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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Top-up) at University of Portsmouth - UCAS

There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

Course summary

Do you have a background in counselling or psychology? Would you like to learn how to help people challenge negative thinking so they can approach situations more positively? Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) helps people focus on current issues so they can find practical solutions that help them feel better now. A cognitive behavioural therapist helps people change how they feel and act so they can deal with issues such as anxiety, stress, depression and phobias. On this Cognitive Behavioural Therapy DipHE, you'll learn the practical knowledge and interpersonal skills you need to pursue a career as a cognitive behavioural therapist. In year 1, you'll develop foundational counselling skills and explore all the counselling approaches available to practitioners, including gestalt and humanistic counselling. In your second year, you'll focus on developing the practical skills you need as a cognitive behavioural therapist. This includes putting what you learn into practice by conducting 100 hours of supervised therapy. You'll also develop skills you need to work with different types of clients and learn about mental health issues. After the course, you could top up your diploma to a Bachelor's degree. You could also work as a cognitive behavioural therapist in areas such as education, the police service, the prison service and the voluntary sector. Alternative courses You can specialise in other types of counselling and therapy on our BSc (Hons) Humanistic Counselling and BSc (Hons) Gestalt Counselling top-up degrees. What you'll experience On this course you'll:

  • Learn advanced cognitive behavioural therapy skills, building on the knowledge you developed on your DipHE
  • Develop advanced research skills on a research project that aligns with your interests and career ambitions
  • Apply your knowledge and skills with at least 100 hours of supervised counselling on a placement in the community
  • Learn from experienced, industry-trained staff who've worked in organisations or run their own private practices
  • Build a foundation to help work towards a further professional accreditation with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) following completion of the course
  • Develop transferable skills you can apply in all aspects of your life and career in areas such as problem solving, communication, group working, planning, effective feedback and IT
  • Study at South Hampshire College Group - Eastleigh Campus with access to University of Portsmouth support and services
  • Apply for membership of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and get access to member resources including journal subscriptions, free courses and job boards
Careers and opportunities The coronavirus pandemic and increased awareness in society about mental health have boosted the demand for counselling and therapy services. As a counsellor specialising in cognitive behavioural therapy, you can have a significant positive impact on people's health and wellbeing, and help take the pressure off other health services such as GPs and hospitals. Public, private and charity sector settings you could work in after the course include:
  • Education
  • Alcohol and drug services
  • Eating disorder services
  • Mental health services
  • GPs
  • Police and prison services

Modules

Core modules:

  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Advanced Skills (40 credits)
  • Professional Practice Placement (40 credits)
  • Research Project (40 credits)
There are no optional modules on this course. Changes to course content: We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies. Therefore, course content is revised and regularly reviewed. This may result in changes being made in order to reflect developments in research, learning from practice and changes in policy at both national and local levels.

Assessment method

On this counselling diploma, you'll be assessed through:

  • Essays
  • Live skills assessments (role play scenarios)
  • Individual and group presentations
  • Portfolios of evidence
  • Case studies
  • Personal learning journals
  • Professional requirements (a 'Fitness to Practice' assessment)
  • Supervised work-based learning
You’ll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark. Feedback is central to this course. You'll get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future, as well as on your application for the 'Fitness to Practice' assessment. You'll also practice giving feedback during live skills assessments, where you'll receive feedback from your peers, as well as the assessment tutor.


How to apply

Application codes

Please select a course option – you will then see the application code you need to use to apply for the course.

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

International applicants

This course is available to EU and International applicants who do not require a Student Route Visa

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

DipHE Level 5 qualification in Counselling from the following pathways with proof of completing 80 hours work placement in a counselling environment : Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Gestalt Counselling Humanistic Counselling

Additional entry requirements

Criminal records declaration (DBS/Disclosure Scotland)

All applicants must pass Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check before starting the course


English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)6English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5.
Cambridge English AdvancedCambridge English: Advanced (CAE) (taken after January 2015). An overall score of 169 with no component score less than 162.
Cambridge English ProficiencyCambridge English: Proficiency (CPE) (taken after January 2015). An overall score of 169 with no component score less than 162.
PTE Academic62An overall score of 62 with a minimum of 59 in each skill.
TOEFL (iBT)7979 with a minimum of 18 in Reading, 17 in Listening, 20 in Speaking and 17 in Writing.
Trinity ISEPassTrinity College Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level III with a Pass in all 4 components.

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students

There is no data available for this course. For further information visit the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

EU £9535 Year 1
England £9535 Year 1
Northern Ireland £9535 Year 1
Scotland £9535 Year 1
Wales £9535 Year 1
Channel Islands £9535 Year 1
Republic of Ireland £9535 Year 1
International £19200 Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

Students who are resident in EU countries: please note that the net fee is inclusive of the Transition Scholarship Placement Year and Year abroad (at the time of publishing for 2024/25): UK/Channel Islands and Isle of Man students – £1,385 EU – £1,385 (including Transition Scholarship) International (Non-EU) – £2,875. Fees are accurate at the time of publishing and are subject to change at any time without notice. All fees are subject to annual increase. For more information about fees, go to port.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/undergraduate-fees-and-student-finance/tuition-fees-living-costs-and-other-study-costs
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Top-up) at University of Portsmouth - UCAS