Counselling and Psychotherapy

MSc

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Level of study:
Masters
Entry Requirements:
More information
Start date:
September 2027
Duration:
Two years full-time
Attendance:
Full-time
Course delivery:
On-campus (City Campus)

Image of a lecturer teaching students in a Psychology teaching lab

About this course

This course will open for applications shortly.

In the meantime, you may wish to come and visit us in person at our next Postgraduate Open Event on Wednesday 25 November to meet the teaching team and find out more.

This course is designed to provide you with the academic knowledge and practical skills necessary to work as an integrative counsellor, meeting the training requirements to be eligible for professional accreditation.As a student, you will learn the importance of counselling theory and skills, personal and professional development, research skills to support evidence-based practice, and ethical practice with diverse client groups.

This course has been designed to meet the requirements for professional accreditation.

100 hours on placement

Students are required to complete at least 100 hours of client work at a counselling placement, providing valuable real world experience
Apply your learning

Apply your learning to real world problems across education, clinical and social contexts.
Put your research skills into practice

with your independent research project, focusing on a topic of your choice.
Accreditation with the BACP

Upon successfully completing the course and the mandatory training requirements, you will meet be eligible for professional accreditation.

As part of one of the UK's largest psychology departments, students benefit from learning alongside staff with expertise across counselling, clinical psychology and the wider field of psychology, offering a broad and informed perspective on mental health and psychological wellbeing.

Final year modules will also support students in the next steps after qualification, including sessions to develop entrepreneurship skills (for example through workshops to support the development of private practice).

Module information

A standard full-time MSc course is made up of 180 credits studied each year. Some courses may vary, however, and you can find information on the total number of credits achieved per module below.

Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll be studying throughout the course:

We regularly review our course content based on student and employer feedback to ensure they remain current and relevant. This may result in changes to module content or availability in future years. Optional modules will only run where there is sufficient demand. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis to protect the academic and student experience.

This course starts in mid-September. A dedicated induction day is provided for all students which introduces you to your course, to your teaching teams and to the university facilities.

The course is completed in two years of full-time study. The contact teaching for full-time students will generally be two days per week to allow time for students to complete their placements around studying.

Study and support

All of the core modules on these courses are taught exclusively to MSc Counselling and Psychotherapy students by experienced staff used to working with students from a wide variety of backgrounds and with varying skills and experiences.

The course will be delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials, and lab classes. These will differ from traditional lectures and be highly experiential in nature, requiring active participation in all students across teaching. Due to this, and as the course will require 100% attendance, the teaching will not be recorded.

Further support is provided through a dedicated tutorial system. You will meet with your personal tutor on a weekly basis throughout terms one and two. Tutorials provide an opportunity to discuss the course content, studying methods and assessments in small groups in additional to pastoral support, advice and guidance provided by your tutor.

Support is also provided from the NTU Employability through specialist tutorial sessions. In addition, you will be asked to write a detailed career plan for one of your assessments which will support you with your next steps after you complete the course. You will also make full use of the facilities provided by the University's Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

An active research environment

Throughout the course you'll benefit from research-informed teaching. Find out more about our psychology research, including the Centre for Public and Psychosocial Health.

In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021, 100% of NTU's research environment in Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience was assessed to be world-leading or internationally excellent in terms of quality.

In-sessional English language support

In-sessional English language support classes are available to all international (non-EU) students studying on degree courses at NTU. There is no extra charge for these classes.

How you're assessed

During the course you'll be assessed in a variety of ways and on a modular basis; through coursework (including essays, portfolio and research reports) observations and recordings of practice, and via your research project.

Contact hours

BACP accreditation requires all students to complete at least 450 hours of direct teaching.

