Programme summary for MA Counselling in Educational Settings
About the programme
The School of Humanities and Social Sciences offers a number of programmes in partnership with the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust. The programmes are delivered at the world-renowned Tavistock Clinic in London. The Trust is the UK’s leading provider of multi-disciplinary postgraduate training in mental health and is a major provider of clinical services.
The Trust has a national and international reputation as a centre of excellence in the therapeutic treatment of complex and serious mental health disorders, clinical training, consultancy, research
and scholarship.
Programme structure
The programme comprises the following core modules:
- Young Child Paper
- Theory Paper 1 and 2
- Portfolio 1 and 2
- Institutional Dynamics and Counselling Practice
- Dissertation.
Career opportunities
Those who graduate from this advanced-level training will be in a position to practice as educational counsellors, and also, where opportunities arise, to set up educational counselling services and to supervise the work of others
Support
All students on the programme go through a careful interview process in order to determine whether the programme is right for their career development and whether they have the necessary personal suitability to become skilful and reflective practitioners.
A personal tutor supports students; tutorials are usually held twice a term. Extra tutorials can be arranged if need be. A tutor has the responsibility to help the student think about their professional development and their progress on the course. Most tutors also teach on the course so that tutees are often also taught by their tutors. The ethos of the course is to encourage students to remain in good contact with their students and seek advice and help when necessary. Whilst students are in private psychotherapy, they are encouraged to inform their tutor if personal difficulties are affecting their contribution to the course. Additionally, any student with a specific learning difficulty should inform their tutor so that any additional support needed can be made available.
Throughout the training, students have fortnightly individual supervision and weekly supervision in a small group during term time to support the development of their counselling practice.
The organising tutor is always willing to speak to individual students. Good communication is kept between the organising team, tutors, seminar leaders and individual supervisors in order to think carefully about individual student’s needs and progression. It is expected that those students who are changing their profession will take time to settle into a new role and support is available for them.
Prior to commencing the course students are normally invited to an introductory evening, to explore the components of the course, the study skills that will be required and developed and any other practical issues that may need to be addressed prior to starting the course proper. During the duration of the course, students can make use of an essay writing workshop usually held on a Saturday in February or March.
A Research Week is held on a yearly basis at the Tavistock Clinic and is open to current students.
Admission
The PGDip/MA in Counselling in Educational Settings is an integrated programme of studies at Masters Level. Students will follow a standard admissions procedure for both of the courses and will be admitted if they satisfy the entry criteria specified in this programme specification.
Applications are welcomed both from applicants who have and who have not previously studied at the Tavistock Clinic.
The course is open to students who have successfully completed to PG Cert. level the UEL/ Tavistock PG Cert./Dip/MA in Emotional Factors in Learning and Teaching, or an equivalent prior learning experience within the Tavistock portfolio such as the UEL/ Tavistock PG Cert. in Therapeutic Communication with Children. It is also open to those who have successfully completed to at least PG Dip level of the UEL/Tavistock PG Cert/Dip/MA in Emotional Factors in Learning and Teaching course, or on an equivalent prior learning experience within the Tavistock training portfolio such as the UEL-Tavistock PG Dip/MA in Psychoanalytic Observational Studies. For applicants from other UEL/Tavistock Clinic Postgraduate Diploma/MA level courses specific APEL arrangements can be found in the appendices to the course handbook.
Applications are also welcomed from practitioners currently involved in counselling in educational settings. Entry to the course under these circumstances will be on the basis of sufficient prior experience and/or prior accredited learning. In such circumstances, the applicant will be required to submit a paper demonstrating capacity for reflection, observational skills and knowledge of the psychoanalytic framework, as well as the standard admissions procedure.
There is a full selection process including an application form, the gathering of references, from seminar leaders and tutors, if applicable, and from the workplace, followed by an interview for short listed students.. An enhanced CRB check is an entry requirement. The personal suitability of applicants will also be considered as evidenced from the application form and interview. Personal suitability includes an interest in reflection on intra and interpersonal relationships, a capacity to notice and manage anxiety and a coherent understanding of one’s own personal and professional development. Applicants are encouraged to make full use of tutors or the organising team when considering the course.
Students enrolled on the PG Diploma in Counselling in Educational Settings who achieve a pass at 60% will be eligible for admission to the Masters (with advanced standing of 120 credits), if they have also satisfied the entry requirements of competency in their counselling placement so that they are in a position to qualify by the end of the MA year. Details of progression criteria relating to counselling practice can be found in the appendices in the handbook.
Key facts
You can start many programmes in either September or February and applications are simple to make. Click below to:
Apply online Counselling in Educational Settings (MA)
View full specification Counselling in Educational Settings (MA)
Tuition Fees - 2013/14
Home/EU Fees
- Module fee: Pending
- Full time fee: Pending
International Fees
- Module fee: Pending
- Full time fee: Pending
Fees based on 30 credit modules (unless otherwise indicated) For further information regarding postgraduate fees please refer to www.uel.ac.uk/fees/
