Foundation Degree in Counselling Theory and Practice

 

 

Intermediate Awards	Certificate in Higher Education
Mode of Study	Full-time.
Location of Study	London Road Campus
Course Length	Two years Total Guided Learning Hours (GL) 320 hours Total Qualification Time (TQT) – 2 years
Course Code	FLR5FCT001
UCAS Code	CB90
QAA Subject Benchmarks	QAA Benchmark Statements for Counselling and Psychotherapy (2013)
HECoS Code	100495 counselling
Accreditation Type	Staffordshire University
Accreditation Details	The Counselling Theory and Practice award is not accredited with a professional body; however, this programme combined with a Level Three Certificate in Counselling Skills (entry requirement for the award) meets some of the current criteria for working towards individual membership with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
Criteria for Admission to the Programme	Applicants must have a Level 3 Certificate in Counselling or equivalent. Applicants also need to supply the name of one referee from an academic source. Every applicant is invited to an interview to assess their suitability for the course. At the interview, they need to declare and discuss previous convictions, reprimands, cautions or final warnings. Entry requirements include passes at GCSE for English and Maths at grade 4 or above however equivalent qualifications and/or work experience will be taken into consideration. Applicants without GCSEs will be required to complete prior to entry on this course. GCSE courses are offered at the college during the evening and daytime.
Minimum/Maximum Numbers	Minimum 12                  Maximum 15 Applicants will be advised 10/09/2024 if insufficient numbers have been recruited to make the course viable.
Course Fee	£7,425 for full-time study. Please refer to the published fee policy for information on international fees, when your fees are due and how they will be collected.
Additional Costs	The requirements for Placement trainee counsellors are: Clinical supervision at 1 hour per 8.5 hours of counselling BACP membership as a student counsellor Professional liability insurance An enhanced DBS Personal therapy 20 hours over the two years. The trainee counsellor is responsible for the costs of these placement requirements.
Date of Production	October 2023
Proposed Revision Date	June 2024

 

This Programme Specification provides useful information about your course being delivered at Shrewsbury Colleges Group, how it will be delivered and how you will be assessed - it should be read in conjunction with the Programme Specification you were provided with during recruitment.

We hope you choose to come and study with us at Shrewsbury Colleges Group and take advantage of the opportunity to access Higher Education locally in Shropshire. 

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Welcome from Curriculum Leader:

Michelle Dawes

The information in your course handbook is about the award, University regulations and counselling specific guidelines, and you need to refer to it when necessary. We have included information about the award itself, and also about the staff who will guide you through your Foundation Degree and the learning resources that will be helpful to you on the programme.

We hope that this year is a successful one for you and that you enjoy your time at Shrewsbury Colleges Group.

Michelle Dawes

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Staff Profiles

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Overview of the Award – what does the course involve?

The underlying principles guiding the teaching, learning and assessment within the Foundation Degree are that all students should acquire and further develop transferable skills such as communication skills, reflective practice, self-awareness, written and verbal communication skills, as well as start to develop an ethical approach to solving problems.

These academic skills are supported by work placement activities that promote personal traits such as confidence, initiative and decision-making, which are required to optimise employment opportunities.

Classroom-based learning

This will be facilitated and delivered by the module teams at Shrewsbury College supported by specialist visiting lecturers, service users, carers and clinicians. Classroom-based learning builds upon students’ understanding of key theoretical approaches to counselling and develops therapeutic practice to promote health and well-being in individuals and their communities.

Group Process & Personal Development

Personal development is a fundamental component of counsellor training and is facilitated through exercises/activities and group process and is a central ethos throughout the whole programme. The aim is to enhance self-awareness with particular attention to ‘self and others’ whilst embodying the core conditions of Empathy, UPR and Congruence in order to create a climate for growth.

Practice and Development Groups (PAD)

These groups involve triad work to enhance counselling practice and engagement in a wider group context in order to critique practice for development purposes. The environment will create opportunities for constructive feedback whilst simultaneously recognizing and respecting the autonomy of each individual, and their particular style, to support, encourage and enable professional development.

Personal Therapy

Students must complete a minimum of 10 hours of personal therapy at Level 4, and at least 20 hours by the end of Level 5. The therapist must have training in the Person-centred, Gestalt or Existential approach and must be registered with the BACP.

Inter-professional Learning

The award will enable you to develop a professional perspective in relation to self and others, this includes developing effective communication skills, being able to contribute productively as part of a team and able to organise time and resources effectively.

Placement for work-based learning

Students are required to acquire work-based learning as trainee counsellors on Placement, to complete their 100 hours of practice, at an appropriate agency offering counselling services.

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Programme Aims

Aims of the programme:

The Foundation Degree in Counselling Theory and Practice is designed to comply with current BACP Ethical Practice and is suitable for any individual whose qualification goal is to achieve professional status in counselling.

