BA (Hons) Counselling Practitioner with Foundation Year

There are multiple rich opportunities, throughout the degree, to learn and refine practical counseling skills. These skills will be employed in a real-world context when students begin supervised client work with adults in their second year of study. The degree program offers students the opportunity to engage with a contemporary curriculum, informed by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Guidelines for Stage 3 Core Practitioner Training (2022), the BACP Gold book criteria for the accreditation of training courses (2021), and the subject benchmarks for Counselling and Psychotherapy (QAA, 2022).

As the program aligns with the BACP requirements, students can apply for BACP membership upon completion. Such professional membership is an essential aspect of ethical practice. Graduates may also apply to sit the BACP’s Certificate of Proficiency test, allowing them to join the BACP register, a public record of counselors who meet the BACP quality standards. This level of BACP membership is often listed as a pre-requisite for employment as a counselor in key organizations such as the NHS, educational establishments, and third-sector providers of counseling services. Students are also encouraged to apply for student BACP membership while on this course.

Application for this course is via UCAS, although there is no formal requirement for UCAS points to access the system (commonly, GCSE English or equivalent is desirable). As part of your application, you will have the opportunity to speak with a member of BGU Admissions staff to resolve any questions or queries.

Different degree subjects may have specific entry requirements to allow you to progress from the Foundation Year. While not a condition of entry onto the Foundation Year, you must have met these by the time you complete the first year of this four-year course.

As part of your Foundation Year, through a series of subject-specific sessions, you will also develop the foundational listening skills used by counselors and those in helping or support roles. These subject sessions will enable you to develop skills applicable to various professional settings. They can help enhance communication at work and personal relationships and provide a valuable foundation for further study in counseling or related fields.

20 hours of work permit weekly for international students.