Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology MSc/DPsych
Overview
Please note: We are no longer accepting applications for September 2012 entry.
The Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology is a professional training programme, approved by the Health Professions Council (HPC) and accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS).
We aim to equip you with rigorous practical and theoretical principles, as well as sound ethical, professional and research skills, to enable you to become an effective and competent Practitioner Psychologist with the HPC, and Chartered Counselling Psychologist with the BPS.
Our professional and academic training enables you to work in a broad range of settings, including the NHS, medical settings, counselling centres, industry, government, private practice and academic and research settings, among others.
The Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and approved by the Health Professions Council (HPC).
Course Fees:
- Full-time EU: £7,500
- Full-time Non EU: £12,000
Start Date:
24 September 2012
Entry Requirements
The following are normally required for you to enter for first year of the DPsych:
As the majority of our students choose to proceed to the second year, we only have a small number of places available to external candidates each year.
The nature of the course requires that those who are offered a place will be asked to complete an enhanced CRB check in order to carry out the placements aspect of the course. We also require that those offered a place will undergo a health check in order to carry out the placements aspect of the course. We coordinate this, and do not pass any costs on to the trainee.
- A 2:1 honours degree or above.
- Participation in counselling-skills training. We are only looking for basic, certificate-level skills (i.e. a course which awards you a certificate on completion). We run a five day workshop at City University London, which equips you with relevant skills for application to the Professional Doctorate programme.
- Substantial experience with face-to-face counselling work (usually one year minimum). We are looking for substantial experience (usually one year minimum) with face-to-face counselling work. This could include working at a victim support unit, bereavement counselling, relationship counselling, etc. Counselling experience differs from other forms of clinical contact such as key working or working as a nursing assistant. Either voluntary or paid experience is suitable but you need to show you can talk about a case, conceptualise the person's problems, and put this within the context of a client's life history. We need people to have one or more years' counselling experience to show us that they understand the challenges of this type of work, and to demonstrate their capacity to reflect on the process of being with another's pain.
- The capacity to undertake research to doctoral level
- Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society (BPS)
As the majority of our students choose to proceed to the second year, we only have a small number of places available to external candidates each year.
The nature of the course requires that those who are offered a place will be asked to complete an enhanced CRB check in order to carry out the placements aspect of the course. We also require that those offered a place will undergo a health check in order to carry out the placements aspect of the course. We coordinate this, and do not pass any costs on to the trainee.
English Requirements
If English is not your first language, you need to provide evidence of either English GCSE grade C or above, or an overall IELTS score of 7.5 or above (with a minimum of 7.0 in each separate sub-category).
Visa Requirements
The way that you apply may vary depending on the length of your course at City, there are different rules for:
- Students on courses of more than 6 months
- Students on courses of less than 6 months
- Students on a pre-sessional English Language course
For more information see our main Visa page.
When and Where
- Start Date:
- 24 September 2012
- Duration:
- Three years.
Trainees are required to attend lectures at the University for three terms in Year 1. Each term is 10 weeks and all lectures are taught on a Wednesday from 9:00 - 17:00.
Please be aware that trainees are required to attend personal development days and assessments outside of term time.
Please note that this information is subject to change.
Course Content
Counselling Psychology at City has a long-established tradition and was one of the first courses to be accredited by the British Psychological Society in 1995. We have retained our accreditation since then, constantly keeping pace with developments both nationally and internationally, maintaining our reputation for innovation and excellence. At our last re-accreditation, we were proud to be commended on our personal tutor system and level of student satisfaction.
The DPsych aims to develop ethical, reflective and professional practitioners of counselling psychology who work collaboratively with their clients to provide high-quality psychological services, drawing on evidence-based psychological practice in the context of a therapeutic relationship characterised by trust, respect, and appreciation for the subjective experience of the person and individuality of the client and their unique world view.
You are equipped to work with a wide range of complex presenting issues; with individual adults and children, couples, families, groups and organisations; short and long term; in single and multi professional contexts; and through transferring psychological skills to others in multidisciplinary teams.