Helen Swaby

Senior Lecturer

Helen Swaby is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Nottingham Trent University.
Visit Helen Swaby's staff profile
Bryony Harper

Senior Lecturer

Bryony Harper
Visit Bryony Harper's staff profile
April Agustudottir

Senior Lecturer

April Ágústudóttir, Senior Lecturer in the Nottingham Institute of Psychology.
Visit April Agustudottir's staff profile
Iram Shah

Senior Lecturer

Iram Shah is Senior Lecturer in Psychology (Counselling and Psychological Therapies) within the School of Social Sciences at Nottingham Trent University.
Visit Iram Shah's staff profile

Entry requirements

UK students

An undergraduate honours degree (2:2 or above) in a relevant subject such as Psychology, Counselling, Sociology, Health, Education or Social Sciences
And evidence of relevant training or experience (e.g. working with people in a helping, caring, support, teaching, mentoring, healthcare or voluntary role)

In addition to the main entry requirements, you will need to:

provide a 1-2 page CV outlining relevant work, study or training experience
provide a personal statement of up to 1,000 words. See guidance notes.
provide an academic or employer reference from the last three years (up to 800 words). Please note that staff involved in the Admissions process for this course cannot provide references. See guidance notes.
provide a character reference. See guidance notes.
complete a DBS check (see additional costs for further information).

Please read the additional entry requirements below for further information on entry requirements if you don't hold a degree in one of the relevant subjects outlined above.

Additional requirements for UK students

If you don't hold an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject, you will need:

A non-relevant undergraduate degree (2.2. or above), and at least 12 months relevant training or experience (e.g. working with people in a helping, caring, support, teaching, mentoring, healthcare or voluntary role)

If you are currently practising:

A portfolio of professional qualification/s and work experience in a helping profession, evidencing academic study and professional practice equivalent to Level 6. Applicants admitted through this route will be required to demonstrate their ability to study successfully at postgraduate level, and to demonstrate how their portfolio of experience/qualifications links to counselling and psychotherapy theory and practice. The portfolio will be assessed by the course team.

Other qualifications and experience

We welcome applications from students with non-standard qualifications and learning backgrounds and work experience. We consider credit transfer, vocational and professional qualifications, and any work or life experience you may have.

You can view our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy which outlines the process and options available, such as recognising experiential learning and credit transfer.

Getting in touch

If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form.

International students

An undergraduate honours degree (2:2 or above) in a relevant subject such as Psychology, Counselling, Sociology, Health, Education or Social Sciences
And evidence of relevant training or experience (e.g. working with people in a helping, caring, support, teaching, mentoring, healthcare or voluntary role)

In addition to the main entry requirements, you will need to:

provide a 1-2 page CV outlining relevant work, study or training experience
provide a personal statement of up to 1,000 words. See guidance notes.
provide an academic or employer reference from the last three years (up to 800 words). Please note that staff involved in the Admissions process for this course cannot provide references. See guidance notes.
provide a character reference. See guidance notes.
complete a DBS check (see additional costs for further information).

Please read the additional entry requirements below for further information on entry requirements if you don't hold a degree in one of the relevant subjects outlined above.

Additional requirements for international students

If you don't hold an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject, you will need:

A non-relevant undergraduate degree (2.2. or above), and at least 12 months relevant training or experience (e.g. working with people in a helping, caring, support, teaching, mentoring, healthcare or voluntary role)

If you are currently practising:

A portfolio of professional qualification/s and work experience in a helping profession, evidencing academic study and professional practice equivalent to Level 6. Applicants admitted through this route will be required to demonstrate their ability to study successfully at postgraduate level, and to demonstrate how their portfolio of experience/qualifications links to counselling and psychotherapy theory and practice. The portfolio will be assessed by the course team.

English language requirements

View our English language requirements for all courses, including alternative English language tests and country qualifications accepted by the University.

If you need help achieving the language requirements, we offer a Pre-Sessional English for Academic Purposes course on our City campus which is an intensive preparation course for academic study at NTU.

Other qualifications and experience

You can view our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy which outlines the process and options available, such as recognising experiential learning and credit transfer.

