Counselling (top up)

The Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Counselling (Top Up) at the University of Greenwich offers a comprehensive and professionally focused pathway for individuals seeking to enhance their knowledge and skills in the field of counselling. This programme is designed for students who already possess a foundation in counselling practice, typically through completing a relevant foundation degree, diploma, or equivalent qualification, and wish to top up their existing credits to achieve an undergraduate honours degree. Throughout this programme, students will develop a deeper understanding of the theoretical frameworks and practical skills necessary for effective counselling practice across diverse settings. The curriculum emphasizes both personal development and professional competency, ensuring graduates are well-equipped to support clients with a range of emotional and psychological issues.

Students will explore advanced topics such as ethical practice, multicultural counselling, mental health issues, and intervention strategies, grounded in current research and best practice guidelines. The programme encourages critical reflection and evidence-based approaches, fostering the development of autonomous practitioners capable of adapting to the evolving needs of clients and the counselling profession. Practical skills are reinforced through opportunities for supervised placements, case studies, and observed sessions, providing real-world experience essential for professional development. Additionally, the programme promotes awareness of self-care and resilience techniques vital for maintaining well-being in demanding therapeutic roles.

The University of Greenwich ensures that the programme aligns with relevant professional standards and accreditation bodies, facilitating graduates’ progression into employment or further postgraduate study. Dedicated academic staff, experienced practitioners, and access to modern training facilities create a supportive learning environment conducive to academic achievement and personal growth. Upon successful completion, students will be awarded a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree, which can serve as a stepping stone toward gaining accreditation with professional bodies such as the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). The programme is suitable for those seeking to develop a career in counselling, mental health support, or related fields, or for practitioners wishing to formalise their existing experience with a recognised qualification.

Detailed Course Facts

• GBP 9000 Year (EEA)
• GBP 10350 Year (International)

• English

Course Content

Modules

• Case Discussion (15 credits)
• Consolidating Clinical Practice and Professional Development (30 credits)
• Advanced Counselling Theory (15 credits)
• Research Methodology for Counsellors (15 credits)
• Counselling Research Project (30 credits)
• Attachment, Loss and Bereavement (15 credits)

English Language Requirements

IELTS band : 6

To study at this university, you have to speak English. We advice you to

Requirements

Applicants should have:

A counselling diploma or foundation degree, normally with 450 hours of training, a minimum of 100 hours of supervised counselling practice and 60 hours of personal counselling (or equivalent)

• Accreditation of prior experiential learning procedures may apply for some candidates with fewer training hours and/or more experience. This is dependent on their existing diploma.

• Applicants are subject to interview.

There are state-of-the-art facilities for group and collaborative work in the Learning Hub.

Work Experience

No work experience is required.

Related Scholarships*

• Academic Excellence Scholarship

  "The Academic Excellence Scholarship can provide up to a 50 % reduction in tuition per semester. These scholarships will be renewed if the student maintains superior academic performance during each semester of their 3-year Bachelor programme. The scholarship will be directly applied to the student’s tuition fees."

• Access Bursary

  Bursary for UK students all subjects where the variable tuition fee rate is payable.

• Alumni Bursary

  Alumni Bursary for UK Undergraduate students

* The scholarships shown on this page are suggestions first and foremost. They could be offered by other organisations than University of Greenwich.

Funding

Mandatory Bursary

This bursary will be available to all new full time entry students paying the maximum level variable rate home fee of £3290 who also qualify for student support from Student Finance England.

The bursary will be payable for a maximum of three years and is dependent on successful progression each year of your programme. It will not be paid during any repeat or industrial placement years.

In addition to the above you will be required to qualify for the Maintenance Grant or Special Support Grant. These are grants that you can apply for when you make an application for your student loan for tuition fees and maintenance or what we call collectively Student Support.

Alumni progression bursary

A 10 per cent fee discount is available to all students who progress from an undergraduate to a non-government/research funded postgraduate programme at the university. The undergraduate degree programme must have been completed on one of the universitys campuses (Avery Hill, Greenwich and Medway), at University Centre Folkestone or at one of the universitys partner colleges prior to registration onto the postgraduate programme. The discount is applicable to the fee due after any other allowances have been deducted.

Care leaver's bursary

This bursary provides financial support to students entering higher education direct from local authority care. The student must have been in the care of the Local Authority for a minimum of 52 consecutive weeks immediately prior to beginning a programme of study. The bursary is available to UK students who on the 1st of September in the year of entry are 20 and under. Applicants must be studying full-time undergraduate programmes at one of the universitys campuses (Avery Hill, Greenwich or Medway) and qualify for the maximum level of government means tested maintenance of special support grant.

