BA (Hons) Top Up in Counselling (Subject to Validation)

Applicants must be qualified counselling practitioners and hold a professional level Counselling Diploma or a Foundation Degree in Counselling.

Our teaching methodology is designed to inspire and challenge, blending traditional lectures with interactive seminars, workshops, and student-led sessions. We invite guest speakers to bring real-world insights, introduce you to community projects aimed at broadening your understanding and recognition, as well as embracing the power of networking to forge connections that last a lifetime.

Our assessment strategy is not just a test of your knowledge; it's an opportunity for you to demonstrate your skills and creativity. From literature-based dissertations to projects, essays, and reports, we offer a diverse range of assessment methods that cater to different learning styles and preferences. Under the guidance of our experienced faculty, you'll take a journey of discovery, culminating in a pre-defined research activity that challenges you to push the boundaries of your understanding.

With face-to-face teaching sessions held two evenings per week, you'll find yourself immersed in a world of learning that transcends the boundaries of the classroom, with the commitment to supporting you with personal tutorials, dissertation meetings, online sessions, and guided activities and group work.

Our teaching and assessment approach is designed to highlight our commitment to providing the support and guidance you need to succeed.

There will be no placement requirement on the top up programme.

You will embark on a journey of discovery by engaging in a community project aimed at enhancing your understanding of local community need and diversity, as well as improving your community integration and networking skills.

Our extensive industry links mean students won't be navigating their journey alone – you will have mentors, professionals, and organisations offering specific guidance, training and advice tailored to the field.

This isn't just education, it's a partnership with the industry's finest local contributors and a chance to be mentored by experts. This is a unique opportunity to turn knowledge into applied wisdom.

You will be required to commit to two evenings of face-to-face study per week and engage in various learning activities outside of the classroom.

Beyond traditional lectures, you'll engage in guided study tasks, immersive workshops, collaborative group projects, online lessons and interactive sessions. This approach ensures that your education transcends the confines of the classroom, providing you with the tools and resources to thrive in both academic and real world settings.

The programme is delivered with a mindful approach to empower you to delve deep into your studies while navigating life's demands, with an understanding that you may already be in counselling practice. It's not just about accommodating schedules, it's about an aim to create a space where education seamlessly integrates with your life.

We recommend that students join the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapists (BACP) to assist in the navigation of ethical working practice. This provides students with a framework to support ethical and legal practice, and a range of tools, information and support to help with your studies. Additionally, the programme meets the requirements for students to apply to work toward accreditation post-qualification if they choose.

Whilst this is not a requirement, students are advised to register with a professional body offering an appropriate ethical framework before engaging in industry practice. Students should liaise with their chosen agencies/organisations to ensure they are working to agency/organisation requirements and policies.

The course is delivered face-to-face on a Tuesday and Thursday evening betweem 6pm-9pm.

In a world where the demand for counselling expertise continues to rise and the landscape of mental health support is rapidly evolving, there has never been a more crucial time to equip yourself with the skills and knowledge to make a difference.

Building upon the foundation of our Counselling Foundation Degree, our BA top up programme combines expertise and ambition. We recognise that counselling is not just a profession; it's a calling and a dedication to the betterment of lives.

It is with this understanding that we developed our programme to meet the demands of a professionalised counselling landscape. Today's counsellors are not just practitioners; they are evaluators, researchers and contributors to the advancement of knowledge in their field. Our curriculum is designed to empower you with the tools necessary to navigate this dynamic environment with confidence and competence.

We have designed a programme that goes beyond the classroom and beyond theory, into the heart of real-world application. From community projects to workshops led by industry experts, we offer opportunities for networking, skill enhancement and the devopment of specialisation.

We understand the importance of business acumen in today's counselling landscape. Whether you aspire to start your own private practice, or to establish a community interest company, we are here to support you in your chosen direction. Our programme aims to equips you with the essential skills and understanding to succeed, ensuring that you not only excel as counsellors but also as entrepreneurs and leaders in your field.

You will study modules including:

- A Journey into Counselling Chronicles: Crafting your Dissertation Exploration (40 credits)

This module provides students with the opportunity to engage in an in depth exploration of counselling topics agreed in tutorials with their dissertation supervisor. The module aims to support students in the development of advanced research skills, while empowering students to take responsibility for conducting thorough and critical literature reviews in preparation for their dissertation.

The module is aimed at encouraging students to apply and extend their understanding of the diverse perspectives explored in other modules, with an emphasis on the importance of understanding and integrating diverse cultural perspectives in counselling practices. Students will be further encouraged to explore the intersectionality of a person's identity and their experiences, recognising how various identity factors intersect and influence an individual's experiences in counselling.

Students will be guided to choose dissertation topics that align with their interests and promote diversity in the field of counselling and psychotherapy, and will provide meaningful contributions to the existing literature, with a promotion of inclusivity and cultural sensitivity in their chosen areas of study.

- Community Engagement and Project Integration (10 credits)

The Community Engagement and Project Integration module covers the key themes and topics essential for effective engagement with diverse communities. Students begin by exploring the dynamics of communities and considering various factors, such as culture, socio-economic status, deprivation and politics. Students will learn to conduct thorough needs assessments, incorporating and working with the perspectives of diverse community members.

Students will build effective relationships that focus on rapport building, cultural competency and communication strategies. The planning of the project will involve identifying community-driven goals and aligning them with resources. Volunteer management and recruitment strategies are discussed, with attention to diversity and inclusion. Cultural sensitivity and inclusivity will be promoted and emphasised throughout project implementation.

- Counselling Insights: Bridging Research, Practice and Progress (30 credits)

The module will emphasise the significant role research plays in informing and advancing counselling practices and students will explore qualitative and quantitative approaches, with a specific focus on an in depth exploration of one qualitative method, alongside a broader understanding of research methodologies. Practical aspects of research will be explored, including the development of a research proposal and exploration of ethical considerations to enable students to apply theoretical knowledge to real world scenarios.

A significant element of the module involves the practical application of the pre-defined research task, where students will develop first-hand experience in data collection and analysis.

- Holistic Growth in Practice: Nurturing Therapeutic Excellence (20 credits)

The module evaluates the provision of counselling within employment and organisational settings, while reviewing the practicality of independent practice. The module also explores alternative approaches to the counselling relationship and considers the incorporation of perspectives from feminist and faith-based counselling approaches, with an aim to emphasise on diversity.

One key theme explored throughout the module is cultural competence in counselling and psychotherapy, evaluating models and frameworks designed to enhance understanding of cultural differences in therapeutic settings, with recognition of the significance of creating bespoke approaches to diverse cultural backgrounds. The intersectionality of identities such as race, gender and sexual orientation will be explored, alongside how these intersections influence experiences within therapeutic relationships. The module will aim to encourage students to consider how multiple identities shape an individual's encounters with and how they respond to counselling.

- All Mental Health Matters: Navigating Diverse Realities in Counselling Practice (20 credits)

This module provides an exploration of various mental health issues that counsellors may encounter in counselling practice. The module reviews differing psychological approaches to mental health issues and the therapeutic interventions used within these models.

The aim of the module is to develop understanding and offer insights into diverse perspectives, including those of mental health service users. The module explores the diagnosis of mental illness in line with the DSM-5 and incorporates alternative conceptualisations of mental health. Some of the key topics include legal rights of mental health service users, issues of discrimination, risk assessment, and considerations of race and gender in the mental health care industry.

The module aims to provide a holistic and inclusive perspective on mental health concerns and acknowledges diverse viewpoints.

University of Hull

This course is worth 120 USAC credits.