Foundation Degree in Science in Counselling Theory and Practice

Course Specification

You seek a qualification that supports further study, in psychology or counselling, and you are genuinely interested in counselling as a future career. Alternatively you are required to use counselling skills, autonomously, in your current profession.

You must have completed a Level 3 Certificate in Counselling to apply. You will also need to supply the names of two referees, one from an academic source. Every applicant is invited to an interview to assess their suitability for the course. At the interview, you will need to declare and discuss previous convictions, reprimands, cautions or final warnings. A satisfactory DBS will need to be obtained to enable you to undertake your placement, which is a requirement of the course.

Entry requirements include passes at GCSE for English and Maths at grade 4 or above however equivalent qualifications and/or work experience will be taken into consideration. Applicants without GCSEs will be required to complete initial assessments and may wish to consider the part-time GCSE courses that the college offers both during the evening and daytime

The course is designed to meet the evolving markets and increasing uptake of the listening therapies across a breadth of employment areas such as education, medicine, the care sector, management and human resources. High-quality training, grounded in the Humanistic approach provides the opportunity for students from a wide range of backgrounds to develop their counselling knowledge, skills and professional practice in readiness for practise in a variety of settings. The supervised practice hours associated with this qualification can be included towards BACP Accreditation.

The Foundation Degree comprises the following modules, at Level Four and Level Five:

• Counselling Theory – Person-centred (core), Gestalt, Existential and CBT
• Personal Development in Counselling 1
• Study Skills for Counsellors
• Preparation for Counselling in Placement
• Developing Counselling Skills
• Theories of Human Development
• Research Methods
• Personal Development in Counselling 2
• Counselling Skills in Practice
• Working with Loss and Grief
  
  

You will need to undertake a 100-hour placement at an approved agency as a requirement of the course. This course is awarded by Staffordshire University and further information is available in the attached course specification.

On successful completion of the course, you will be a fully qualified practitioner equipped to gain employment as a professional counsellor or to set up your own private counselling practice.

Assessment is based on practical and written assignments, presentations and placement portfolio.

The tuition fee is the cost for each year of the course, you can apply for a part time student loan.

Additional costs:

• To undertake your placement you will need to obtain a DBS and receive monthly supervision, these may attract a personal cost depending on the organisation you obtain a placement with.
• 20 hours of Personal Therapy over the two years
• Membership of the BACP as a student member
• Professional liability insurance.

Successful completion can be used as evidence towards applying for membership of the BACP and NCS and could lead to further professional development in counselling e.g. BA degree or Masters degree.

Please note a compulsory interview assessing your suitability for this course will take place. 

Although it is a full time course, attendance is one day per week.

For help in applying to this course please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., ring 01743 342333 or fill out the form below.