Course summary
This course offers students a strong theoretical and practical base from which to begin their professional counselling practice, whilst working towards individual accreditation with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). The theoretical orientation is Humanistic, Psychodynamic and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) with other approaches, such as Jungian and working with art materials. The courses include training in working with children and young adults. Students are encouraged to respect the frame and ethos of their core integrative training approach, but also to develop their own individual style and philosophy of counselling.
Entry requirements
Applicants will have completed the equivalent of a two year certificate course in counselling or counselling skills, and will normally be 21 or over at the start of the course.
2010 entry: 160 UCAS tariff points (or equivalent)
2011 entry: 200 UCAS tariff points (or equivalent)
Course aims
The aims for the Award are those stated within the Foundation Degree Prospectus (HEFCE 2000) and within the Foundation Degree Qualification Benchmarks (QAA 2001). (appendix 1 and 2 respectively). They relate to FdA Counselling as follows:
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to promote the development of the student as a reflective, flexible, independent learner with transferable skills for employment in the counselling at work and freelance sector.
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to develop key and graduate skills and specific competence in care skills for the workplace - i.e. both organizations, including schools and colleges, and freelance practice.
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to prepare graduates to understand that learning takes place across all spheres of activity, e.g. classroom and workplace contexts
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to provide graduates with appropriate knowledge and skills that are relevant to the regional counselling provision across service user groups and in Local Authority, NHS (both GP Practice and Hospital settings), and independent (private and voluntary) organisations, to meet local, regional, and national employment needs
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to promote an understanding of the work sector and the part that counselling has to play in that
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to prepare graduates to undertake counselling roles that require autonomy and assume responsibility -e.g. for appropriate disclosure or referral.
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to promote personal and employment competencies to enable the graduate to create and take opportunities for promotion and progression within the sector of workplace and freelance counselling, including Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP)
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to widen participation and promote access to and further progression within higher education to professional and other awards, by individuals who are under-represented in HE
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to create a strong foundation for lifelong learning to prepare graduates for the process of individual counsellor accreditation with the major Professional Body (BACP) as a pathway to employment
Learning Outcomes
These course aims are broken down into sets of related skills, which are known as learning outcomes.
A. Knowledge and Understanding
Knowledge and understanding to be assessed mainly via coursework, assignments (essays, reports, case studies, portfolios), incorporation of counselling placement work in assessment, formal individual and group presentations. Understanding will be evaluated in addition through presentations, class discussions, tutorials, group and individual supervisions and engagement with employers.
B. Mental or cognitive skills
By the end of the course, you should be able to:
C. Subject Specific and Practical Skills
By the end of the course you should be able to:
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apply ethical understanding to specific contexts
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operate in situations of varying complexity and predictability, requiring application of a wide range of techniques
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act with autonomy backed by appropriate supervision according to BACP guidelines appropriate methods of enquiry/investigative and research skills
D. Key Skills
Key Skills, also known as graduate key skills, transferable skills or general skills, comprise communication, information technology, problem solving, numeracy, working with others and improving own learning.
By the end of the course, you should be able to:
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interact effectively with a learning group, giving and receiving information and ideas and modifying responses where appropriate
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develop professional working relationships within discipline area(s)
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evaluate own strengths and weaknesses, challenge received opinion and develop criteria and develop own criteria and judgement
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manage information, by selecting appropriate data from a range of sources and develop appropriate research strategies
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take responsibility for own learning with appropriate direction
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communicate effectively in a format appropriate to the discipline(s) and report practical procedures in a clear and concise manner in a variety of formats
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identify key areas of problems and choose appropriate methods for their resolution in a considered manner
Module Framework
Part-time Course Structure: FdA Counselling
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Year 1
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Semester 1
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Semester 2
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Personal development(Common core: L1,20)
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Effective Use of Supervision; (designate, L1,20)
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Foundational counselling Skills (designate; WBL; L1,40)
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Year 2
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Semester 1
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Semester 2
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Theoretical Perspectives 1; (designate L1,20)
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Theoretical Perspectives 2; (designate L1,20)
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Self-awareness and Reflective Practice (L2, 20)
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Working as a Practitioner; (WBL; L2,20)
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Year 3
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Semester 1
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Semester 2
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Child Development and Life Stages; (designate; L1,20)
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Research Skills (Common core: L2,20)
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Advanced Counselling Skills; (WBL; L2, 20)
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Post-Freudian Theoretical Development; (designate; L2,20)
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Full-time Course Structure: FdA Counselling
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Year 1
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Semester 1
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Semester 2
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Personal development(Common core: L1,20)
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Effective Use of Supervision: (designate, L1,20)
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Foundational Counselling Skills
(designate; WBL; L1,40)
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Theoretical Perspectives 1
(designate L1,20)
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Theoretical Perspectives 2
(designate L1,20)
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Year 2
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Semester 1
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Semester 2
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Advanced Counselling Skills: (WBL; L2, 20)
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Working as a Practitioner (WBL; L2,20)
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Child Development and Life Stages
(designate; L2,20)
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Post-Freudian Theoretical Development (designate; L2,20)
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Self-awareness and Reflective Practice
(designate, L2,20)
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Research Skills
(Common Core L2,20)
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Teaching, Learning and Assessment
Intellectual skills to be developed through practical project work, course work, assignments, portfolio development and work (i.e. placement) based learning. Analysis of counselling case studies with genuine clients as specified by the BACP training recommendations. Open ended practical and project work to be designed to permit students to demonstrate achievement of all the learning outcomes in this category. Individual feedback to be given to all students on all work produced. Promotion of key/transferable skills to begin the induction period. From that point onwards, skills are to be delivered and developed as an integrated component of all modules and in particular through the core modules of the foundation degree curriculum, i.e. Self-awareness and Reflective Practice; Research Skills and those identified as work-based.
Timetable
The teaching is divided into two semesters, semester one runs from September to January and Semester Two from February to June. A full time student is expected to take three modules each semester, making six modules in one year. A part-time student will take one or two modules each semester. Students can expect to have to attend UCS for four to five hours per module for the twelve weeks of the semester and to spend at least an equivalent amount of time per week in independent study. Students will be provided with timetables when they join the course.
Placements/Work Based Learning/Work Experience
Part of the importance of the 2 year preparatory training is so that the students can undertake counselling placements within organizations (including schools and colleges) from the beginning of the FdA programme. The FdA programme requires the equivalent of 240 hours of relevant work experience that will include counselling sessions. In accordance with the BACP requirements for accredited courses, students will undertake a minimum of 100 actual counselling placement hours throughout the two or three years. This will give students progressing to honours level programmes, an advantage in fulfilling BACP accreditation requirements. As stated above it is a requirement of the programme that student complete a minimum of 100 hours of counselling placements during the course of their two or three years of study. The 100 hours also complies with the BACP criteria for course accreditation.
Tutorial and Study Support
Students will be given regular tutorial support and can keep in touch with tutors via email and Wolsey – the university’s educational networking site. Wolsey is also used for uploading and sharing reading material, weblinks and ideas.
An essential part of any counselling course is the support received from personal counselling. During the 3rd year there is a requirement for students to receive twenty hours counselling between September and May.
Opportunities on Completion of the Course
These courses prepare students for careers as professional counsellors, subject to individual accreditation of the BACP.
Further Information - BA (Hons) Counselling (Progression Route)|