Program Overview

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Counselling, Psychology and Education, MSci

Introduction

Our 5-year integrated master's degree, accredited by the BPS, encompasses undergraduate and postgraduate studies. The programme prepares practitioners for professional counselling roles, enabling them to work with diverse groups in various settings, such as healthcare, education, and beyond. This course broadens employability prospects and opens opportunities for further development across counselling, education, and psychology. We emphasise developing cross-disciplinary competencies to enhance your ability to adapt and excel in evolving professional landscapes. After the fifth year you will exit with a validated qualification as a professional counsellor, allowing you to progress to become a counselling psychologist.

Study Information

At a Glance

• Learning Mode: On Campus Learning
• Degree Qualification: MSci
• Duration: 60 months
• Study Mode: Full Time
• Start Month: September
• Location of Study: Aberdeen
• UCAS Code: C9B9

Our degree aims to meet the rising demand for mental health support in today's diverse and complex societies. We deliver an integrated learning experience of theory and practice, focusing on reflective, professional, and ethical work in cross-cultural and multidisciplinary settings.

You will explore various human experiences from the individual to the societal level, enabling you to support individuals from different cultural backgrounds and diverse identities. Our programme emphasises the development of your interpersonal skills and personal growth. We encourage a deeper understanding of the inner self and the outer environment through exploration and reflection. You will also examine psychological theories and counselling practices while gaining insights into child development, health, and well-being from an educational context.

There are opportunities to gain practical experience in third-sector organisations, schools and healthcare settings, encompassing a range of roles from pastoral care to counselling. You will work with diverse individuals, including children, young people, and adults. You will acquire specialist knowledge and transferable skills in ethical decision-making, critical thinking, problem-solving, adaptability, resilience, and cultural competence, equipping you to thrive in a dynamic professional environment.

The programme facilitates building your proficiency in research skills within psychology and education. Our courses offer to enhance your analytical and research capabilities, providing excellent preparation for a doctoral qualification in psychology or other areas in counselling and psychotherapy.

Once you have graduated from the 5-year programme, you will have the relevant registration to become a qualified counsellor holding a psychology degree, allowing you to undertake further training to become an HCPC-accredited Counselling Psychologist. The programme also opens pathways to study the PGDE in primary or secondary education.

What You'll Study

Year 1

• Compulsory Courses:
  • Counselling Skills 1: Active Listening and Responding (CO101D)
  • Counselling Skills 2: Different Therapeutic Modalities/Approaches (CO151D)
  • Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen (PD1002)
  • Global Perspectives on Education (ED101B)
  • Introductory Psychology I: Concepts and Theory (PS1009)
  • Introductory Psychology I: Methods and Applications (PS1011)
  • Introductory Psychology II: Concepts and Theory (PS1509)
  • Introductory Psychology II: Methods and Applications (PS1511)
  • Mindfulness and Compassion for Wellbeing (ED151J)

Year 2

• Compulsory Courses:
  • Counselling Skills 3: Process and Use of Counselling Skills (CO201D)
  • Counselling Skills 4: Application of Counselling Skills (CO251D)
  • Child Development in Practice (ED251F)
  • Advanced Psychology A - Concepts and Theory (PS2017)
  • Advanced Psychology 1 - Methods and Applications (PS2018)
  • Advanced Psychology B - Concepts and Theory (PS2517)
  • Advanced Psychology 2 - Methods and Applications (PS2518)

Year 3

• Compulsory Courses:
  • Inclusive Practice and Policy in Scotland (ED301S)
  • Mental Health in Education - Critical Perspectives (ED301R)
  • Counselling and Psychotherapy Theory and Research (ED351T)
  • Expressive Arts Education and Therapies (ED351U)
  • Psychological Assessment (PS3011)
  • Methodology A (PS3015)
  • Developmental Psychology (PS3518)
  • Social Psychology (PS3520)

Year 4

• Compulsory Courses:
  • Introduction to Guidance and Pastoral Care (ED401L)
  • Introduction to Research Skills (ED401M)
  • Combined Thesis
  • Perception (PS3012)
  • Biological Psychology (PS3014)
  • Memory and Language (PS3519)

Year 5

• Compulsory Courses:
  • Foundations and Therapeutic Process in Person - Centred Counselling (ED50NE)
  • Development of Professional Practice, Reflexivity and Enquiry (ED55NF)

How You'll Study

We utilise a mix of theoretical learning and practical application, allowing you to engage in classroom-based learning, hands-on practicum experiences, and placements in diverse settings like schools and counselling organisations.

