BSc (Hons) Psychology, Psychotherapy and Counselling with foundation year

Program Overview

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Course Details

Psychology is a core component of psychotherapy and counselling, and the University of Bolton offers one of the oldest and most established psychology courses in the UK. Taught at our town-centre campus in Greater Manchester, our BSc (Hons) Psychology, Psychotherapy and Counselling with foundation year degree gives you the chance to learn about the interaction between these disciplines, appreciate the diversity of perspectives involved, and understand their therapeutic use.

The foundation year is the first year of this degree, offering an excellent grounding in the fundamentals of psychology, social sciences and research methods alongside study skills development. It's designed to prepare you for undergraduate study.

At the degree level, our friendly and experienced team will guide you as you develop knowledge of the theories, methods and debates central to the three core elements. We'll support you as you explore psychology, gain specific counselling skills, and consider broader social issues that impact the roles of psychotherapist and counsellor, such as assumptions, stereotyping, diversity and prejudice. We'll also focus on developing your knowledge and skills in using psychological research methods and your appreciation of the ethical issues involved.

Interpersonal and transferable skills are vital, so we'll challenge you to develop sought-after communication, problem-solving, numerical, analytical, self-management, and IT skills. Overall, our dedicated team will focus on helping you gain the skills employers value and a detailed understanding of psychology, counselling and psychotherapy.

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Highlights

Our Psychology courses are ranked top 10 in the UK and first in Greater Manchester for student satisfaction for the fourth year running, according to the Complete University Guide 2022.

This course is one of only a few Psychology, Psychotherapy and Counselling degrees in the country accredited by the British Psychological Society. Accredited as conferring eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC), this degree is the first step toward becoming a Chartered Psychologist.

Integrated into this degree are opportunities for you to gain accredited qualifications in counselling skills. Through successfully completing this degree, you'll also achieve the Level 2 and Level 3 Certificates in Counselling Skills conferred by ABC Awards.

We emphasise interpersonal, transferable and employability skills as well as academic success. After graduation, you may have the opportunity to progress onto a professional qualification in applied psychology, such as our MSc in Counselling and Positive Psychology.

We focus strongly on employability skills and the practical application of your studies as well as academic success. Workshops will involve analysing life events and role-playing scenarios using case study material. You can also benefit from final year applied sessions in counselling skills.

Throughout your degree, you'll also have support from your personal tutor, part of our team of helpful and approachable psychology staff who possess a diverse range of research interests.

We've invested in creating a learning environment that offers innovative methods of teaching and assessment using top-class facilities, such as our observation laboratory with video cameras, microphones and video editing equipment.

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Key Features

Throughout the programme, we stress the applied nature of psychology, emphasising learning through experience to help prepare you for further professional qualifications in psychology, counselling or psychotherapy.

We'll explain the principles and methods of psychological research, including the collection, analysis, reporting and interpretation of data. During your final year, you'll have the opportunity to carry out an individual research study.

Teaching is dynamic and varied, using lectures, small group work, discussion groups, case studies, demonstrations and laboratory workshops. You'll be encouraged to take responsibility for your own learning with opportunities for you to participate and gain practical experience.

Our highly-qualified staff have substantial experience in the field. Trained and practising counsellors deliver the counselling and psychotherapy elements, bringing real-time and real-world experiences and case studies into their teaching. We also aim to give you the best possible opportunity to achieve your true potential by offering personal supervision throughout the course.

By choosing to study with us, you'll have the chance to enjoy Bolton's many shops, bars, restaurants and leisure facilities. Manchester, one of the UK's most multicultural and lively cities, is less than 20 minutes away by train. Not forgetting, the North West of England is renowned for its beautiful countryside, coastline and heritage. This makes Bolton an ideal base from which to explore some of the best cultural and outdoor activities the UK offers.

Program Outline

Our BSc (Hons) Psychology, Psychotherapy and Counselling with foundation year course offers an ideal combination of subjects if you're looking for a career helping people or want to undertake further training in counselling psychology, psychotherapy, or other applied psychology professions.

Upon completing the course, you'll be able to demonstrate graduate skills such as problem-solving, critical evaluation and independence of thought, deductive reasoning, interpersonal awareness and excellent teamwork and communication skills.

What can I do with this qualification?

Our BSc (Hons) Psychology, Psychotherapy and Counselling with foundation year graduates can find work in many different settings and industries. In recent years, there has been a rapid expansion in applying counselling skills in all aspects of everyday life. This has led to roles in numerous organisations, including the NHS, police service, prison service, secondary schools, further and higher education, mental health, civil service and social work departments. Employment in these roles often involves working with adults or children and young people dealing with issues such as relationship difficulties, anxiety, grief and mental health problems.

Some of the more prominent job roles include clinical psychologist, educational psychologist, teacher, mental health worker, social worker, police officer and counsellor. Relevant experience and postgraduate study are required for some of these roles.

Psychology graduates with British Psychological Society (BPS) accreditation will be able to progress onto professional qualifications in applied psychology. If you wish to pursue a career in counselling and psychotherapy, this course serves as an excellent forerunner to our MSc Counselling and Positive Psychology degree and MSc Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapies course.

As a graduate, you'll also possess the scientific knowledge and understanding embedded in the psychological elements of this degree. Skills such as problem-solving and data analysis should be helpful for careers in healthcare, law enforcement, finance, IT and research.

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Alternative career options

Graduates can also use the qualification to step into a range of other careers. Relevant experience and/or postgraduate study may be required for some of these roles. Some of these careers include:

Coaching and guidance services

Mentoring

Family mediation

Teaching and education

Nursing

Retail management

Human resources

Market research

Social work

Psychological wellbeing practitioner

Mental health support worker