MSc Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy

This module focuses on the application of integrative counselling and psychotherapy within contemporary clinical and professional contexts. It provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the legal, ethical, and professional frameworks that underpin safe and effective therapeutic practice in the UK. Students will examine relevant law and legal issues impacting counselling and psychotherapy practice, including confidentiality, data protection, duty of care, consent, and professional accountability. Ethical principles and decision-making models are explored in depth, enabling students to respond thoughtfully and responsibly to complex clinical situations. A central feature of the module is the development of practitioner competence in recognising boundaries of practice and responding appropriately to client needs through effective use of information, resources, and professional support systems. Students will be supported to identify and access relevant sources of guidance, including professional bodies, statutory services, voluntary organisations, and specialist agencies. Safeguarding is addressed as a core component of applied practice, with particular attention given to risk assessment, child and adult safeguarding procedures, and appropriate referral pathways. Through case-based learning and reflective discussion, students will develop confidence in making ethically and legally informed decisions, including when and how to refer clients to other services. The module supports the integration of theory, ethics, and law into clinical practice, fostering reflective, accountable, and professionally informed integrative practitioners.

In this module, students can gain a considerable portfolio of knowledge and skills to support them in interpreting published research in both psychology, counselling and allied fields, and in conducting their own psychological research. Students are encouraged to gain a critical understanding of the various epistemological positions taken by psychological and counselling researchers and study the research methods concomitant with these philosophical assumptions. Students learn advanced literature searching and, through synthesis of published research, how to identify knowledge gaps and research questions. As the module proceeds, students have practice at developing such a research idea into a feasible and ethically sound research protocol. Both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis techniques are covered, the former to an advanced level. Students learn how to select, administer, and score psychometric instruments.

This is an independent study module in which students will reflect on, negotiate, design, manage and execute all phases of a research project. Students will develop critical thinking and skills in research design, data collection, data analysis, and report writing.

This module provides a foundational introduction to counselling and psychotherapy, integrating philosophical underpinnings, theoretical models, and core practice principles. Students are introduced to the values and assumptions that inform contemporary therapeutic practice, with particular emphasis on humanistic approaches and Person-Centred Therapy (PCT). The module explores key counselling and psychotherapy models, examining their philosophical roots, ethical principles, and relevance to professional practice. Alongside theoretical learning, strong emphasis is placed on the development of core therapeutic skills applicable across modalities. Skills teaching is delivered face-to-face, enabling experiential learning, reflective practice, and the integration of theory with practice. Students will engage in structured skills practice and observation, with opportunities to receive feedback. The module includes formal skills assessment sessions, allowing students to demonstrate the application of foundational counselling skills within a safe and supportive learning environment. This is designed to support students in developing professional awareness, relational competence, and reflective capacity as a foundation for further training and clinical practice in counselling and psychotherapy.