Sign up for emails

Sign up to receive regular emails from the International Office. You'll hear about our news, scholarships and any upcoming events in your country with our expert regional teams.

Getting in touch

If you need advice about studying at NTU as an international student or how to apply, our international webpages are a great place to start. If you have any questions about your study options, your international qualifications, experience, grades or other results, please get in touch through our enquiry form. Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world.

Policies

We strive to make our admissions procedures as fair and clear as possible. To find out more about how we make offers, visit our admissions policies page.

Fees and funding

UK students

- see the fees for this course, as well as information about funding and support.

£6,750

Please note that if you are considering a course that runs over more than one year, the tuition fee stated is for the first year of study. The course fee for the second year may be subject to annual review.

Scholarships

You might be able to get a scholarship to help fund your studies. We award scholarships to those who can demonstrate excellent achievement, passion and dedication to their studies. See which courses are eligible for scholarships.

Alumni discount

We’re happy to offer a 20% alumni discount to most current NTU students and recent NTU alumni. This discount is currently available for those starting an eligible postgraduate taught, postgraduate research or professional course.

Postgraduate loans

There is a government postgraduate loan scheme for Masters degrees. The loan contributes towards costs of study, and students can put it towards tuition fees, maintenance costs or other costs at their discretion. Find out more about postgraduate loans.

International students

- see the fees for this course, as well as payment advice and scholarships.

£13,500

Scholarships

Alumni discount

Living costs

See our advice on managing your money, the cost of living as an international student in Nottingham and how to budget.

Paying fees

As an international student, you'll need to make an advance payment as part of your offer conditions. You'll then need to pay your tuition fees in full, or have an agreement to pay in two further instalments, in order to enrol on the course.

Find out how and when to pay your fees, including information about your advance payment, instalment dates and how to make payments securely to the University.

Enquiries

If you have any queries relating to advance payments or arrangements to pay, please contact our friendly and experienced international enquiries team.

Additional costs

Your course fees cover the cost of studies and include loads of great benefits, such as the use of our library, support from our expert Employability team and free use of the IT equipment across our campuses. There are just a few additional things you may need to budget for:

Textbooks and library books

Your modules will point you to key textbooks and recommended reading. Many are available online, and in our libraries, but some students choose to buy their own copies. You’ll receive resource lists showing where to access eBooks, digital resources and physical copies. Our friendly Library team is always on hand to help you find what you need.

Printing and photocopying costs

The University allocates an annual printing and copying allowance of £20 depending on the course you are studying. For more details about costs for additional print and copying required over and above the annual allowance please see the printing and photocopying information on the Library website.

DBS costs

Students are required to undertake an enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check at enrolment, and also to register for the annual update Service. There will be a cost to undertake these checks and updates.

Counselling and Psychotherapy additional costs

As a student on this course there are likely to be additional costs incurred that you should familiarise yourself with ahead of joining NTU. These includes costs relating to

supervision
personal therapy
insurance
professional body (BACP) studentmembership
and other personal expenses.

The British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) has provided guidance on these which you can find under the 'Training fees and expenses' heading.

Fees and funding advice

For more advice and guidance, phone the Student Money Team on +44 (0)115 848 2494.

Cost of living information and support

Managing your money can help you make the most of life at NTU. Here's how we can support you, and now you can make your funding go further.

Cost of living in Nottingham

Our student benefits and free services

Money advice for international students

Careers and employability

The course is ideally suited to students seeking a career as a practicing counsellor and psychotherapist. Graduates may gain employment within the charitable sector, the NHS, private practice, or in academia.

However, your qualification in counselling and psychotherapy is likely to be valued by a wide range of potential employers because you will have demonstrated an ability to write essays and professional reports, communicate and present effectively to others, develop interpersonal and therapeutic counselling skills, and engage in substantial personal and professional development (amongst other transferable skills).

