Doctor of Counselling Psychology

An applied professional training programme accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

This applied professional training course gives you a doctorate-level education leading to a Doctor in Counselling Psychology. It comprises a comprehensive programme of taught modules, 450 hours of counselling psychology practice in a range of placements, and a doctorate-level research project. Experts guide you through integrated theory, personal and professional development, and clinical practice, with focus on the value of research and how it directly informs current practice.

In-depth preparation for practice

You receive rigorous training on personal, professional and academic levels, which requires you to combine personal development with explicit psychological theory as a basis for mindful clinical practice.

The training will equip you to work in a broad range of settings, including the NHS, industry, third sector, private practice, academic and research roles, and many others. Our links with practices and partner providers, such as LIFT, the NHS and the Avon Wiltshire Partnership, make this course highly vocational and popular with employers.

Based on the relational psychodynamic perspective, coupled with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, this course is designed to help you develop an integrative perspective based on these perspectives and any previous experience. For example, you may already have studied client-centred or existential perspectives as part of counselling certificate courses. The programme team is committed to the view that the therapeutic relationship is a key factor in promoting client change. The relational perspective is therefore a key element taught throughout the whole course. In Year 1 the model taught is relational psychodynamic; in Year 2 it is CBT and in Year 3 we integrate the two.

You must engage in personal counselling or therapy for the first two years of the course a minimum of 60 hours over the course. This reflects our central focus on a relational approach to practice. Please note, the cost for this is not included in the fees.

• Graduate Basis for Chartership with the British Psychological Society
• upper second class or first class degree in psychology
• Certificate in Counselling Skills (comprising a minimum of 75 class hours)
• one year's experience of working in a one to one helping role
• the standard University levels of proficiency for English Language

Students completing this course successfully are in a great position to become counselling psychologists and therapists in a wide range of roles in the private, public and third sectors. In fact, the vast majority of recent graduates have secured positions before they complete the qualification, based on their four to five years of placement experience.

There are also wide-ranging opportunities for research roles and academic posts.

Our award-winning careers service helps you develop your employment potential through career coaching, a vacancy service for internships, placements, jobs, global opportunities, volunteering and community activity plus support for entrepreneurial activity, and access to employer events.