Name: Counselling & Psychotherapy, BSc (Hons)
Price: £9,535 per year GBP

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Attendance

Campus

Start

Duration

3 years

Start

September 2025

UCAS Code

CPY1

Delivery

In-person

Foundation year available

Our BSc (Hons) Counselling and Psychotherapy course will enable you to develop the skills you need to pursue a successful career working as a qualified counsellor with expertise in pluralistic practice.

This course will prepare you for a career where you’ll be listening, empathising and providing support to people in a safe space, shaping lives and facilitating change.

This qualification is designed enhance your personal development, particularly your knowledge and skills relating to the pluralistic approach during clinical practice.

Alongside this, you will complete a placement portfolio of 100 clinical client hours and follow the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) ethical framework in order to qualify as a practitioner.

This course will give you the unique skills and experience to channel that vocation, putting you on the path to work in the field of counselling. It’s ideal for anybody who wants to work in the helping professions. This unique course allows you to build on your strengths and look at how you work with people.

You’ll explore key issues in counselling, with a focus on pluralistic theory and skills. Equality and diversity are at the heart of what we do, and you’ll see this reflected in our teaching and our inclusive student community.

Why study with us

You’ll develop an in-depth understanding of contemporary issues in counselling.
Our team is made up of psychotherapists with extensive experience in their field who all continue to be in clinical practice.
Professor Mick Cooper - a co-originator of the pluralistic approach - is a guest lecturer on the course, giving you unique insight from one of the field’s leading voices.

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What you'll do

You’ll develop an in-depth understanding of contemporary issues in counselling.
During the course you’ll complete a Professional Assessment Document demonstrating 100 hours of clinical practice.
Gain life-long learning and recognition of the value of education and research.

Modules

This module aims to enhanced personal development and clinical practice and introduces the use of the more advanced skills of challenging, developing behavioural experiments, focusing and use of metaphor and working with comorbid or specific presenting concerns or identities. You will be facilitated in acquiring the expertise to assess those clients who will be able to participate in and benefit from the pluralistic counselling relationship.

Module code: CG3014

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our published course information. However, our programmes are subject to ongoing review and development. Changing circumstances may cause alteration to, or the cancellation of, courses. Changes may be necessary to comply with the requirements of accrediting bodies or revisions to subject benchmarks statements. We may also make changes to keep courses updated and contemporary, or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make variations if we consider such action to be necessary or in the best interests of students.

Student Centre

The library (Preston Campus)

Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre

Academic expertise

Principal Lecturer

Lecturer

Lecturer

Lecturer in Counselling and Psychotherapy

Bryan Dalgleish-Warburton

Senior Lecturer

Future counselling and psychotherapy careers

This course will equip you with the skills you need to become a professional practitioner in the field of counselling. You can read our guide on how to become a therapist.

Entry requirements

We will consider your educational achievements, predicted grades, work experience and personal statement. If you don't meet the grades for your chosen course, we will consider you for other programmes.

We know that many factors can influence the grades you achieve in school or college. If your life experience has affected your academic studies, we can take this into account. Use the UCAS Points Calculator below to check whether you are eligible.

Unsure if you meet our entry requirements?
Contact our friendly Course Enquiries team to talk through your options.

Please note if your application is unsuccessful, you cannot apply again in the same UCAS cycle.

Minimum qualifications:

UCAS: 96-112 points at A2
BTEC Extended Diploma: MMM-DMM
BTEC Diploma: DD-D*D*
Pass Access Course: 96-112 UCAS points
International Baccalaureate Diploma: Pass including 96-112 points from Higher Level Subjects
T Level: P (C+) - M
IELTS: 6.0 with no Component lower than 5.5
GCSEs: 5 at grade C/4 including English or equivalent
Applicants are required to attend a selection day when they will be interviewed for the course
A satisfactory Criminal records declaration (DBS/Disclosure Scotland) is required for this course

This course involves working with vulnerable people, including children. To make sure we accept suitable students, you must get a clear enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check, previously called a CRB check.

