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MPsy Master of Psychotherapy and Counselling

Train to become a skilled, safe, evidence-based, and reflective psychotherapist and counsellor. This four-year integrated Master's degree is for undergraduate entry and combines theory, research, and practice with professional training in psychotherapy and counselling. Through a 100-hour clinical placement and the course's academic underpinnings, you can become both a registered counsellor and a scholar of counselling.

Counselling

Comprehensive counselling training

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Full-time Part-time

Entry requirements

Three A-levels at grades CCC or above

Or BTEC triple grades MMM or above

Or Access 23-45 D/M with min 6D

Or T level M

And GCSE English Language at grade 4 or grade C or above

UCAS points 96

UCAS code PSC2

UCAS institution code P63

Duration Four years full-time or up to eight years part-time

Course Summary

This Master's programme in Psychotherapy and Counselling is a four-year training route for applicants who wish to become a practising psychotherapist or counsellor. We educate in the theory, research, and practice of psychotherapy and counselling, complementing professional training in psychotherapy and counselling with the academic rigour of a degree. The degree is an integrated master's degree, which means that a three year undergraduate degree is combined with a final master's year, leading to a master's level qualification.

There are a variety of approaches to psychotherapy and counselling that are based on different theoretical perspectives of behaviour change. The degree covers a variety of these theoretical perspectives - person-centred, cognitive-behavioural, psychodynamic, existential, strengths-based - focusing on one perspective in depth in the final year.

In terms of research, psychotherapy and counselling is an evidence-based profession. Teaching is evidence-based, and students learn how to interpret, critique, and apply research. They also learn how to conduct research in the context of psychotherapy and counselling.

In terms of practice, students learn, practice, and develop the skills they need to become competent, ethical, reflective, self-aware, and effective as psychotherapists and counsellors. They learn about the roles of psychotherapists and counsellors in a variety of professional settings, and develop the underpinning knowledge, understanding, and skills required for these roles.

Subject to passing a ‘Readiness to Practice’ assessment, students also complete 100 placement hours that involve providing supervised counselling to clients; the 100 placement hours enable graduates to apply to the registered bodies for counsellors.

Why this course at Marjon?

Learn from experienced and highly skilled professionals in psychotherapy and counselling.

Small class sizes enable teaching and feedback to be personalised to the needs and career aspirations of students.

Combine comprehensive training in counselling with the academic rigour of a degree, including master's level engagement with current topics.

Develop a rich understanding of theory and research that will underpin your counselling.

The strong practical focus means that you will develop core skills from the start of the course and will complete real-life counselling placements.

A 100-hour counselling placement is embedded in the curriculum.

1st Year

Immerse yourself in counselling skills (e.g., body language, active listening) from the start of the course. You'll also earn some key theory, and you'll develop foundational academic skills like essay writing and reflective writing.
You will learn about core topics in psychotherapy and counselling, such as the process of therapy and the factors that determine whether therapy is effective.
You will learn core counselling skills such as those relating to communicating with clients (e.g., communicating professional boundaries) and building a therapeutic alliance.
You will learn more core skills such as assessing clients' needs, and recognising and managing difficulties and ruptures in the therapeutic alliance.
You will learn about important topics when working in a mental health and wellbeing context, such as stress, anxiety, panic attacks, and depression.
You will learn about the key thinkers in psychology, the core perspectives, and key research findings. You will also learn about how you might apply these ideas to counselling and other helping professions.

2nd Year

In a module influenced by the contributions of Carl Rogers, you will study person-centred approaches to psychotherapy and counselling in depth and detail, and you will practice the core skills associated with this approach (e.g., creating Carl Rogers' core conditions).
You will study cognitive-behavioural approaches to psychotherapy and counselling in depth and detail, including the core skills used to practise them. You will engage with both the theory behind practice, and the practice of the theory.
You will learn to be both a 'consumer' and 'producer' of research. Through studying the research process, you will learn how to use research in your practice, and how to conduct professionally-relevant research to answer interesting and novel research questions.
You will study psychodynamic approaches to psychotherapy and counselling in depth, including the core skills used to practise them. You will engage with both the theory behind practice, and the practice of the theory.
You will study more topics relating to mental health and wellbeing such as low self-esteem, abuse, and self-harm, as well as how to work professionally in a mental health context.
Learn about the theory and practice of counselling for children and young people. You will learn about children and young people's mental health and wellbeing, and study practice settings like school and education settings.

3rd Year

You will learn about positive psychology, which focuses on positive topics like character strengths, gratitude, optimism, hope, self-compassion, happiness, and post-traumatic growth. You will also learn about strengths-based approaches to therapy (e.g., solution-focused therapy), which shares a lot of theoretical underpinnings with positive psychology.
In this careers-focused module, you will learn about how the counselling skills you have developed can be applied in a range of helping professions to support other people.
If ready, you can start a real-life counselling placement delivering counselling to adult clients under supervision.
Learn about the delivery of psychotherapy and counselling through online, phone, or other technologically mediated applications, as well as what it’s like to work in multi-disciplinary teams.
This practical and experiential module incorporates exercises to increase the self-awareness necessary to become a reflective practitioner, including learning through relationships, creativity (art, music, reading, writing), embodiment, dreams, and transcendence.
You will engage with topics such as race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, sexuality, disability, age, and class. You will critically think about how these apply to counselling and to your own life more broadly.
Complete a supervised, literature-based project on any relevant topic of your personal or career interests. For example, you may study a particular professional context (e.g. drug and alcohol services), client issue (e.g. depression), therapy (e.g. EMDR), or topic (e.g. self-care).

4th Year

A real-life counselling placement delivering counselling to adult clients under supervision. You will work towards 100 clinical hours of experience, while meeting professional supervision requirements.
You will critically reflect on your own philosophy of practice, thinking about how you want to practise and how your own beliefs and values influence your choice of theoretical framework.
Learn about 'relational depth', the deep connection that can be present between a counsellor and client within their therapeutic relationship. Learn about how it is experienced by the client and therapist, and how it can be nurtured.
With a research supervisor, you will complete a substantial piece of research on a self-chosen counselling topic of your interest. These could be quantitative or qualitative, and they could include profession-specific reflective studies or case studies.
Learn about contemporary research findings from different areas of psychology (e.g., social psychology, developmental psychology), and how they can inform your evidence-based practice.
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This course is perfect if you're curious about

How do theoretical approaches to psychotherapy and counselling align with my own beliefs and values? How does theory enable me to become an effective professional?

How do researchers approach the process of researching counselling? And how can research improve my counselling?

How do psychotherapists and counsellors approach their work?

How does my own personal development, personal awareness, and insight support my effectiveness as a professional?

What makes counselling effective for some people, but not for others?

Are some counselling approaches more effective, or do common factors such as the quality of the relationship make the difference?

What might you become?

This course prepares you to become a psychotherapist or counsellor. You might also use your skills in other helping professions, such as through roles in health, social care, or education.

How will you be taught?

Teaching includes lectures, seminars, practical skills work, group work, and independent study, with the goal of developing a range of skills through an engaging learning experience.

How will you be assessed?

Assessment spans coursework, group work, presentations, and practical work.

ALISTER MCCORMICK

Dr Alister McCormick

Course leader

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Alister is a registered Practitioner Psychologist (HCPC) who teaches psychology and its applications to counselling, sport, exercise, and health. He is passionate about teaching psychology and counselling in an evidence-based way so that your practice is based on the latest research and is ethical, informed, and effective.

Apply now for this course

Full-time Part-time

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