MSc Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapies

Program Overview

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Course Details

It's estimated that 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year (1). The problem-focused, action-oriented approach used by cognitive behavioural psychotherapists to help people develop personal coping strategies is a popular and effective method of treating several mental health conditions. Our MSc Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapies (CBP) course prepares you for practice in this in-demand profession. Additionally, our experienced British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapists (BABCP) accredited staff will support you in completing a dissertation based on independent research, preparing you for higher-level study and enhancing your career prospects.

As a graduate of this course, you'll be eligible to apply for Level 2 Provisional Accreditation as a Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist with BABCP. During your studies, we'll guide you to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes that underpin CBP practice. You'll explore the underlying principles and have opportunities to develop skills in the assessment of clients and the analysis of their presenting difficulties. Our expert team will guide you as you develop a detailed knowledge of CBP techniques, and build your understanding of the models of anxiety disorders and depression, and their application to clinical casework.

This course is ideal if you wish to practice using a cognitive behavioural approach in settings that include the helping or health professions, private practice or management roles where working with people is the prime focus. Training in research methods and design will also prepare you to keep abreast of evolving ideas in the field and open doors to doctoral-level studies.

If you've already completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapies and wish to continue your studies at master's-level, please visit our MSc Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapies (top-up) course search web page.

(1) http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/statistics-and-facts-about-mental-health/how-common-are-mental-health-problems/ accessed on 28 October 2022

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Highlights

This postgraduate degree offers you the opportunity to gain accreditation as a therapist from the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapists (BABCP). It has Level 2 Accreditation, which means it meets the training requirements for practitioner accreditation. The course is also designed to cover the therapeutic competencies for cognitive behavioural psychotherapists outlined by the Department of Health.

Upon successfully completing the course, you'll have an assessed portfolio of evidence designed to meet the BABCP criteria for accreditation.

You can benefit from supervised opportunities to apply proven techniques in practice and evaluate their efficacy, including supervision from a course tutor who has personal BABCP Accreditation.

Our accessible and knowledgeable course team includes Accredited Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapists and active researchers.

We work hard to create a learning environment that offers innovative teaching and assessment methods and access to high-specification facilities such as our observation and psychophysiology laboratories.

Together we'll consider wider issues in CBP, such as the evaluation of literature, models and therapeutic practice, psychological research methods, evidence-based practice, professional issues and ethical practice.

The course team provides all of your course supervision. No external supervision is required.

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Key Features

A strong basis of theoretical psychology underpins the course. This helps to ensure your practice-related learning is not separated from its primary academic base, and supports your understanding of where CBP techniques come from, and how they might develop in future.

We'll also explore how to evaluate literature, models and therapeutic practice and consider how research methods, design, and evaluation underpin evidence-based practice. The course also covers issues relating to ethical practice and the professional role of the therapist.

You'll be expected to complete 200 hours of experience working with clients in a clinical setting through supervised clinical practice placements. You're usually responsible for arranging your own placements.

Our teaching staff are accredited therapists with extensive experience in the field and teaching groups are small, ensuring there is close contact between you, your classmates and your tutors.

If you’re following the British Psychological Society’s (BPS) Qualification in Counselling Psychology (QCoP) by the independent route, the course may be appropriate as part of the required training.

Program Outline

The University of Bolton's MSc Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapies is designed to enhance practice and facilitate employment and career progression in psychology or therapy, research and teaching, the helping and health professions, social work, education, private practice and management roles where working with people is the prime focus.

During your studies, we'll support you in developing the knowledge, skills and attitudes that underpin cognitive behavioural psychotherapies practice. As a graduate, you'll understand the principles of cognitive behavioural psychotherapies and possess skills in the assessment of clients and formulation of their presenting difficulties.

Studying this course will also support the development of your personal and transferable skills such as critical analysis, self-reflection, observation and questioning skills, communication skills and the ability to work independently.

What can I do with this qualification?

Employment opportunities exist for cognitive behavioural psychotherapists in social services, mental health services, youth justice, the NHS, primary care, education or the voluntary and private sectors. Management roles are possible within the NHS, although this usually means a reduction in clinical work as the emphasis moves to managing individuals and services. Lecturing and clinical teaching in universities or training institutions offer an alternative career path.

Some graduates choose to specialise in a particular area; for example, working with children as a child psychotherapist. Other psychotherapists set up independent private practices, but this may take some time to develop.

Upon completing this course, you'll have the option of continuing your studies by taking up a research degree.

With extensive experience, it's possible to become a training therapist, training student psychotherapists, or a supervisor, providing support to other psychotherapists.

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Alternative career options

Graduates can also use this qualification as a stepping stone into a range of other careers. For some of these roles, relevant experience and/or postgraduate study may be required. Some possibilities include:

Research and development

Community mental health

Clinical psychology

Art therapy

Health care management

Counselling

Consultancy

Human resources

Market research analysis