centred counselling can be applied to complex experiences such as grief and trauma.

You'll learn the latest trends and developments in person-centred counselling and apply them to your practice, with professional development support in the form of workshops, supervision and networking. You'll also complete a research project on a topic that matches your interests and ambitions.

If you're in employment, this course can fit around your working week, with timetabled teaching taking place 1 day a week, workshops on 6 Saturdays throughout the course, and occasional events in the evenings and at weekends.

After the course, you could work as a person-centred counsellor in areas such as education, the police service, the prison service or the voluntary sector. The advanced skills and experience you gain will allow you to work with a wider variety of clients with more complex needs.

Alternative courses
You can specialise in other types of counselling and therapy on our BSc (Hons) Humanistic Counselling, BSc (Hons) Gestalt Counselling and BSc (Hons) Cognitive Behavioural Therapy top-up degrees.

Location
This course takes place at South Hampshire College Group - Southampton College Campus. While studying here, you can access the University's student support services and community including study support, the Students’ Union and our library's online resources.

What you'll experience
On this course you'll:

  • Learn advanced gestalt counselling skills, building on the knowledge you developed during your DipHE

  • Develop advanced research skills on a research project that aligns with your interests and career ambitions

  • Apply your knowledge and skills with at least 100 hours of supervised counselling on a placement in the community

  • Learn from experienced, industry-trained staff who've worked in organisations or run their own private practices

  • Build a foundation to help work towards a further professional accreditation with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) following completion of the course

  • Develop transferable skills you can apply in all aspects of your life and career in areas such as problem solving, communication, group working, planning, effective feedback and IT

  • Study at South Hampshire College Group - Southampton College Campus with access to University of Portsmouth support and services

  • Apply for membership of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and get access to member resources including journal subscriptions, free courses and job boards

Careers and opportunities

As a person-centred counsellor, you can have a significant positive impact on people's health and wellbeing, and help take the pressure off other health services such as GPs and hospitals.

Public, private and charity sector settings you could work in after the course include:

  • Education

  • Alcohol and drug services

  • Eating disorder services

  • Mental health services

  • GPs

  • Police and prison services

Modules

How to apply

Application codes

Institution code:
P80

This course may be available at alternative locations, please check if other course options are available.

Course options

Entry requirements

Typical qualification requirements

T Level
Not accepted

GCSE/National 4/National 5

GCSE English at grade C/4 or above and GCSE mathematics at grade D/3 or above, or equivalent.

DipHE Level 5 qualification in Counselling from the following pathways with proof of completing 80 hours work placement in a counselling environment:

Person Centred Counselling
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Gestalt Counselling
Humanistic Counselling

Additional entry requirements

Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) / Disclosure Scotland Check
Applicants must pass Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check before starting the course.

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)6English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5.
Cambridge English AdvancedCambridge English: Advanced (CAE) (taken after January 2015). An overall score of 169 with no component score less than 162.
Cambridge English ProficiencyCambridge English: Proficiency (CPE) (taken after January 2015). An overall score of 169 with no component score less than 162.
PTE Academic62An overall score of 62 with a minimum of 59 in each skill.
TOEFL (iBT)7979 with a minimum of 18 in Reading, 17 in Listening, 20 in Speaking and 17 in Writing.
Trinity ISEPassTrinity College Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level III with a Pass in all 4 components.

Contextual admissions

Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.

University of Portsmouth offers are based on a holistic assessment of students' potential including exam results, work experience and personal circumstances. The University aims to foster social mobility and equality of opportunity, particularly for those facing social challenges.
For creative subjects, portfolios and interviews allow applicants to showcase their talent and passion. We recognise locality, personal circumstances and creativity which could lead to a reduced or unconditional offer.

Learn more on the University of Portsmouth website

International entry requirements

This course is available to EU and International applicants who do not require a Student Route Visa.

Historical entry grades data

This section shows the range of grades that students who received offers were previously accepted on to this course with (learn more).

It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place.

Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

This course may have Historical entry grades data available, please select a course option to view.

Course options

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

No fee information has been provided for this course

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

Undergraduate fees for 2027 entry will be available shortly.

For more information about fees, go to https://www.port.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/undergraduate-fees-and-student-finance/tuition-fees-living-costs-and-other-study-costs

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