Awarding Body:	Quality & Qualifications Ireland (QQI)  - formerly Higher Education & Training Awards Council (HETAC)
Award Level:	Level 8 (Honours Degree).
Course Length:	Part-time: 4 years (1-2 evenings per week and 9 weekends)
Title of Award:	Bachelor of Arts (Honours)

Counsellors have a major contribution to make in the alleviation of distress and in the development of the individual across the whole range of human experience such as bereavement, trauma, depression, personal and career choices and relationships. In addition, good counselling skills are now an essential part of many work roles and an expertise in the areas can be an important source of job satisfaction. Counselling and Psychotherapy disciplines have enjoyed significant growth in an Ireland that has seen great social change in recent years. They have become accepted as ways of coming to understand oneself and help others. Please note that completion of a Foundation course in Counselling & Psychotherapy is not a pre-requisite for entry on to this programme.
Please note that completion of a Foundation course in Counselling & Psychotherapy is not a pre-requisite for entry on to this programme.

Key Features of this Programme

• Central to the course are personal development through personal therapy and process group work, supervised clinical practice (years 3 & 4) and theoretical study
• Teaching is primarily interactive and focused on the students' engagement with the material on the programme
• Learning is skills-based and experiential, in small group formats (maximum of 15 per training group and 8 per clinical supervision group in years 3 & 4)
• We have a dedicated placement officer to assist students in finding work placements to complete their necessary client work
• Of interest to those who would like to learn counselling skills and understand their basis in psychotherapeutic practice
• Enhances students current work practices e.g. health and social care professionals, teachers, Gardai, community workers, voluntary sector workers and many more
• Recognised by the Irish Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (IACP)
• The orientation is primarily humanistic /integrative/ psychodynamic but it also introduces students to the principles of psychoanalysis, body psychotherapy, existential psychotherapy and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
• Upon successful completion, graduates may apply for the MA in Psychotherapy

Learner protection for this programme is provided in accordance with Section 43 of the Qualifications (Education and Training ) Act 1999.

The BA (Hons) in Counselling & Psychotherapy is a part-time programme of at least four years duration. During Level 1 and 2 of the programme students attend:

• Lectures 1-2 evenings per week
• 9 weekends from September to May
• Process Group on evening per week for 30 weeks from September to May
• Weekly Personal Therapy (mandatory from level 2).

Over the course of the first two years all students undergo feedback sessions and interviews to assess academic and personal eligibility to proceed to years 3 and 4. A decision is made at the end of year 2 on the basis of the material from the previous two years concerning suitability for client work. Students who successfully complete year 2 receive a Higher Certificate in Applied Social Studies - Counselling award.
During Level 3 and 4 of the programme students attend:

• Lectures one evening per week from September to May
• 11 weekends from September to May
• Weekly Personal Therapy
• Individual and group supervision of client work.

Additional hours are required for client work, personal therapy and individual clinical supervision. Please note personal therapy and individual clinical supervision are an additional cost to be incurred by students.
Years 3 and 4 continue to include feedback sessions and interview and upon completion of these two final years, a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Degree is awarded.