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Our BSc (Hons) Psychology with Counselling with Foundation Year has been designed for students who will benefit from an additional year of academic support at the start of their degree studies. The course provides you with an entry point into other counselling related qualifications such as psychotherapy or Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT). Once accredited, it will also give you eligibility to enrol on the British Psychological Society’s independent route to training as a counselling psychologist and can support applications for a Doctorate in Counselling Psychology.
During your foundation level you’ll gain the skills and confidence you need to complete your undergraduate degree with confidence. You’ll learn study skills in areas such as numeracy, research methods, and working collaboratively. You’ll also study two introductory modules in psychology and counselling. After your foundation year you’ll study the main psychology curriculum areas such as social, cognitive, biological, and developmental psychology and research methods. Alongside this, you will also have the opportunity to take counselling specific modules including; Counselling Psychology, Core Counselling Skills, Health and Psychological Well-being, Psychological Assessment and Managing the Therapeutic Process.
Studying this specialised undergraduate counselling course with Arden will provide you with multiple future career and study options. You’ll have access to modern, digital learning tools as you study and you’ll also have full support from our dedicated academic team, who are internationally respected industry practitioners, published authors and PhD holders in the field of psychology.
Arden's foundation year modules have been designed to give you a tailored and fully supportive introduction to university study. This first year of study will prepare you for success in higher education by introducing you to the academic skills and subject-specific knowledge required to excel in your chosen degree subject.
On the course you’ll study subject modules that have been created specifically to help you gain career focused skills in professional counselling. Your studies will culminate with choosing an area of counselling practice on which to focus and produce your own research project at the end of your final year. By the time you graduate, you’ll have the confidence and ability to apply your knowledge of psychology to a range of exciting career paths and further learning opportunities.
Throughout the course you’ll have one-to-one support from your lecturers and academic skills tutors, as well as frequent invitations to online coffee mornings with your fellow students and staff and personal academic tutor support sessions. You’ll also be able to start developing industry links and networks by attending sessions with guest speakers from a wealth of areas, including policing, the NHS, and the UK Fire Service. Above all, our academic team, who come from a range of professional and cultural backgrounds, will help you learn through real-world context, helping you understand how your new skills are best applied in practice.
On this course, you'll be taught by a range of psychology experts. Many of our academics are research active and have published in academic journals, presented at national and international conferences, and authored book chapters on applied psychology. We also have former and continuing practitioners within the team whose expertise centres on the application of psychology in real-life contexts, such as organisational, educational, prison, health care, and clinical settings. As a whole, the team is highly active in the professional psychology community by running workshops and taking part in charitable events for organisations such as MIND.
Arden is for winners. Nobody will beg you to sit down and start working on your career, if you don’t do it yourself! At Arden, if you have an honest interest for what you learn and you want to reach out for more, you will be welcomed, helped, and advised. But to do that, you must be determined.
You have between 4 to 12 years to complete this course, which means you can take up to 3 years to complete each level. Most of our students, however, aim to complete the course within 4 to 6 years.
Unlike on more traditional degree courses, you don’t need to sit through exams on the BSc (Hons) Psychology with Counselling degree. Your assessments have been designed to help you apply your learning to real-word scenarios. This means you’ll be better prepared to apply the skills you’ve gained on the course to your professional role after graduation.
We’ve made sure the assessments that you undertake on the course are fun, engaging, and give you key transferable skills that employers today are looking for. You’ll only sit one exam on this course, to fulfil your research methods requirements; all other assessments have been designed to give you the tools and skills you’ll need in your career.
Role play sessions are an important feature on this course and have been designed to give you the unique opportunity to practice real-life professional counselling situations in a safe environment. These sessions will be guided by your course lecturer and will give you the opportunity to evaluate your decisions with supportive feedback from your peers and our academic staff.
This course is available to study through Arden’s blended learning study mode at our study centres in London Tower Hill, London Holborn, Manchester, Birmingham, and Leeds.
