module specification

This module provides a substantial grounding in research methods commonly used in counselling and psychotherapy, integrating both quantitative and qualitative approaches. You will explore how research is embedded in therapeutic practice, developing an understanding of how evidence is generated, interpreted and applied in real-world clinical contexts. The module introduces key philosophical positions and epistemologies that underpin different methodologies, and considers how these shape what counts as knowledge, evidence and “good” research in the psychological therapies. You will also engage in thinking about ethical frameworks in research and look at how issues of power translate into epistemologies and research practices.  

You will critically examine criteria for rigour, quality and credibility in both quantitative and qualitative research, including validity, reliability, trustworthiness and reflexivity. Through structured workshops and guided tasks, you will learn how to formulate researchable questions, select appropriate designs and methods, and plan feasible projects that are ethically robust and clinically relevant. Attention is given to practitioner research , with a focus on how counsellors and psychotherapists can contribute to, and draw upon, the research literature in a reflective and informed way.

Across the module you will work towards generating a coherent research plan, developing confidence in designing and, where appropriate, carrying out empirical work.  By the end, you will be able to engage critically with published research in counselling and psychotherapy, articulate the philosophical and methodological assumptions behind different studies, and justify methodological choices in relation to your own emerging interests and practice context. You will also start developing practical skills in project design, data gathering and analysis.

Available for Study Abroad? /NO 

No pre-requisites

In this module, you will explore topics drawn from the role of research in counselling and psychotherapy practice; practitioner–researcher identities; philosophical foundations and epistemologies, including positivism, interpretivism, critical realism, social constructionism, and phenomenology; formulating research questions and aims; aligning research questions, methods, and research designs; sampling, recruitment, and access in therapeutic settings; working with small and practice-based samples; and ethics in counselling and psychotherapy research, including consent, confidentiality, power, dual roles, and organisational constraints. You will also examine quantitative analyses, including descriptive and inferential statistics, and qualitative approaches, including descriptive, interpretive, and reflexive approaches to data analysis. In addition, you will consider issues of quality and rigour, including validity, reliability, trustworthiness, credibility, dependability, and reflexivity, and you will develop a research proposal addressing structure, justification of methodology, feasibility, and impact on practice.

The learning objectives will be achieved through a combination of interactive workshops and seminars,  problem-based learning, computer-based exercises and mutual peer-support sessions, supervised dissertation groups, web-based online learning and self-managed independent study. You will be encouraged to manage and take responsibility for your own learning and professional development and to use feedback from multiple sources to enhance your practice. Teaching will be largely delivered in room with some synchronous online session inputs.

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:

1. Critically reflect and evaluate the philosophical and epistemological foundations of key quantitative and qualitative methodologies used in counselling and psychotherapy research.
2. Formulate clear, researchable questions and select appropriate designs and methods to address them.
3. Evaluate the rigour, quality and credibility of quantitative and qualitative studies, including attention to ethical issues and reflexivity.
4. Design a feasible, ethically sound research proposal relevant to counselling and psychotherapy practice.
5. Demonstrate increasing confidence and competence in interpreting and applying research methodologies to your own emerging area of interest.