You are actively supported during your studies by the course team to develop your own personal theory of the evolution, maintenance and resolution of psychological problems, based on your reading, lectures, practical skills workshops, personal development, collaborative learning and clinical and research experience.
We want you to have a stimulating, challenging, inspiring and personally supportive environment in which to develop your knowledge and skills and further develop as a person and professional. We view you as active contributors to your learning and to the overall success of the course, treating each of you with respect and working with you in a genuinely collegial atmosphere as a developing professional.
Course Structure
N.B. Modules, and their content, are subject to change for 2012/3 and further details will appear here shortly.Year 1
The first year of the course is full-time with teaching on one day per week. In the first year we aim to give you opportunity to integrate psychological theory and existing research into your professional practice and encourage you to develop a level of self-understanding and awareness. We teach the three main models of Counselling Psychology together with an exploration of practice across the lifespan and across the diverse range of client groups and contexts.
Teaching in research design and analysis is also central to this year of the programme. In addition to the taught components of the programme, you are also required to complete a minimum of 100 hours' professional face-to-face client practice in your placements, undertake frequent clinical supervision, personal development, at least 15 hours of personal therapy and various pieces of coursework during the year, including a critical literature review, initial research proposal and professional practice log.
You are also expected to complete a minimum of 45 hours' indirect client work across the three years of the course.
Year 1 Modules:
- Person-centred approaches to counselling psychology
- Cognitive behavioural approaches to counselling psychology
- Psychodynamic approaches to counselling psychology
- Context, diversity and standards in professional practice
- Research design and analysis 1- intra-subject approaches
- Research design and analysis 2- inter-subject approaches
- Professional components of counselling psychology
- Professional development and supervision
- Personal and professional development
*If you exit after successful completion of Year 1, you will be awarded an MSc in Counselling Psychology or MSc Psychological Counselling (depending on your eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership). Only successful completion of all three years of the programme leads to the award of Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology, and eligibility to apply for registration as a Practitioner Psychologist with the Health Professions Council (HPC) and Chartership with the British Psychological Society (BPS).
Year 2
The second year aims to give you a programme of academic study and supervised practice that will lead to progression to the final year of the programme. During this year you are able to choose which model of counselling psychology you wish to develop further knowledge in (cognitive, humanistic or dynamic) and attend the relevant specialist supervision sessions.
In addition to the taught components, you are required to complete a minimum of 150 hours' professional face-to-face client practice in your placements, undertake frequent clinical supervision, personal development, at least 15 hours of personal therapy and various pieces of coursework during the year.
Year 2 modules:
- Professional components of counselling psychology
- Groups and Couples: Counselling and Mediation
- Elective Theory Advances
- Psychopathology: Clinical Skills and Critical Approaches
- Specialist group supervision
- Research proposal for counselling psychology
- Developing research skills in counselling psychology
- Level A psychometrics (optional)
Year 3
The final year of the course is full-time with teaching on one day per week. The emphasis of this year is to equip you to fulfil the role of Practitioner Psychologist.
In addition to the taught components, you are also required to complete a minimum of 200 hours' professional face-to-face client practice in your placements, clinical supervision, personal development, at least 10 hours of personal therapy and various pieces of coursework during the year, including your doctoral thesis.
Year 3 modules:
- Professional components of counselling psychology
- Introduction to Clinical Supervision Practice
- Integrative and Pluralistic approaches
- Developing research skills in counselling psychology
- Negotiating relationships: advanced skills
- DPsych counselling psychology thesis
- Specialist group supervision
- Consultancy and Professional Development Issues
- Level B psychometrics (optional)
Teaching and Assessment
Course director
Course tutors/lecturers/research supervisors
Dr Malcom Cross, Dr Jacqui Farrants, Nicola Gale, Professor Marina Gulina, Dr Deborah Rafalin, Dr Courtney Raspin, Dr Don Rawson, Dr Susan Strauss, Dr Jay Watts, Professor Carla Willig.