The course is also available to students via online learning. This gives you the convenience of being able to study from anywhere in the UK or worldwide, providing you with the same high standards of teaching but with lower tuition fees.
I chose online learning because I do not currently have the capacity to attend classes as my days are full with running my household, my elderly parents’ household and tending to the needs of my 3-year-old. Online studying has been extremely helpful because it provides the flexibility I need in order to study at random times during the day or night.
When you choose our full-time blended learning study mode, you’ll have eight hours of timetabled classes spread over two days at the Arden study centre of your choice. This is combined with around 25 hours of independent study, which takes place through ilearn, our university campus in the cloud. ilearn contains all the resources you need to study successfully. As a blended learning student you’ll also have access to our Library Portal, an extensive digital library with thousands of journal titles, eBooks, and a range of academic and industry databases that you can use to research and gain in-depth information on your area of study. At Arden, all of your course materials are provided free of charge, removing the need for you to buy expensive textbooks to study your degree successfully.
Blended learning is the best option for students who prefer the structure of regular face to face classes with their tutor and fellow classmates, and is particularly suited to students who live within commuting or driving distance of one of our UK study centres.
If you're a student from England who is enrolling on a blended learning course with Arden (based in one of our UK study centres) then you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan to help pay for your living expenses. You can find more information on our fees and funding page. If you're a student from Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland you can find information about obtaining a student loan to cover your costs from your student finance body.
Learn more about blended learning
Studying the BSc (Hons) Psychology with Counselling with Foundation Year online gives you the ultimate in convenience. You can enrol with Arden from anywhere in the world and study your degree from the comfort of home, without the requirement to attend classes in a physical location.
Our online students study their degree through iLearn, Arden’s university campus in the cloud. iLearn provides everything you need to study at University. It offers an integrated virtual learning experience, including your virtual classroom, lecture theatre, and access to our Library Portal. The portal includes an extensive digital library including thousands of journal titles, eBooks, and academic and industry databases which you can use to research your assignments and projects. All of these materials are provided to you free of charge, and contain all the research information you’ll need to complete your degree with us.
iLearn is also integrated with Zoom, making it easier to chat with your course tutor during your scheduled seminar sessions. You can even integrate our study materials into your Kindle, making it possible to study wherever you have you Kindle handy.
Studying online doesn’t mean studying alone. As well as receiving regular feedback and guidance from your course tutor, you’ll be studying with likeminded students who you can meet with through our Unitu community, and you’ll have access to community message boards to discuss your course and the topics being raised within it. We’ve even set up community boards embedded into each of the course modules so you can have discussions with your tutor and classmates on the topics you’re currently learning.
Online learning students resident in the UK can apply for a Tuition Fee loan to pay for their course. If you cannot attend your course in person because of a disability, you may also be entitled to a Maintenance Loan to cover living expenses. Please find more information on our fees and funding page. If you're a student from Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland you can find information about obtaining a student loan to cover your costs from your student finance body.
At Arden University we consider applications on a case by case basis. If you have significant work experience, have qualifications you have gained elsewhere, or a degree or qualification that isn't a clear pathway to this degree - we are more than happy to discuss your application.
Our aim is to make learning as accessible as possible by ensuring that you can study your degree in a flexible and convenient way. That's why we keep our requirements simple. All you need is a laptop or desktop PC (we recommend one running the latest version of Windows), and a good internet connection. Please note that if you’re using a Chromebook, only those released in 2020 onwards support SPSS and Jamovi, which are essential requirements for the statistical elements of the course. Through ilearn, our online university campus in the cloud, you'll be able to access your course calendar, support services, learning materials, and our online library containing almost half a million texts, as well as creating assignments, keeping notes, and collaborating with other students on your course.
To be able to study this course, we need to see that you have:
Candidates are required to submit a personal statement (of between 350-550 words) or attend an interview demonstrating an ability to study for the programme. This statement should include:
We also offer an internal English test for applicants who are unable to provide the above evidence of English proficiency. More information can be found here.
