BSc (Hons)Psychology with Counselling and Mental Health
Apply on UCAS- 2023
- 2024
- 3 years
- 4 years with foundation year
Why study a psychology with counselling and mental health degree at Solent University
Combine your skills in psychology and counselling to influence behaviour change and recovery on our BPS accredited degree.
- 0rdmost affordable city for students in the UK (Student Living Index, 2022, NatWest)
- Develop a strong grounding in psychology, while also building the knowledge to pursue high-level study in the areas of counselling, mental health support and mental well-being.
- Access our range of specialist facilities, including experimental cubicles, psychophysiological recording equipment, eye-tracking facilities and psychology labs.
- Our academic team has vast industry and teaching experience. And our close industry links and guest lectures mean that your teaching will always be guided by research, and real-world knowledge.
- You will have the chance to present at psychology conferences. Charities and private companies provide live briefs and mentoring for specific course modules.
- This degree prepares you for a wide range of careers in mental health support, therapy, counselling, social work, research and criminal justice.
This video 'Why study Psychology' is available as a text transcript, with a description of visuals.
Course overview
This course is accredited by The British Psychological Society. The curriculum explores the scientific methods used to assess, understand and address various psychological issues - such as depression, psychosis and post-traumatic stress disorder - and the risk factors related to the development of psychopathological disorders.
Students build an understanding of counselling and psychotherapy theories, examining the latest advancements and techniques, and exploring the role of empathy, compassion and mindfulness in counselling.
As well as studying the core principles of the application of psychology within the context of counselling and mental health, students are able to specialise in their final year in fields such as behaviour change, applied psychopathology, CBT and mindfulness-based approaches, and psychology and technology.
Students have opportunities to present at and attend psychology conferences. Charities and private companies provide live briefs and mentoring for specific units.
Recent guest speakers have included a sleep laboratory researcher, police advocates, practicing counsellors, and a specialist reading intervention teacher.
Any questions?
Contact international admissions
Call: +44 (0)23 8201 5066Email: admissions.international@solent.ac.ukAccredited by:
Approved centre
Course features
Professional membership
You have the opportunity to obtain a professional membership as part of this degree
Foundation year available
If you're not quite ready for a full undergraduate degree, there's alternative entry through one of our foundation years
Specialist facilities
This course has access to specialist facilities
Further studies
After successfully completing your studies, there's an opportunity to continue your studies at Solent
Who is this course is for?
This course is ideally suited to those who wish to pursue a career in clinical or counselling psychology, mental health support or psychological wellbeing.
What does this course lead to?
The course has a strong focus on employability and students have the opportunity to carry out a work placement in their final year, helping to gain vital practical experience and increasing industry connections.
The course provides an excellent starting point for further specialist training in clinical or counselling psychology, mental health support or psychological wellbeing. It can lead directly onto postgraduate training if students wish to work towards registered or chartered status as a psychologist.
Meet the team
The course team have a wide range of professional expertise and experience, undertaking both research and applied consultancy projects throughout their careers. Their interests include forensic psychology, sports performance, psychological wellbeing, adolescent attitudes to alcohol, behavioural interventions for autism, the impact of hearing impairment in the classroom, parent–child bonds and romantic relationships.
The University cannot guarantee any particular members of staff will teach specific aspects of the course in the future, but will endeavour to ensure the teaching team maintains their balance of experience and qualifications.
Facilities
Students on this degree have full access to our range of specialist facilities, including experimental cubicles, specialist psychophysiological recording equipment and eye-tracking facilities.
Our vibrant campus brings state-of-the-art facilities to enhance your learning and elevate your student experience. Our award-winning teaching building, The Spark is centred around students and offers a stimulating study environment with flexible learning spaces. Away from studying, why not try out the gyms, fitness studios and sports halls in our £28 million Sports Complex, or watch a blockbuster film at our student-run cinema with Dolby Atmos audio.
Core modules
Thinking and Writing Psychologically
Why do people, think, act, and feel the way they do? In this era of unreliable news and abundance of untested theories, any serious attempt to answer this question would have to take a careful and measured approach. Often described as the scientific study of mind and behaviour, Psychology is an attempt to do just that. This module will begin to get to grips with what is meant by the ‘mind’ and ‘behaviour’, and – crucially – the reasons why Psychology adopts a scientific approach in trying to answer the big questions about the mental processes and behaviours of our own species and others. Ultimately, the emphasis of this module is on getting you to think and communicate like a Psychologist.