The bursary of £1,000 per year is payable for a maximum of three years. Payment in subsequent years is dependent on satisfactory progression and payment in a placement year is dependent on the placement being unpaid. In addition to the annual award, students will receive £100 in their final year towards the costs of the graduation ceremony.

First class honours scholarship

A 10% tuition fee discount is available to home students that achieve a first upon completion of an undergraduate degree and continue their study to postgraduate level. To be eligible, students must have completed their three or four year degree programme on one of our main campuses or at one of our partner colleges and have paid the variable rate tuition fees for the entire degree programme.

The scholarship is not available to government/research funded and PGCE programmes.

This scholarship can be awarded in addition to the Alumni Progression Bursary and the 5% prompt payment discount.

Partnership progression scholarship

10 scholarships of £525 each are available to students who progress from a University of Greenwich programme at one of our partner colleges directly to the final year of an honours degree programme at one of our campuses (Avery Hill, Greenwich or Medway). The applicant must have achieved to a high standard at the college. The 10 highest achieving students will be awarded.

Progression bursary

Full time students paying maximum variable fee who receive the Mandatory Bursary detailed above who progress from year 1 to year 2 of study will receive a Progression Bursary payable in year 2 of study only. The award will be for £150.

When we say progression we mean that you have passed 120 credits and completed all last items of assessment at the first attempt. If you are awarded this bursary it will be in addition to the Mandatory Bursary and paid at the same time into your nominated bank account (the one your loan and grant is paid in to).

The Progression Bursary is not available for Foundation degree, HND other sub-degree programmes or for the majority of Partner Colleges programmes where the fee is below the maximum variable charge.

UCAS scholarship

This scholarship of £525 per year for a maximum of three years (years 2 and 3 dependent on satisfactory progress), is available to full-time home undergraduate students on honours degree programmes who are studying at one of the universitys campuses (Avery Hill, Greenwich or Medway) and paying variable fees. On entry to the university, you must have achieved a UCAS tariff score of at least 300 points from A-levels or equivalent qualifications (not including AS-level, key/core skills or passport points) obtained within two consecutive years. The scholarship is not available to students on HNDs, foundation degrees and NHS-funded programmes.

John McWilliam bursary

Established in memory of former Deputy Vice-Chancellor Mr John McWilliam this scholarship assists students studying specified programmes of study, within the School of Architecture & Construction.

Each recipient, of five selected annually, will be able to use the scholarship of £1500 to fund a variety of educational costs not necessarily met by any other grant, award or scholarship including the opportunity to travel oversees as part of their programme of study. Scholarships are available for one year only and can only be received by each recipient once during their studies.

Applicants must be entering the first year, full-time UK home students, studying a specified programme on one of the universitys campuses (Avery Hill, Greenwich or Medway).

Additionally, priority will be given to applicants that have been resident for a minimum of three years in the one of the boroughs surrounding the university campuses; these include the London Boroughs of Bexley, Greenwich, Lewisham and the Medway Towns area. The successful recipients will be required to write a report at the end of the academic year detailing their progress.

Merit awards for outstanding achievement

This scheme is for all final year level 2 and 3 undergraduate students who are judged by a board of examiners to have demonstrated outstanding achievement during their programmes of study at the university or one of its partner colleges. Recipients of this award will be presented with a medal, certificate and £100.

David Fussey choral exhibition bursary

This cash bursary of £1,000pa (payable in two £500 instalments) is awarded for a maximum of three years and is available to all students at the university who join the University of Greenwich Choir.

The bursary is awarded in memory of Dr David Fussey, the late Vice-Chancellor of the University of Greenwich, who gained great enjoyment from singing in choirs. If you have choral experience and pass the audition to join the choir, you may apply.

The choral exhibitioner must remain an active member of the choir, attend all rehearsals and give full support to the universitys Music Director. In the second year, the choral exhibitioner, in conjunction with the Music Director, is responsible for publicity and general administrative tasks for the choir. The closing date for applications each year is 30 September.

Madame Österberg Trust

Madame Martina Österberg was a pioneer of physical education for women until her death in 1915. She founded the Bergman Österberg Physical Training College at Dartford, which until recently formed part of the university.

