Intro

The Psychotherapy MSc allows graduates of our postgraduate diplomas in psychotherapeutic counselling to further their professional and academic training.

The MSc involves two further years of study in which you build on your chosen theoretical base and develop ways of working with complex presentations of human distress. You also develop skills in research design and implementation specific to the profession of psychotherapy.

The course is a unique opportunity to undertake a more general psychotherapy training, building on the cross-modality philosophy and approach of the practitioners in the counselling and psychotherapy division at Brighton.

Key facts

Location Brighton: Falmer

Part-time 2 years

Accredited by the Universities Training College of the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy.

The application deadline for this course is 15 January. Check the entry criteria below for info on the application process.

applying for 2022

This course runs every two years, and will run next in 2022. Applications are now open.

Find out about postgraduate events

Applying for 2022

This course is closed for 2022 applications. Online applications will open for 2023 in October.

Course content

Syllabus

You are required to regularly undertake supervised clinical practice under a supervisor in an approved setting. You must also take weekly psychotherapy yourself with an UKCP psychotherapist. Membership to the UPCA is required from the start of the course.

Modules

  • Psychotherapy Practice and Models of Change
  • Complex Presentations in Psychotherapy
  • Systemic Interventions: Theory and Practice
  • CBT and the Relational Paradigm
  • Dissertation
Psychotherapy student

How this course is delivered

How will my course be taught?
For the academic year that starts in September 2022 we’re planning for all students to be taught face-to-face on campus, enhanced by some online learning.

Students who started their course with us in 2021 are on campus for some face-to-face learning including tutorials, workshops, laboratory classes and studio sessions. They are also taking part in off-campus learning activities such as placements, field trips and study visits. And all of our campus facilities – libraries, learning spaces, restaurants, gyms and more are open.

Like all universities we are following government guidance and we are monitoring the pandemic very closely. Should Public Health advise it we have robust plans in place for additional safety measures to be introduced to enable everyone to continue learning on campus, and, as a last resort, for students to continue their learning remotely.

We will update you regularly on our teaching plans for the next academic year as you progress your application with us.

When does my course start?
The 2022 academic year begins on Monday 26 September 2022. Teaching for most courses starts the following week.

Many education courses, some health science courses including Medicine, and some postgraduate business courses have an earlier start date. Check your offer letter for the start date of your course.

Our latest news

Award for life-changing music therapy tool

Award for life-changing music therapy tool

School of Humanities and Social Science academic Rebecca Atkinson has won a national award for groundbreaking research behind a new digital music therapy portal called DUET.
“I worked as a psychotherapist in the NHS, then worked for the Trauma and Counselling Service at the London Fire Brigade and in private practice”

“I worked as a psychotherapist in the NHS, then worked for the Trauma and Counselling Service at the London Fire Brigade and in private practice”

Psychodynamic Counselling & Psychotherapy graduate Christine Hopfgarten on studying at Brighton, her career since, and her new book.
Preliminary reading for prospective counselling and psychotherapy students

Preliminary reading for prospective counselling and psychotherapy students

Thinking of applying to one of our courses?
Read our counselling and psychotherapy courses FAQs

Read our counselling and psychotherapy courses FAQs

Wondering whether to apply for the Postgraduate Diploma in Humanistic or Psychodynamic Counselling, whether you need to do a placement, or be in therapy while you study?

Read more from our blog

Careers

The MSc will qualify you to work as a psychotherapist in either humanistic or psychodynamic counselling, depending on your chosen specialism.

To facilitate your career progression, we recommend that you join the main local counselling organisation, Sussex Counselling, which provides a professional network as well as regular seminars and workshops.

upca logoukcp

 

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

The entry requirements listed here are our typical offer for this course if you wish to begin studying with us in 2022. They should be used as a general guide. 

Degree and experience
Applicants will have a postgraduate diploma in psychotherapeutic counselling (equivalent to 120 masters-level credits).

Although the MSc is a continuation of our postgraduate diplomas in Humanistic Counselling and Psychotherapy PGDip and in Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy PGDip, applications are welcomed from those who have been awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy from other universities.

English language requirements
IELTS 6.5 overall, with 6.0 in writing and a minimum of 5.5 in the other elements.

Application process

We expect to offer 15 places for this course and hold a reserve list of three.

