Duration:
MA: 2 years (full-time) or 3 years (part-time)
PGDip: 2 years (part-time)
Number of credits:
MA: 180
PGDip: 120
Start date(s):
September 2026
Deepen your therapeutic expertise and train to deliver evidence-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy with confidence, clarity and clinical integrity.
The MA Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is an advanced postgraduate training designed to help you develop as a skilled, reflective and adaptable counsellor with a CBT orientation. Combining a robust theoretical foundation with applied clinical learning, the programme supports you in building both conceptual depth and practical competence. You will strengthen your ability to think critically, collaborate across disciplines and respond flexibly to the complexities of contemporary therapeutic work.
Designed for graduates with prior counselling training and experience in a helping role, this programme offers a professionally grounded and evidence-informed route towards Individual Membership of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. On completion, you will be equipped to practise independently under the professional title of Counsellor or Psychotherapist, with clear progression pathways towards Registered, Accredited and Senior Accredited Member status.
Throughout your training, you will progress from a supervised practitioner to an autonomous CBT-focused clinician. You will move beyond core counselling skills to develop advanced, disorder-specific CBT formulations and deliver high-intensity interventions for complex clinical presentations. By working with clearly defined diagnostic categories, you will learn to identify and address the cognitive and behavioural processes that maintain psychological distress, enabling you to intervene with precision and confidence.
You will also benefit from selected shared modules with the BACP-accredited MA Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy, broadening your clinical perspective and strengthening your therapeutic flexibility. This integrative dimension enhances your ability to work thoughtfully and collaboratively while remaining grounded in CBT practice.
By the end of the programme, you will have developed the clinical expertise, professional identity and ethical awareness needed to build a sustainable and rewarding career as a CBT practitioner, prepared to work effectively across a range of professional settings.
Did you know?
Beyond advanced, disorder-specific CBT training, you will also develop integrative clinical reflexivity, ethical awareness and theoretical depth. This distinctive combination strengthens your formulation skills and adaptability, preparing you for diverse client work and future progression into doctoral study, specialist practice or leadership roles.
Professional Development and Standards
This programme has been developed to reflect recognised professional standards in counselling and psychotherapy training.
The curriculum has been designed with reference to the requirements of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), and we are working towards an application for accreditation with this professional body.
Eligibility for professional accreditation depends on individual circumstances and any additional requirements set by the relevant professional body.
Modules
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This module provides students with the opportunity to engage in an in-depth, practice-based capstone project that integrates clinical casework with critical engagement in research. Students are supported to develop and submit a substantial case study that draws on relevant theoretical and empirical literature, supervision insights, and professional standards. The capstone replaces a traditional dissertation and is designed to reflect the realities of clinical practice including assessment, formulation and treatment planning, ethical thinking, supervision and therapist well-being. It concludes with the submission of a written case study and accompanying professional poster presentation. Students are guided by tutors throughout the process. Students taking this module will be expected to be in practice and supervision and draw upon their current clinical work to complete the module.
Careers
This programme prepares you to graduate as a counsellor, psychotherapist, or practitioner with a CBT orientation, equipped for contemporary, evidence-based practice across a wide range of settings. You may choose to work within the NHS, third sector organisations, specialist mental health services or private practice, or progress into supervision, consultancy or research roles. You will also be well positioned to continue onto doctoral study in Counselling or Clinical Psychology.
Throughout your training, you will master rigorous CBT skills while developing the ability to understand and work alongside other therapeutic approaches. This interdisciplinary awareness is especially valued in settings such as the NHS, where collaboration across diverse models of care is essential. Employers value graduates who can deliver precise case formulation, apply high-intensity CBT interventions and adapt confidently to complex client presentations.
Employability is embedded from day one. Through supervised clinical practice, hands-on case formulation and ongoing professional development, you will gain experience with varied and complex clinical scenarios that reflect real-world demands. By the time you graduate, you will stand out for your evidence-based expertise, integrative clinical perspective and professional adaptability across diverse client needs.
The qualification also supports longer-term progression, including advancement towards Accredited and Senior Accredited status with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, alongside opportunities to specialise, lead, supervise or expand your independent practice.
Learning and Assessment
How You’ll Learn:
You will develop your skills through interactive lectures, workshops, seminars and supervised clinical practice, linking theory directly to real-world client work. Case studies, mechanism-focused formulation and clinical examples help you apply cognitive behavioural concepts to diverse presentations, including digital therapy settings.
Practical learning is central: you will practise in a safe environment through role-plays, simulated sessions, peer feedback and supervised client contact. Reflective exercises, group discussions and interactive resources ensure you consolidate knowledge and develop professional confidence, adaptability and readiness for practice across a variety of therapeutic contexts.
