Program Overview

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Psychology and Counselling with Foundation BSc Honours

Overview

Our degree courses with Foundation year offer the opportunity to prepare you for advanced study before you progress onto a full honours degree at the University of Westminster. Whether you do not feel ready for degree-level study, don’t have the right qualifications, want to change your subject specialism or return to study after an absence from education, we aim to encourage a broad range of students to undertake our Foundation year in order to progress onto their full honours degree with us.

The Foundation year is designed to give you the opportunity to explore new ideas, opening up new perspectives on the key debates within your chosen field. Core modules accelerate your academic and professional development, bringing together like-minded students to think about the ‘big ideas’ within your discipline. You'll also take modules from areas closely related to your chosen field, giving you the chance to develop a cross-disciplinary perspective on your course.

On successful completion of the Foundation year, you'll be able to move on to study for the Psychology and Counselling BSc Honours degree over a further three years of study.

Our Psychology and Counselling BSc Honours is accredited by the British Psychological Society. It provides you with a broad contemporary education in psychology and counselling within a vibrant, global learning environment situated in the heart of London.

Our course team includes qualified and practising counsellors and psychotherapists who are passionate about sharing their experience, knowledge and skills of therapy.

Our programme of study has been designed to meet the requirements for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society. This aspect will prepare you for postgraduate training on the path to becoming a Chartered Psychologist.

In addition to psychology, you’ll study counselling and psychotherapeutic theories and approaches, and you’ll have the opportunity to develop practical skills such as active listening and effective questioning. Our course is also designed to help you to think creatively and critically, developing the problem-solving skills that will enable you to apply psychology and counselling to address a wide range of personal, professional and societal needs.

There will also be trips organised throughout the course, with previous trips including visits to the Freud Museum, the Wellcome Trust, and the Bethlem Museum. In addition to this, film nights will be organised, focusing on the themes of psychology and counselling.

Our Psychology and Counselling BSc offers the opportunity to follow your own interests through an attractive range of option modules. A distinctive feature of the option modules we offer is that the majority are focused on professional practice. This provides you not only with a chance to specialise, but also to investigate potential career paths as a graduate psychologist.

On graduation, you’ll be suitably equipped to embark on professional training in counselling psychology and psychotherapy, as well as to work in a wide range of professional settings. Our Psychology and Counselling BSc provides a pathway towards personal and professional growth and development.

Top reasons to study with us

• Development of practical skills and reflective practice – you’ll be able to practise skills such as active listening, reflecting, paraphrasing, and summarising
• Professionally trained course team – you’ll be taught by staff who are qualified and practising psychologists, psychotherapists and counsellors
• Work experience opportunities – you’ll be able to choose work experience from a wide range of settings, and you have the option to undertake a professional work placement year

Course structure

Learning takes place through a combination of face-to-face teaching and independent study, including lectures, seminars and project work. Your experience will be further enriched by opportunities for research participation, counselling skills practice and work-based learning.

You’ll focus on active and often collaborative project work, which includes carrying out research practicals, allowing you to engage first hand with research practice and the knowledge base of our discipline. It also includes other kinds of enquiry-based learning, in which you learn through tackling realistic problems similar to those faced by practising counselling psychologists.

The following subjects are indicative of what you will study on this course.

• Foundation
• Year 1
• Year 2
• Placement Year
• Year 3

Subjects of study include:

• Contemporary Themes in Psychology
• Critical Thinking for Academic and Professional Development
• History, Memory and Belonging
• Introduction to Academic Practice
• Psychology in Everyday Life
• Society, Risk and Crime: Sociological Perspectives

There are no optional or elective modules offered at Level 3, as the focus is on the development of key academic skills through a broad understanding of social sciences and humanities.

Credit Level 3

Subjects of study include:

• Biological Psychology
• Cognitive Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Individual Differences
• Introduction to Psychological Research Methods
• Social Psychology

Credit Level 4

Subjects of study include:

• Counselling Skills and Practice
• Cultivating Employability Skills for Career Success
• Data Analysis for Psychology
• Diverse and Alternative Approaches to Psychotherapy
• Emotional Life
• Humanistic Approaches in Psychotherapy
• Psychodynamic and Cognitive Behavioural Approaches to Therapy
• Societal Responses to Climate Change

Credit Level 5

Professional experience or study abroad year

Between Years 2 and 3, you’ll have the opportunity to undertake a professional placement year in industry. Completing the placement year will lead to the final award Bachelor of Science with Honours - Psychology and Counselling with Professional Experience.

Alternatively, you can undertake a period of study abroad at one of Westminster’s partner institutions. Successful completion will lead to the final award Bachelor of Science with Honours - Psychology and Counselling with International Experience.

Subjects of study include:

• Client Issues and Processes in Therapy
• Clinical Psychology
• Cognitive Disorders
• Consciousness
• Forensic Psychology
• Health Psychology
• Music and the Mind
• Occupational and Work Psychology
• Political Psychology
• Psychology of Education
• Professional Issues in a Critical Context
• Project in Psychology
• Sexology

Credit Level 6

Professional accreditation

This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society. It has been designed to meet the requirements for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC), provided that the minimum standard of a Lower Second Class Honours is achieved and the empirical project has been passed. This is the first step towards becoming a Chartered Psychologist.

Programme specification

For more details on course structure, modules, teaching and assessment Download the programme specification (PDF).

