The route to counsellor accreditation at the Faculty of Education
Overview of the Accredited Training Route
Pre-qualification - Introduction to Counselling
A 60 hour Introduction to Counselling course such as the one at the Faculty of Education or an equivalent elsewhere.
Year One - Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling
A 180 hour course consisting of 3 x 60 hour modules, 2 x 4,000 word assignments and an 8,000 word assignment.
Year Two and Year Three - MEd
214 hours of teaching assessed through 2 x 6,000-6,500 word assignments and a thesis of up to 20,000 words.
Year Four
12 hours of tuition aimed at completing a 6-8,000 word case study and support with other accreditation matters.
The essential elements to gain qualification as a Child and Adolescent Psychotherapeutic Counsellor at the Faculty
- Successful completion of the course training hours including completion of 150 supervised practice hours during training
- Continuous weekly personal therapy during training (minimum of 40 hours per annum)
- Successful completion of the academic requirements and the practical skills assessment elements of the Diploma and the Masters
- Successful completion of 50 hours of work-based learning
The essential elements to gain national accreditation
- Qualification as a Child and Adolescent Psychotherapeutic Counsellor (see above)
- Graduates are eligible to apply for recognition as a B.A.C.P. accredited practitioner once they have completed a total of 450 hours of supervised clinical practice. 150 hours must be post qualifying.
Personal development and self-awareness
Personal therapy is required for all trainees for the duration of their training. This will be once a week with a suitably qualified and experienced practitioner. (40 hours per annum as a minimum). There is a personal development group that runs through year 1. In addition, the teaching and learning methods used encourage constant self-awareness and personal development.
