BSc(Hons) in Counselling and Psychotherapy

Course description

This four year honours degree course, the BSc(Hons) in Counselling and Psychotherapy, meets the requirements for pending statutory registration of counsellors.  The degree course is aimed at those who wish to train to become professional counsellors in integrative humanistic counselling and psychotherapy.

Course Structure

The course runs on a part-time basis, with the group meeting over nine workshops between October and June each year. (The first year equates to our Certificate course.) The first two years of the training happens in an ongoing training group and students will begin seeing clients at the end of year two. To successfully complete each training year, students must have passed all elements of training.

Once students successfully complete their second year they will then begin their placement with clients. This takes place either at Cork Counselling Services or at an external placement in an approved setting. Other requirements of the course include external personal counselling, the keeping of a personal journal, reading and study, attendance at workshops and tutorials, presentations, assignments and other projects.

All courses will run subject to a minimum number of participants. Cork Counselling Services reserves the right to make changes to dates, times, course content and will make effort to advise participants of any such changes in good time.

Course Content
Effective training has to incorporate work in personal awareness, counselling theory and techniques, skills training, supervised clinical practice and research.

Cork Counselling Services Training Institute provides all of the above. In keeping with the humanistic philosophy upon which the course is based, the primary mode of training is experiential learning. The topics covered are:

Applied personal development
Social and Cultural Awareness
Relational Development
Counselling Skills
Counselling Theory
Professional, Ethical Development
Supervised Counselling Practice
Professional Collaboration
Research
Throughout the training students engage in the very process of self-exploration they are learning to facilitate in others.  Students will also engage in personal therapy, a personal and professional development group, professional supervised practice, individual study and reading, and peer discussion groups.  They will submit a number of written assignments.

Assessment, Award & Accreditation
Assessment is continuous and based on submitted assignments, attendance, and feedback on personal development from self, peers and trainers. A BSc (Hons) Counselling and Psychotherapy is awarded to students on successful completion of their studies. The course meets the training and qualification requirements for counselling practice and is fully accredited by the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP)