Skip to navigation | Skip to main content | Skip to footer

Counselling MA

View tabbed content | View all content (for printing)

Degree awarded: Master of Arts

Duration: 36 months. [Part-Time]

Entry requirements:

Applicants are assessed on their personal and intellectual suitability for counselling training and study at masters level.  Requirements include:

  • a first degree
  • a certificate in counselling. Certificate courses are generally of one-year (100-130 hours) duration and can be accessed in Further Education Colleges.

Evidence of considerable experience in the field of counselling, relevant life experience and/or relevant professional training/experience may be accepted in lieu of a degree qualification.  Assessment will take place through application form, references and interview.

Course fees: For entry in the academic year beginning September 2013, the tuition fees are as follows:

  • MA (part-time)
    UK/EU students (per annum): £2,886

The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive for the course tuition, administration and computational costs during your studies.

All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of courses lasting more than a year for UK/EU students (fees are typically fixed for International students, for the course duration at the year of entry). For general fees information please visit: postgraduate fees. Always contact the department if you are unsure which fee applies to your qualification award and method of attendance.

Related website: www.education.manchester.ac.uk

Academic department: School of Education

Contact email: pg-education@manchester.ac.uk

Contact telephone: +44 (0)161 275 3463

How to apply:

Apply online

Course options

Full-time Part-time Full-time distance learning Part-time distance learning
MA N Y N N

Course description

This 3-year, 180 credit, part-time course begins with a 2-year counsellor training course accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy since 1992.  The third year of the course provides students with the opportunity to complete a research project focusing upon an area of study of the student's choice.

The following videos contain more information about the course:

Counselling Research Excerpt from keynote by Peter Jenkins, Director of MA Counselling, at the School of Education Student Research Conference, July 2011. For full keynote (30 minutes), click here.

Why choose an integrative course?

Student support with placements

Personal development

Using Emotional Freedom Techniques within an integrative model

Working as a counsellor after qualifying

Course aims

We follow the large body of research that directs us to the Client/Customer relationships as a major vehicle for change.  The orientation of the course is integrative.  The Egan three-stage model is offered as a framework for the integration of understanding and practice from a range of theoretical approaches.

Course unit details

The course comprises six taught modules and one supervised research project. 

The first two years involve attendance at 60 weekly sessions, a summer school, four weekend blocks and engagement in 150 practice sessions on placement, fortnightly supervision and personal therapy.

Full entry requirements

Academic entry qualification overview:

Applicants are assessed on their personal and intellectual suitability for counselling training and study at masters level.  Requirements include:

  • a first degree
  • a certificate in counselling. Certificate courses are generally of one-year (100-130 hours) duration and can be accessed in Further Education Colleges.

Evidence of considerable experience in the field of counselling, relevant life experience and/or relevant professional training/experience may be accepted in lieu of a degree qualification.  Assessment will take place through application form, references and interview.

English language: Students whose first language is not English require IELTS 7.0 with 7.0 in writing and no other component below 5.5, TOEFL internet-based test 100 with 25 in writing and no other component below 20, or Pearson Test of English 66 with 66 in writing and no other component below 51.

Other entry requirements: Entry Criteria for MA Counselling

Successful applicants for the MA Counselling need to provide evidence of the following, via a combination of material drawn from their completed application form, their personal and professional references and interview:

  1. Self awareness, maturity and stability
  2. Ability to make use of and reflect upon life experience
  3. Capacity to cope with varying emotional demands
  4. Ability to cope with intellectual and academic requirements
  5. Ability to form a working alliance with clients
  6. Ability to use self awareness in monitoring the therapeutic relationship
  7. Ability to be self critical and use both positive and negative feedback, reflect and make appropriate changes
  8. Ability to draw on personal and professional support
  9. Awareness of the nature of prejudice and oppression
  10. Transferable skills: appropriate levels of written and spoken English (or Welsh where applicable), numerical skills, information technology, problem management skills, communication skills, skills in working with others, skills in personal and professional development.

Source: British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (2009) Accreditation of Training Courses, Lutterworth: BACP, para B7.10

Advice to applicants

The course is intended for people for whom counselling is a legitimate and generally recognised part of their work role, either paid or voluntary.  Normally course members come from a range of professional backgrounds, e.g. teaching; social work; the medical professions, the pastoral ministry and from community voluntary organisations.

Interview requirements

Interview dates for September 2013 entry:

Monday 18 February 2013

Friday 26 April 2013

Monday 20 May 2013

Monday 10 June 2013

Tuesday 16 July 2013

Interviews will be held in

either

morning:

9.30 - 10.15:   Information session with Peter Jenkins, Course Director

10.30 - 12.00:  25 minute interview

or

afternoon:

1.00 - 1.45: Information session with Peter Jenkins, Course Director

2.00 - 3.30: 25 minute interview

Re-applications

If you applied in the previous year and your application was not successful you may apply again. Your application will be considered against the standard course entry criteria for that year of entry.  In your new application you should demonstrate how your application has improved.  We may draw upon all information from your previous applications or any previous registrations at the University as a student when assessing your suitability for your chosen course.

Disability support

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Support Office. Email: disability@manchester.ac.uk

Academic department

School of Education

Academic department overview

See: About Us.

Contact details

Contact name: Admissions Office

Telephone: +44 (0)161 275 3463

Facsimile: +44 (0)161 275 3528

Email: pg-education@manchester.ac.uk

Website: www.education.manchester.ac.uk

Files to download