- This course is accredited by The British Psychological Society, making you eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership, if you achieve a 2:2 – an essential first step to becoming a fully Chartered Psychologist.
- Give your career a head-start through the option of a one-year work placement, after year two.
- Roehampton has an international reputation for counselling and therapeutic training.
- Learn from our expert staff, who are practicing psychologists, psychotherapists and counsellors.
- Develop practical and personal counselling skills from year one.
- 98% of students in work or further study within six months of graduation (Destination of Leavers of Higher Education, 2018 results).
Summary
Discover how the human mind works and psychological theories can be used to understand behaviour, and learn to make a positive impact on others by studying Psychology and Counselling here at the University of Roehampton.
This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society.
The course is made up of three main teaching methods: psychological theory, counselling skills and practice, and personal development. You’ll cover core topics within psychology, as well as develop the practical counselling skills you need in a range of psychology-related professions.
You will be taught by leading experts and practitioners in the field of psychology and counselling, who use real-life case examples from their therapeutic work in the classroom. Through their teaching, you’ll study the complexity and variety of different factors involved in counselling and therapy, and the reflective skills used in professional practice.
You will graduate well equipped to begin building a career in psychology, psychotherapy, counselling, arts and play therapies, and the wider helping professions. You can also go onto postgraduate professional training in any applied psychology route including clinical, health, forensic and educational psychology.
The course is professionally accredited by The British Psychological Society (BPS). If you graduate with at least a second-class honours degree, you’ll be eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the BPS – a key first step if you choose to become a Chartered Psychologist.
Content
Year one
- Get a solid grounding in the subject of psychology, including biological, cognitive, social and developmental psychology.
- Gain an introduction to counselling theory and counselling skills, including psychodynamic, humanistic, CBT and integrative models of counselling, and learn to critically understand the psychology of communication and the practical and personal skills involved in working with individuals in a counselling context.
Year two
- As well as build on your knowledge of counselling models introduced in year one, our pioneering module Reflective Practice in Counselling focuses on the idea that counselling skills are learnt from real-life experience in concrete situations. This ‘non-theoretical’ learning is entirely practical, to allow you to discover how to steer a course through therapeutic conversations to reach an objective.
- Build on your understanding of social and developmental psychology, and research methods and statistics, to prepare for your research project.
Year three
- Conduct your Extended Research Project – an independent piece of research in an area of psychology that interests you.
- Critically approach the key issues of initial and ongoing assessment in counselling and study a variety of case studies from the clinical practice of our lecturers.
- Shape your studies around your own interests, selecting modules from a diverse list of topics, from Childhood, Attachment and Self-Regulation and Topics in Adult Psychopathology, to Criminal and Forensic Psychology.
Modules
Here are examples of the modules we currently offer:
Year 1
Introduction to Counselling Theory
Practice of Counselling Skills
Mind, Body & Brain (1)
Social and Developmental Psychology (1)
Introduction to Research Methods in Psychology
Research Methods and Statistics
Year 2
Models of Counselling
Reflective Practice in Counselling
Mind, Body and Brain (2)
Social and Development Psychology (2)
Individual Differences and Psychometric Research
Research Methods and Statistics (2)
Year 3
Compulsory Module
Extended Research Project
Required Modules
Psychological Assessment for Counselling
Managing the Counselling Process
Optional Modules
Communication and Social Interaction
Cognition and Emotion
Critical Psychology
Health Psychology
Neuropsychology
Organisational Psychology
Positive Psychology
Criminal and Forensic Psychology
Cognitive Development in the Classroom
Practical Creativity and Thinking Skills
Topics in Adult Psychopathology
Childhood, Attachment and Self-Regulation
Psychology@Work
Compulsory and Required modules
Compulsory and/or required modules may change when we review and update programmes. Above is a list of modules offered this academic year.
Optional modules
Optional modules, when offered as part of a programme, may vary from year to year and are subject to viability.
How will you learn?
Teaching and learning
You’ll be learning in larger lectures, but also small groups and seminars where you’ll be studying both psychological and therapeutic theory. You’ll also conduct simulated counselling sessions and go through practical exercises to develop your counselling practice skills, effective communication and writing, and reflect on your own beliefs and judgements.
Outside of this, you will also spend time studying independently, reading and researching, completing coursework and preparing for exams.
The facilities at Roehampton will help support you throughout your studies. On campus we have 24-hour computer suites, rentable laptops, excellent research facilities and a world-class library. Online, you’ll also have access to our 24/7 academic guidance system, Studiosity, as well as access to thousands of online journals and publications.
Assessment
You’ll be assessed through a mixture of exams and coursework. Your coursework will include essays, reflective journals and research reports. In your final year, you’ll also complete your extended research project.
