Counselling and Mental Health
Counselling and mental health is a field of study concerned with understanding human psychological distress and the therapeutic relationships and interventions through which people are supported towards wellbeing. Drawing on psychology, psychotherapy theory, sociology, and the practice wisdom of helping professions, it examines how mental health difficulties arise, how they are experienced, what makes therapeutic relationships effective, and how practitioners can develop the self-awareness, empathy, and professional competence needed to work with people in distress. As awareness of mental health issues grows and the demand for counselling and therapy services expands, the need for well-trained practitioners and informed professionals in this field has never been greater.
Studied part-time at Leeds Beckett University, this degree provides an accessible entry into the field for students managing other professional or personal commitments. The programme develops knowledge of counselling theories and approaches, psychological understanding of mental health and wellbeing, research methods in the helping professions, and the self-reflective practice that therapeutic training requires. A year abroad is incorporated into the programme, providing the opportunity to engage with different therapeutic traditions and mental health systems in another cultural and academic context.
You will also develop the communication, empathy, and interpersonal skills that are fundamental to all roles in mental health and helping services.
Graduates enter a range of roles in health, social care, the voluntary sector, education, and workplace wellbeing services. Common destinations include mental health support roles, counselling assistant positions, community mental health work, and roles in student services, addiction services, and rehabilitation. If you wish to qualify as a counsellor, the undergraduate degree provides a foundation for further postgraduate professional training at the level required for full BACP membership.
Many graduates also continue to postgraduate study in counselling, psychotherapy, clinical psychology, or mental health nursing, using the degree as a foundation for professional qualification and practice.