COURSE CURRICULUM

The Counselling and Psychotherapy (Humanistic Approaches) degree at Derby is designed to prepare you for professional practice by combining academic study with extensive real-world experience, including a 100-hour clinical placement that supports progression toward registration with a body such as the BACP. The course is strongly humanistic in focus, meaning you will explore counselling through approaches that emphasise empathy, authenticity, and the therapeutic relationship, while also building practical skills in listening, communication, and ethical practice. Learning is delivered by practising counsellors and experienced lecturers, supported by specialist counselling suites that allow you to develop and rehearse core skills in a safe, supervised environment. Alongside technical training, a major emphasis is placed on personal development, encouraging self-awareness, reflection, and growth in understanding your own responses and relationships, which are considered essential qualities for effective practitioners. The curriculum progresses from foundational modules such as developing core counselling skills, theoretical frameworks, and human development, into more advanced areas including professional practice, supervision, and comparative theoretical approaches, alongside qualitative research methods. Through experiential learning methods such as triad practice (counsellor, client, observer), group work, and reflective exercises, you develop the ability to evaluate both your own practice and that of others. The programme also connects theory with real-world mental health needs, preparing you to respond to contemporary challenges in wellbeing and psychological distress. Overall, it is both academically rigorous and practically focused, aiming to produce reflective, ethical, and competent practitioners who can work effectively in counselling settings and contribute meaningfully to supporting individuals’ mental health and emotional wellbeing.