Counselling Practice - Level 4 Diploma

Level 4 Diploma in Counselling Practice is for those wishing to achieve professional status in counselling. This qualification enables learners to embark on counselling practice, working within an ethical framework such as BACP or NCS.

The course is studied over 35 weeks, and students are typically timetabled for 2 days/evenings per week.

Learners are required to complete a 100 hour placement. Learners are expected to find their own placements, college tutors will also assist by providing a list of suitable placements.

Level 4 Diploma in Counselling Practice, awarded by AIM Qualifications, and regulated by the Office for Students.

After finishing this course, you could decide to progress onto the Level 5 Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling or other HE related counselling courses and you would be welcome to discuss these options with your tutor.

Upon successful completion of all elements of the course you can apply for BACP or NCS Membership. You can then gain employment as a fully qualified counsellor and/or set private practice.

This qualification is also appropriate for those working in roles where counselling skills are needed, for example; nursing, teaching, social work, voluntary sector, the police and armed forces.

You will study a range of units that will develop your specialist knowledge and skills. Modules currently offered include:

• Counselling Theory
• A Chosen Approach
• Study of Supervised Practice
• Working with Children and Young People
• Working with Anxiety
• Working with Grief and Loss
• Blended Practice

Alongside developing a range of subject-specific skills, this course also gives you the opportunity to develop important transferable skills such as critical analysis, academic writing, time management, and communication.

Please be aware that modules studied may change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, in response to student or stakeholder feedback, or as a result of regulatory body requirements. However, no significant changes to modules would be implemented without student consultation and feedback. Enrolled students can always find the most up-to-date information about their modules and who is teaching them in their course handbook.

The course is taught by well qualified lecturers who are dedicated to ensuring student success through effective curriculum delivery and high-quality pastoral support.?The team includes staff with relevant academic qualifications and sector expertise.

Learning will be achieved through a combination of class-based sessions, group activity, role play, and independent study. In addition, there will be some specific online sessions scheduled whilst students are studying the 'Blended Practice' module to help build understanding of remote working. However, remote sessions are specifically scheduled around this module, and the rest of the course is studied in-person on-site.

A typical week has around 8 hours of contact time in taught sessions, plus additional 1:1 support available by student request. As with all higher education programmes, students are required to take ownership of their learning and development, and should therefore expect to spend time studying with independence outside of lectures. Time spent studying independently may include reading journal articles and relevant books, undertaking research, and completing assignments by set deadlines.

As a rough guide, learners should expect to spend around 3 hours studying outside of class for every 1 timetabled hour.

Course Fees: The full cost for this course is £2,882 for learners commencing their studies in 2025. For more information, please see the Fees Policy, available in the Policies and Reports area of the College's website

Some learners, depending on financial situation, may be entitled to apply for an Advanced Learner Loan. To find out more, please don't hesitate to contact our friendly University Centre team via 01935 845454 or email university.centre@yeovil.ac.uk .

Additional Costs:

• Student Membership (See BACP website for current student membership fee)
• Enhanced DBS check costing £56
• 20 hours of personal therapy
• Clinical Supervision if placement provider does not provide supervision
• Personal Liability Insurance
• Registration with Information Commissioners Office (ICO) if placement provider does not provide this
• Course textbooks - Whilst some students may choose to buy their own copies of core texts, this isn’t mandatory and our Learning Resource Centre is well stocked.

Additional costs may be covered by our financial assistance bursary which eligible learners may choose to apply for once they have had their place confirmed - at that point a bursary application form would be provided.

Depending on the nature and location of the placement a student chooses to undertake, travel expenses might also be incurred, at the student’s expense.

An assessment schedule, outlining all assessments and deadlines, will be issued to you at the start of the course. You will be assessed using a range of methods which will reflect the requirements of the subject, including essays, exams, assignments, and practical assessments. Feedback will be provided to you in writing, along with information reflecting your performance and recommendations for improvement.

Entry Requirements:A Level 3 qualification in Counselling or an equivalent qualification with elements of practical skills and theory related to counselling is required to apply for this course. Grade 4 (C) or above in GCSE English and Maths (or equivalent) are highly desirable.

International Applicants: International applicants will be required to evidence English language skills - this could be an IELTS score of 7.0, with a minimum score of 6.5 in each component, a grade 4 in GCSE English (or equivalent), or having recently completed a Level 3 qualification taught and assessed in the English language. For more information, please get in touch via university.centre@yeovil.ac.uk or call 01935 845454.

Interviews: As part of the admissions process, applicants who meet the entry criteria for the course will be invited to attend an admissions interview with a member of staff from the course they are applying to. More information about the interview process can be found on the How to apply page.

To apply for this course, you will need to submit an application form directly to the University Centre. You can find out more about this process and download a copy of the application form by visiting our How to Apply page, or you can request a copy of the application form directly from the Yeovil College University Centre team via 01935 845454 or university.centre@yeovil.ac.uk.

If you have any questions, or want to know more about this course, please get in touch! You can contact us via email (university.centre@yeovil.ac.uk), phone (01935 845454), or you can fill out our contact form.