Careers and job application advice is available to all our postgraduate students and is provided on a one-to-one basis by a subject specialist within the Department, supported by the university-wide careers service.

Employability team

Our expert Employability team will work closely with you at every stage of your career planning, providing personal support and advice. You can benefit from this service at any time during your studies, and for up to three years after completing your course. Find out more about the service.

Employability support

Employability Get careers support throughout your postgraduate studies and for up to three years after graduation. You can also access NTU's online careers resources whenever you need them, for life.
NTU Enterprise

If you’re a budding entrepreneur, NTU Student Enterprise can help you to develop your ideas and innovations and turn them into a reality. We also offer training, mentoring, workshops, financial advice and more to develop your business skills.

Campus and facilities

As a Counselling and Psychotherapy student, you’ll mostly study in our Chaucer and Taylor buildings and benefit from our Psychology Laboratories which includes eye-trackers, motion capture labs, virtual reality and driving simulation suites, a mock prison cell, and an £80,000 EEG system. These facilities support your learning alongside staff research in the exciting areas of human cognition, behavioural neuroscience, human interaction and communication, and human development.

NTU’s City Campus has everything you’ll need to stay busy between lectures. As well as the Boots Library and its beautiful roof garden, there’s our stylish Students’ Union building and two-storey, 100-station gym; a whole host of cafés, bars, restaurants and food outlets for every taste; our much-loved Global Lounge; performance and rehearsal spaces for musicians; and much, much more!

Take a few steps off campus and you’ll find yourself in the heart of Nottingham — one of Britain’s top 10 student cities, and one of Europe’s top 25. It’s stuffed with history, culture, and well-kept secrets to discover at your leisure. Enjoy lush green spaces, galleries, hidden cinemas and vintage shopping by day, and an acclaimed food, drink and social scene by night.

Applying

UK students

All applications to this course can be made through our NTU Applicant Portal.

If you are interested in joining us in September, this course will be open for applications through the applicant portal from September the previous year.

All applications welcome

We welcome applications from prospective students with a range of qualifications and experience, and all are assessed on an individual basis. Applicants who do not meet the standard entry criteria can still be considered providing they have relevant experience to compliment any qualifications. All applicants will need to apply through our NTU Applicant Portal.

If you're applying without prior qualifications, you'll need to submit comprehensive details of your achievements with evidence to substantiate your claim (any documentation can be uploaded to the My Documents section of the Applicant Portal). This type of application will be considered with respect to the University’s provision for ‘accreditation for prior experiential learning’. Decisions regarding the accreditation of prior learning are a matter of academic judgement.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check

You will be required to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service check to take part in this course due to the nature of the placements involved, and potentially working with vulnerable individuals.

Keeping up to date

After you’ve applied, we’ll be sending you important emails throughout the application process - so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.

Good luck with your application!

Apply now

International students

Apply online through our NTU applicant portal.

Would you like some advice on your study plans?

Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.

Complete this simple form to keep in touch with the International Office.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check

Students are required to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service check to take part in this course due to the nature of the placements involved, and potentially working with vulnerable individuals.

However, DBS checks only cover students from the UK, so unless you have been resident in the UK for five years or more, we will need a criminal record check from your home country as you may be working with vulnerable people. Checks from overseas can sometimes be referred to by a variety of names such as a Police Check or a Good Behaviour Record. To find out what it is called in your home country and how to apply for one, please visit the government website.

If you are an overseas student you are advised to apply for a home police check to support your research. You will need to demonstrate in your ethics form that you have met all the requirements of your home country to work with vulnerable populations.

Once you have obtained your police check, a copy of the documentation (in English) should be passed to the relevant course administrator in the School of Social Sciences Office.

Please read our application guidance before you start your application.

Where a Student visa is required, we advise you to prepare and apply as early as you can as visa processing time can vary.

We'll send you important emails throughout the application process. Please check your emails regularly, including your junk/spam mail folder.

Apply now