Psychology with Counselling with Foundation Year

Psychology with Counselling is a combination that brings together the scientific study of mind and behaviour with an applied focus on the skills, theories and ethical frameworks that underpin therapeutic support. Psychology gives you the empirical and theoretical grounding to understand how people think, feel, learn and experience difficulty, drawing on research traditions in cognitive, social, developmental and clinical psychology. Counselling education develops your awareness of how to work supportively with people in distress, building communication skills, self-awareness and an understanding of the major therapeutic approaches.

At Arden University this four-year full-time degree with Foundation Year is shaped by input from counselling psychologists, clinical practitioners, occupational professionals and industry partners, ensuring that the curriculum is aligned with current skills needs across a range of careers and professional contexts. The foundation year gives you additional time to build the academic and psychological foundations you need before entering the main programme. Throughout the degree you will develop both the scientific knowledge that underpins psychological understanding and the practical and interpersonal skills that counselling contexts demand.

Graduates from Psychology with Counselling degrees go on to careers in a wide range of settings. Many go on to further training to work as counsellors, therapists, clinical or counselling psychologists, occupational psychologists or educational psychologists. Others find roles in mental health support work, youth work, social care, human resources, coaching and organisational wellbeing.

The combination of psychological knowledge and counselling skills is also valued in education, health promotion, community development and the voluntary sector. For those wishing to continue their studies, the degree provides a foundation for postgraduate training in counselling, clinical or applied psychology.