Program Overview

Counselling Children and Young People MSc

Key Facts

• Level: Master's PG MSc
• Duration: 2 years part time
• Starting: September
• UK Fees 25/26 >: Year 1: £4,240 (90 Credits) / Year 2: £4,240* (90 Credits)
• Location >: Waterside

Overview

The University of Northampton's Counselling Children and Young People MSc degree is a multidisciplinary course that aims to promote an advanced level of knowledge and understanding that underpins practice in the area of counselling with children, young people and their families.

This postgraduate children counselling course supports you in developing your skills and theoretical knowledge of counselling with children, young people and their families. If you have a particular interest in counselling work with children, then this children's counselling course is designed with you in mind, allowing you to develop the skills and knowledge needed to pursue a career in counselling.

Highlights

• On this children and young people counselling course there are opportunities to develop your practical and professional counselling skills.
• Exploration of eco-systemic perspective integrating Systemic Family Therapy, CBT, and Creative therapies.
• Excellent teaching staff who teach with an integrated approach to counselling with children and young people, imparting their experience from their personal practice.
• Face-to-face client placement.
• Credits can count towards a professional body accreditation with UKCP or BACP.

Entry Requirements

• You will need to hold a first or second class bachelors' degree in order to be eligible to apply for this children and young people counselling course.
• Voluntary or professional experience of work with children and young people is desirable, but not essential.
• Applicants are advised to mention any relevant experience related to the counselling children degree programme within the last 5 years with their personal statement.
• Applicants are required to provide a reference with their application.

Course Content

• Understanding Mental Health in Children and Young People (30 Credits)
• Counselling with Children, Young People and Families (30 Credits)
• Counselling Children and Young People in Practice (30 Credits)
• Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods (10 Credits)
• Dissertation and Research Methods (50 Credits)
• Fundamental Skills for Working with Children, Young People and Families (30 Credits)

Fees and Funding

• 2025/26 Tuition Fees: UK – Part Time Year 1 £4,240 (90 Credits) / Year 2 £4,240* (90 Credits)
• Additional costs:
  • 40 hours of personal therapy (average cost is £30-50/hour, although there is high variability across the market)
  • Clinical supervision in compliance with BACP recommended ratio (this might or might not fall on the students, as some placements offer free supervision to trainees, but we cannot predict which ones. This has always been clarified during interviews)
  • DBS clearance
  • BACP student membership requested
  • Professional insurance policy (some placement services may cover students with their organization policy but not all so we recommend you to factor this in).

Staff

• Senior Lecturer in Psychology and Counselling: Elisa Gusmini
• Senior Lecturer in Counselling (Children and Young People): Claire Harrison-Breed
• Senior Lecturer in Psychology (Mental Health): Ferdinando Salamino

Careers and Employability

As a professional master programme, the child counselling MSc leads to a counselling qualification and opens you up to a range of employment possibilities. Upon completion of this course you could find employment in one of the following areas: private practice, educational and healthcare institutions, community and youth work services, third sector organisations and residential facilities. You may choose to take the MSc as a stepping stone towards further postgraduate study such as a Clinical Doctorate.

Facilities and Equipment

• Three dedicated psychology technicians available to support students
• Six research cubicles
• Observation suite

Listed below are some of the key tests you can administer within our psychometrics library:

• Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children, and the Weschler
• Abbreviated Intelligence Scale x 2
• Measures of Children’s Mental Health & Psychological Well-Being
• Child Behaviour Checklist
• Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking – Verbal/Figural

Related Courses

• Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH) MSc: Our CAMH MSc is a multidisciplinary course which aims to develop your understanding of child development...
• Counselling MSc: Our Counselling MSc course provides you with a level of knowledge and skills in counselling.