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BSc (Hons) - Psychology with Counselling and Psychotherapy

As one of the very few undergraduate Psychology with Counselling and Psychotherapy joint honours degrees in the UK that offers the opportunity to qualify as a professional counsellor, this course prepares you to help people in distress explore their difficulties, express their feelings and work towards a deeper self-awareness.

On this British Psychological Society accredited course, you will explore human experience across a range of contexts and lifespans, from understanding the biological basis of behaviour to questioning the impact of social media on child development. Our expert lecturing team are active in research and practices and will ensure you feel supported throughout your degree.

You will have the opportunity to get involved in a range of extracurricular activities, including sessions led by experts in the fields of psychology and counselling.

Beyond the classroom, you will complete 100 hours of work experience in the community as a practising counsellor, which is a qualificatory part of the course. Our excellent links with regional and national charities, not-for-profit organisations and penal institutions will open doors to practical experiences that refine your skills and elevate your job prospects.

There will also be opportunities for you to focus on particular areas of interest, to tailor your learning to your own interests and career goals.

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Accredited by:

The British Psychological Society

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Course Overview

This course will see you develop the academic knowledge and practical skills you need to help make a difference in the lives of others. You’ll learn from industry-expert tutors through lectures, seminars and other learning opportunities.

Our standout Psychology with Counselling and Psychotherapy course adheres to the training requirements of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and is one of the only Psychology with Counselling joint honours degrees that qualifies you as a professional counsellor without the need for further professional or postgraduate training.

Upon graduation, you will also be eligible to gain Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) and apply to be an individual member of the BACP.

In addition to 100 hours of work in the community, you’ll have the opportunity to develop key research skills and undertake specific counselling-focused research projects. You will also gain high-level soft skills such as empathy, conflict resolution and active thinking, which are in high demand in the workplace and will enhance your employability across various professions. Throughout your studies, you’ll be part of a small, close-knit and supportive learning community, ensuring you receive the guidance and encouragement you need to succeed.

What’s more, our psychology courses are ranked 1st in the North West and 11th in the UK (Guardian University Guide 2023 Results).

On this course you will...

Have the opportunity to explore and apply psychological literature to current issues, contexts and experiences.
Develop key knowledge, skills and abilities to help you prepare to become a counsellor or psychotherapist, or develop a career in related psychotherapeutic professions.
Be able to choose topics and areas that you want to learn more about to tailor your learning experience on your psychology degree.
Be taught and given high-quality support and guidance by our expert lecturing team, who are active in research and practices.
Have the opportunity to get involved in a range of extracurricular activities including sessions by experts in the field of psychology and counselling.
Benefit from our excellent links with regional and national charities, not-for-profit and penal institutions to gain work experience and enhance your job prospects.

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Key Details

Recruiting toUK / RoI / Settled in UK
EU / EEA / International
Course LocationCarlisle - Fusehill Street
Institute Institute of Health
UCAS CodeC802
Mode of DeliveryBlended learning
Course DurationFull-time: 3 Years
Study Options Integrated Foundation Year
Course Start PointSeptember
AwardBSc (Hons)
More informationProgramme Specification
Prospectus
Open DaysCarlisle - Fusehill Street
All

Minimum entry requirements

96-112

UCAS Tariff points

Tuition fees

£9,535

UK | Per year

£14,900

International | Per year

Tuition Fees Policy

Course Structure

What you will learn

On this degree, you will learn about the key research, knowledge, skills and attributes needed to work within psychological and therapeutic settings. You will start by building your knowledge and developing your key skills through lectures, workshops and problem-based learning. You will explore the history of psychology, research methods and analytical techniques.

You will examine the wider issues around therapeutic diversity whilst gaining work experience within therapeutic settings allowing you to further advance your knowledge, skills and advanced counselling skills. An independent research project will allow you to explore a topic of your interest with your own research question.

Year one

You will build knowledge in the foundations of psychology, counselling and psychotherapy as disciplines and develop key skills through lectures, workshops and problem-based learning. You will build knowledge of the history of psychology, research methods and analytical techniques as well as start to develop key counselling, academic and professional skills.

