PMCNSPCT - MSc Counselling and Psychotherapy

MSc Counselling and Psychotherapy is a core practitioner training programme which is aligned with the QAA benchmark statement for counselling and psychotherapy training and the eligibility criteria for British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) individual membership, thus providing an accessible and clearly signposted pathway into a career in the counselling professions. It is designed to enable students to develop advanced counselling and therapeutic skills informed by the person centred/humanistic, cognitive/behavioural, and psychoanalytic modalities. Teaching and supervision are guided by a pluralistic framework to support practitioners and clients working towards client autonomy, empowerment, and wellbeing. The course allows students to examine how personal, interpersonal, and cultural factors can influence the therapeutic relationship and how to be adaptable and responsive to the needs of clients from diverse backgrounds with differing expectations and experiences. The programme is aligned with the eligibility criteria for BACP individual membership, subject to completing a supervised placement of at least 100 client contact hours, and BACP registered membership (MBACP), subject to passing the BACP Certificate of Proficiency. Supervised placements provide students with valuable first-hand counselling experience allowing them to apply their knowledge and skills while working with real clients.

The teaching, learning and assessment strategy is designed to enable students to develop and demonstrate essential academic and professional skills, thus providing a firm foundation for a successful career in the counselling professions. This includes skills in communication, problem-solving, time management, reflective practice, therapeutic methods, and teamwork. A dedicated research methods module provides opportunities for students develop a range of research skills and a dissertation module allows them to demonstrate their ability to design and initiate an empirical research study using appropriate methodology and technology as appropriate, in line with the principles of open science. Students are encouraged to engage in independent scholarly activity and to manage and take responsibility for their own learning, identifying their learning needs as they progress through the programme.

On starting the programme, students are encouraged to register as student members with the BACP and to take advantage of the resources, information, and support that membership provides access to. Upon successful completion of the programme and a supervised placement of 100 client contact hours, students will have met the eligibility criteria for BACP individual membership, and will be able to apply for BACP registered membership (MBACP), subject to passing the BACP Certificate of Proficiency for which preparation is embedded in the programme.

The aims of the MSc Counselling and Psychotherapy are to:

1. provide a core practitioner training programme aligned with the QAA benchmark statement for counselling and psychotherapy and the eligibility criteria for BACP individual membership, and BACP registered membership (subject to passing the BACP Certificate of Proficiency), thus providing an accessible and clearly signposted pathway into a career in the counselling professions.
2. allow students to develop a comprehensive and critical understanding of core approaches in counselling and psychotherapy (person centred/humanistic, cognitive/behavioural, and psychoanalytic approaches), including the historical and cultural context of knowledge within each approach.
3. equip students with a range or core and advanced practitioner skills and provide opportunities for their application working with clients from diverse backgrounds with differing expectations and needs.
4. promote and develop effective, ethical, and inclusive practice, in line with the BACP Ethical Framework.
5. promote students’ self-management of the learning process with a view to future training, employment, and continuing professional development.
6. equip students with advanced analytic and research skills and the ability to evaluate, conduct, and report research findings in line with professional publication standards and the principles of open science.
7. ensure that students develop a thorough understanding of relevant policy and legislation related to healthcare contexts (e.g., the Mental Health Act) and the ability to assess and manage risk.
8. provide students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to engage with diverse populations and to be adaptable and responsive to the needs of clients with differing expectations and needs.

On completion of the programme, students will be able to:

1. understand the theoretical and empirical bases of the person centred/humanistic, cognitive/behavioural, and psychoanalytic modalities and their application in counselling and psychotherapy.
2. demonstrate awareness of the historical and cultural context of, and limitations with, classic and contemporary approaches in counselling and psychotherapy.
3. confidently and competently apply a range of core and advanced counselling and therapeutic skills while working with clients with diverse and often complex needs and be able to evaluate their effectiveness.
4. be able to conduct psychological assessments and develop case formulations.
5. work cooperatively and productively with others to solve problems using appropriate methods and techniques.
6. design and conduct empirical research and engage in independent scholarly activity in areas of relevance to counselling and psychotherapy in line with the principles of open science.
7. communicate information to specialist and non-specialist audiences with accuracy and clarity.
8. demonstrate understanding of, and adherence to, the BACP Ethical Framework and other relevant policy and legislation (e.g., The Mental Health Act).
9. exercise initiative and personal responsibility and be able to make confident and informed decisions in complex and unpredictable contexts and to assess and manage risk.
10. manage and take responsibility for their own learning and professional development including identifying gaps in their knowledge or skills and taking action to address them.
11. demonstrate confidence, resilience, ambition, and creativity and act as inclusive, collaborative, and socially responsible practitioners/professionals in their discipline.

