Therapeutic Counselling (Top-up)

This degree is aimed to equip students who have completed a CPCAB Level 4 or CPCAB Level 4 & 5 Diploma in Counselling with an enhanced knowledge of the theories, philosophies and principles that underpin their clinical practice.

As such, it develops and extends the knowledge base acquired through previous study and professional development and progresses students’ ability to build, sustain and advance professional working relationships in order to support the meeting of diverse clients’ needs.

It continues to integrate a work-based model in which students are required to reflect upon occurrences in the workplace and use their experiences to inform and evaluate their own practice.

The programme is offered as a full-time top-up honours degree programme and is modular in structure, focusing on a number of essential themes in contemporary Counselling practice.

There is recognition of work-based learning and therefore attendance at college is one full day a week in term time with a compulsory 4-day workshop within the programme. The students are supported in the workplace by Supervisors and College tutors.

Students on this BSc top-up year will study 7 modules (6 at 15 credit points and 1 at 30 credit points)

Module 1 – Introduction to research
Module 2 – Academic Writing for Professional Practice
Module 3 – Counselling Theory
Module 4 – Working Professionally with Mental Health
Module 5 – Reflective Practice
Module 6 – Clinical Placement
Module 7 – Research Project

Candidates will be assessed on the basis of written and oral assignments and the submission of a completed research project.

In addition, in order to achieve the award: BSc (Hons) Therapeutic Counselling (Top-up), students must achieve 120 credits at Level 6. Level 6 credits provide the overall classification for the Honours degree.

Some counselling placements may not provide internal supervision; therefore, the student will need to arrange this. There may be a further cost implication for external supervision.

Supervision must be at least 1-hour fortnightly; to a client counselling ratio of 1-hour supervision to every 4 client hours. Students must attend supervision regardless of client flow.

Students must secure a counselling placement, approved by the tutor/s which provides the opportunity to obtain 60 clinical and supervised counselling hours.

Students must gain satisfactory reports from their Supervisor specifically agreeing their competence in working with clients, to gain the award.

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

• Counselling and Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body