Psychology with Counselling including Foundation Year

Our Psychology with Counselling including Foundation Year degree is for those who are fascinated by how the mind works and are passionate about helping others. This course will teach you all about the brain, behaviour, and mental health. You’ll learn essential counselling skills and study various theories and evidence that explain human behaviour.

This programme is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), ensuring you get a top-quality education. You’ll explore integrative approaches and person-centred therapy, learning about different psychological therapies that help people improve their lives. You’ll also tackle practical issues and gain valuable research skills.

Our course covers everything from neuro-scientific processes to understanding forensic psychology and health-related behaviour. You’ll develop critical analysis skills to evaluate research and understand complex concepts.

The programme aims to produce a scientific understanding of the mind, brain, behaviour, and experience, and how they interact with the complex environments in which they exist. It also aims to develop knowledge of counselling as a social function mediated by individual, societal, and global contexts.

Alongside opportunities for counselling skills development and workplace experience, the dedicated Psychology and Counselling facilities and positive atmosphere will offer students an exciting learning experience. This experience is further enhanced by having a team of research-active and practitioner-based lecturers working closely together, as well as with students themselves.

The programme aims to help you to produce a scientific understanding of the mind, brain, behaviour and experience, and how they interact with the complex environments in which they exist. It also aims to develop knowledge of counselling as a social function mediated by individual, societal and global contexts.

In this Psychology and Counselling programme, you will gain a solid foundation in psychological theories, counselling skills, and research methods. Each year builds on the previous one, preparing you for a professional career in psychology or counselling.

In your foundation year, you’ll develop core academic skills, adjust to university life, and explore how psychology connects to everyday experience. You’ll learn about how people think and behave while building confidence in researching and understanding psychological topics.

Compulsory

Academic and Digital Skills (20 credits)
Introducing University Life (20 credits)
Psychology and You (20 credits)
Exploring People’s Thinking and Behaviour (20 credits)
Skills Beyond the Basics (20 credits)
Researching People with Confidence (20 credits)

Year 1: You will be introduced to the basics of psychology, including counselling theories and psychology study skills. You’ll develop fundamental research skills and begin learning about mental health and personality. This year lays the groundwork for understanding human behaviour and how to help others.

Compulsory

Personality and Individual Differences (20 credits)
Introduction to Counselling Skills (20 credits)
Skills for Success in Psychology (20 credits)
Conceptual and Historical Issues in Psychology (20 credits)
Mental Health Through Time (20 credits)
The Social Explorer: Research Methods for Psychology (20 credits)

In the second year, you’ll dive deeper into counselling skills and integrative approaches. You’ll study more advanced psychological theories and tackle real-world practical issues through case studies. This year focuses on applying theories and evidence to improve your critical thinking and research skills.

Compulsory

Brain, Biology, and Cognition (20 credits)
Research Design and Analysis (20 credits)
Occupational Psychology (20 credits)
Developmental Psychology (20 credits)
The Skilled Helper (20 credits)
Optional

Psychology Internship (20 credits)
Psychology Placement (20 credits)

The final year emphasises professional practice and prepares you for a career in psychology or counselling. You’ll conduct independent research, focusing on your chosen area of interest. This year enhances your critical analysis skills and provides in-depth knowledge of person-centred therapy and other therapeutic approaches.

Compulsory

Psychology Empirical Project (40 credits)
Social Issues in Psychology (20 credits)
Reflexive Counselling Skills (20 credits)
Cognition in Action (20 credits)
Current Debates in Counselling (20 credits)

This programme will offer a range of traditional and innovative assessment methods to give you the opportunity to extend your practical and academic skills and encourage your independent learning. These will include practical skills assessments, academic essays and exams, individual and group presentations, research reports and case studies.

Your overall degree classification will be calculated as 33% of marks at Level 5 and 67% at Level 6.

To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:

• Course does not award QTS