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Course Overview
This degree provides opportunities for students to develop their knowledge and skills as counsellors and/or researchers in the field and is especially suited to students considering a career as a practicing counsellor.
In the first year of the programme, students are introduced to counselling theory and ethics. Due to the course leading to a professional qualification in counselling, much of the learning is experiential where students will develop their counselling skills as well as how to apply theory to their work. In the second-year students can begin to gain practical experience as trainee counsellors, learn about relevant clinical research paradigms, and develop skills and knowledge as reflective practitioners. As a key component of learning and assessment on the programme students will need to will develop awareness of the impact of their intersecting identities, psychological development, and relational past on their interpersonal and professional relationships as counsellors in training.
Students will learn research and evaluation skills during the second year of the programme. As a talking therapy, counselling is informed by both outcome research on what works for clients and process research on client experience of the counselling process and relationship. Research themes include determining what counselling skills and interventions are most effective for specific groups or issues, what is the best context for providing a service, and how to build inclusive and caring counselling relationships.
On the MSc programme, a third-year a research thesis is completed based on a research topic with relevance to counselling theory or practice. The MSc programme will provide graduates with the skills required to refine research questions and to use a variety of methods for answering them. Students will be encouraged to develop an original research idea, complete an independent research project, and consider how to disseminate their findings to different audiences.
How You Study
The programme is designed to develop students' theoretical knowledge, therapeutic competency, and formation as a professional counsellor. In the first two years of the programme students develop core counselling skills, counselling theory, personal and professional development, research skills, and understanding counselling within the wider social context. In the second year, students will also be expected to develop their skills as a professional counsellor through engaging in a placement. During the third year of the programme students undertake a research project to complete their thesis.
Teaching and learning will be developed through a range of methods, including:
- Lectures
- Problem- based learning
- Workshop-type based interactive learning
- Counselling skills practice
- Experiential learning activities
- Reflective activities to support personal and professional development
- Professional Practice hours
Programme Requirements for Completion of Hours and Attendance
Following completion of the PG Diploma Counselling (first year), students can apply for individual registration with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) pending completion of professional practice hours. The accreditation criteria of the BACP require that, over the year of training, students need to attend 400 hours of guided learning.
To fulfil these professional requirements your attendance on the course needs to meet the BACP requirements for face-to-face, in-person learning. In addition to this, you are required to undertake a placement where you need to acquire at least 100 hours of face-to-face therapeutic work that takes place in an approved placement and meets the BACP requirements for the number of face-to-face counselling hours accrued. You will be further be required to engage in a minimum of 1.5 hours of individual supervision per calendar month (i.e., ratio of 8 hours counselling to 1 hour supervision, with supervision every two weeks) from the start of the placement. Supervision is compulsory, external to the programme, and needs to be independently arranged by each student. More details can be found at https://www.bacp.co.uk/careers/careers-in-counselling/training/.
Modules
† Some courses may offer optional modules. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by staff availability.
What You Need to Know
We want you to have all the information you need to make an informed decision on where and what you want to study. In addition to the information provided on this course page, our What You Need to Know page offers explanations on key topics including programme validation/revalidation, additional costs, contact hours, and our return to face-to-face teaching.
Placements
As a part of the programme, you are required undertake a placement where you need to acquire 100 hours of face-to-face therapeutic work. The purpose of the placement is to enable you to develop experience in delivering therapy and competence in counselling skills. You will be required to engage in a minimum of minimum of 1.5 hours of individual supervision per calendar month (i.e., ratio of 8 hours counselling to 1 hour supervision, with supervision every two weeks) from the start of the placement. Supervision is compulsory, external to the programme, and needs to be independently arranged by each student.
Students are responsible for acquiring and sourcing their own placements and are advised to consider future career objectives and interests when considering placements. To ensure placements are appropriate and meet the necessary learning outcomes, all placements should be approved by the programme team prior to students starting therapeutic work. Students will have access to a list of approved providers and supervisors and can contact them directly. Placements are provided by external organisations that may have their own internal application process. The programme team support students with establishing placement agreements and students can access support with applications and interviews from the Careers and Employability Team.
