BSc (Hons) & Foundation Year, Psychology with Counselling and Mental Health

Course Overview

AU BSc (Hons) Psychology with Counselling & Mental Health with Foundation Year has been designed for students who will benefit from an additional year of academic support at the start of their degree studies. Accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), this degree offers Graduate Basis for Chartered (GBC) eligibility, opening pathways to postgraduate study, including training as a counselling psychologist.

During your foundation level you’ll gain the skills and confidence you need to complete your undergraduate degree with confidence.

After your foundation year, you’ll cover the full psychology curriculum—social, cognitive, biological, developmental, and research methods—alongside specialist modules such as Mental Health & Wellbeing, Emotion & Communication, Approaches to Counselling, Children & Young People, and Loss & Resilience.

Counselling and mental health take a person-centred approach, helping individuals explore their experiences and develop strategies to improve wellbeing. Professionals in these fields work across a variety of settings, including the NHS, schools, charities, youth and community services, and private practice.

Course details and modules

Arden’s foundation year modules have been designed to give you a tailored and fully supportive introduction to university study. This first year of study will prepare you for success in higher education by introducing you to the academic skills and subject-specific knowledge required to excel in your chosen degree subject.

On this degree, your learning experience goes beyond the classroom. Alongside core psychology modules, you’ll study applied counselling and mental health, and complete an independent Research Project in your final year, putting your knowledge into practice on a topic that matters to you.

You’ll receive personalised support through one-to-one sessions with lecturers and skills tutors, regular personal tutor check-ins, and informal opportunities such as online coffee mornings with peers and staff. To help you connect your studies to practice, you’ll also hear from guest speakers across sectors including the NHS, policing, education, and community organisations.

Above all, Arden’s academic team of experienced practitioners, researchers, and published authors will guide you in applying your skills to real-world challenges, preparing you for both employment and further study.

How do Arden University assess students?

Unlike on more traditional degree courses, you don’t need to sit through traditional exams on the BSc (Hons) Psychology with Counselling and Mental Health degree. Your assessments have been designed to help you apply your learning to real-word scenarios. This means you’ll be better prepared to apply the skills you’ve gained on the course to your professional role after graduation.

As you work through your course modules you’ll have the chance to compete a range of useful assessment methods such as; individual reports, case study analyses, role-play, group presentations and reflective and personal independent assignments devised in consultation with your course module leader. Your assessments will have an emphasis upon personal discovery, the application of theory to practice and innovative thinking.

We’ve made sure the assessments that you undertake on the course are fun, engaging, and give you key transferable skills that employers today are looking for. Role-play sessions are an important feature on this course and have been designed to give you the unique opportunity to practice real-life professional counselling situations in a safe environment. These sessions will be guided by your course lecturer and will give you the opportunity to evaluate your decisions with supportive feedback from your peers and our academic staff.

Foundation level modules

Preparing for University Success
Exploring the Social World
Advancing your Academic Skills
Examining Social Justice
Planning for Your Future Success
Investigation & Innovation Project

Level 4

Introduction to Studying Psychology (20 credits)
Social Psychology (20 credits)
Exploring Research in Psychology (20 credits)
Developmental Psychology (20 credits)
Biological Psychology (20 credits)
Cognitive Psychology (20 credits)

Level 5

Qualitative Research Methods (20 credits)
Quantitative Research Methods (20 credits)
Emotion & Communication (20 credits)
Mental Health & Wellbeing (20 credits)
Personality and Intelligence (20 credits)
Approaches to Counselling Psychology (20 credits)

Level 6

Diagnosis, Assessment & Formulation (20 credits)
Contemporary Perspectives in Practice (20 credits)
Children & Young People (20 credits)
Psychology of Loss & Resilience (20 credits)
Counselling Research Project (40 credits)

Study options

This course is available to study through Arden’s blended learning study mode at AU campuses in London Ealing, London Tower Hill, London Holborn, Manchester, Birmingham, and Leeds.

The course is also available to students via online learning. This gives you the convenience of being able to study from anywhere in the UK or worldwide, providing you with the same high standards of teaching but with lower tuition fees.

Full-time blended learning

How does it work?

