BSc (Hons) Counselling and Psychotherapy: Professional Practice Bachelor's degree at the University of Salford
BSc (Hons) Counselling and Psychotherapy: Professional Practice at University of Salford leads to a nationally recognised Bachelor's degree. Salford holds Silver status in the Office for Students' Teaching Excellence Framework (2023).
About this course
Human relationships are at the heart of almost every aspect of our personal and working lives. Training to be a professional counsellor develops your understanding of effective relationships and enables you to help people who are struggling with themselves or with others to find their own ways to transform their situat From the provider’s course page.
BSc (Hons) Counselling and Psychotherapy: Professional Practice is a Bachelor's degree (BSc (Hons)) at the University of Salford. It is studied part-time; duration varies by route.
For Allied health graduates from this provider, 100% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 90% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £29,500. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Nursing & Health, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Limited evidence Published sample: 20; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 100% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 95% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year one 6 modules
- Counselling and Communication Skills
Module details
This module will introduce you to the theory and practice of internationally recognised self-management and problem solving skills. You will work as part of a team to develop and reflect on the application of counselling skills in a personal and professional context.
- Counselling and Psychotherapy Skills
Module details
This module will help you to develop the knowledge, critical evaluation and practical application skills of person centred counselling theory and practice. It will explain the key concepts of Humanistic and Rogerian counselling theory.
- Counselling and Psychotherapeutic Approaches
Module details
This module will introduce key Freudian concepts and explore how to critically analyse them. You will have the opportunity to apply active listening skills in skills practice and reflect on your own values and beliefs.
- Introduction to Counselling, Philosophy and Research
Module details
This module will develop your academic research skills and the processes involved in critically reviewing literature, identifying appropriate resources and applying models of research design.
- Mindfulness and Wellbeing
Module details
This module will enable you to understand the principles of mindfulness-based approaches and their relevance to counselling and psychotherapy. You will learn specific skills to minimise stress and improve your general wellbeing, and this is an approach which is currently becoming more widely known
- Therapy, Ethics and Human Rights
Module details
This module will define the terms of ethics and how they relate to Human Rights. You will explore the ethical boundaries of a therapeutic relationship and consider national, international and global issues that can impact on clients and therapists.
Year two 6 modules
- Personal and Professional Development 1
Module details
Through a personal development plan, you will reflect on your own self-awareness and experiences and how they might affect how you communicate with others. You will evaluate both group and one-to-one processes, identifying potential barriers to communication.
- Practice-based Reflection and Research
Module details
This module will develop your research skills so that you are able to write a strong, original project proposal using literature searches, analysis and evaluation. You will also learn about qualitative and quantitative research methods.
- Professional Issues, Ethics and Supervision
Module details
This module will further develop your understanding of the professional expectations, contracts and boundaries you will encounter in your practice, helping you to develop ways of resolving ethical dilemmas.
- Preparation for Counselling and Psychotherapy Practice
Module details
The aim of this module is to prepare you for professional practice and the factors involved in multi-disciplinary working. You will explore humanistic approaches and evaluate the effectiveness of Person-Centred therapeutic practice.
- Professional Counselling and Psychotherapy Skills
Module details
This module will enhance your ability to evaluate your own counselling practice and develop your capacity as a reflective practitioner.
- Theory of Counselling and Psychotherapy Practice
Module details
This module will develop your understanding and critical awareness of theoretical traditions in this field of practice. You will also learn to identify relational dynamics in your practice, e.g., use of self, transference and attachment theory.
Year three 5 modules
- Professional Practice Placement40 credits
Module details
This 40 credit module gives you the opportunity to put your learning in to practice in a real world setting, working with clients vin a counselling and psychotherapy setting. You will be fully supported and supervised, but will be able to develop and reflect on your practice in a professional setting and gain valuable experience.
- Personal and Professional Development 2
Module details
The module further prepares you for professional practice by strengthening your ability to work in a positive, non-discriminatory and culturally sensitive way. You will participate in a personal development group and a facilitated clinical supervision group.
- Counselling and Mental Health
Module details
This module covers a range of issues related to mental health with respect to the needs of several disadvantaged groups in society e.g., people of colour, women. You will analyse the psychological and support needs of a range of client groups that use psychological services.
- Counselling and Psychotherapy for Children and Young People
Module details
This module will develop your understanding and critical awareness of theoretical traditions in this field of practice. You will also learn to identify relational dynamics in your practice, e.g., use of self, transference and attachment theory.
