Person-centred-experiential counselling and psychotherapy is internationally recognised. Evidence suggests it's one of the leading therapeutic approaches to mental health and wellbeing, and it continues to develop important practical applications and theoretical knowledge.

Our long-established postgraduate courses in counselling have offered a unique opportunity to gain in-depth experience of the person-centred-experiential methods applied in counselling and psychotherapy, to Masters level. Our courses have an international reputation and attract students from the UK, Europe, Canada, the USA, China, and India.

The MSc Counselling & Psychotherapy course has been restructured to meet evolving standards for evidence-based practice, rising educational standards, increased professional regulation, and rapid social and economic change. You'll gain a solid grounding and thorough integration of theory, research and practice, as well as a capacity to engage with the wider field of human distress and wellbeing, including private, public and third sector mental health agencies.
What you'll study
The emphasis is on person-centred therapy throughout the Counselling & Psychotherapy Masters programme. You'll undertake counselling training, including theoretical, personal and professional development and practical/skills-based components.

An integral part of your course will be training you to work with clients in-person, online and on the telephone. To reinforce this learning in your training you will be expected to work with a number of your placement clients remotely.

The counselling practice element of the training includes the following classes:

The Therapeutic Relationship
The Therapeutic Process
Personality Theory
Counselling Case Analysis
Counselling Practicum
Personal & Professional Development
The Research Dissertation class involves training in counselling research methods and a write-up of a small empirical study, practical case study, or review of research.
Major projects
The Research Dissertation involves training in the main counselling research methods and four options for research projects: a quantitative study, a qualitative study, a systematic case study or a systematic review.
Careers
Graduates have the potential to move into full-time or part-time positions. They may also choose to continue working within the placement they undertook during the Masters, adding to their client experience.

Most UK employers are looking for client-contact hours greater than the minimum 150 hours gained during training. Many students quickly gain part-time employment in agencies offering telephone counselling and also in employee assistance programmes offering short-term counselling to their employees.

We encourage our graduates to work towards professional accreditation which also affords professional registration and recognition. A therapist requires 450 hours of practice to begin the accreditation process and the majority of counsellors also engage in advanced professional development to broaden their professional profile while working towards accreditation.

Ultimately, most counsellors work in a mixture of part-time settings, such as paid part-time work in the NHS or voluntary sector, plus some private practice and/or gaining a qualification to do group work or professional supervision. Other choose to mix their practice with non-counselling employment.

BACP Accreditation
If you graduate from this course with your Postgraduate Diploma, you will not be awarded accreditation status. To qualify for full BACP accreditation you must complete the full Masters programme.