When you choose AU blended learning study mode, each week you’ll have eight hours of timetabled classes spread over two days at the Arden campus of your choice. This is combined with around 25 hours of independent study, which takes place through ilearn, Arden university campus in the cloud. ilearn contains all the resources you need to study successfully.

As a blended learning student you’ll also have access to Arden Library Portal, an extensive digital library with thousands of journal titles, eBooks, and a range of academic and industry databases that you can use to research and gain in-depth information on your area of study. At Arden, all of your course materials are provided free of charge, removing the need for you to buy expensive textbooks to study your degree successfully.

Blended learning is the best option for students who prefer the structure of regular face to face classes with their tutor and fellow classmates, and is particularly suited to students who live within commuting or driving distance of one of AU UK campuses.

If you’re a student from England who is enrolling on a blended learning course with Arden (based in one of AU UK campuses) then you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan to help pay for your living expenses. You can find more information on AUfees and funding page. If you’re a student from Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland you can find information about obtaining a student loan to cover your costs from your student finance body.

Part time online learning

How does it work?

Studying the BSc (Hons) Psychology with Counselling online gives you the ultimate in convenience. You can enrol with Arden from anywhere in the world and study your degree from the comfort of home, without the requirement to attend classes in a physical location.

AU online students study their degree through ilearn, Arden’s university campus in the cloud. ilearn provides everything you need to study at University. It offers an integrated virtual learning experience, including your virtual classroom, lecture theatre, and access to AU Library Portal. The portal includes an extensive digital library including thousands of journal titles, eBooks, and academic and industry databases which you can use to research your assignments and projects. All of these materials are provided to you free of charge, and contain all the research information you’ll need to complete your degree with us.

ilearn is also integrated with Zoom, making it easier to chat with your course tutor during your scheduled seminar sessions. You can even integrate AU study materials into your Kindle, making it possible to study wherever you have you Kindle handy.

Studying online doesn’t mean studying alone. As well as receiving regular feedback and guidance from your course tutor, you’ll be studying with likeminded students who you can meet with through our Unitu community, and you’ll have access to community message boards to discuss your course and the topics being raised within it.Arden have even set up community boards embedded into each of the course modules so you can have discussions with your tutor and classmates on the topics you’re currently learning.

Online learning students resident in the UK can apply for a Tuition Fee loan to pay for their course. If you cannot attend your course in person because of a disability, you may also be entitled to a Maintenance Loan to cover living expenses. Please find more information on AU fees and funding page. If you’re a student from Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland you can find information about obtaining a student loan to cover your costs from your student finance body.

Entry requirements

At Arden University applications are consider on a case by case basis. If you have significant work experience, have qualifications you have gained elsewhere, or a degree or qualification that isn’t a clear pathway to this degree – Arden team is more than happy to discuss your application.

What do you need to study with us?

Arden’s aim is to make learning as accessible as possible by ensuring that you can study your degree in a flexible and convenient way. That’s why Arden keep its requirements simple. All you need is a laptop or desktop PC (AU recommend one running the latest version of Windows), and a good internet connection. Please note that if you’re using a Chromebook, only those released in 2020 onwards support SPSS and Jamovi, which are essential requirements for the statistical elements of the course. Through ilearn, AU online university campus in the cloud, you’ll be able to access your course calendar, support services, learning materials, and AU online library containing almost half a million texts, as well as creating assignments, keeping notes, and collaborating with other students on your course.

Eligibility

To be eligible for AU BSc (Hons) Psychology with Counselling course, you must have:

Passes at grade C or above in three subjects including mathematics at GCSE level or academic equivalent.
If you are unable to evidence a GCSE or equivalent in mathematics you will be able to complete an assessment-free module during your first study block to substitute for this.

Applicants may be considered based on a minimum of 12 months of relevant work experience. Arden will ask you for a personal statement that demonstrates your ability to study the course, along with references and evidence of your previous work experience.

Course fee breakdown

Course fees are not available yet.

English proficiency

IELTS 6.0 (no less than 5.5 in any element); or TOEFL iBT 80; or equivalent
Alternatively, evidence you have previously studied in English, such as a letter to show that the Medium of Instruction was in English can be accepted.

