FdSc Person Centred Counselling Foundation degree at East Sussex College
FdSc Person Centred Counselling at East Sussex College was founded in 2018 and leads to the FdSc award, a nationally recognised qualification.
About this course
FdSc Person Centred Counselling is a Foundation degree (FdSc) at East Sussex College, based in Eastbourne Campus,Lewes Campus,Newhaven Marine Workshops. It is studied part-time; duration varies by route.
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for General Studies, see the sections below.
Curriculum & modules
A typical UK General Studies degree builds from foundations to specialist options and a final project. An indicative structure:
| Stage | Module |
|---|---|
| Year 1 | Foundations & Academic Skills Core concepts of the programme plus research and writing craft. |
| Year 1 | Interdisciplinary Core I The subject's main strands introduced side by side. |
| Year 1 | Data & Digital Literacy Working confidently with evidence and tools. |
| Year 2 | Interdisciplinary Core II Intermediate study connecting the programme's themes. |
| Year 2 | Applied Project Team-based work on a real brief or case. |
| Year 2 | Optional modules Breadth from across the university's catalogue. |
| Year 3 | Specialist options Depth in the strands you choose to pursue. |
| Year 3 | Professional Skills & Placement Employability, work experience and reflection. |
| Year 3 | Capstone / dissertation An independent project drawing the degree together. |
Typical structure for this subject (indicative). Modules vary by university. Check the provider's course page for the exact curriculum.
Specialisations & pathways
Tip: click a specialisation → current jobs in that area.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
This Foundation degree in Person Centred Counselling focuses on the core skills and understanding needed for counselling practice. A course like this normally moves from foundational concepts and academic skills in the first year, through intermediate interdisciplinary study, to more specialist depth as you progress. You'll typically encounter work on data and digital literacy, applied projects often involving real-world briefs or cases, and optional modules that let you broaden your knowledge across relevant areas. Towards the end of the course, you'll normally undertake professional skills development, a placement, and an independent research project or dissertation that draws together what you've studied. Specialisations such as applied projects, independent research, and placement experience are woven through the course structure.
Who it's for
This course suits those seeking part-time study in counselling whilst balancing other commitments. It is designed for students who wish to develop practical counselling competence alongside theoretical understanding and research literacy. The part-time structure allows you to integrate learning with work or personal circumstances.
University & format
This FdSc is offered by East Sussex College, a higher education college, at three locations: Eastbourne Campus, Lewes Campus, and Newhaven Marine Workshops. The course is taught part-time in English. As a Foundation degree, it is recognised by a UK degree-awarding body, making it a nationally recognised qualification. The college holds a Bronze rating for teaching quality from the Office for Students' TEF 2025.
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
Part-time application dates vary by provider. UCAS dates
Opened 2 July 2026; last choice 19 October 2026. Check vacancies now. A cached page never claims a place is still available.
Entry & how to get in
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course (code B941). One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by Apply directly to the provider
Part-time application dates vary by provider. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at East Sussex College →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What General Studies graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in general studies · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs General Studies nationally
National figures for General Studies graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
Job market & outlook
How General Studies graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where General Studies graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Employers across sectors
- Public sector
- Corporates & charities
- Startups
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit General Studies graduates.
General PractitionerMatchMedicsGeneral ManagerParkside RecruitmentGeneral ManagerThe Management Recruitment Group (MRG)General ManagerBite TalentGeneral ForemanCONTRACT SCOTLAND LIMITEDGeneral PractitionerFlexzo AiWho studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Combined and general studies across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Eastbourne Campus
636 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Around Lewes Campus
451 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is General Studies right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to East Sussex College from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by East Sussex College; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check East Sussex College’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with East Sussex College and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at East Sussex College
Common questions
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates earn?
What will it cost me?
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