Psychology and Counselling

Intro

Please note that this course is currently under development and is therefore offered subject to approval.

Why choose this course?

• Abertay was rated best modern university in Scotland for research in psychology in the last UK Research Assessment Exercise.
• Counselling modules taught by one of the leading providers of counselling training in Scotland at a centre of excellence in terms of innovative developments in research and practice.

Psychology is the scientific study of behaviour and mental processes (and the interrelation between the two). It is concerned with how we act and interact, both as individuals and in groups, and in exploring the thoughts and feelings that underlie our behaviour. Psychology at Abertay takes a scientific approach to understanding behaviour and thought. As a student on this course you will cover all of the major areas of psychology and supplement this with a strong specialism in the area of counselling.  Counselling is concerned with the integration of psychological theory and research and therapeutic practice. Abertay has an international reputation for innovative and evidenced based developments in counselling research, teaching and practice.

What you study

The course offers a comprehensive selection of topics on human behaviour. The core Psychology areas covered include:

• Biological psychology (how the brain works and how we treat mental disorders)
• Cognitive psychology (how we remember, learn, perceive and understand)
• Developmental psychology (how humans develop mentally, socially and physically)
• Social psychology (how the social context affects human behaviour and experience)
• Personality and individual differences (why some people are more introverted than others; how we measure intelligence)
• Research methods (experimental design; data collection using experiments, surveys, observation; data analysis)

The counselling pathway incorporates topics of study whose successful completion will lead to COSCA accreditation. These include:

In the final year students will be expected to design, carry out and write-up an honours project in the area of counselling psychology. Option choices in the final year mean that students have the opportunity to specialise in cognitive behavioural therapy, psychodynamic therapy or specialist topics in psychology.

How you learn and are assessed
The counselling component involves lectures, skills workshops, personal development group, and the use of on-line learning materials. The Psychology component will make use of lectures, lab work, tutorial, group discussion, electronic discussion groups and group work. An active enquiry based approach to learning is fostered in both areas of psychology and counselling. This approach utilises student participation, self-directed study, self reflection and the use of interactive electronic media.

Assessment is by examination, coursework including essays, case studies, class tests, reports, and portfolios of work. In the final year students are required to design, carry out and write-up an honoursproject in the general area of counselling psychology.

Entry routes

Minimum Entrance Requirements

Higher BBB; A Level CC; ILC (H) BBB
Essential subjects: literate subject (eg English) and GCSE Mathematics or equivalent.

Overseas/EU
All applicants are required to provide certified proof of competence in English Language and the University's minimum requirements are listed here.

Alternative Qualifications
Applications are generally assessed on the basis of standard school leaving qualifications such as SQA Highers or GCE A Levels. For those with alternative qualifications, consideration is given to professional qualifications or other forms of formal academic learning as well as experience gained that could provide evidence of ability to benefit from a particular course.

The successful completion of approved access courses such as the University's AHEAD programme, or those offered by further education colleges (such as those offered by Dundee College in association with the universities of Abertay, Dundee and St Andrews) provides significant evidence of ability to benefit from study at Abertay.

For further advice please use our Ask a Question section

More info

Career prospects
The qualifications to practice as a psychologist, counsellor, or counselling psychologist, exceed those provided by a BSc (Hons). However, the proposed honours degree does provide an excellent first-stage qualification for those aiming to gain professional recognition in these respective fields. This degree provides the necessary entry requirements for Masters level training in psychology, counselling, and counselling psychology. Please note that many postgraduate courses will still require students to attend for interview as part of their application process. As a graduate of a programme accredited by the British Psychological Society students will have the option of continuing on to postgraduate study in the professional psychology training programmes. As in all psychology degrees, students will have the opportunity to acquire a variety of transferable skills. These will include, advanced numeracy, decision making and reasoning skills, an ability to work independently and in a group and the ability to design solutions to problems. With these skills you will be well prepared for a variety of professions, including management positions, social services, the scientific field and most jobs that require people skills.

Accreditation
Following programme approval, accreditation will be sought from the British Psychological Society, and Scotland’s professional body for counselling and psychotherapy - COSCA.

Fees & Scholarships

Fees shown are payable annually, and may be subject to increase each year.