A Psychology and Counselling degree offers more choice in terms of career options than many other degrees. The subjects are recognised as real assets by employers because they develop people skills and knowledge that are invaluable when working with individuals and teams. This degree is designed to provide you with a thorough grounding in the theory and application of both psychology and counselling. The emphasis is on innovation and learning through a variety of styles that have widespread use, while developing key skills and relevant practical experience. The counselling skills you gain will provide a basis for further study and training in counselling. Your final year supervised research project will allow you to explore an area of psychology of your choice.
You will learn about the principles of psychology, biopsychology and the psychology of social behaviour, as well as research methods. Within counselling you will be introduced to key theoretical concepts and start to develop your practical counselling skills. You will focus on the theoretical aspects of helping relationships and consider how this relationship can be used to benefit clients' psychological health.
Year 1
Introduction to Research Methods
An introduction to statistics and research methods used in psychology.
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Introduction to Developmental Psychology and Social Psychology
You will be introduced to key factors in human development including social, emotional, cognitive and biological foundation. Within social psychology you will look at how individuals perceive, influence and interact with others.
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Introduction to Psychodynamic and Person Centered Counselling
This module develops your counselling skills and introduces you to the key theories that underpin counselling practice.
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Introduction to Individual Differences
An introduction to the study of personality, intelligence, gender and mental health.
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Introduction to Biological and Cognitive Psychology
You will be introduced to the basic biological processes and cognitive principles necessary for understanding human psychology.
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Therapeutic Approaches
You will explore a wide range of therapies so you can compare and contrast different therapies and understand their shared and differing principles.
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Year 2
Further Research Methods
You will develop on the skills learnt in year 1, designing, carrying out research and analysing your results.
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Biopsychology and Cognition
You will explore the links between biological and cognitive processes and examine how this relationship influences performance in real-world contexts.
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Intermediate Counselling Skills 1
In this module you will work with fellow students to further develop your counselling skills through experiential learning.
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Developmental Psychology
Building on your knowledge from year 1, you will examine the influences of nature and nurture on human development. You will learn how to critically evaluate historical and contemporary theories. Your assignments will provide you with the opportunity to examine the implications of research for education, policy and clinical practice.
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Individual Differences and Social Psychology
A further study of personality and social psychology.
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Intermediate Counselling Skills 2
Intermediate Counselling Skills 2 builds on Intermediate Counselling Skills 1 and on its completion enables you to receive a Graduate Certificate of Competency in Counselling.
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Year 3
You will choose two modules from counselling and two from psychology. Within psychology the modules we offer provide the most up to date research based teaching, and therefore will vary from year to year.
Psychology modules
Occupational Psychology
A practitioner based module which will provide you with a tour of relevant theories and topics (including stress, selection techniques and change at work), as well as an assessment opportunity to apply these in real-world settings, including your own experience in the workplace.
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Brain and Behaviour
This module examines in detail the relationships between behaviour and the nervous system. You will explore these relationships through the consideration of key topics in the field of neuroscience, including learning, psychopharmacology, brain damage, organic brain disorder and mental health.
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Psychology of Global Issues in the 21st Century
A new module which considers the role of psychology in a global context. You will have the opportunity to use your psychological knowledge to explore the issues of the day.
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Forensic Psychology
An applied module which will introduce you to offender profiling, lie detection techniques and psychological theories of criminal behaviour; guest speakers have includes a serving chief investigating officer, a forensic psychologist and a probation officer.
Psychology of Addictions and Substance Misuse
This module aims to demonstrate the effects of addiction on the individual in society in bio-psycho-social terms and allows you to apply the knowledge gained to a critical consideration of legal issues, risks to health, problems of cessation and their relationship to addiction treatment methods and possible outcomes.
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Psychology and Health
This module aims to introduce you to the concepts, theory, methods and applications of health psychology. It is concerned with the psychological aspects of physical illness, their treatment and management as well as what it is that keeps people healthy and well.
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Educational Psychology
Develops your understanding of the relevance of psychology to education and provides opportunities to apply psychological theory and principles in the field of education and professional practice.
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Counselling modules
Expressive Therapies
Explores the range of therapies that allow us to express ourselves.
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Bereavement and Loss
An in depth exploration of these important experiences in all our lives
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Counselling and Mental Health
You will learn how counselling is used in specific contexts and with specific mental health issues.
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Dissertation
You will carry out a research project on a topic of your interest. The range of skills you develop as you navigate the process of research design, completing an ethic form, recruiting participants and carrying out your research, performing appropriate analysis and writing up your work, will be invaluable in all workplaces.
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