Psychotherapy and Counselling (MSc) (2023 Entry)
Explore our Psychotherapy and Counselling taught Master's degree.
Psychotherapy and Counselling, offered as a part time MSc with a clinical placement, will provide you with in-depth clinical training. Join Warwick's Centre for Lifelong Learning and work with field experts as you develop psychotherapeutic and counselling skills.
Course overview
The course provides an in-depth clinical training which integrates theory and practice from a range of psychotherapeutic and counselling approaches, framed distinctively by a holistic view of the self and human experience. The MSc is 3 years long (ending at the end of the third year, rather than the summer). However, in order to achieve practitioner registration, it is essential to complete a post MSc accreditation programme after this MSc which may last 1 or 2 academic years thereafter.
There are two routes to the MSc, both of which are accredited by the UKCP: Psychotherapist and Psychotherapeutic Counsellor. Both routes require 450 hours of supervised one-to-one clinical practice in order to reach registration by the UKCP. The key difference between the routes is that the psychotherapist route requires more hours of personal therapy, a mental health familiarisation placement (to be found by the trainee), some extra weekend training, and a summative assessment.
Skills from this degree
- Use a range of meaningful and effective integrative approaches to develop relational skills for application to therapeutic practice
- Address a broad range of client need including more complex and severe mental health difficulties
- Apply a high level of relevant academic and professional knowledge to a range of settings, which provide counselling, psychotherapy and mental health services
- Utilise personal development opportunities to enhance interpersonal skills
- Acquire research skills and knowledge which are relevant to the counselling and psychotherapy field, and which can inform and enhance evidence-based practice
General entry requirements
Minimum requirements
2:i (BA/BSc Honours or equivalent) in psychology, social sciences, arts-related subject; basic counselling skills training and evidence of experience, of forming and sustaining helping relationships (either employed or voluntary).
Where appropriate, applicants with significant relevant study and professional and personal development qualifications and experience which does not equate to 2.i level, will be considered on a case by case basis.
Demonstration of personal and practical readiness to train as a practising psychotherapist or psychotherapeutic counsellor.
Duration
3 years part-time (plus up to two years on a post-master's accreditation programme for registration as a psychotherapist or psychotherapeutic counsellor).
English language requirements
You can find out more about our English language requirementsLink opens in a new window. This course requires the following:
- Band A
- Overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 and component scores.
International qualifications
We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications.
For more information, please visit the international entry requirements pageLink opens in a new window.
Additional requirements
There are no additional entry requirements for this course.
Core modules
Year One
The Psychotherapeutic Relationship 1: Introduction to Theory
You will critically analyse and synthesise in-depth specialist knowledge of a range of cutting edge theoretical approaches and their application to therapeutic practices relevant to a holistic and integrative approach to psychotherapy. You will also critically evaluate and compare psychotherapy theories and analyse and evaluate the evidence for their effectiveness, and evaluate their relevance for a holistic – integrative approach.
You will exhibit a sophisticated level of competence and curiosity in the exploration of these theoretical approaches through exercise of generic intellectual abilities as well as a capacity to synthesise and therapeutic theory and then apply this effectively to practice and their own professional and personal development.
The Psychotherapeutic Relationship 1: Introduction to Practice
You will take a proactive and critically evaluative role in practising and synthesising cutting-edge psychotherapeutic skills and approaches, applying key therapeutic qualities in practice and in professional relationships with others. You will critically analyse, synthesise and apply key therapeutic theory, including integrative theory, to practice. To critically and reflectively monitor and systematically evaluate own practice and development, and integrate learning from tutor and peer feedback into practice.
You will also demonstrate and synthesise all aspects of fitness and readiness to practice therapeutically with clients on supervised placement, assessed through: practice observation, written assignments including case studies, overall presentation on the course, including personal development groups and capacity for critical reflection, and viva.
The Psychotherapeutic Relationship 1: Introduction to Individual Development
You will critically and consistently reflect on all aspects of personal development, including cultural competence, and proactively formulate and synthesise ideas and hypotheses to evaluate these. You will also successfully complete the Mental Health placement, and critically evaluate and synthesise knowledge of Mental Health gained to support practice and multi-professional working.
You will also understand, critically evaluate, synthesise and apply, ethical, legal and professional principles to professional and personal development in support of practice
Year Two
The Psychotherapeutic Relationship 2: Development of Theory, Practice and Individual Development
You will be offered every week a blend of formal lecture which includes consideration of application of theory to practice, and a clinical seminar where a student presents and critiques case material from relevant literature. There is also a weekly clinical practice development session which acts as the focus for therapeutic practice development with tutor, peer and self-evaluation and feedback a prominent feature. You will be offered some Saturday teaching sessions which will offer formal lectures, looking at applications to professional and personal development of key themes as well as being expected to fully participate fully in a personal development group.
