About Psychology (counselling) Bsc (hons) in University of Northampton

If you are interested in pursuing a career in counselling, counselling or clinical psychology, or another helping profession where interactive skills are essential, this course is one of only a few national programmes that is designed specifically for you.

Our Psychology and Counselling course will introduce you to the central concepts of both psychology and counselling before moving on to explore the subject in more depth, according to your interests. You will have the opportunity to study areas as diverse as psychology in educational settings to parapsychology and anomalous events.*

We will support you to achieve your career and study ambitions, which is why if you complete our Employability Plus Gold programme or Changemaker Gold certificate alongside your studies and if you haven’t secured full-time employment 12 months after graduating* we will secure a three – six month paid internship for you, or support you into postgraduate study.

This course offers you various volunteering opportunities, careers events and workshops which will enhance your employability once you have graduated.

You will have an opportunity to develop your understanding of the key theories and concepts in psychology and counselling, learning basic counselling skills and gaining an understanding of the professional context of counselling work. The applied nature of counselling psychology will be emphasised throughout the programme.

In addition to a focus on counselling concepts, issues and skills, this course will allow you to analyse and understand human behaviour, thought and emotions, from many different psychological perspectives. If you are looking to become a counsellor then this course provides you with a basis for professional level training.

If you are studying this course full-time you will take 120 credits each academic year. You will study a mix of core subjects and can choose from a range of modules which reflect your interests. At each level, you will take a core module in Counselling combining three key elements:

• key concepts and ideas
• the development of self-awareness
• the development of counselling skills

Stage one

At stage one, the core Counselling module is Introduction to Counselling which explores key concepts in counselling and allows you to develop your active listening skills. You are given an excellent grounding in counselling and psychology that you will continue to build upon throughout the course. Volunteering is particularly recommended as it helps to develop your personal and professional skills. Please note that if you do select the Volunteering module you will need to undergo Disclosure and Barring Service checks.

Stage two

Stage two aims to provide you with a thorough grounding in the theoretical models used in counselling and an opportunity to further develop counselling skills, including awareness of the counselling contract and the different stages of the counselling process.

You will also have the option of studying either a module on the psychology of wellbeing or taking a work-based placement: The Psychology of Learning and Teaching in Educational Settings. Please note that if you do select this work-based placement module then a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be required.

Stage three*

In stage three, you will undertake a module in counselling psychology theory and counselling skills which will introduce you to a range of issues worked with by counsellors. The knowledge and skills gained will be applicable in a range of therapeutic professions. You will also undertake an empirical dissertation, under the guidance of a psychology or counselling lecturer with particular expertise in your chosen area. You will immerse yourself in a topic of your choosing, subject to staff and ethical approval, and exercise the research skills you have acquired through the course.

*Please note that Stage Three modules are currently being reviewed and may be subject to change.

It is important to note that this is primarily an academic course rather than a professional training course, and that those who complete the course will not be qualified as counsellors or counselling psychologists. However, on successful completion of the course, with a 2:2 or above, you should have the knowledge, skills and experience to enable you to pursue professional training in counselling or counselling/clinical psychology at postgraduate level.

Scholarships

EU and International Scholarships

We’re committed to offering the opportunity to study in the UK to the best and brightest students from around the world.

Sir Thomas White Scholarship

The Sir Thomas White scholarship will support and acknowledge an academically gifted student, with the proviso that the selection panel is confident that there is…

TD Lewis Scholarship

The T D Lewis Scholarship provides both undergraduate and postgraduate students with financial awards of up to £1,000.  This scholarship is awarded on educational excellence…

The Chancellor's Fund

The Chancellor’s Fund is a bi-annual fund providing students with awards of between £100 and £1,000. You must be a current student to apply.  The…

Wilson Endowment Scholarship

The Wilson Endowment Scholarship provides a £1,500 scholarship to undergraduate students from the Northamptonshire area. The endowed scholarship was donated in memory of Mr Lynn Wilson,…

Entry Requirements

Typical offers are BBC at A Level or DDM at BTEC.

In addition to the standard entry requirements, applicants require GCSE Mathematics at grade C or above. Equivalences are not accepted, apart from Access applicants who must take 12 credits of Maths Level 2 or 9 credits of Maths Level 3 as part of their Access course.

If you would like more information on how to make an application as a Home or EU student, please visit our How to Apply page.

If you are an International student and would like more information on how to make an application, please visit our How to Apply page.

English Language Requirements

All International and EU students applying for a course with us must meet the following minimum English language requirements:

• IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) with a minimum of 5.5 in all bands
  for study at undergraduate level.

For information regarding English language requirements at the University, please see our IELTS page.

University of Northampton Highlights

University of Northampton Average Tuition Fees And Other Expenses

For all the prospective candidates for the institute, an estimated cost of living in the UK is as cpmipield below.

University of Northampton Tuition Fee

The tuition fee varies from one course to another. Following are some of the popular courses along with the tuition cost:

University of Northampton Undergraduate Courses 

University of Northampton Graduate Courses 

University of Northampton Cost of Attendance

Basic list of expenses apart from tuition fee are as follows:

University of Northampton Application Process

Basic Admission Requirements

1. Certified transcripts of high school/college/university
2. One reference required
3. Statement of Purpose depicting the interest of the applicant in the chosen course
4. MBA applicants must also have a proof of work experience
5. Arts and design applicant must also submit their portfolio 

The outcomes of the English proficiency tests taken by all of the international applicants. IELTS, TOEFL iBT, and Pearson PTE are acceptable tests. The minimal IELTS scores needed to get admitted are as follows:

Additional Requirements

1. An overseas student who has been accepted must pay the GBP 5,000 deposit fee before the university would issue them a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies).
2. Other documents for the visa application process are:

• Passport
• UK visa history form
• Proof of financial support