The programme is aligned with the QAA (2022) Subject Benchmark Statement for Counselling and Psychotherapy:
https://www.qaa.ac.uk/docs/qaa/sbs/sbs-counselling-and-psychotherapy-22.pdf?sfvrsn=73b3dc81_2

A range of formative and summative methods are used to assess students’ learning and development as they progress through the programme. The assessments are inclusive and anticipatory and, where appropriate, a choice of assessment questions and tasks The assessments are designed to provide an appropriate intellectual challenge for students at this level (level 7) while remaining compliant with the standards outlined in the QAA benchmark statement for counselling and psychotherapy training programmes and BACP guidelines including the BACP Ethical Framework. Assessment methods include technology mediated presentations, case formulations, treatment planning and evaluation exercises, essays, problem-solving tasks, data analysis exercises, research reports, and reflective exercises. Formative assessments, group exercises, and the supervised placements provide opportunities for students to receive constructive feedback throughout the programme from their tutors, peers, and placement supervisors and assessment preparation and feedback sessions are embedded in each module. Students are required to document their performance on the assessments and other competencies in a portfolio which is submitted to the BACP along with their application for individual membership on completion of the programme.

The course runs over two years full time or four years and requires one day university attendance per week. Students are expected to complete a supervised placement of at least 100 client contact hours throughout the duration of the course and will be supported in securing a placement. The placement provides opportunities for students to apply the knowledge and skills developed in the programme while working with clients with complex needs and provides a firm foundation for progression to a career in the counselling professions. If a student secures a placement in an organisation that does not have a suitably qualified internal placement supervisor, it becomes the student’s responsibility to secure and fund an appropriate external supervision, with support from the course team.

Accreditation of prior experiential learning (APEL) is not accepted for this programme.

Modules need to be passed with a minimum aggregate grade of 50%.

A minimum attendance of 70% of scheduled teaching and supervision sessions is required.

Students cannot begin the modules with prerequisites outlined in sections 23 and 24 until the prerequisite modules have been completed.

Students are expected to secure a supervised placement in the first year of the programme and will be supported in securing one, although it is the students’ responsibility to do so.

Students are encouraged to undergo personal therapy during the programme at their own expense.

Should a student secure a placement in an organisation that does not have an appropriately qualified internal supervisor, it is the student’s responsibility to secure and fund an external supervisor.

Students are expected to register with the BACP as student members on joining the programme: https://www.bacp.co.uk/membership/student-membership/

Students are required to demonstrate fitness to practice throughout the programme and before starting a supervised placement, in line with BACP guidelines:

https://www.bacp.co.uk/media/4551/bacp-fitness-to-practise-disclosures-faqs.docx

There is a recommended part-time structure for students intending to complete the course across four years, although there is flexibility and other structures may be possible.

Year 1
PY7211 Professional practice and reflective skills
PY7213 Safeguarding and ethical practice

Year 2
PY7212 Models of counselling and psychotherapy
PY7217 Research methods for counselling and psychotherapy

Year 3
PY7214 Professional and practitioner skill development
PY7216 Advanced counselling skills

Year 4
PY7215 Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion in professional practice
PY7P10 Dissertation

Supervised work placement is not an option for the interim award of PG Certificate.

PG Certificate
PY7211 Professional practice and reflective skills (20 credits)
PY7212 Models of counselling and psychotherapy (20 credits)
PY7213 Safeguarding and ethical practice (20 credits)

PG Diploma
PY7211 Professional practice and reflective skills (20 credits)
PY7212 Models of counselling and psychotherapy (20 credits)
PY7213 Safeguarding and ethical practice (20 credits)
PY7214 Professional and practitioner skill development (20 credits)
PY7215 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in professional practice (20 credits)
PY7216 Advanced counselling skills (20 credits)