- Expressive Therapies
Module details
This module aims to examine, compare and evaluate the use of expressive therapies with specific societal groups such as children, terminally ill clients, people with learning disabilities, those with English as an additional language.
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
This course develops your understanding of effective relationships and prepares you for professional counselling practice. You'll usually start with foundations in counselling theory, human development and communication skills, building towards clinical practice. A course like this typically progresses from core psychological principles and person-centred approaches to specialist areas such as mental health, adult support, children's work, community practice and leadership. Throughout, supervised practice placements are integrated at each stage to ground your learning in real work settings. You'll learn to assess complex situations, apply evidence-based practice and develop the professional judgment needed for autonomous counselling work.
Who it's for
This course suits those seeking professional qualification in counselling and psychotherapy whilst balancing other commitments, given its part-time structure. Around 40% of recent entrants held a previous degree, suggesting the programme welcomes both school-leavers and career-changers. Check the university's funding pages for bursaries and scholarships.
University & format
The University of Salford is a public university founded in 1896, located in Salford. This course is studied part-time and taught in English. The University is a recognised UK degree-awarding body, so your BSc (Hons) is nationally recognised. Salford holds Silver for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023. Bursaries and scholarships are available; check the university's funding pages for details.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
Part-time application dates vary by provider. UCAS dates
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
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
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| a previous degree | 40% |
| A-levels or equivalent | 35% |
| another higher-education qualification | 10% |
| an Access course | 10% |
| No / unknown prior qualifications | 5% |
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. 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 University of Salford →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.
National funding for this subject
- NHS Learning Support Fund: Eligible nursing, midwifery and allied-health students can receive a non-repayable training grant. Official guidance
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 Nursing & Health graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £29,500 | £28,000 – £37,500 | 20 |
| 3 years after | £26,500 | £19,500 – £30,500 | 75 |
| 5 years after | £29,500 | £22,500 – £34,500 | 60 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 20; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Newly Qualified PractitionerPreceptorship / first post · 0–2 yrs
- 2Registered PractitionerAutonomous practice · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / SpecialistSpecialist or team lead · 5–10 yrs
- 4Advanced / Consultant PractitionerAdvanced practice or management · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Nursing & Health nationally
National figures for Nursing & Health 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.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 20; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Nursing & Health courses at the same study level.
Compared with 1,506 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Therapy professionalsSOC 2020 222 · 80% of published destinations · ASHE median £37,338
- Artistic, literary and media occupationsSOC 2020 341 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £33,824
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 20; response rate: 65%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Nursing & Health 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 documentation and triage support
- Scheduling and records admin
- First-pass risk flags from data
- Standard reference look-ups
More human than ever
- Hands-on, compassionate care
- Clinical judgement and accountability
- Communicating with patients and families
- Ethics and safeguarding decisions
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Nursing & Health 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
- NHS trusts
- Private healthcare
- Care providers
- Community & mental-health services
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Nursing & Health graduates.
Nursing Home ManagerJarrodean Healthcare RecruitmentSenior Charge Nurse Uist Community Nursing teamNHS National Services ScotlandCare Assistant - Nursing Home | Flexible Hours, Weekly PayMpa RecruitmentCare Assistant (Nursing) - Nightshift - RatheaneMacklin Care Homes LimitedSenior Support Worker: Meaningful Care & Flexible ShiftsPotens GroupDental NurseBupa Dental CareIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
100% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £29,500. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 9.8 out of 10: NSS 98.4% · in work or study 100% · continued 95%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The University of Salford
Subjects allied to medicine across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Salford University
10 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 Nursing & Health right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to University of Salford from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £17,640 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). 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 University of Salford’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 University of Salford and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at University of Salford
BSc (Hons) Counselling and Psychotherapy: Professional PracticeBSc (Hons) · University of SalfordBSc (Hons) Diagnostic RadiographyBSc (Hons) · University of SalfordBSc (Hons) Learning Disabilities Nursing and Social Work (Integrated Practice)BSc (Hons) · University of SalfordBSc (Hons) MidwiferyBSc (Hons) · University of Salford
Common questions
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
Request information about BSc (Hons) Counselling and Psychotherapy: Professional Practice
Prospectus, key dates, entry and funding, free to your inbox.