Research in Professional Practice
This module aims to develop understanding of the research process and its relevance to your professional practice, including designing and carrying out research into your own practice field. This includes identifying research questions and appropriate research strategies and gathering and analysing sources using a variety of methods. It will enable you to carry out research into an aspect of career development or coaching practice of interest and relevance to you.
Year Three
The Psychotherapeutic Relationship 3: Integration of Theory, Practice and Individual Development
Dissertation
Teaching
Learning is via a combination of formal lecture, seminar, practice development, experiential learning and personal development groups. There is also a requirement for 450 clinical practice hours in a community based placement setting (with 1 to 6 hours supervision requirements) plus a minimum of 35 hours a year personal therapy.
Class sizes
Typical group size is around 15 students.
Typical contact hours
One evening each week (4.5 contact hours) plus one Saturday a month (6 hours).
Assessment
There is a range of assessment used including case study, theory and reflective assignments, tutor and self-evaluation practice, research appraisal and a dissertation of 12-15,000 words. For the latter typically, you are asked to choose a topic of interest relevant to psychotherapy and counselling, which can form the basis of empirical research and have a positive impact on this professional field.
Reading lists
Most departments have reading lists available through Warwick Library. If you would like to view reading lists for the current cohort of students you can visit our Warwick Library web page.
Your timetable
Your personalised timetable will be complete when you are registered for all modules, compulsory and optional, and you have been allocated to your lectures, seminars and other small group classes. Your compulsory modules will be registered for you when you join us.
Your career
Our approaches to therapy are geared to the current economic climate, graduates may have the opportunity to work within a range of sectors:
- NHS and community roles
- Work within the third sector/private sector - (GP Surgeries, Hospices, Survivors of Domestics Abuse or Substance).
On completion of the Master’s and required hours via the UKCP either during the Master’s programme or during the post-Master’s Accreditation Programme, graduates can register as a qualified Psychotherapeutic Counsellor.
Centre for Lifelong Learning (CLL)
For more than 30 years, the Centre for Lifelong Learning has been a centre of expertise in the education of lifelong learners in different contexts. It has a focus on enabling adult learners to achieve their personal and professional goals by accessing a Warwick education, irrespective of background.
Our departmental research strategy focuses on four interconnected themes: concepts of lifelong learning; people-focused professions; wellbeing and identity; participation and collaboration. We seek to enthuse staff, students, and the wider community with this vision. More information is available on our website.
Find out more about us by visiting our website.Link opens in a new window
Our Postgraduate Taught courses
- Career Coaching and Counselling (PGA)
- Career Development and Coaching Studies (MA)
- Career Development and Coaching Studies (PGCert)
- Career Development and Coaching Studies (PGDip)
- Career Development Theories (PGA)
- Career Education, Information and Guidance in HE (MA)
- Career Education, Information and Guidance in HE (PGCert)
- Career Education, Information and Guidance in HE (PGDip)
- Challenges of Careers Work in Higher Education (PGA)
- Coaching (MA)
- Coaching (PGCert)
- Coaching (PGDip)
- Psychotherapy and Counselling (MSc)
Our Postgraduate Research courses
Tuition fees
Tuition fees are payable for each year of your course at the start of the academic year, or at the start of your course, if later. Academic fees cover the cost of tuition, examinations and registration and some student amenities.
Taught course fees Research course fees
Fee Status Guidance
We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Students will be classified as Home or Overseas fee status. Your fee status determines tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available. If you receive an offer, your fee status will be clearly stated alongside the tuition fee information.
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If you believe that your fee status has been classified incorrectly, you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire. Please follow the instructions in your offer information and provide the documents needed to reassess your status.
Find out more about how universities assess fee status
Additional course costs
As well as tuition fees and living expenses, some courses may require you to cover the cost of field trips or costs associated with travel abroad.
For departmental specific costs, please see the Modules tab on the course web page for the list of core and optional core modules with hyperlinks to our Module Catalogue (please visit the Department’s website if the Module Catalogue hyperlinks are not provided).
Associated costs can be found on the Study tab for each module listed in the Module Catalogue (please note most of the module content applies to 2022/23 year of study). Information about module department specific costs should be considered in conjunction with the more general costs below:
- Core text books
- Printer credits
- Dissertation binding
- Robe hire for your degree ceremony
Scholarships and bursaries
Scholarships and financial support
Find out about the different funding routes available, including; postgraduate loans, scholarships, fee awards and academic department bursaries.
Living costs
Find out more about the cost of living as a postgraduate student at the University of Warwick.
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Here is our checklist on how to apply for taught postgraduate courses at Warwick.
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Here is our checklist on how to apply for research postgraduate degrees at the University of Warwick.
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