Beginning as a Researcher
In our day-to-day lives we tend to make judgements about human behaviour in a subjective manner using anecdotal evidence. You will be introduced to qualitative and quantitative research approaches used in psychology to study human behaviour in an objective and systematic way. This will enable you to make informed decisions as to people’s actions and motivations.
Developing as a Researcher
By knowing more about the research process that is used to study psychology and the basic steps that are used, you can better understand the process researchers go through to arrive at conclusions about human behaviour. This module will develop and enhance your skills in conducting data analysis from both a qualitative and quantitative perspective.
Current Issues in Psychology
What are some of the key questions that psychologists try to address in modern psychology? What approaches do they use? You will develop a critical understanding of a range of perspectives and approaches in contemporary psychology. You will be introduced to research in psychology, learning about newly emerging studies with practical implications for the community. Understanding this will help you to see how, even if you do not pursue a career in psychology, an understanding of psychology can be great for thinking about anything and everything.
Counselling theories and concepts
You will be introduced to a range of therapeutic approaches. Alongside the academic knowledge, being able to put the knowledge into practice through roleplay will be essential to developing and honing your counselling skills. These skills may include empathy, non-verbal communication, communication skills, appropriate tone of voice and pacing. You will also learn to reflect on these skills and how you have progressed over the course of the module.
Personal and Professional Resilience
How do we respond to stress, pressure, and other’s expectations? How do we communicate with our peers, tutors, and employers? How do we identify areas in need of work, and how do we know if we are ready to grow and develop? You will explore several areas of concern: values & attitudes, emotions & behaviour, and relationships & communication. This is important because central to a clinician’s safe practice is the art of self-reflection: the ability to notice one’s internal and behavioural reactions to events, their consequences for the self and others around them, and how to change one’s attitudes and behaviours into evidence-based, measured, effective, and empathic responses, to meet the pressures and demands of their personal and professional lives.
How you will learn and be assessed
You will learn by:
You may be assessed by a combination of:
- Essays
- Group presentations
- Individual presentations
- Formal time assessments
- Written exams
Solent’s curriculum framework builds on our unique, creative and applied approach to teaching. The transformation of students’ lives is at the heart of our mission as a university, and our curriculum – informed by the latest theory – reflects this shared educational vision.
Find out moreStudy support
The student achievement team are on hand to help you succeed during your studies at Solent. They aim to contact you at key times during your time here with personalised information, advice and guidance, by email or phone.
Access Solent provides information, advice and guidance for disabled students.
All students can access Succeed@Solent, Solent's online guide to getting better grades. It offers extensive, practical information and advice on topics such as academic writing, research and presentations.
Why choose the industry?
Studying psychology gives you a broad range of skills that can open up opportunities with a wide variety of employers.
Around two-thirds of psychology graduates are in employment in the UK six months after graduating, while almost a quarter undertake further study or combine further study with work.
Tuition fees
The tuition fees for the 2023/24 academic year are:
- UK, EU (settled status) and Channel Island full-time fees: £9,250 per year
- International full-time fees: £15,000 per year
For further information, please visit our tuition fees page.
Extra course costs
While most course costs are covered by your tuition fees, some essential resources and optional extras may need to be paid for separately. These additional costs are listed below. For advice on budgeting and managing your money, please contact student.funding@solent.ac.uk.
The 2023/24 other costs are not yet available. For guidance, previous other costs have been:
Compulsory costs
Lab coat: £TBC
Bursaries, scholarships and financial support
Solent University offers a range of bursaries and scholarships that provide financial assistance or waive fees for tuition or accommodation. Each bursary or scholarship has specific eligibility criteria. Check out our bursaries and scholarships pages to find out more.
Graduation costs
There is no charge to attend graduation, but you will be required to pay for the rental of your academic gown (approximately £45 per graduate, depending on your award). You may also wish to purchase official photography packages, which range in price from £15 to £200+. Graduation is not compulsory, so if you prefer to have your award sent to you, there is no cost. Extra guest tickets will go on sale after results publication and will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis. The cost per ticket is currently £15. Please note, we do not guarantee there will be any extra tickets available to purchase.