Placements
Placements are a key part of your professional training. You will complete 100 hours of supervised client work (1:8 supervision ratio) through the Advanced CBT Therapeutic Practice and Placement module, in line with BACP standards. Most sessions are face to face, with opportunities for online and telephone practice, working ethically with adult clients. Placements run throughout the academic year and are supported by tutorials, supervision and portfolio work, ensuring you develop confidence and professional competence before entering practice.
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Applying
UK postgraduate students apply through our direct application system.
This course uses a gathered field approach to process applications. Find out more information on how we will process your application.
Specific entry requirements
- An undergraduate degree at grade 2.2 honours or above
- Evidence of enrolment on counselling skills certificate training (minimum Level 2) that has been completed, or will be completed, before entry on the programme.
- Evidence of experience of working in a helping role that uses basic counselling skills and requires active listening and the provision of emotional support with vulnerable adults. This may be in either paid or voluntary employment and at minimum consist of working in this role part-time for six months prior to the start of the academic year.
Please note:
- The MA programme staff interview approximately once a month from February until August. As places are limited on this popular course, we advise you to apply as early as possible. Applicants should demonstrate their reflective capacity and commitment to their personal development.
General entry requirements
September 2025 entry tuition fees (UK)
| Level of study | Part-time* |
| MA | £6,950 |
*Year 1 fee
We offer a wide range of scholarships and bursaries. See our financial support pages for UK students.
We also provide other ways to support the cost of living, including on-campus car parking, hardship support and some of the most affordable student accommodation and catering in London. Find out more about how we can support you.
Additional costs to consider
Personal Therapy
Students must be in weekly, individual personal therapy throughout training, completing a minimum of 35 hours of personal therapy per year. Therapy is mandatory and must be with an appropriately qualified and accredited professional. Costs vary, and some practitioners offer trainee rates. Applicants should research typical fees.
Clinical Supervision
Supervision is mandatory and usually provided by placements, though students may occasionally need to fund additional sessions. Costs vary, and some practitioners offer trainee rates.
DBS Check
Students must apply and pay for an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, even if previously completed. Subscription to the DBS Update Service is recommended to reduce costs.
Personal Indemnity Insurance
Students must take out personal indemnity insurance for the duration of their training. Costs vary depending on the provider.
Travel Costs
Students should budget for travel to campus, placements, supervision, and therapy. While local options may be available, this is not always guaranteed.
Books & Equipment
While the library provides an extensive lending and digital library service, some core texts may need to be purchased. Students are also likely to need to buy a password-protected recording device, and an encrypted memory stick for client session recordings.
Professional Membership
Students are encouraged to become student members of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
International postgraduate students apply through our direct application system.
This course uses a gathered field approach to process applications. Find out more information on how we will process your application.
Application deadline: 10 February 2026.
Interview date(s): 4 March – 30 April 2026.
Specific entry requirements
- An undergraduate degree at grade 2.2 honours or above
- Evidence of enrolment on counselling skills certificate training (minimum Level 2) that has been completed, or will be completed, before entry on the programme.
- Evidence of experience of working in a helping role that uses basic counselling skills and requires active listening and the provision of emotional support with vulnerable adults. This may be in either paid or voluntary employment and at minimum consist of working in this role part-time for six months prior to the start of the academic year.
Please note:
- The MA programme staff interview approximately once a month from February until August. As places are limited on this popular course, we advise you to apply as early as possible. Applicants should demonstrate their reflective capacity and commitment to their personal development.
General entry requirements
September 2025 entry tuition fees (international)
| Level of study | Part-time* |
| MA | £13,950 |
*Year 1 fee
We offer a wide range of scholarships and bursaries. See our financial support pages for international students.
We also provide other ways to support the cost of living, including on-campus car parking, hardship support and some of the most affordable student accommodation and catering in London. Find out more about how we can support you.
Additional costs to consider
Personal Therapy
Students must be in weekly, individual personal therapy throughout training, completing a minimum of 35 hours of personal therapy per year. Therapy is mandatory and must be with an appropriately qualified and accredited professional. Costs vary, and some practitioners offer trainee rates. Applicants should research typical fees.
Clinical Supervision
Supervision is mandatory and usually provided by placements, though students may occasionally need to fund additional sessions. Costs vary, and some practitioners offer trainee rates.
DBS Check
Students must apply and pay for an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, even if previously completed. Subscription to the DBS Update Service is recommended to reduce costs.
Personal Indemnity Insurance
Students must take out personal indemnity insurance for the duration of their training. Costs vary depending on the provider.
Travel Costs
Students should budget for travel to campus, placements, supervision, and therapy. While local options may be available, this is not always guaranteed.
Books & Equipment
While the library provides an extensive lending and digital library service, some core texts may need to be purchased. Students are also likely to need to buy a password-protected recording device, and an encrypted memory stick for client session recordings.
Professional Membership
Students are encouraged to become student members of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
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