Psychology, Psychotherapy and Counselling with foundation year

In December 2024, the University of Bolton was granted permission by the Office for Students (OfS) to change its name to the University of Greater Manchester with immediate effect. While we work to update our systems, you may see both names used in the information we provide.

It's good to talk, and professional counsellors and psychotherapists are in growing demand in these pressured times. Our British Psychological Society (BPS) accredited Psychology, Psychotherapy and Counselling with foundation year degree offers core knowledge in these three disciplines and the opportunity to gain SEG accredited qualifications in counselling skills.

Psychology is a core component of psychotherapy and counselling, and the University of Greater Manchester offers one of the oldest and most established psychology courses in the UK. Taught at our town-centre campus in Bolton, our BSc (Hons) Psychology, Psychotherapy and Counselling with foundation year degree gives you the chance to learn about the interaction between these disciplines, appreciate the diversity of perspectives involved, and understand their therapeutic use.

The foundation year is the first year of this degree, offering an excellent grounding in the fundamentals of psychology, social sciences and research methods alongside study skills development. It's designed to prepare you for undergraduate study.

At the degree level, our friendly and experienced team will guide you as you develop knowledge of the theories, methods and debates central to the three core elements. We'll support you as you explore psychology, gain specific counselling skills, and consider broader social issues that impact the roles of psychotherapist and counsellor, such as assumptions, stereotyping, diversity and prejudice. We'll also focus on developing your knowledge and skills in using psychological research methods and your appreciation of the ethical issues involved.

Interpersonal and transferable skills are vital, so we'll challenge you to develop sought-after communication, problem-solving, numerical, analytical, self-management, and IT skills. Overall, our dedicated team will focus on helping you gain the skills employers value and a detailed understanding of psychology, counselling and psychotherapy.