Financial information videos
Student finance in under three minutes Student funding - the essentials
Entry requirements
Please select an option below:
Key entry requirements
112-128 UCAS tariff points
- A minimum of two completed A-levels, a BTEC Extended Diploma at DMM or BTEC Diploma at D*D*, a T-Level Merit, or equivalent, which comply with the minimum entry requirement of 112 UCAS points.
- Grade 4 in GCSE English and mathematics (previously grade C).
Key entry requirements
As a general guide, we look for qualifications that are equivalent to the British high school A-levels.
If you are applying from outside the UK, find information about entry requirements, visas and agents for your country here.
For further information about EU qualifications, please contact admissions.
Key entry requirements
As a general guide, we look for qualifications that are equivalent to the British high school A-levels.
If you are applying from outside the UK, find information about entry requirements, visas and agents for your country here.
For further information about international qualifications, please contact admissions.
Note to all international students requiring a visa:
All international applicants need to be aware that the English language requirements to attend Solent University, and the English language requirements to obtain a visa from the Home Office, may be different. This means that if you meet the Solent University language requirement to gain a place on the course, you may still have to meet additional requirements to be granted with a visa by the Home Office.
We strongly advise all applicants to visit the Home Office website which outlines all the requirements for a successful visa application and to take a look at this PDF document which outlines both Solent University and Home Office requirements for a number of language tests.
Any questions?
Contact international admissions
Call: +44 (0)23 8201 5066Email: admissions.international@solent.ac.ukHow to apply
Full-time
Any student applying for the first year of a full-time/sandwich undergraduate course must apply through UCAS (University and Colleges Admissions Service). This includes mature, overseas and EU students.
Nearly all schools and colleges offer their students the facility of applying electronically through the UCAS website using 'Apply'; it may also be used by those applying independently in the UK and overseas. This facility and all course information can be found on the UCAS website: www.ucas.com.
Your application should reach UCAS by 25 January if you hope to enter a course the following autumn. Early application is advised for the most popular subject areas. Late applications may be made until the end of June. The UCAS Code for the University is S30, code name SOLNT.
Find out what happens after you apply
Contextual offers
Solent endeavours to offer learning opportunities to students from all backgrounds. When we receive and review an application, we take into consideration the context and personal circumstances of applicants when making a decision, which means our advertised entry tariff could be reduced.
Language requirements
Applicants who do not have English as their first language will be required to demonstrate an approved level of proficiency in the use of the English language. The agreed minimum requirements for this course are:
- IELTS minimum 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each individual component
- TOEFL IBT minimum 80 with a minimum of 20 in each individual component
- Duolingo English Language Test - 115 overall with minimum of 95 in each component or equivalent.
Qualifications are checked before enrolment, and international students must bring their original certificates or certified copies when coming to study at the University.
Pre-Sessional English programme
The University also offers a pre-sessional English programme for international students who wish to improve their level of English before starting a degree course.
We will prepare you for your future
Suitable roles for graduates include:
- Mental health support worker
- Psychological wellbeing practitioner
- Assistant psychologist
- Therapeutic practitioner
- Research assistant
- Learning support worker
- Probation service officer
- Social work
- NHS information analyst
We will help you start your career
The Solent Futures team is committed to getting students into great careers.
While you are studying, the team can help you with finding work experience or placements, link you with a mentor, check your CV, or offer one-to-one guidance.
If you're in your final year, we also have graduate job opportunities just for Solent graduates.
Find out moreSupport at Solent
All students at Solent University have access to a range of specialist support services. Whether you are having financial difficulty, need additional help with academic skills or want advice on setting up your own business you'll find that help is always on hand.
Most of our specialist support services are based around the Student Hub, a central space where you can access all the information and support you may need during your time at University. The Student Hub is the first point of contact if you have any queries relating to your course, including questions about your timetable, options, and assessments and extenuating circumstances.
We work in partnership with the University to build a sense of pride and confidence in your Union, University and student experience.
Find out moreFurther study
Thinking about studying further than an undergraduate degree? Alumni can get 20% off their postgraduate study.
MRes Psychology
Are you interested in a career in psychology research? Or are there questions about current theory or practice you are keen to investigate? Through this MRes Psychology you’ll develop...
Make your application
- 3 years
- 4 years with foundation year