Psychology in Action
An introduction to a range of theories and models from developmental, cognitive and biological psychology.
Introduction to Psychological Research Methods
An introduction to the nature of psychological enquiry and research skills.
Introduction to Data Analysis
An introduction to the processes involved in the analysis and interpretation of quantitative and qualitative data.
Academic and Professional Skills
Begin working with others in a professional setting including covering issues of equality, diversity and inclusion.
Foundational Counselling and Coaching Skills
Develop basic counselling and coaching skills.
Counselling Skills: Preparation for Practice
Develop a range of basic counselling skills.

Year two

You will start to develop a more in-depth understanding of research, theory and practice and develop important research and practical skills. You will build on the foundation of the skills developed in year one and begin to understand wider issues around therapeutic diversity and start to gain work experience within a therapeutic setting.

Research Methods and Statistics
Become familiar with statistical techniques that deal with more than one independent variable at two or more levels, including within, between and mixed participant designs.
Development, Brain and Cognition
Explore the potential impact on human development and behaviour of a range of factors.
Social and Community Psychology
Apply theories of social psychology to understanding the experiences and behaviours of people within their community.
Work Experience
An opportunity start your supervised counselling practice.
Intermediate Counselling Skills
Develop a practical and professional understanding of ethical practice and decision making with attention to the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Ethical Framework and relevant legislation.
Understanding Therapeutic Diversity
Develop a complex understanding of several therapeutic approaches (including the person-centred approach) and critically compare them.

Year three

You will undertake an independent research project that will allow you to explore a topic of interest and pursue your own research question. You will also be able to further advance your knowledge and skills through further work experience and advanced counselling skills.

Dissertation
Pursue an investigation on a topic of your own interest.
Individual Differences: Abilities, Personalities and measuring differences
An introduction to the nature of individual differences in human behaviour across a wide spectrum of human development.
Critical Psychology
Engage in a critical debate about the ideological basis of psychological knowledge, methods and applications.
Advanced Counselling Skills
Develop a critical theoretical awareness and professional understanding of the theories and experiences of psychological and emotional distress.
Work Experience 2
Another opportunity to start your supervised counselling practice.

Overview

96-112 UCAS Tariff Points. You can find out more about the tariff and qualification options from the UCAS tariff table. Offers are tailored to the individual applicant and their circumstances and can be across the tariff range. Applicants who meet our contextual information criteria will be offered at the bottom of the range.

DISCLOSURE AND BARRING SERVICE CHECK:

If you accept an offer of a place we require you to comply with an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) background clearance check. Details on the policy can be found here.

If you think you have a criminal conviction You will need to submit a Criminal Record Self Disclosure Form as part of the process For more information on this and the form itself, please refer to Self-disclosure of criminal record.

Qualifications

Entry Requirements

A-levels: CCC-BBC

T-levels: P (C+) - M. All subjects accepted for entry to this course

Access to HE: 15 Credits at Distinction & 30 at Merit

CACHE Technical Level 3 and Level 3 Extended Diploma: C

OCR Cambridge Technical & Edexcel/Pearson BTEC Level 3 (National) Extended Diploma: MMM-DMM

Scottish Highers: BBCC-BBBB

Irish LC Highers: B2x4 – B1x2, B2x2 

Alternative routes: If you don't think you'll meet the criteria for direct application to this course, check out our Integrated Foundation Year.

Fair Admissions

When you apply, our Admissions specialists will review your whole application. We are looking for your potential to succeed so will assess your qualifications, any relevant work experience, your personal statement, and references.

Where you have received a conditional offer subject to achieving particular grades/UCAS tariff scores, and do not quite meet these scores, please try not to worry, where vacancies exist our Admissions specialists will review your whole application again and take account of any mitigating circumstances and reassess your suitability for the course.

Selection Criteria

As part of the application and selection process, we are looking for your commitment to teaching. In your personal statement, you should demonstrate your motivation for choosing this programme, and reflect upon any practical experience you have gained.

If you are offered a place it will be subject to satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service clearance (DBS) and proof of qualifications.

Contextual Admissions

Going to higher education can transform a person’s life. We use contextual admissions to make sure that we are accessible to everyone who has the potential to succeed. Qualifications and grades are important, but they are considered alongside other information that helps universities to identify potential and widen access to university level study. For some individuals, the disadvantages they have experienced in their life mean that they have not been able to demonstrate their full academic potential. Where a person lives and their personal circumstances can all affect their educational attainment.

