Program Overview

Program Overview

The BSc Hons Psychology & Counselling program is a joint honors program that offers students a route to combine psychology and counselling studies. This three or four-year program prepares students for further postgraduate study in counselling, counselling psychology, or psychology, or for employment in other professional roles that would benefit from counselling skills training and an understanding of counselling theory.

Key Facts

• UCAS Code: C8B9
• Accreditation: COSCA (Counselling & Psychotherapy in Scotland)
• Study mode & duration: 36 months or 48 months full-time

Why This Course?

This course provides students interested in a more applied focus to their psychology degree with foundation training in counselling skills and theory. The combination of psychology and counselling will enable students to approach a range of clients across a broad spectrum of psychological distress. It will equip students with the skills to critically assess an evidence base and develop appropriate theoretical questions and methodology to further their professional development and knowledge.

What You'll Study

Students on the four-year course will take Year 1 of the BA Psychology programme. The course content includes:

• Psychology:
  • Year 2 classes: Social & Health Psychology, Cognition & Neuropsychology, Introduction to Research Design & Analysis
  • Year 3 classes: Research Methods in Psychology, Individual Differences, Social Psychology
  • Year 4 classes: Honours Development, Honours Cognition, Honours Psychobiology
• Counselling:
  • Year 2 classes: Theories of Counselling/Psychotherapy, Positive & Humanistic Psychology, Mental Health Difficulties
  • Year 3 classes: Person-Centred Theory, Personal Development, Counselling Skills Laboratory
  • Year 4 classes: Counselling Skills Practicum or Counselling Research Practicum
• Dissertation:
  • The Year 4 Dissertation is supervised by the School of Psychological Sciences & Health on a topic that is psychological in nature and focuses on aspects of clinical/counselling psychology and/or therapeutic/behaviour change interventions.

Facilities

You'll have access to general computer and experimental labs as well as specialised labs including:

• Customised counselling suite
• Eyetracking labs
• Driving simulator
• Psychophysiological equipment
• Motion tracking lab

Learning & Teaching

The psychology course content is primarily lecture-based, supported by tutorials, laboratory practicals, and supervised research work. The counselling part is delivered using a combination of large group formats (lecture/workshop/group work) and small group formats (tutor groups/skills practice) plus online learning inputs.

Assessment

Assessment methods include:

• Written exams
• Multiple choice exams
• Reports
• Presentation skills
• Dissertation

Entry Requirements

• Highers:
  • Standard entry requirements: AAAA (1st sitting), AAAAB (2nd sitting)
  • Minimum entry requirements: AABB (1st sitting), AABBB (2nd sitting)
  • Preferred subjects: Classical Studies, Drama, Economics, Gaelic, Geography, History, Modern Studies, Modern Language, Philosophy, Politics, Psychology, Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies, Sociology, Biology, Human Biology
• A Levels: ABB-BBB
• International Baccalaureate: 32-30 (Year 1 entry)
• Irish Leaving Certificate: Two H2 passes and three H3 passes including English
• International students: View the entry requirements for your country.

Fees & Funding

• Scotland: £1,820
• England, Wales & Northern Ireland: £9,535
• Republic of Ireland: If you are an Irish citizen and have been ordinary resident in the Republic of Ireland for the three years prior to the relevant date, and will be coming to Scotland for Educational purposes only, you will meet the criteria of England, Wales & Northern Ireland fee status.
• International: £21,550
• University preparation programme fees: International students can find out more about the costs and payments of studying a university preparation programme at the University of Strathclyde International Study Centre.
• Available scholarships: We have a wide range of scholarships available. Have a look at our scholarship search to find a scholarship.

Careers

This course provides students with foundation training in counselling skills and theory, allowing them to:

• Proceed to postgraduate education in Psychotherapy/Counselling or Counselling Psychology, or Psychology
• Enter the workplace in support work or other roles that require basic psychological helping skills, referred to as 'embedded counselling' roles
• Gain a Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership with the British Psychological Society, making them eligible for research assistant and assistant psychology roles or access to further professional training in psychology.