Course summary

There are multiple rich opportunities, over the course of the degree, to learn and refine practical counselling skills. These skills will be employed in a real-world context when students begin their supervised client work with adults in their second year of study. The degree programme offers students the opportunity to engage with a contemporary curriculum, informed by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Guidelines for Stage 3 Core Practitioner Training (2022), the BACP Gold book criteria for the accreditation of training courses (2021), and the subject benchmarks for Counselling and Psychotherapy (QAA, 2022). As the programme aligns with the BACP requirements, upon successful completion of the programme, students can apply for BACP membership. Such professional membership is an important aspect of ethical practice. Graduates may also apply to sit the BACP’s Certificate of Proficiency test, allowing them to join the BACP register, a public record of counsellors who meet the BACP quality standards. This level of BACP membership is often listed as a pre-requisite for employment as a counsellor in key organisations such as the NHS, educational establishments and third sector providers of counselling services. Students are also encouraged to apply for student BACP membership whilst on this course.