Teaching
A wide range of learning and teaching methods are used, including lectures, group discussion, group work, role play, trainee presentations, supervised clinical practice, personal therapy and personal development activities.
Assessment
You will be assessed through role plays, learning logs, skills assessments, essays, process reports, client studies, examination, critical literature review and DPsych portfolio.
Student Focus
We want your time on the course to be as inspiring, challenging and stimulating as it can be. As part of our dedication to enhancing the overall student experience, we support you throughout your studies in many different ways:
Personal Tutors
We were proud to be commended on our personal tutor system at our latest HPC/BPS accreditation. Personal tutors play a particularly central role in the Counselling Psychology course, providing a link between you, the course and the University. The personal tutor's role is to ensure your welfare throughout the duration of your study. You meet with your personal tutor regularly as part of the weekly Personal and Professional Development module
Student-Staff Liaison Committees
We regard you as active contributors to the success of the course. Student-Staff Liaison Committees give you an opportunity to meet formally with academic staff in order to give us feedback on your experience of the course and the University in general. We use these meetings to implement your suggestions, to make changes to the course if required, and to ensure that we retain the aspects which get positive feedback. These meetings are held regularly and enable us to ensure that the student experience is a positive one.
Placement Co-ordinator
The Placements Co-ordinator acts as the link between clinical placements, you and the University. They liaise with placement providers and provide you with information about potential clinical training opportunities. A large part of this role is maintaining contact with placements and acting as a supportive link for you whilst on placement. The Placements Coordinator often visits placements and organises events for Clinical Supervisors. In the past this has included workshops and social events.
Module Feedback
All modules on the programme are evaluated by the you. Module feedback normally takes place midway through the module, when you are asked to give confidential feedback on teaching and learning.
Fees
- Full-time EU: £7,500
- Full-time Non EU: £12,000
Funding
For up-to-date information about tuition fees, living costs and financial support, visit Undergraduate Fees and Finance or Postgraduate Fees and Finance.
Placements
In addition to the taught components of the course, you are also required to complete 400 hours of professional face-to-face client practice in placements and 45 hours of indirect client work; frequent clinical supervision; personal development; 40 hours of personal therapy (at least 15 hours in year 1); and various pieces of assessment throughout the 3 years, including a doctoral thesis.
Who arranges the placements?
It is your responsibility to find and arrange your own placements, although advice and support is offered by the Placements Co-ordinator and personal tutors. If your application is successful, on acceptance of a place on the course you will be sent further information about finding placements and available opportunities.
Do placements have to be in London?
No, you can undertake your placements wherever is convenient for you as long as you ensure your supervision is from appropriately qualified professionals. Supervisors should be registered with the Health Professions Council (HPC) as a 'Practitioner Psychologist', 'Registered Psychologist', 'Counselling Psychologist' or 'Clinical Psychologist'. All placements arrangements need to be approved by your personal tutor.
Supervision
Supervision should normally be in the ratio of one hour of supervision for every 8 hours of counselling work in Years 1 and 2, with a minimum of one hour of supervision per fortnight. In Year 3, supervision should be in the ratio of one hour for every 8 hours of counselling work, with a minimum of two hours of supervision per month.
Career Prospects
87 per cent of City's 2009 Psychology graduates were in employment or further study six months after graduation. Counselling Psychology graduates are typically employed in a variety of settings, including NHS primary, secondary or tertiary care, the prison service, schools and voluntary agencies.
Employers of recent graduates include:
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
- Central and North West London NHS Trust
- City University London
- Imperial College London
- Roehampton University
- London Metropolitan University
- Homerton University Hospital
- The Priory
- Capio Nightingale Hospital
For further information on working as a Chartered Counselling Psychologist, please see the following BPS website.
Find out more about City University London
DPsych Counselling Psychology
When to apply
Please note: We are no longer accepting applications for September 2012 entry.
We will be accepting applications for September 2013 entry from October onwards.