Whilst you can read your study materials on your smart phone or tablet, to make the most of your learning experience, you will need access to a laptop or computer (we recommend one running the latest version of Windows), and a good stable internet connection.
Arden’s psychology courses are designed to explore human behaviours across diverse areas of psychology. These courses provide you with a range of transferable skills that are valued by employers from a wide range of industries. I look forward to welcoming you to the Arden University family.
Counselling is an area of psychology that takes a person-centred approach, assisting individuals to explore their experiences and develop strategies for tackling maladaptive thoughts and behaviours. Counsellors work in a wide range of professional settings including; in-house for profit and non-profit organisations, government departments, and in private practice.
With a specialised degree in psychology with counselling, you’ll have a qualification that shows your commitment to working in professional practice. The course sets you up with a range of knowledge, skills, and abilities that will allow you to apply your learning confidently in your future career as a counsellor. Following BPS validation, the course will also open an exciting range of additional career paths in applied psychology.
Employers who have provided input into this course’s development include counselling psychologists, clinical psychologists, psychology practitioners, the UK fire service, independent consultants, and previous alumni who are now working across many varied professional areas. Because of this input, you’ll find that your course content has been tailored to help you fill current skills gaps in a range of careers and professions worldwide.
With such a wide choice of topics to learn about and different skills to master, you’ll graduate with in-depth knowledge of modern counselling theory and practice, including:
During your Foundation Year, you'll get comprehensive support and preparation for your university journey, including:
Introduction and preparation: our Foundation Year courses introduce you to university-level teaching, learning, and assessment methods. You'll develop essential study skills, research techniques, and critical thinking abilities, laying a strong foundation for your degree studies.
Personalised support: our academic staff will guide you throughout your Foundation Year. They'll ensure a smooth transition into your degree programme, providing the support you need every step of the way.
Direct relevance to your future degree: your programme content is carefully designed to align with Arden's degree courses. Studying a Foundation Year will equip you with subject-specific knowledge and interdisciplinary exploration, establishing a solid base for your chosen degree.
Improved degree outcomes: we prioritise not only your academic preparation but also your success. By boosting your confidence, academic skills, and understanding of the subjects, we empower you to achieve the best possible degree outcomes and expand your career opportunities.
After successfully completing your BSc Psychology with Counselling with Foundation Year degree, you’ll have acquired a range of specialised skills that will demonstrate your drive and commitment to developing your career as a counsellor.
As well as graduating with the possibility of continuing on to further counselling related qualifications, such as psychotherapy or Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT), once accredited, this course will also give you eligibility to enrol on the British Psychological Society’s independent route to training as a counselling psychologist, or apply for a Doctorate in Counselling Psychology.
Average Salary for Counselling Psychologist in the UK is £62,042 (sourced from Reed Salary Tracker on 20th November 2023)
As well as roles in counselling, you’ll also graduate with skills that can be applied to a range of future career options including:
This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society.
The British Psychological Society (BPS) is the representative body for psychology and psychologists in the UK. The society is responsible for the development, promotion, and application of psychology for the public good.
Arden’s BSc (Hons) Psychology with Counselling with Foundation Year being accredited by the BPS means that students obtaining at least a lower second-class honours degree (2:2) will be eligible for the society’s Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership - the prerequisite requirement to go on to further training as a professional psychologist after graduation.
While you’re studying your BPS accredited course with us, we’ll cover the cost of your student membership with the BPS, which gives you access to a large range of useful resources including access to the British Psychological Society student online community, access to events including those on careers and subscription to the Psychologist magazine.
Arden University is a member of the Campaign for Social Science.
The Campaign demonstrates how social science improves public policy, society, and all our lives. It highlights the value of applied social science research and advocates for its greater use in decision-making and in government. It is supported by a coalition of universities, social science societies, and publishers.
As a member, Arden receives access to case studies, research into the value provided by social sciences, and insights into the employability of social science graduates. Through this, you will gain a better understanding of the skills you are learning and their value to employers.