Our Study Routes

You can tailor your educational journey to your interests through the following designated exit points:

• Exit at the end of Year 4 to obtain the MA (Hons) in Psychology, Counselling, and Education.
• Complete the 5-year programme to obtain the MSci in Counselling, Psychology and Education.

Learning Methods

• Group Projects
• Individual Projects
• Lectures
• Peer Learning
• Professional Placements
• Research
• Seminars
• Tutorials
• Workshops

Assessment Methods

Students are assessed by any combination of three assessment methods:

• coursework such as essays and reports completed throughout the course;
• practical assessments of the skills and competencies they learn on the course; and
• written examinations at the end of each course.

The exact mix of these methods differs between subject areas, years of study and individual courses.

Honours projects are typically assessed on the basis of a written dissertation.

Why Study Counselling, Psychology and Education?

• An integrated approach to deepen your understanding of counselling psychology, ideal for practical counselling and academic research.
• A flexible structure with multiple exit points including an MA in Psychology, Counselling, and Education.
• Offers a solid base for various roles in mental health, education, counselling, and psychotherapy.
• Broaden your knowledge and perspective across counselling, psychology, and education, enabling a multidisciplinary approach to learning.
• Comprehensive training route to prepare you for evidence-based practice in diverse settings.
• Explore diverse research methodologies and boost your research capabilities, providing essential skills for further academic development.

Careers

The programme presents a range of career routes to progress into, including entry into mental health professions, education, or teacher training and improves your prospects of entering varied multidisciplinary careers.

This programme is designed to meet the core training requirements for registration with professional bodies, by the ScoPEd framework.

This programme also serves as a foundational stepping stone for doctoral studies and a variety of professions in psychology.

You can also progress onto the PGDE Primary or Secondary Education programme, broadening your skillset to teach while supporting the learning and well-being of children and young people in educational settings.

Accreditation

The programme meets the competency and training hour requirements for you to register with professional bodies such as the British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapists (BACP) and Counselling & Psychotherapy in Scotland (COSCA) once you graduate.

This degree holds accreditation from

• British Psychological Society
• Counselling & Psychotherapy in Scotland (COSCA)

Our Experts

Other Expert

• Professor Kate Smith

Facilities

The Bounds

Our counselling and research centre, The Bounds, aims to respectfully promote the practice and study of relating to others, self, and the world around us.

Entry Requirements

Qualifications

The information below is provided as a guide only and does not guarantee entry to the University of Aberdeen.

• The information displayed in this section shows a shortened summary of our entry requirements. For more information, or for full entry requirements for Arts and Social Sciences degrees, see our detailed entry requirements section.

English Language Requirements

To study for an Undergraduate degree at the University of Aberdeen it is essential that you can speak, understand, read, and write English fluently. The minimum requirements for this degree are as follows:

• IELTS Academic: OVERALL - 6.0 with: Listening - 5.5; Reading - 5.5; Speaking - 5.5; Writing - 6.0
• TOEFL iBT: OVERALL - 78 with: Listening - 17; Reading - 18; Speaking - 20; Writing - 21
• PTE Academic: OVERALL - 59 with: Listening - 59; Reading - 59; Speaking - 59; Writing - 59
• Cambridge English B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency: OVERALL - 169 with: Listening - 162; Reading - 162; Speaking - 162; Writing - 169

Fees and Funding

You will be classified as one of the fee categories below.

• Fee information Fee category | Cost
  • EU / International students | £20,800
  • Tuition Fees for 2025/26 Academic Year
  • Self-funded international students commencing eligible undergraduate programmes in 2025/26 will receive a £6,000 tuition waiver for every year of their programme - See full terms and conditions
  • Home Students | £1,820
  • Tuition Fees for 2025/26 Academic Year
  • England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Republic of Ireland | £9,535
  • Tuition Fees for 2025/26 Academic Year

Scholarships and Funding

• UK Scholarship
• Students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland, who pay tuition fees may be eligible for specific scholarships allowing them to receive additional funding. These are designed to provide assistance to help students support themselves during their time at Aberdeen.
• Aberdeen Global Scholarship
• The University of Aberdeen is delighted to offer eligible self-funded international on-campus undergraduate students a £6,000 scholarship for every year of their programme. More about this funding opportunity.
• Funding Database
• View all funding options in our Funding Database.