This course is open for applications
Page last updated 30 September 2024
An excellent first step to become a practising counsellor, and useful as a standalone course applicable to a range of roles. There are no pre-requisite formal qualifications, but you must be working in a paid or voluntary setting where counselling skills can be used.
This course is designed for people who work in a setting that involves offering help, support, or guidance to others. People working in education, the NHS, voluntary agencies, social services, government schemes or in the private sector will find the course provides invaluable skills and knowledge.
The Certificate in Counselling Skills (Level 4) gives you the chance to develop counselling skills, so it is useful for a wide range of roles and also a first step towards full qualification as a Professional Counsellor. This is a foundation enabling you to apply for our professional counsellor qualification on our MA Counselling and Psychotherapy.If you have an undergraduate Psychology degree (with Graduate Basis for Chartership with the British Psychological Society), completing the certificate enables you to apply for our Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology.
We introduce counselling skills through student-centred and experiential learning techniques, with the opportunity to consider a wide variety of counselling-related subjects. For example, you will investigate different models of counselling and learn what it is like to be a client. You'll come to clearly understand client-counsellor contracts, develop self-awareness and learn when counselling is appropriate. You will also be trained in the safe and ethical use of counselling skills, and develop an awareness of its limitations.
One of the strengths of our course is the diverse backgrounds of our students. Whilst it is desirable that you have studied previously at degree or diploma level, we value and welcome applications from individuals who have navigated 'non-traditional pathways', who have extensive related work experience and valuable life experience to offer and use on the course.
It is essential however, that applicants have a minimum of one year experience working or volunteering in a suitable helping/support role and must be working in a paid or voluntary setting in which basic counselling skills can be used at the time of application.
As our course has an adult focus, it is essential that you are currently in a suitable role, working with individuals (or groups) who are over 16 years of age. We do not expect applicants to have experience working as counsellors, as this would not be ethical at this level of training. Students have previously volunteered on helplines or as befrienders for example, or have used counselling skills in roles such as nurses, support workers, health care assistants, teachers or social workers.
It is also advantageous if you have taken a short introductory counselling taster course, and if you have had some personal experience of counselling or therapy.
Due to the popularity of the course, we now offer intakes across two evenings. As applications typically exceed the number of places available, you must complete an online or written application and, if short-listed, take part in an interview process. In addition to having relevant employment or volunteering experience, we are looking for applicants who are self-reflective about their own personal histories and have some understanding of how this may impact within their work roles and may have influenced their decision to apply for this course. As such the personal statement, as well as the interview, is a key part of your application process.
Please be aware that deferred entry on this course is not permitted.
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This qualification is invaluable to develop your counselling skills and enhance your career prospects if you're in existing employment in education, the NHS, voluntary agencies, social services, government schemes or in the private sector. It can also help those wishing to become professional counsellors to progress onto further study, and is a prerequisite to studying the MA level.
Our award-winning Careers Services 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.
The course comprises several elements to help you develop your counselling skills, along with a firm background knowledge and understanding of its approaches, theories and disciplines:
We provide more specific details of the units at the beginning of the course.
The University continually enhances our offer by responding to feedback from our students and other stakeholders, ensuring the curriculum is kept up to date and our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the real world. This may result in changes to the course. If changes to your course are approved we will inform you.
We encourage you to be actively involved in your own learning. This means working in groups of various sizes, practising counselling skills in small groups, completing written assignments, video work and taking part in discussions.
Some of the teaching and learning is personal, in that you will be asked to use personal material in skills practice sessions (instead of role play).
For more details see our glossary of teaching and learning terms.
One year part-time - held in the evenings (there is likely to be a choice between Wednesday or Thursday evenings. This may change, please check for up to date details).
This course consists of 24 three-hour sessions - one a week, held from 18:00 to 21:00. There are also two one-day workshops (one each term), which are usually on a Friday so they follow Thursday evening's session.
The workshops are an essential part of the course, and you must also meet with a fellow student each week for peer support. The total contact time (class and peer support) amounts to 108 hours.
For this course, you also need to be involved in a setting where you can practice your counselling skills weekly, for example, using your counselling skills in your paid employment or work for a voluntary agency. In the final term we expect you to present an example of your counselling skills work and to receive supervision on it.
You will also need to set aside time for private study. To get the most from this course, we recommend around 8 hours of private study each week.
You'll have access to a range of on-campus and online facilities to support your learning, including the University library which is open 24 hours a day. The Department of Health and Social Sciences has an excellent reputation for the quality of its teaching and the facilities it provides.
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Home/EU part-time award fee - £2,250.
More information on fees can be found on our tuition fees pages.
Follow the link below to begin your online application:
Certificate in Counselling Skills
The deadline for applications is Monday 28 April 2025, however we may close early due to high demand. All applications will be reviewed after the closing date. You'll be notified of the outcome of your application by 3 June and if successful invited to interview during June/July.
Your personal statement should state:
You should also provide the name of one referee who knows you through your work setting (not a personal friend).
Applicants that do not provide the above information may be unsuccessful, prior to interview, for this reason.
Short-listed applicants will be invited for a group session with other candidates, followed by an individual interview with members of the course team.