How you are assessed
Students are assessed through a range of assessment types and formats. These include essays, case examples, presentations, counselling role plays, research reports, research proposals, and portfolios.
Career Development
Postgraduate study is an investment in yourself and your future. It can help you to further or completely change your career, develop your knowledge, enhance your salary, or even prepare you to start your own business. Postgraduate students at the University of Lincoln benefit from inspirational teaching combined with high-quality facilities and learning spaces, great industry links, and unique research opportunities, all of which are designed to help you stand out from the crowd and make the most of your time with us.
How to Apply
Postgraduate Application Support
Applying for a postgraduate programme at Lincoln is easy. Find out more about the application process and what you'll need to complete on our How to Apply page. Here, you'll also be able to find out more about the entry requirements we accept and how to contact us for dedicated support during the process.
Entry Requirements 2025-26
Entry Requirements
- First or upper second class honours degree. All offers made to those still completing a BA/BSc are contingent upon applicants meeting these requirements.
- Candidates are required to have experience of working in a helping and caring role in either a paid or voluntary capacity. This experience should demonstrate the candidate's ability to support individuals in distress and also engage in listening and communication skills.
Evidence must be provided of previous counselling skills practice, including one of the following:
-Level 2 or 3 counselling certificate
-Successful completion of a higher education module that includes a core element of assessed counselling skills practice
Applicants will be required to pass an enhanced DBS clearance.
Applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 7.0 overall, with a minimum of 6.5 in each element.
For information regarding other English language qualifications we accept, please visit the English Requirements page: https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/studywithus/internationalstudents/englishlanguagerequirementsandsupport/englishlanguagerequirements/
For further advice on IELTS and the support available, please contact the International College by email at internationalcollege@lincoln.ac.uk.
Interviews
Candidates who meet the entry requirements will be invited to the University of Lincoln for an interview with two members of the programme team. This will include a panel interview and a counselling practice activity.
The interview will typically cover:
- Interest in training to become a counsellor
- Skills, strengths, and competence that are relevant to counselling
- Current knowledge and understanding of counselling theory
- Students' own research interests and subjects within psychology that interest them
The counselling practice activity will include a short counselling session (lasting approximately 5 minutes) where the applicant will take the role of counsellor. Following this, applicants will be asked to reflect upon the session and consider the quality of the interaction with the client, what went well and what could be improved.
The skills being evaluated in this activity include:
- Ability to cultivate an appropriate therapeutic environment
- Demonstrable warmth and empathy
- Basic understanding of open questions
- Focus on 'the other'
Course Fees
You will need to have funding in place for your studies before you arrive at the University. Our fees vary depending on the course, mode of study, and whether you are a UK or international student. You can view the breakdown of fees for this programme below.
The University offers a range of merit-based, subject-specific, and country-focused scholarships for UK and international students. To help support students from outside of the UK, we offer a number of international scholarships which range from £1,000 up to the value of 50 per cent of tuition fees. For full details and information about eligibility, visit our scholarships and bursaries pages.
Course -Specific Additional Costs
In addition to course fees, additional costs may be incurred as a requirement of course-specific materials such as clothing or equipment. With regards to textbooks, the University provides students who enrol with a comprehensive reading list and you will find that our extensive library holds either material or virtual versions of the core texts that you are required to read.
Students undertaking placements will be responsible for their own travel, accommodation, and general living expenses.
It is recommended that you become a student member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). Student membership details can be found at https://www.bacp.co.uk/membership/student-membership/
Additional recommendations are that students should engage in their own personal therapy as a part of the training process (average prices between £30 to 50 a session), and students are also advised to obtain their own professional liability insurance.
Funding Your Study
Postgraduate Funding Options
Find out more about the optional available to support your postgraduate study, from Master's Loans to scholarship opportunities. You can also find out more about how to pay your fees and access support from our helpful advisors.
Academic Contact
For more information about this course, please contact the Programme Leader.
Jenny Hamilton
Postgraduate Events
To get a real feel for what it is like to study at the University of Lincoln, we hold a number of dedicated postgraduate events and activities throughout the year for you to take part in.