We will help you with this process after you receive a conditional offer to study at the University of Central Lancashire.

If your Enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check is not suitable for the course you applied for, your offer may be taken back. If you have already started the course and your DBS check later shows a criminal conviction, you may have to leave the course. If you know that your DBS check will show a past conviction, please speak to the Course Leader. Some convictions may not stop you from doing the course.

Use our UCAS points calculator

Discover how many UCAS points your qualifications are worth

Calculate your grades

Not got the grades?

Our courses with a foundation year could be exactly what you're looking for. They provide an alternative route to study for this degree.

Find out more about our courses with a foundation year.

Fees and funding

2025/26

Full-time£9,535 per year

Placement year£1,623 for the placement year

International

Full-time£17,325 per year

Scholarships and bursaries

We offer many scholarships, bursaries and funds to support you during your studies. Select your country or region to see if you are eligible and how to apply.

Select your country/region

Care Leaver Bursary
Our Care Leaver Bursary is for students who need extra support because they have been in care or are estranged from their parents.
Find out more about Care Leaver Bursary
Estranged student support
Estranged Student Support Bursary is for students who need extra support because they are estranged from their parents.
Find out more about Estranged student support
Dependants Bursary
Students with financially dependent children may be eligible for our Dependants Bursary as part of our financial support package. 
Find out more about Dependants Bursary
Financial support package
If you are from a low income household our Financial Bursary may be able to help.
Find out more about Financial support package

The BSc (Hons) in Counselling and Psychotherapy is focused on developing a range of communication and counselling skills.

Each week there will be a mixture of short lectures, group discussion, debates, presentations and blended learning designed to meet the learning styles of all class members.

You’ll be encouraged to reflect on experiences from the skills sessions in order to maximise learning opportunities and discuss these experiences within a group setting. As you progress you’ll acquire the skills, strategies and behaviours expected of a confident, independent and active learner.

The assessments range from assignments to presentations, with the opportunity on some modules of negotiated assessments. You will also be given directed study and reading lists to help focus on specific areas in preparation for class.

All Counselling and Psychotherapy courses have a requirement to become a member of the BACP, pay for personal insurance, and attend clinical supervision when on placement.

Some placement providers charge students for DBS checks and interviews. They may also, in some instances, charge a monthly administration fee in addition to any supervision costs.

There is currently no requirement for students to have personal counselling or psychotherapy. However, it is usually the case that every student recognises this is necessary during their course.

All these costs are additional to your course fees and are met by you as a student.

This course requires you to become a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and attend clinical supervision when on placement.

In the event that your Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check proves to be unsatisfactory for the purpose of this course, your offer of a place may be withdrawn. If you have already enrolled on a course and your DBS check subsequently discloses a criminal conviction, you may be required to withdraw from the course, even if you have already started. If you are aware that your DBS check will disclose a previous conviction, please contact the course leader for advice, as not all convictions may preclude you from continuing with the course.

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This course is delivered by the School of Health, Social Work and Sport

For information on possible changes to course information, see our essential and important course information

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at the University of Lancashire on our student contract page

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Counselling & Psychotherapy

Why study with us

What you'll do

Modules

Year 1

Compulsory modules

Year 2

Compulsory modules

Year 3

Compulsory modules

View Counselling and Psychotherapy facilities

Academic expertise

Future counselling and psychotherapy careers

Entry requirements

Minimum qualifications:

Use our UCAS points calculator

Not got the grades?

Fees and funding

Scholarships and bursaries

Care Leaver Bursary

Estranged student support

Dependants Bursary

Financial support package

Counselling & Psychotherapy

Why study with us

What you'll do

Modules

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Visit us on campus

View Counselling and Psychotherapy facilities

Academic expertise

Future counselling and psychotherapy careers

Interested in the psychology of counselling?

Entry requirements

Minimum qualifications:

Use our UCAS points calculator

Not got the grades?

Fees and funding

Additional costs

Scholarships and bursaries

Care Leaver Bursary

Estranged student support

Dependants Bursary

Financial support package

Learning and assessment

Additional costs

Further information