A professional counsellor training programme at undergraduate level, which reflects contemporary developments in counselling as the profession prepares for statutory regulation. The programme is designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge required for practice as a person-centred counsellor, to facilitate the necessary self awareness, personal and professional development and to enable progression to Year 3 of the BSC (Hons) Counselling. The Programme takes two years full-time – one day per week in college. Entry on to the BSc at UEL is dependant on successful completion of the Foundation Degree.

For admission to the Foundation Degree in Counselling programme candidates will normally require

• NQF Level 2 qualification in counselling skills and NQF Level 3 in counselling skills/studies
• We also accept people with Access, NVQ and a variety of other pre-University level qualiications including International and European Baccalaureate
• Students may also be admitted through Accreditation of Experiential Learning (AEL) or Acreditation of Certificated Learning (ACL) processes.
• In the case of applicants whose first language is not English, then IELTS 6 (or equivalent) is required. International qualifications will be checked for appropriate matriculation to UK Higher Education undergraduate programmes
• There is a minimum age limit of 21 (at the time of the start of the course).

The consideration of applications will be in the light of the following BACP accreditation of training courses requirements:

• Self-awareness, maturity and stability
• Ability to make use of and reflect upon life experience
• Capacity to cope with the emotional demands of the course
• Ability to cope with the intellectual and academic requirement
• Ability to form a helping relationship
• Ability to be self critical and use both positive and negative feedback
• Awareness of the nature of prejudice and oppression
• Awareness of issues of difference and equality
• Ability to recognise the need for personal and professional support
• Competence in generic skills including: literacy, administrative skills, self-management skills, communication and interpersonal skills
• Commitment to self-development

The interview will give candidates the opportunity to demonstrate that they have achieved appropriate levels of

• Personal qualities, including empathy, acceptance and genuineness
• Reflexivity
• The capacity to cope with the emotional and intellectual demands of contracted counselling with clients
• The ability to be self critical and respond constructively to feedback
• Awareness of issues of difference and equality
• Commitment to self-development

• Develop in-depth understanding of the Person-Centred framework (the core model) both theoretically and in its personal and practical implementations
• Demonstrate a level of self awareness, informed by the conceptual framework of the core model, appropriate to professional counselling practice
• Present evidence that you can monitor your internal experience when working with clients
• Reflect on and explicitly monitor being true to yourself when in the role of counsellor
• Show that you can engage in genuine relationship-focused therapeutic work with a diverse client group
• Demonstrate critical awareness of the context of counselling in contemporary society including ethical and non-discriminatory practice.
• Present evidence of understanding the key concepts of two counselling approaches other than the core model
• Engage in and demonstrate effective supervised counselling in a workplace setting
• Gain a professional qualification in counselling which can lead to professional accreditation as a counsellor
• Graduate as someone who is capable of pursuing a successful, ethical and useful career as a professional counsellor
• Prepare for progression to Year 3 of the BSC in Counselling at UEL and Continuing Professional Development
• Have the potential to take an active role as a member of a professional community

Knowledge

• The important role of personal development in the core model
• In-depth knowledge of the core model both theoretically and in its practical implementation
• Critical awareness of other important theoretical models and counselling approaches
• Critical awareness of the context of counselling in contemporary society including ethical, safe and non-discriminatory practice.
• Understanding of a range of common client presenting issues
• The implications of the core model for clinical supervision
• An understanding of client assessment and referral procedures

Thinking skills

• Using the core model as a basis to develop your self awareness
• Reflective and critical thinking
• Problem-solving
• Evaluating the impact of diversity issues on your counselling practice
• Resolving ethical dilemmas
• Developing your own perspective on effective counselling
• Exploring theoretical integration and resolving or reconciling contradictions

Subject-Based Practical skills

• To use a journal for effective, in-depth personal development
• To develop confidence to tolerate and learn from the uncertainty which may stem from having your assumptions and attitudes challenged
• To give and receive effective feedback
• To work within the six necessary and sufficient conditions of the core model
• To use a range of therapeutic interventions with confidence and appropriate to the client and context.
• To work effectively and ethically with clients.
• To make appropriate use of clinical supervision
• To be accountable for your own practice and decision-making
• To manage your own case load
• To maintain a competent Professional Log

Skills for life and work (general skills)

• To establish effective working relationships
• To work both independently and as part of a team
• Communication and presentation skills
• Making written and oral reports
• Self appraisal and setting personal learning goals
• Self presentation as self-aware and non-defensive

The expected duration of this programme is two years full-time at HCC and a further one year for the BSc (Hons) at UEL.

The teaching year begins in September and ends in June and is divided into 2 semesters. A typical student will study for one day per week and will register for 120 credits in an academic year.

This programme is part of a modular degree scheme. A student registered in a full-time attendance mode will take two six 40 credit modules and two 20 credit modules per year totalling 120 credits at level one and 120 credits at level 2.

The training consists of 8 modules of study:

In order to gain the Foundation Degree you will need to obtain 120 credits at Level 1 and 120 at Level 2 and have completed a minimum of 10 hours’ personal therapy with an appropriately qualified counsellor by the end of the course.

Further information

For the award of the Foundation Degree in Counselling, students will also have to show evidence of completion of a minimum of 150 hours of supervised practice (exclusive of missed sessions), and an additional 50 hours in work-based learning or other duties related to service provision during the programme. (Depending on placement arrangements, students may be required to pay for some additional external individual supervision in order to meet BACP requirements.) It is expected that the majority (ideally all) of these practice and placement hours will be completed during the time of the course but it is acknowledged that in certain circumstances some students may not manage to complete all of their client hours within the time available.

Provided that they have achieved sufficient hours within Module 8 to complete the assessment tasks and meet the assessment criteria, students can pass these modules. If, at the completion of the taught modules, such students have not accumulated the required number of client hours, the award of Foundation Degree in Counselling will be deferred for up to a year to enable the hours to be completed. Students in this position will also be required to submit evidence of supervision to BACP standards for all of their client work. Staff will support students in developing appropriate arrangements to enable them to manage and continue to develop during this period..

Knowledge is developed through:

• Pair, triad, small and large group experiential work
• Workshops
• Lectures
• Seminars
• Clinical placement experience
• Private reading/study

Thinking skills are developed through:

• Pair, triad, small and large group experiential work
• Seminar and supervision groups
• Discussion in workshops
• Experiential group
• Written assignments
• Reflection on practice/experience

Practical skills are developed through:

• Pair, triad, small and large group experiential work
• Workshops
• Demonstrations
• Skills training labs
• Giving and receiving feedback
• Clinical supervision
• Clinical placement
• Professional Log recording

Skills for life and work (general skills) are developed through:

• Group and experiential exercises
• Workshops
• Skills training
• Clinical placement
• Independent Study
• Peer support
• Giving and receiving feedback
• Self appraisal, self presentation

Knowledge is assessed by

• Essays
• Examinations
• Coursework

Thinking skills are assessed by

• Essays
• Coursework
• Project work
• Reflective journals
• Professional Log
• Skills analyses and evaluation

Practical skills are assessed by

• Audio recordings and transcripts
• Supervisor Report

Skills for life and work (general skills) are assessed by

• Coursework
• Supervisor report