Step 1

  • Submit your completed application by 15 January, this includes completed references.  
  • Ensure that you accurately record all relevant completed or pending qualifications – scan and attach your certificates.  
  • If you are a graduate of the PGDip from the University of Brighton then you need only provide one reference from your supervisor. If you are an external applicant, you will need to provide a further reference.
  • Alert your referee/s that they should receive an email request and to check all email folders. Please note that is up to you to follow up with your referee/s to ensure this is submitted before the deadline of 15 January. 

Your application may be rejected if you do not provide the correct information or references by the deadline.

Step 2

  • Our admissions office reviews all applications.  
  • Complete applications meeting the entry criteria are submitted to the course leader for review and selection.
  • All fully completed applications received by 15 January will receive equal consideration.
  • Candidates will be selected for interview based on the strength of their application.
  • Applications received after this date may still be considered, if we have vacancies on the course or for a place on the reserve list.

Step 3

  • Selected applicants will be invited for interview from early February.
  • You will be interviewed by two course tutors.

Step 4

  • Successful applicants will be made an offer of a place on the course in May once all applicants have been interviewed.  
  • You will be advised if this is a reserve list place – reserve places may become available if a candidate needs to decline their accepted offer.

Step 5

  • Meet any conditions of your offer. This may include submitting evidence of the qualification you are studying.
  • Pay the non-refundable £250 deposit to confirm your place on the course. This is required within one month of your offer being made or we may offer your place to another candidate.

Fees

Course fees

UK (part-time, 1 year) 4,440 GBP

International (part-time, 1 year)4,440 GBP

Non-refundable deposit

To secure your offer or a place a £250 non-refundable deposit is required within one month of notification for payment. If your offer is received after 15 August, it may be possible to negotiate a date with the course leader. Please note this payment is required before commencement of the course.

Scholarships, bursaries and loans

We offer a range of scholarships for postgraduate students. Bursaries and loans may also be available to you.

Find out more about postgraduate fees and funding.

What's included

You may have to pay additional costs during your studies. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. A summary of the costs that you may be expected to pay, and what is included in your fees, while studying a course in the School of Humanities and Social Science in the 2022–23 academic year are listed here.

  • For some assessments you may be required to print large format posters for presentations at a cost of £5–£10 per poster.
  • Most coursework submissions are electronic but you may wish to print notes and should budget up to £100 for printing.
  • Course books are available from the university but you may wish to budget up to £200 to buy your own copies.
  • Some courses include an optional placement module for which students will need to cover the costs of travel to and from the placement and DBS checks as required.
  • For the Humanistic Psychotherapeutic Counselling PGDip and Psychotherapeutic Psychodynamic Counselling PGDip, the following course-related costs are not included in the tuition fee:
    • Supervision fees: £1,170 for each full year. Estimated based on £45 per hour with fortnightly meetings. In some agencies, supervision will be provided at no cost. Where students have to pay, the cost will only begin when supervision begins.
    • Personal counselling/therapy: £2,000–£2,800 over the course. Estimated based on £40 per hour.
  • For a number of courses you will have the opportunity to attend field trips and off-site visits. These are optional and are not required to pass your course but under normal circumstances we would expect a budget of approximately £150 per year will cover the costs of particular trips. The amount spent would be based on location and number of trips taken.
  • You will have access to computers and necessary software, however many students choose to buy their own hardware, software and accessories. The amount spent will depend on your individual choices but this expenditure is not essential to pass any of our courses.

You can chat with our enquiries team if you have a question or need more information. Or check our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as more information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Info

The fees listed here are for courses beginning in the academic year 2022–23. Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and may be subject to small increases, in line with inflation.

Where UK students are subject to regulated fees, the annual fee increase cannot exceed the UK government’s maximum regulated tuition fee limit set for the relevant year. For all other students, ie those not subject to regulated fees, tuition fees are subject to a maximum annual increase of the higher of 5% or RPI.

Visit our advice for part-time students page. If you have specific queries about the course fee, our fees team will be happy to help. Email them at fees@brighton.ac.uk.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

Location and student life

Campus where this course is taught

Falmer campus

Set in the South Downs, our Falmer campus is around four miles from Brighton city centre. 7,000 students are based here taking subjects including criminology, English, education, nursing and medicine, paramedic science, psychology and sociology. Brighton and Hove Albion's Amex stadium and beautiful Stanmer Park are right next door.

