Foundation in Counselling and Psychotherapy

Modules and Teaching

• One year part-time, on campus, starting in October 2026 or January 2027

  Course structure 

  You must complete two core modules worth a total of 60 credits. 

  Core modules

  • Foundations of counselling and psychotherapy
  • Psychodynamic practice and psychosocial perspectives

• Teaching

  We encourage innovative and engaging ways of teaching to help ensure you have the best learning experience and provide a range of different modes of learning to help you juggle study with work and other commitments.

  Find out more about our teaching and teaching hours.

  What are the methods of teaching?

  You will study theoretical aspects through texts, lectures and seminars. You will develop counselling skills through skills-based class exercises and practice sessions in small groups where you rotate through the roles of client, counsellor and observer. We will guide you in the use of self-reflection and peer feedback to develop your application of psychodynamic theory to therapeutic practice.

  Your self-awareness will be developed through experiential exercises designed to foster self-knowledge and self-reflection, as well as through participation in an 'experiential group', an unstructured group in which you learn some of the key dynamics and processes that occur in groups and organisations first hand. 

• How will I be assessed?

  You will need to complete one theory essay and one reflective assignment for each module. You will also be expected to have at least an 80% attendance rate. 

  Please note: if you wish to progress to clinical training with children and adolescents, you should aim for grades in the merit range for your assignments.

  Please see individual modules for more details.

  Find out more about assessment at Birkbeck, including guidance on assessment, feedback and our assessment offences policy.

Entry requirements

You will be able to demonstrate your readiness for academic study with an undergraduate degree or equivalent qualification. You will also need to be working in a related profession, such as social work, psychology, medicine/nursing, teaching or coaching, or have significant experience of direct work with people in an emotionally supportive role. Applicants with a psychology undergraduate degree that included placement experience may also be considered.

• What are the English language requirements?

  If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests. We also accept other English language tests.

  If you don't meet the minimum English language requirements, please Global Recruitment at Birkbeck or see our international study skills page for more details about how we can help.

  Visit the International section of our website to find out more about our English language entry requirements and relevant requirements by country.

• What are the visa and funding requirements?

  If you are not from the UK and you do not already have residency here, you may need to apply for a visa.

  The visa you apply for varies according to the length of your course:

  • Courses of more than six months' duration: Student visa
  • Courses of less than six months' duration: Standard Visitor visa

  International students who require a Student visa should apply to study on our courses full-time as these qualify for Student visa sponsorship. If you are living in the UK on a Student visa, you will not be eligible to enrol to study part-time courses at Birkbeck (with the exception of some modules).

  As a Student visa student, you should also apply to study on campus only, as online and flexible options of study (if they are available for your course) may affect the conditions of your visa.

  For full information, read our visa information for international students page.

  Please also visit the international section of our website to find out more about relevant visa and funding requirements by country.

  Please note students receiving US Federal Aid are only able to apply for in-person, on-campus programmes which will have no elements of online study.

• Credits and accredited prior learning (APL)

  If you have studied at university (or have an HND or Foundation Degree), you may have accumulated credits. It may be possible to transfer these from your previous study to Birkbeck or another institution.

Fees

• Birkbeck's Lifelong Learning Guarantee

  If you've studied at Birkbeck before and successfully completed an award with us, take advantage of our Lifelong Learning Guarantee to gain a reduction on the tuition fee of this course.

• Can I apply for an international scholarship?

  We provide a range of scholarships for eligible international students, including our Global Future Scholarship. View Birkbeck's available scholarships.

Careers and employability

This course will enable you to make informed choices about whether counselling and psychotherapy training is right for you.

On completion, you will be ready to apply to clinical training, including Birkbeck's MSc Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy and MSc Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy with Children and Adolescents.

If you choose to continue in your current work role, you will have acquired valuable skills and understanding which can increase your professional effectiveness, especially if you are in a helping role or working with people in some capacity.

Graduates from our MSc clinical training courses go on to work as counsellors and psychotherapists in a range of settings, often related to the placements they undertook while training.

Student support

How to apply

• When should I apply?

  You are strongly advised to apply now, to ensure there are still places left, and to give you enough time to complete the admissions process, to arrange funding and to enrol.

  You don't need to complete your current programme of study before you apply - Birkbeck can offer you a place that is conditional on your results.

• How can I get help with my application?

  Get all the information you need about the application, admission and enrolment process at Birkbeck.

  Our online personal statement tool will guide you through every step of writing the personal statement part of your application.

• International agents

  If you are an international agent applying to Birkbeck on behalf of an international student, please use Birkbeck's agent portal.