Entry Requirements

• UK
• International
• A Levels - DDE (64 UCAS Tariff points)
• T levels – 64 UCAS Tariff points
• International Baccalaureate - 64 UCAS Tariff points from all components of the Diploma Programme. International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme will be considered on a case-by-case basis
• BTEC Extended Diploma - MPP
• BTEC Diploma - MM
• Access - 64 UCAS Tariff points from the Access course

In addition to one of the above, you should have:

• GCSE English Language grade 4/C – IB grade 4 Higher Level,GCSE Maths grade 4/C – IB grade 4

If your first language is not English, you will need an IELTS of 6.0 overall, with 5.5 in each component.

We also welcome applications from students who are taking a combination of qualifications listed above. For further information, please contact Course Enquiries.

International Baccalaureate

• 64 UCAS Tariff points from all components of the Diploma Programme. International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme will be considered on a case-by-case basis. You can refer to the UCAS calculator to determine your point score.

Other international qualifications

We accept a wide range of international high school level qualifications. Please see information on country-specific entry requirements

International Foundation courses

We work in partnership with Kaplan International College London who provide the International Foundation Certificate at their College based in Liverpool Street. These courses are for students who don’t meet our direct entry requirements. Upon successful completion, you can progress to your chosen degree at the University of Westminster. Find out more about the different university preparation courses that are accepted for entry.

English language requirements

If your first language is not English, you will need an IELTS of 6.0 overall, with 5.5 in each component. Please note we accept a wide range of English language qualifications and assessments.

Direct (Advanced) Entry or Transfer

Direct entry to Year 2 may be available for some of our programmes. You will need to have already successfully completed part of your undergraduate course elsewhere with the relevant number of credits of a comparable degree, or have passed an International Year One programme at a recognised partner institution. We are unable to consider applications from international students who have failed Year 1 or who are not eligible to progress within their current programme of study. Please note that admission to Year 3 is rarely granted. Applications for direct entry are made through UCAS, selecting the appropriate 'point of entry' whilst making your application e.g. for second year entry you would choose point of entry 2.

Fees and Funding

• UK
• International

UK tuition fee: £9,535 (Price per academic year)

Please note that if you defer your place, the first year’s tuition fees will be those of the academic year in which you enrol, which may be higher than the fee shown for this year.

Fees are subject to UK Government Parliamentary procedure.

International tuition fee: £17,600 (Price per academic year)

When you have enrolled with us, your annual tuition fees will remain the same throughout your studies with us. We do not increase International tuition fees.

Please note that if you defer your place, the first year’s tuition fees will be those of the academic year in which you enrol, which may be higher than the fee shown for this year.

Teaching and Assessment

Below you will find how learning time and assessment types are distributed on this course. The graphs below give an indication of what you can expect through approximate percentages, taken either from the experience of previous cohorts, or based on the standard module diet where historic course data is unavailable. Changes to the division of learning time and assessment may be made in response to feedback and in accordance with our terms and conditions.

How you'll be taught

Teaching methods across all our undergraduate courses focus on active student learning through lectures, seminars, workshops, problem-based and blended learning, and where appropriate practical application. Learning typically falls into three broad categories:

• Scheduled hours: examples include lectures, seminars, practical classes, workshops, supervised time in a studio
• Placement: placement hours normally include placement opportunities, but may also include live projects or virtual activity involving employers
• Independent study: non-scheduled time in which students are expected to study independently. This may include preparation for scheduled sessions, follow-up work, wider reading or practice, completion of assessment tasks, or revision

Year

Year

F

24%Scheduled hours76%Independent study0%0% Placement

Year

1

24%Scheduled hours76%Independent study0%0% Placement

Year

2

24%Scheduled hours76%Independent study0%0% Placement

Year

P

1%Scheduled hours0%0% Independent study99%Placement

Year

3

20%Scheduled hours80%Independent study0%0% Placement

Scheduled hoursIndependent studyPlacement

How you'll be assessed

Our undergraduate courses include a wide variety of assessments.

Assessments typically fall into three broad categories:

• Practical: examples include presentations, videos, podcasts, lab work, creating artefacts
• Written exams: end of semester exams
• Coursework: examples include essays, reports, in-class tests, portfolios, dissertation

Year

Year

F

0%0% Written exams16%Practical84%Coursework

Year

1

16%Written exams12%Practical72%Coursework

Year

2

11%Written exams17%Practical72%Coursework

Year

P

0%0% Written exams50%Practical50%Coursework

Year

3

0%0% Written exams13%Practical87%Coursework

Written examsPracticalCoursework

Data from the academic year 2024/25

Supporting you

Our Student Hub is where you’ll find out about the services and support we offer, helping you get the best out of your time with us.

• Study support – workshops, 1-2-1 support and online resources to help improve your academic and research skills
• Personal tutors – support you in fulfilling your academic and personal potential
• Student advice team – provide specialist advice on a range of issues including funding, benefits and visas
• Extra-curricular activities – volunteering opportunities, sports and fitness activities, student events and more

Visit our student hub

Course location

With state-of-the-art science and psychology labs and refurbished computer suites, our Cavendish Campus offers our science and technology students a range of learning spaces that are both dynamic and inspiring,

Located in central London, our Cavendish Campus is just a five-minute walk from Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road.

For more details, visit our Cavendish Campus page.

Related Courses

• Psychology BSc Honours
• Psychology and Criminology BSc Honours
• Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience BSc Honours