Specialist learning facilities at Falmer include the curriculum centre used by teaching and education students, which houses over 30,000 teaching resources and clinical skills and simulation suites used by health students. Psychology students learn in our applied cognition and flexible creative method labs.

Falmer campus has two halls of residence on site, as well as a library, restaurant, cafes, and a students' union shop and bar.

The campus sports centre has a fitness suite, activity studios and a sports hall. There is also a floodlit astroturf football pitch, netball and tennis courts.

Cycle lanes link Falmer with our other campuses and the city centre and there is a BTN BikeShare hub on site. There are regular bus services to the city centre and other campuses. Falmer train station is right next to campus and a nine minute journey to central Brighton.

Newly refurbished atrium in the Checkland Building

Accommodation

Brighton: Falmer

We guarantee an offer of a place in halls of residence to all eligible students who apply by 30 June.

Halls of residence
We have halls of residence across Brighton in the city centre, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer.

  • You'll be prioritised for accommodation in the halls that are linked to your teaching base, subject to availability.
  • Falmer campus is linked to the halls on Falmer campus and at Varley Park. All halls are self-catered.
    • Paddock Field and Great Wilkins halls are on Falmer campus and offer a range of rooms
    • Varley Park offers a mix of rooms. It is around two miles from Moulsecoomb campus and four miles from the city centre. Public transport in the city is excellent.

Private renting
There's plenty of support if you opt for private renting. This is an option which offers choice and flexibility – enabling you to choose where you live and who with. Every summer we provide online events and resources, as well as other advice services, for students looking for a place to live and people to share with.

Outside views at Falmer accommodation

Outside views at Falmer accommodation

Extensive facilities at Falmer sports centre

Extensive facilities at Falmer sports centre

Students dining at Westlain

Students dining at Westlain

Local area

About Brighton

The University of Brighton is at the heart of our city's reputation as a welcoming, forward-thinking place which leads the way when it comes to the arts, music, sustainability and creative technology. Brighton is home to a thriving creative community and a digital sector worth £1bn a year to the local economy, as much as tourism.

Many of the work-based learning opportunities offered on our courses such as placements and guest lectures are provided by businesses and organisations based in the city.

You can also get involved with city festivals and events such as the Brighton Festival, the Fringe, Brighton Digital Festival, Brighton Science Festival, the London to Brighton bike ride, and the Great Escape festival of new music to name but a few. Other annual highlights include Pride, the Brighton Marathon, and Burning the Clocks which marks the winter solstice.

You'll find living in Brighton enriches your learning experience and by the end of your course you will still be finding new things to explore and inspire you.

It's only 50 minutes by train from Brighton to central London and less than 40 minutes to Eastbourne. There are also daily direct trains to Bristol, Bedford, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Map showing distance to London from Brighton
Brighton Beach sunset

Maps

Falmer campus

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Support and wellbeing

Your course team

Your personal academic tutor, course leader and other tutors are all there to help you with your personal and academic progress. You'll also have a student support and guidance tutor (SSGT) who can help with everything from homesickness, managing stress or accommodation issues.

Your academic skills

Our Brighton Student Skills Hub gives you extra support and resources to develop the skills you'll need for university study, whatever your level of experience so far.

Your mental health and wellbeing

As well as being supported to succeed, we want you to feel good too. You'll be part of a community that builds you up, with lots of ways to connect with one another, as well having access to dedicated experts if you need them. Find out more.

Students talking in a social area

Sport at Brighton

Sport Brighton

Sport Brighton brings together our sport and recreation services. As a Brighton student you'll have use of sport and fitness facilities across all our campuses and there are opportunities to play for fun, fitness or take part in serious competition. 

Find out more about Sport Brighton.

Sports scholarships

Our sports scholarship scheme is designed to help students develop their full sporting potential to train and compete at the highest level. We offer scholarships for elite athletes, elite disabled athletes and talented sports performers.

Find out more about sport scholarships.

Cricket Academy

New for September 2023, our Cricket Academy offers aspiring players the opportunity to continue their cricket development alongside studying for a degree. The programme offers a world-class training environment with the highest quality coaching.

Find out more about the Cricket Academy.

Students playing frisbee

Stay in touch

Find out about postgraduate events

Ask a question about this course

If you have a question about this course, our enquiries team will be happy to help.

01273 644644

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