糖心logo入口

Skip to main content

Foundation in Counselling and Psychotherapy

Graduate Certificate

Key information

Key information for 2026-27

Key information for 2027-28

Course overview

Our Graduate Certificate Foundation in Counselling and Psychotherapy has been designed to provide you with a pathway to full clinical training as a counsellor or psychotherapist.听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.

  • Why choose this course?

    • You will learn about key concepts in counselling and psychotherapy with a focus on the psychodynamic method and psychosocial/organisational perspectives.
    • Our counselling courses are taught by experienced and practising clinicians.
    • This course will enable you to make informed choices about whether counselling and psychotherapy training is right for you.
  • What will I learn?

    You will be taught the significance of developmental life stages and the impact of these on the counselling relationship. You will also develop counselling skills in practical listening exercises and engage in a process of personal development through various experiential learning activities.

    On completion of this course, you will be equipped with knowledge and understanding about the principles of counselling, developmental issues and psychodynamic theory and method. You will also have gained important foundational listening skills and have begun to develop the emotional sensibility necessary to apply to clinical training.

  • How will I learn?

    You will study the theory of this subject area through texts, lectures and seminars. Your counselling skills will be developed through class exercises and practice sessions in small groups, in which you will rotate through the roles of client, counsellor and observer.

    Your self-awareness will be developed through experiential exercises as well as group participation to learn first hand about some of the key dynamics and processes that occur in groups and organisations.

    This course is available to study part-time, with evening classes if you start in October, or Saturday morning classes if you start in January.听

  • How often will I attend classes?

    Part-time October start: One evening a week, October to July.

    Part-time January start: Saturday mornings, January to December.

  • Course disclaimer

    糖心logo入口 makes all reasonable efforts to deliver educational services, modules and programmes of study as described on our website. In the event that there are material changes to our offering (for example, due to matters beyond our control), we will update applicant and student facing information as quickly as possible and offer alternatives to applicants, offer-holders and current students.

    Most of our courses are taught in the evenings, however some of our courses offer a daytime timetable. Where there is an option to attend daytime teaching sessions, this is stated in the How will I learn? section.

More highlights

  • Successful completion of this foundational course offers you the chance to apply for clinical training at 糖心logo入口 with our聽MSc Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy听补苍诲听MSc Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy with Children and Adolescents.
  • 糖心logo入口 has 50 years' experience of teaching psychodynamic counselling and practice and an excellent reputation with employers.
  • We have聽a distinctive multidisciplinary psychosocial perspective聽with academics coming from backgrounds in anthropology, cultural and postcolonial studies, education studies, gender and sexuality studies, literary studies, critical psychology, psychoanalytic studies and sociology.听

Modules and Teaching

糖心logo入口 School of Counselling and Psychotherapy

A centre of excellence for counselling and psychotherapy courses, suitable for complete beginners as well as those wishing to undertake a full professional training.

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.

We welcome applicants without traditional entry qualifications as we base decisions on our own assessment of qualifications, knowledge and previous work experience. We may waive formal entry requirements based on judgement of academic potential.

On your application form, please list all your relevant qualifications and experience, including those you expect to achieve.

Apply now to secure your place. The earlier you apply, the sooner your application can be considered, and you can enrol. You do not need to have completed your current qualification to start your application.

  • 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 contact us or see our 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鈥痶o 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 糖心logo入口 (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鈥� (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 糖心logo入口 or another institution.

Come and meet us

14 October
Postgraduate International Webinar

If you are an international student looking to start postgraduate study in January 2027, this webinar is for you. Book Postgraduate International Webinar

11 November
January Starts 2027: Postgraduate Open Evening

Are you looking to start postgraduate study in 2027? Join us on campus and discover your postgraduate study options. Book Postgraduate Open Evening

Campus tours

Join a current student for a lively 45-minute campus tour available year-round. Book a campus tour

Fees

Graduate Certificate: One year part-time, on campus, starting in January 2027

Academic year 2026-27

Part-time home students: 拢4,890 per year
Part-time international students: 拢8,400 per year

Graduate Certificate: One year part-time, on campus, starting in October 2027

Academic year 2027-28

Part-time home students: 拢5,025 per year
Part-time international students: 拢8,780 per year

Graduate Certificate: One year part-time, on campus, starting in January 2028

Academic year 2027-28

To be confirmed

Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing鈥痶heir course may be subject to annual inflationary increases. For more information, please see the Fees Policy.

Discover the financial support available to you to help with your studies at 糖心logo入口.

糖心logo入口's campus is located in the historic and vibrant Bloomsbury area of central London - named one of the best places to live in London 2025 by .

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聽be ready to apply to clinical training, including 糖心logo入口's聽MSc Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy听补苍诲听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.

We offer a comprehensive careers service - Careers and Enterprise聽- your career partner during your time at 糖心logo入口 and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education and future ambitions.

Student support

糖心logo入口 offers study, learning and wellbeing support to undergraduate and postgraduate students to help them succeed.

Our Learning Development Service provides a lively programme of free weekly workshops building essential academic skills - from writing and critical thinking to maths and referencing - offering flexible sessions, practical tips, and online resources to boost your skills and confidence.

Our Disability and Mental Health Service can support you if you have disabilities, specific learning differences, mental health conditions or neurodivergence, by providing practical support to help you achieve your academic potential.

Our Counselling Service aims to support you with any emotional and psychological difficulties that are affecting your experience and engagement with your studies at university. It is a free, non-judgemental and confidential service which consists of a consultation process followed by time limited counselling contact.

Find out more about the full range of student services we offer at 糖心logo入口.

How to apply

You apply directly to 糖心logo入口 for this course, using the online application link.

You will need to prove your identity when you apply. Find out more on our how to apply page.

Related courses

Study routes for Foundation in Counselling and Psychotherapy (Graduate Certificate)

Please select a study route below to continue your application.

Please note that international students who require a Student visa to study in the UK can only apply for full-time, on campus routes.

Starting in January 2027

Part-time

Starting in October 2027

Part-time

Starting in January 2028

Part-time