Support
- Academic Guidance Tutors: you’ll be assigned an Academic Guidance Tutor from your department who will be on hand to help you through your studies, help you pick your modules, and provide careers advice.
- Office hours: your lecturers have drop in office hours, so you can go to them directly, or simply email to ask any questions.
- Study Skills for Psychology: The department runs Study Skills for Psychology sessions on a weekly lunchtime basis. These sessions support all students who want to improve their academic writing, achieve better grades in their essays, overcome exam anxieties and fulfill their potential. You can find out more about the topics covered here.
- Study skills support: as studying in higher education can be different from school and college, our team of Academic Achievement Advisers are here to help you reach your academic potential and support you in developing the skills to become a successful graduate.
- Welcoming community: when you join Roehampton’s Department of Psychology, you’ll become a part of a supportive community of students and academics. Why not join the Roehampton Psychology Society to connect with your peers and join in with different events, talks, debates and socials?
Placement year
This course offers all students the option to apply for a one-year paid work placement. If you successfully secure a work placement, you will undertake the placement following year two of your programme and return following the placement to complete your studies.
A placement year is the perfect opportunity to implement the skills and knowledge that you will learn in year one and two, while gaining valuable work experience. The opportunity to make connections in your chosen industry will greatly improve your career prospects and equip you with the skills and experience you need to secure graduate-level employment.
The University Careers and Placements team will support you to develop your CV and skills though webinars, workshops and 1-2-1 appointments. You will also benefit from regular communication about available opportunities to aid your placement search.
Please note while the University will support you with your placement search and applications, a placement cannot be guaranteed.
Career options
Becoming a psychologist
Many of our graduates want to continue on to become practicing psychologists, counsellors and psychotherapists.
To become a Chartered Psychologist, you need to gain Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) by completing a BPS accredited degree, like this one. You then go onto further training in the area of psychology that you want to work in, such as Counselling Psychology, Clinical Psychology or Educational Psychology.
You can find out more about specific career paths, and what training and qualifications you’ll need, on the BPS’ Career Flowchart.
Careers outside of psychology
Many of our students choose to study Psychology and Counselling because the transferrable skills you develop are valued by a range of employers. As well as gaining an understanding of the human mind, you’ll become adept at active listening and questioning. You could work in:
- Social work
- Mental health services
- Human Resources
- The police force
- A range of business roles, including careers in research, media and marketing.
Careers support
Whether you want to gain work experience in the field of psychology, or look for placements in other industries, our careers team will make sure that you will have the opportunity to build the career skills to help you succeed in whatever you go onto after you graduate .
Academic Staff
Dr Paul Dickerson
Principal Lecturer
I’m Paul Dickerson, I’m a Principal Teaching Fellow and I started at Roehampton way back in 1991! Even though I have been at the University for nearly 30 years each year still feels fresh. I teach across multiple modules and programmes with a particular interest in qualitative research and social psychology and I want to enthuse everyone about this amazing subject. I love sharing my passion for psychology in all of my teaching and writing and – but don’t tell anyone – I do sometimes share a song I have written for the students that I teach. I have a particular interest in helping you to reach your full potential and I run weekly lunchtime sessions to help with this – use this link https://study.sagepub.com/psychologybrilliantessays to find out about the sorts of things covered. I hope that I will have the opportunity to help you enjoy this wonderful subject as much as I have.
Dr Emma Kay
Lecturer
Hi I’m Emma and I’ve been a lecturer on Roehampton’s counselling and psychology programmes for the past two years. My research fields focus on multivoicedness and depression. The two things I particularly like about my job are firstly working with my inspiring colleagues in the Department of Psychology, and secondly the opportunity that teaching and research offer to explore and dialogue about different ideas.
Nicole Proia
Senior Lecturer
I’m Nicole and am a senior lecturer on the BA Psychology and Counselling programme at Roehampton, and I also teach on the Dramatherapy master’s. Although I’ve worked here for 12 years, the reflective and experiential workshops where students delve into their personal process to discover the richness of their inner worlds, still remain the highlight of my week. There are tears and laughter, surprise and adventure, all of which keeps me on my toes and ever curious about each student I meet! I am particularly interested in working with the body in therapy, and holistic approaches to mental and physical well-being. Much of my research focuses on looking at ways in which the body communicates historical trauma and the transformational healing potential of somatic awareness and the reconnection and alignment of mind and body. Use of the beautiful grounds of Roehampton feature in some of our sessions and it gives me such joy to share the natural setting with students as they explore and learn.
Specialist facilities available for this course
Life at Roehampton
At Roehampton, we can offer all new students the opportunity to live in accommodation on our beautiful parkland campus, including affordable and high-end options.
We offer scholarships, provide hardship funding and help you find advice on managing your finances while you study.
We provide plenty of opportunities for you to get involved, through volunteering, playing sport or music, or joining one of our many active student societies.
