Level 4

FdA Counselling

This Counselling Foundation Degree course will give you a professional qualification so that you can practice as a counsellor. The course is accredited by The National Counselling Society. The course will equip you with the…

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Course overview

This Counselling Foundation Degree course will give you a professional qualification so that you can practice as a counsellor. The course is accredited by The National Counselling Society.

The course will equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to take forward into your future practice. It will support you through a ‘helping placement’ at Level 4 and completion of counselling hours at Level 5. The course is centred around an integrative approach to counselling.

You will be required to engage in your own personal therapy and the course supports opportunities for your personal enquiry, reflection and development.

You have the option to complete the Counselling Foundation Degree full-time over two years or part-time over the course of three years.

If you studied your Level 3 course with us, you could be eligible for our Higher Education Progression Bursary. You can find out more about our financial support options or download the HE progression bursary application form.

How to apply

Find out more about our A Level pathways and how to apply

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Who is this course for?

This Counselling Foundation Degree is for people aged 18 and over who wish to develop a career as a professional counsellor.

It will support you to:

  • Develop academic and research skills in counselling
  • Work towards a professional counsellor accreditation
  • Enhance your counselling skills for other employment or your current professional roles.

What you’ll learn

During this Counselling Foundation Degree course, you will complete a number of different modules. Areas studied could include:

  • Counselling relationships
  • BACP/NCS ethical framework
  • Counselling skills
  • Creative approaches to counselling
  • Theoretical approaches
  • Application to practice
  • Personal development
  • Humanistic approaches: gestalt, transactional analysis, psycho synthesis and existential approaches
  • Solution-focused therapy
  • Professional practice
  • Human development
  • Working with loss and grief
  • Evidence-based practice and research
  • Mental health in a counselling context
  • Supervision, professional and reflective practice

Entry requirements

To join this course, students will usually need: '- 5 GCSEs at 4 or above (A*- C) including English Language and Maths

  • 80 UCAS points from Level 3 qualifications such as A Level or BTEC
  • Level 2 Certificate in Counselling (or other suitable counselling experience or qualification)
  • A completed DBS check
  • We will take significant relevant work experience into account where appropriate. This must be directly relevant to the field of counselling and will be discussed and investigated at the interview.

All applications are considered on an individual basis.

Future career and study

After successfully completing this Counselling Foundation Degree course, you may move on to work as a qualified counsellor with an agency, employer or in private practice or use your qualified counsellor status in another profession.

Completion of this programme would allow for direct entry into the BA (hons) Level 6 top-up programme at the City of Bristol College leading to the BA (Hons) Counselling Degree awarded by Bath Spa University

Additional costs

As a City of Bristol College student, you may incur additional costs to attend your course. For example, it is likely you may need to pay for travel and stationery.

Many courses offer learning opportunities that you may need to pay for. This may include things like study visits and visiting speakers. We will let you know in advance if there will be additional costs.

For this programme of study, you will need to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service application which costs £55. Students must receive a satisfactory DBS disclosure to continue on the course.

You will be expected to pay to join the BACP or National Counselling Society and will need to pay for your own counselling whilst on the course.

When on placement you may also need to pay for:

  • supervision costs
  • travel expenses
  • insurance related to your placement

Frequently asked questions

How to apply?

Your admissions journey will follow a number of straightforward steps and will likely follow a similar format to the steps outlined on our ‘How to Apply‘ page.

For 16-18 courses, places will be offered for a specific course of study at City of Bristol College, subject to the applicant meeting all course entry criteria.

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What support is available to me as a student?

You’ll have our support for every step of your studies. We’re here to help make sure you get the support that you need to succeed.

  • Careers Advice
  • Learning Support
  • Students in Care
  • Fees & Financial Support
  • Mental Health Support
  • Academic and Personal Support
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What facilities will I have access to as a student here?

From state-of-the-art engineering, construction and motor vehicle centres to welcoming spaces for A Levels, technical and vocational courses, our facilities are designed to support students in developing the skills, knowledge and experience they need for their future.

Explore our centres, as well as our training restaurants and salons, where students can put their learning into practice in professional environments.

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