Apply for the Course

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Career prospects

With a specialised degree in psychology with counselling, you’ll have a qualification that shows your commitment to working in professional practice. The course sets you up with a range of knowledge, skills, and abilities that will allow you to apply your learning confidently in your future career as a counsellor.

What can I do after Arden University?

After successfully completing your BSc Psychology with Counselling degree, you’ll have acquired a range of specialised skills that will demonstrate your drive and commitment to developing your career as a counsellor.

As well as graduating with the possibility of continuing on to further counselling related qualifications, such as psychotherapy or Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT), this course also gives you eligibility to enrol on the British Psychological Society’s independent route to training as a counselling psychologist, or apply for a Doctorate in Counselling Psychology.

As well as roles in counselling, you’ll also graduate with skills that can be applied to a range of future career options including:

Support Worker
Nursing
Mental health professional
Human resource manager
Careers adviser
Journalist
Marketing/advertising
Police officer
Social work

What will the BSc (Hons) Psychology with Counselling do for me?

Employers who have provided input into this course’s development include counselling psychologists, clinical psychologists, psychology practitioners, the UK fire service, independent consultants, and previous alumni who are now working across many varied professional areas. Because of this input, you’ll find that your course content has been tailored to help you fill current skills gaps in a range of careers and professions worldwide.

With such a wide choice of topics to learn about and different skills to master, you’ll graduate with in-depth knowledge of modern counselling theory and practice, including:

Communicate effectively in challenging situations
Retrieving, comprehending, and using data
Handling primary source material appropriately
Problem solving and abstract and scientific reasoning
Making critical judgements and evaluations
Applying sensitivity to interpersonal factors
Talking and listening approaches in counselling
Responding to feedback

Industry skills

The topics you’ll study on this course have a global focus that is relevant anywhere in the world. Avoiding the Western-centric focus of many undergraduate psychology courses and aligned with the framework of BPS accreditation, which provides a cross-cultural viewpoint, this degree is internationally recognised and will give you experience and knowledge that you can apply in your home country.

The British Psychological Society (BPS)

The British Psychological Society (BPS) is the representative body for psychology and psychologists in the UK. The society is responsible for the development, promotion, and application of psychology for the public good.

Arden’s BSc (Hons) Psychology with Counselling course is accredited by the British Psychological Society. This means that students obtaining at least a lower second-class honours degree (2:2) will be eligible for the society’s Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership – the prerequisite requirement to go on to further training as a professional psychologist after graduation.

You’ll have free membership of the BPS as soon as you enrol with us, which opens up a number of fantastic opportunities and professional resources for you, including:

Access to dozens of industry events each year, including student-focused careers events where you can learn from psychology professionals.
Subscriptions to The Psychologist, the monthly BPS magazine, and Psych-Talk, which is written by psychology students for psychology students – and is also a great way for you to get published.
Access to the online community of BPS members, which helps you to connect with other psychology students across the UK and discuss the latest advances and developments in your field of interest.
The chance to become a student rep and help support your fellow psychology students and spread the word about BPS membership.
Discounts on textbooks and key publications, including 35% off Wiley/Blackwell books (print and e-books) when you sign up for BPS membership.

Campaign for Social Science

Arden University is a member of the Campaign for Social Science.

The Campaign demonstrates how social science improves public policy, society, and all our lives. It highlights the value of applied social science research and advocates for its greater use in decision-making and in government. It is supported by a coalition of universities, social science societies, and publishers.

As a member, Arden receives access to case studies, research into the value provided by social sciences, and insights into the employability of social science graduates. Through this, you will gain a better understanding of the skills you are learning and their value to employers.

LinkedIn Learning

All Arden students will have free access to LinkedIn Learning through the Library Portal. LinkedIn Learning is a video-based online learning platform offering over 16,500 expert-led courses across a wide range of subjects including business, technology, and creative skills.

With LinkedIn Learning, you can:

Pursue curated learning pathways aligned with AU curriculum and your career goals.
Add value to your LinkedIn profile by showcasing your newly acquired skills.
Personalise content based on skills relevant to your chosen career path, interests and prior learning.