Psychology with Counselling with Integrated Foundation Year

Psychology and counselling together examine the scientific and applied dimensions of understanding human wellbeing and how to support those who are struggling. Psychology provides the evidence-based foundations, building knowledge of how people think, feel, develop, and interact through rigorous research and theory. Counselling offers a direct application of that knowledge in the form of the relational, therapeutic skills that allow practitioners to help people through grief, trauma, anxiety, depression, and the many other challenges that affect mental health and quality of life.

At the University of Sunderland, this four-year, full-time programme includes an integrated foundation year, which provides a structured and supportive entry into the degree for students returning to education, those who did not quite meet the standard entry requirements, or those who want a more gradual approach to university-level study. The foundation year ensures you are academically and personally prepared before progressing into the core degree, where you will study both psychological science and counselling theory and practice in depth. A sandwich year and work placement opportunities are integrated, giving you hands-on professional experience in a mental health, counselling, or support setting before you graduate.

Graduates go on to careers in mental health services, counselling, social care, the charity sector, education, and healthcare, working in roles that draw on both psychological knowledge and therapeutic skills. Many pursue further professional training to qualify as counsellors or therapists through accredited postgraduate routes, working in NHS, private practice, or voluntary settings. Others progress into applied psychology, research, or health promotion, and many continue to postgraduate study in psychology, counselling, or social work.