This is a professional 2-year qualification aimed at those wishing to be recognised and practise as a professional integrative counsellor. The course is delivered by a large team of experienced counselling tutors who will support you throughout the two years. 

The course aims to help you to become a reflective practitioner who is competent in the knowledge, understanding and application of counselling skills within the framework of a therapeutic relationship. 

This competence will be underpinned by a deep understanding of the core therapeutic model, which for this course is comprised of the Person-Centred Theory of Carl Rogers, Gestalt Psychology and Eric Berne’s theory of Transactional Analysis. In the second year of the course you will study comparative models of counselling, along with CBT and Psychodynamic Theory. 

The course also examines the wider context of counselling. It looks at the meaning of an ethical, professional stance and its implications, and explores students’ attitudes to people who are different from themselves. 

Please be aware this course is robust and challenging in terms of time commitment and personal development. All students are required to undergo at least 40 hours of personal therapy, 15 of which need to be completed within the first year. We can provide you with a list of counsellors we know and recommend, or you can source your own. 

Target Group

Students who wish to qualify as a professional counsellor. 

Entry Requirements

You must have obtained both a Level 2 Award in Counselling Skills and a Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies, or their equivalent. 

Please note that your L3 qualification must have been achieved on a face-to-face, in-person course. We do not accept applications from students who have done their L3 course online or by distance learning.

Applicants must be at least 25 years old at commencement of the course. 

What will I study?

There are seven mandatory units of study: 

• Professional organisational issues in counselling
• Counselling in a diverse society
• Counselling theory
• Advanced counselling skills
• Self-awareness for counsellors
• Research methodologies in counselling
• Counselling placement

Course assessment

• Each unit of study has assessment criteria which need to be met (using a range of assessment strategies such as case studies, reports, essays, research activities and individual and group presentations) to successfully complete the course
• Progress Into year 2 is dependent on passing your “Fitness to Practice” certificate. This is an ongoing assessment
• Each student must obtain a formal counselling placement with a minimum 1.5 hour’s clinical supervision a month and complete a minimum of 100 client face to face supervised hours during the 2-year Diploma programme. This is the responsibility of the student
• This qualification is internally and externally assessed and externally moderated
• The Counselling Placement Assessment File is completed as an e-portfolio and assessed externally by the Awarding Body

Additional costs

• Minimum 1.5 hours of Clinical Supervision per month once on placement (some placements offer free or reduced rate supervision)
• Personal Liability Insurance
• BACP student membership
• Placements normally require student counsellors to be DBS checked, which might carry a cost to the student
• Stationery items

Personal Therapy

• Over the two years you will be required to undertake 40 hours of personal therapy at your own expense.

Progression

• Successful completion of the course and the placement requirements enable students to progress toward accreditation with the BACP and/or the National Counselling Society
• Being a qualified counsellor opens up all sorts of possibilities, e.g. specialist training in counselling Children & Young People or Couples counselling

Course Dates & Times

This is a 2 year course, 35 weeks per year with half terms and holidays as per local schools. 

Next intake start dates:

Tuesday 16th September 2025, 9.30am to 2.45pm
OR
Tuesday 16th September 2025, 3.15pm to 8.30pm
OR
Thursday 18th September 2025, 9.30am to 2.45pm

We will run each group according to demand.

Fees

£2,895 per year (total £5,790) for all tuition and registration. A deposit of £500 will be required before starting the course. Payment options following the initial deposit: 

• We are happy to spread the remaining fees over 23 monthly payments of £230 each
• You can pay the remaining course fee in full (or for each year at a time)
• If a third party organisation is paying your fees we will need a purchase order number from them and full payment must be made at least for year 1 before the start of the course.

How to apply

Click the Apply for Course button below to complete our online application form. If you need any further information before applying, please use the Got Questions button.