We take this context into account and look for an applicant’s potential when making admission decisions. The University of Cumbria will make offers at the bottom of any UCAS Tariff range to applicants that live in postal code regions with the lowest participation in Higher Education (Polar 4 quintile 1 – you can check your postcode here), applicants that are estranged from their parents, are care leavers or have caring responsibilities or are in receipt of or received free school meals during their secondary education. Attendance at our Masterclasses and Summer Schools will also allow applicants to receive an offer lower within the tariff range. (T&Cs apply)  

Contact ugadmissions@cumbria.ac.uk for more information.

Returning to Education

If you are over 21 and returning to study after being in relevant employment for a minimum of 3 years and do not meet the published entry requirements for Year 1 of our degree courses, please do not assume you are not qualified to join us. Our experienced Admissions and Academic staff will review your prior qualifications and professional experience to support your application.

Language requirements

Please follow the link to check language requirements for this programme here.

Fees & Funding

Tuition Fees

2025 - 2026

£9,535 - UK
£14,900 - International

2024-2025:

£9,250 - UK
£13,575 - International

The figures above don't include accommodation and living costs.

Tuition fees are set annually and are subject to review each year. The University may therefore raise tuition fees in the second or subsequent years of a course, in line with inflation and/or the maximum permitted by law or Government policy. Students will be notified of any changes as soon as possible.

International Finance

At the University of Cumbria, we offer affordable tuition fees for international and EU students looking to study at one of our main four campuses. No matter your choice of course or career path, our International Team is here to support you.

Funding

For further information about funding, please visit our undergraduate funding page.

More Information

We have a wide range of scholarships, bursaries, grants and funds available to support you throughout your studies with us. This includes the Cumbria Bursary - a non-repayable bursary designed to support first year students with a household income of less than £25,000..

Student Finance

Additional Costs

There will be some additional costs. For example all students will need to purchase stationery and may wish to purchase some text books. Extra costs may also be applicable to cover field trips, membership fees etc. although such features are usually options within the course.

Books are reviewed annually and are therefore subject to change, course welcome information will provide you with an indicative list for the year.

Books and Journals

The University library holds copies of core texts (including some as eBooks accessible online) and paper and/or e-versions of an extensive range of psychology journals. However, you may wish to purchase your own copies of books (new or second hand), in which case the following are recommended (although reviewed each year). A general introductory text to psychology will cover the main areas we teach in year one. For example, Kalat, J. (2017). Introduction to Psychology. (11th ed.). Alternatively, you may wish to read something specialised. For example, Oliver Sacks, The Man who Mistook his Wife for a Hat. Picador. or Sereny, G. (1995). The Case Of Mary Bell: A Portrait of a Child Who Murdered. There is not a prescribed reading list for the course and so book costs will vary to your preference. Unless a specific article is required from a journal the university does not subscribe to for a specialist research project then you should not need to purchase journal subscriptions.

Stationery

Stationery for your own personal use (pens, papers and folders, etc.). Whilst you will choose how much you need, expect to pay around £30 - £40 per year for these. A Scientific Calculator is recommended for statistics classes £9-16. An academic diary (£5- £10 per annum) and a pen drive or other storage device (£10 - £20) are also recommended.

Other

Student membership of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP-£82 in 2019). External supervision – a minimum of 1 ½ hours of supervision a month (maximum 8:1 ratio of hours counselling and psychotherapy to supervision hours) with a supervisor from our list of ‘approved supervisors’ from the time that supervised practice begins and until the end of the programme (supervision is an ongoing requirement for practising members of BACP; even when qualified); the cost is usually £30-£40 per hour; Insurance – if your supervised practice settings insurance does not effectively cover you, you will have to pay for insurance yourself – circa £70 pa; Personal Counselling/Psychotherapy – you must undertake a minimum of 10 hours of individual therapy during the programme. Supervised Practice related costs – this will usually include travel to and from the supervised practice setting(s); Recording and playback equipment etc.

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Location
Carlisle - Fusehill Street Campus
The Fusehill Street campus has been the setting of life-saving treatments since World War I. Now, it's home to world changers, life-savers, crime fighters, and entrepreneurs with access to high-quality facilities and innovative thinking.
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BSc (Hons) - Psychology with Counselling and Psychotherapy