Programme Learning Outcomes

The main objective of this award is to provide meaningful practice experiences and that on completion candidates will be able to:

• Demonstrate a critical understanding of key contemporary approaches to counselling
• Demonstrate reflective, flexible and ethical learning and practice that can recognise and respond to the impact of the cultural and societal influences upon clients
• Integrate work experience opportunities throughout the programme in order to promote employability skills
• Demonstrate knowledge and skill as practitioners who can relate theoretical concepts to the counselling context and who are able to respond to the increasing demand for therapies.

Work experience is an integral feature throughout this programme, with the opportunity for a range of learning opportunities within a variety of counselling settings. This is formally evaluated within specific modules and by the work-based facilitator, to give a credible and realistic appraisal of employability skills, to provide a unique opportunity to gain an insight into future employment

Lecturers are members of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and are subject to the BACP Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy. All lecturers are working as professional counsellors in clinical supervised practice and strive to ensure that trainee counsellors’ preparation for practice is of the highest possible standard.

Completion of the Foundation Degree in Counselling Theory and Practice provides students with the required number of taught hours and supervised practice hours as stipulated by the BACP, to satisfy employer requirements.

This programme is distinctive because:

The course offers individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, an opportunity to enter the field of counselling and/or apply these sought-after mental health skills in a wide range of settings in the public and private sectors.

On successful completion students should be able to:

• Work as a counsellor in private practice
• Gain employment within a counselling service
• Study further towards a BSc or MSc in Counselling.

Employability

Many of our students have used their qualifications to open their private practice, gain employment at local counselling services or gain entry to further study.

Here are some potential careers:
Counselling and Mental Health support in a variety of settings such as GP surgeries, the workplace, schools, universities, NHS Trusts or private practice.

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Programme Structure, Modules and Credits

Award title: FdSc in Counselling Theory and Practice

FdSc in Counselling Theory and Practice		Unit credit	Level
Core unit Mandatory	Research Skills in Counselling	20	4
Core unit Mandatory	Counselling Theory	20	4
Core unit Mandatory	Preparation for Counselling Placement	20	4
Core unit Mandatory	Developing Counselling Skills	40	4
Core unit Mandatory	Personal Development in Counselling 1	20	4
Core unit Mandatory	Research Methods in Counselling	20	5
Core unit Mandatory	Theories of Human Development	20	5
Core unit Mandatory	Working with Loss and grief	20	5
Core unit Mandatory	Counselling Skills in Practice	40	5
Core unit Mandatory	Personal Development in Counselling 2	20	5

The Counselling Theory and Practice award is not accredited with a professional body; however, this programme combined with a Level Three Certificate in Counselling Skills (entry requirement for the award) meets some of the current criteria for working towards individual membership with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

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Teaching and Assessment

How will I be taught?

The teaching and learning strategy within the Foundation Degree in Counselling Theory and Practice aims to build upon, and consolidate, the learning gained in previous study; therefore, teaching and learning strategies will be similar to the previous study and will build upon the skills and knowledge previously acquired, although there is further emphasis on independent learning. For this reason, there is a requirement to undertake a project which brings together all aspects of learning in relation to theory and work experience to produce an in-depth study of one aspect of counselling of the learner’s choice.

The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy makes several detailed recommendations for training courses related to; knowledge-based learning, therapeutic competencies, development of self-awareness, professional development, skills work, and practice placements.

These recommendations have been considered and utilised in the development of this programme of study and are reflected in the nature of the curriculum, the learning outcomes, the content of the modules and the assessment process.

Independent learning is encouraged as learners develop and exhibit ability in the areas of critical reading, analysis and writing. Learners will be encouraged to explore ideas through independent study and engagement with the virtual learning environment, however, the role of tutor facilitated learning is also a key supportive feature of the programmes.

A wide range of strategies will be utilised, reflecting the level of knowledge, the subject area, and the diversity of knowledge and experience that each student brings to this programme. We, therefore, aim to offer a range of learning approaches that reflects not only the subject matter to be delivered but also takes consideration of individual student need.

A range of approaches are therefore employed such as lectures, workshops, group tasks, seminars, student presentations, discussions, role-play sessions, group tutorials, enquiry based learning including problem-based learning, practice simulation in appropriate areas (i.e. triads and PAD groups).

Practical work experience – working as a trainee counsellor on placement, engaging in regular casework supervision and personal therapy, form part of the assessment of the student’s Fitness to Practice as a counsellor. The requirements for Placement trainee counsellors are:

• Clinical supervision at 1 hour per 8.5 hours of counselling
• BACP membership as a student counsellor
• Professional liability insurance
• An enhanced DBS.

How will I be assessed?

A variety of assessment methods are used including essays, presentations, reflective reports, recordings of practice, research proposals and vivas.

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