The teaching, learning and assessment strategy is designed to enable students from diverse backgrounds to develop and demonstrate competence in a wide range of academic and practical skills. The programme is underpinned by experiential and reflective learning methods, which are introduced in a dedicated module in year 1. PY7211 Professional Practice and Reflective Skills is designed to foster the core competencies and reflective skills that underpin effective practice in counselling and psychotherapy. It helps to develop students’ confidence and ability and to learn from experience, discuss and receive constructive feedback from tutors and peers, and take responsibility for identifying their own learning and development needs. PY7212 Models of Counselling and Psychotherapy introduces the main counselling and psychotherapeutic modalities and their application. Students participate in role-play counselling sessions and are assessed on their ability to reflect upon and learn from the experience both as a practitioner and a client. PY7213 Safeguarding and Ethical Practice develops students’ knowledge and understanding of the BACP Ethical Framework and other relevant policy and legislation (e.g., The Mental Health Act) and assesses their ability to reflect upon their own professional conduct and how this might impact the therapeutic relationship and to produce an evidence-based action plan outlining how any issues or learning needs may be addressed. PY7217 Research Methods for Counselling and Psychotherapy develops students’ analytic and research skills and their appreciation of the empirical bases of counselling and therapeutic practice as well as principles of open science and research ethics, thus providing a firm foundation for progression to PY7P10 Dissertation.

The focus on experiential and reflective learning continues in year 2. PY7214 Professional and Practitioner Skill Development is designed to support the development of students’ practical and reflective skills while in supervised work placements. It aims to enhance students’ confidence and ability to work effectively and ethically with clients with complex needs; to receive constructive feedback from placement supervisors; to critically reflect upon their client interactions; and to recognise and work towards addressing any limitations in their knowledge or skills. PY7215 Diversity and Inclusion in Professional Practice introduces students to key policy and legislation related to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in counselling and therapeutic practice. It addresses issues experienced by clients from under-represented groups in accessing counselling services and their treatment within those services. Students are encouraged to reflect upon how their own background, assumptions, and unconscious biases might influence client engagement and to consider ways of creating a safe therapeutic environment that supports diverse populations with differing expectations and needs. PY7216 Advanced Counselling Skills is designed to support the development and application of advanced counselling skills and students’ professional identity as a counsellor or psychotherapist. Experiential, reflective, and problem-solving methods allow students to examine different approaches to supporting clients with complex needs, and to work collaboratively with others to ensure best practice. The final module in the programme, PY7P10 Dissertation, provides an opportunity for students to integrate the knowledge and skills developed throughout the programme to initiate, design, and conduct a supervised empirical research study to address an issue of relevance to counselling and psychotherapy, and to present the results in line with professional publication standards and the principles of open science.

Students are required to complete a supervised work placement of 100 client contact hours and will be supported in securing a placement, although it is ultimately the students’ responsibility to secure an appropriate placement. The placements provide opportunities for students to apply their acquired knowledge and skills and are monitored by a designated placement coordinator from the course team and an external placement supervisor. The placement supervisor plays a pivotal role in developing students’ competencies through constructive feedback and must complete a supervision contract with the student before engagement with clients can commence. If a student enters a placement that does not provide a sufficiently qualified supervisor, it is the student’s responsibility to source and fund external supervision with the support of the course team. Students are encouraged to complete the 100 client contact hours by the end of Year 2 to allow them to apply for BACP individual membership, apply to complete the BACP Certificate of Proficiency to become a BACP registered member (MBACP) on completion of the programme.

The emphasis on experiential and self-reflective learning and professional development that underpins all aspects of the programme enables students to confidently manage and take responsibility for their own learning and facilitates their progression through the programme and beyond into a successful career in the counselling professions.

Students completing the MSc Counselling and Psychotherapy and a supervised placement consisting of 100 supervised client contact hours will have met the eligibility criteria for BACP individual membership. They will also be eligible to apply for BACP registered membership (MBACP), subject to passing the BACP Certificate of Proficiency. Preparation for the Certificate of Proficiency test is embedded within the course. The course thus provides an accessible and clearly signposted pathway into a career in the counselling professions. It also provides a firm foundation for advanced for graduates aiming to progress to Doctoral training programmes.

You will be required to have:

• an honours degree in a relevant discipline with a minimum 2:2
• English Language and Mathematics GCSE at grade C/4 or above (or equivalent)
• an enhanced DBS check
• relevant experience (i.e., voluntary or paid work involving working with vulnerable or distressed individuals)
• sufficient availability to complete 100 supervised client contact hours in a work placement

Applicants with relevant professional qualifications and/or professional experience will be considered on a case-by-case basis, as will any applicants declaring previous cautions or convictions.