The furtherance of education was extremely important to Madame Österberg, and awards in her memory are available to all registered students of the University of Greenwich and its partner colleges. Applications can be made for additional educational experiences that are not directly associated with a students current programme of study.

Gravesend rugby football bursary

Bursaries are available to students studying at the University of Greenwich or studying University of Greenwich programmes at one of its partner colleges. Students must have experience of playing rugby union to an appropriate level, with a minimum standard of County 18s group or a senior level of rugby, the equivalent to London South East 2 or above.

Bursaries are offered on an annual basis dependent on the students satisfactory performance and progress, a commitment to the Gravesend club and continued registration at the university.

Royal Navy and Royal Marine bursary

The University of Greenwich, working closely with the Royal Navy Crown charity, Greenwich Hospital, has been awarded funds to assist students studying at the University of Greenwich. The scheme aims to provide support to students who are serving or former members of the Royal Navy or Royal Marines or their sons or daughters. Navy and marine personnel must have a minimum of three years service.

The bursary aims to assist eligible students with educational costs by making awards of up to £3,000 per academic year for a maximum of four years. Payment in academic years 2 and 3 is dependent upon satisfactory academic progress; payment during a placement (Sandwich) year is dependent on the placement being unpaid.

Sir William Boreman's Foundation

The Foundation provides bursaries, to permanent residents of the London boroughs of Greenwich and Lewisham. Applicants must have lived in the borough for a minimum of three years, be under 25 and have a family residual income in the region of £25,000 a year.

Bursaries can be used for travel, equipment, tuition fees, university excursions and general living expenses. UK full-time and part-time undergraduate and postgraduate students are eligible to apply.

Alumni Progression Bursary

International students who progress from an undergraduate to a non-government/research funded postgraduate programme can obtain a 10 per cent discount on their fees.

Gurkha Personnel Bursary

This £1,000 bursary is available to full-time and part-time undergraduate and postgraduate students who are serving in the Gurkha military or are former Gurkha military personnel. Immediate family members may also apply.

Nationality Scholarship

The University of Greenwich automatically awards scholarships of £1,000 to students from:

Bangladesh, Barbados, Botswana, Brazil, Cambodia, Colombia, Egypt, Ghana, India, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Turkic States, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.

Students must be on a full-time programme that lasts for at least one academic year.

People's Republic of China Scholarship

The university awards scholarships of up to £1,000 to students who have completed an approved programme at one of the universitys partner or link institutions in China and have progressed to an eligible programme at the university.

International Undergraduate and Postgraduate Progression Scholarship

New international undergraduate students selected for outstanding achievement at the end of the first academic year receive a fee remission of £1,000 for years two and three of study.

Postgraduate students selected for outstanding achievement at the end of the diploma stage of Masters study are awarded a fee remission of £2,000 for the final stage of their Masters.

The University of Greenwich offers a top-up Bachelor's degree programme in Counselling designed for students who have already completed a relevant foundation or diploma in counselling or a related field. This programme aims to enhance students' knowledge and skills, preparing them for professional practice in counselling and related areas. The course curriculum covers advanced counselling theories, ethical and professional issues, and the application of counselling skills in various settings, including mental health, education, and community services. Students gain a comprehensive understanding of psychological principles, intervention strategies, and client-centred approaches, equipping them with the competence required for effective client engagement and support.

Throughout the programme, emphasis is placed on practical learning through supervised placements, case studies, and simulated counselling sessions. This ensures students develop both the theoretical foundation and the practical skills necessary for professional practice. The programme also encourages critical reflection and research skills, enabling students to evaluate counselling methods and contribute to ongoing professional developments in the field. The academic team comprises experienced practitioners and researchers who guide students through the complexities of contemporary counselling issues.

The duration of the course typically spans one academic year if studied full-time, or longer for part-time students, allowing flexibility for working professionals. Upon completion, graduates are equipped to pursue various career paths, including working as a professional counsellor, mental health worker, or in related support services. The University of Greenwich's strong industry links and its focus on vocational relevance ensure students are well-prepared to meet the demands of the counselling profession. Entry requirements usually include an existing counselling qualification and relevant work experience, although specific criteria may vary.

The campus facilities include dedicated counselling practice rooms, library resources, and access to online learning materials, supporting a rich learning environment. The programme is accredited by relevant professional bodies, which can enhance employability and professional recognition for graduates. Overall, this Counselling (top-up) degree offers an excellent pathway for individuals seeking to advance their careers in counselling through a combination of advanced academic learning and practical application, aligned with current industry standards and ethical guidelines.