Awards

Target Award

Award Description:Master of Arts - MA
Alternative Exit

Programme Offerings

Part-Time

F2F-JMU-SEP

Educational Aims of the Course

• To provide students with the opportunity to engage in the academic study of counselling and psychotherapy. • To facilitate the development of students' Person-Centred-Experiential counselling competencies. • To provide the conditions to enable students to integrate theory, personal development, and ethical awareness into their counselling practice. • To provide students with an understanding of disciplinary perspectives in the study of counselling, psychotherapy, and mental health. • To enable students to view and understand client distress through an intersectional lens, paying attention to local, regional, national, and global systems which marginalise specific identities, whilst privileging others. • To link theoretical analysis with empirical enquiry in considering issues related to counselling and psychotherapy while nurturing students' intellectual and creative potential. • To enable students to become rigorous, critical, and analytical in their thinking about the interplay between client distress, policy, and societal factors. • To provide the opportunity for students to achieve full academic potential through master’s level study which encourages a high degree of initiative, independent judgement, self-motivation, critical self-awareness, and self-education. • To develop students' abilities in research, data selection, organisation, evaluation, and analysis so this can be fully utilised in the application of their skills within the field of counselling and psychotherapy. • To equip students with the requisite knowledge and skills to practice as a qualified person-centred-experiential counsellor/psychotherapist. Alternative Exit/ Interim Award Learning Outcomes - Postgraduate Certificate in Counselling Studies A student who is eligible for this award will be able to: • Make and sustain psychological contact in the relational encounter and relate person-centred-experiential therapy to both self and the therapeutic context using counselling skills. • Develop an understanding of ethical frameworks and the application of evidence-based practice and practice-based evidence. • Critically reflect on the impact of their own process and personal material in developing a person-centred-experiential supportive relationship. • This involves demonstrating active engagement in Personal Development and exploration of self which is perceived. • Demonstrate an understanding of the commonalities and distinctions of contemporary person-centred-experiential theory and practice and its historical developments and applications. • Critically reflect on how intersectional identities impact on self and others and the ethical principles relevant to contemporary culturally sensitive, anti-oppressive counselling and psychotherapy practice.

Learning Outcomes

1.
Explicate the ability to apply methodological approaches and analyses across a range of psychotherapeutic contexts and settings.
2.
• Analyse ethical issues in research and identify appropriate research protocols
3.
• Consider and contribute to current debates and developments in the field of counselling/ psychotherapy
4.
• Plan, conduct and report a programme of original research
5.
• Critically evaluate and apply a model of personality theory and psychotherapeutic change when working therapeutically with clients.
6.
• Carry out a clinical audit as part of professional competence.
7.
• Apply research-based information to clinical practice.
8.
• Critically debate matters of effective therapeutic interventions and theoretical concepts, considering other professional and contexts, where appropriate.
9.
• Initiate and develop research enquiry into psychotherapeutic practice.
10.
• Use and apply a range of therapeutic skills when working with clients.
11.
• Manage a therapeutic relationship including assessment, contracting, attention to boundaries, modification and ending.
12.
• Adhere to ethical principles and practice governing research and those specific to research within counselling and psychotherapy.
13.
• Reason critically and deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively.
14.
• Apply independent thought to a range of situations involving ethical considerations.
15.
• Critically evaluate information gathered using a range of media.
16.
• Evaluate critically documents and texts for their reliability, validity, and criticality.
17.
• Form respectful working relations with others, recognising and valuing difference and diversity.
18.
• Give honest, sensitive, and supportive feedback to colleagues and fellow students.
19.
• Develop written and spoken English, numerical skills, skills in information technology, problem management skills, communication skills, skills in working with others and skills in personal and professional development.
20.
• Communicate, challenge, and collaborate with others in clinical contexts.
21.
• Critique documents for their reliability and validity.
22.
• Evidence knowledge and understanding of current research evidence relating to therapeutic methods and processes.
23.
• Demonstrate the knowledge and understanding of qualitative and quantitative research paradigms including their respective strengths and limitations.
24.
• Demonstrate the ability to identify gaps in research evidence and make recommendations for future research.
25.
• Critically evaluate theoretical models and concepts pertaining to human development, understanding of
26.
• distress and psychotherapeutic change processes.
27.
• Consider and understand qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.
28.
• Critical evaluation of research design and outcomes.

Teaching, Learning and Assessment

This is a professional programme in counselling and psychotherapy; as such, a group contract between the academic team and students will be co-produced in the first semester. The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, skills, qualities, and other attributes concerning professional practice, research, and professional ethical frameworks. The programme utilises a variety of learning strategies including: • Presentation methods • Critical debate • Interactive, experiential lectures reinforced by discussion, linking theory to personal experience. • Exercises and case material designed to encourage students to critically examine the information and apply theory to practice. • Critiquing research articles. • Whole cohort community meetings • Independent study Students will be assessed using a variety of methods including: • Essays • Ethical analysis of practice • Case studies • Audio and video recordings assessed with PCEP’s outcome scale, • Independent research dissertation • Professional portfolio of placement practice (including supervisor's reports, evidence of personal therapy, portfolio log and other items as detailed in the supervised practice handbook).

Opportunities for work related learning

• Students undertake a practice placement commencing in their second year, at which they work as a trainee counsellor with a maximum of six clients, aged 16 upwards, a week. • Students can work with a maximum of four clients in a day. • Students may, after consultation with the module leader or their skills tutor, have a second placement if appropriate. • It is the students' responsibility to arrange their own placement following LJMU advice and guidelines. • All criteria of the LJMU placement learning code of practice must be met. • Students are supported in this work by group skills and case evaluation at LJMU and must ensure that they meet the PSRB requirements for trainee counsellor's supervision as detailed in the Supervised Practice Handbook (a minimum of one hour of supervision a fortnight when working with up to 4 clients per week, increasing to 90 minutes per fortnight if working with 5 or 6 clients a week). • Placement providers must provide a written copy of their insurance which will cover the trainee clinical placement and sign an LJMU service level agreement which is accepted by LJMU MA programme lead prior to commencement of the placement. • Students will already have a DBS check by LJMU. However, placements may require students to complete a separate DBS application. • Students must be fit to practice and disclose to the placement setting and tutors at LJMU if there are any factors that could impact Fitness to Practice enabling review and protect clients preventatively. • Self-awareness regarding power issues, clinical competency, and parameters of practice, referral issues, managing risk and boundaries, and Fitness to Practice are built into this and all elements of the course. • Students may be referred to the LJMU fitness to practice process and must report to staff and the programme lead any issues which may impact competency and fitness to practice concerns. • Placement providers screen referrals and support students in addition to LJMU tutor support. The level of complexity is limited to allow real learning but protect and safeguard clients, and, to be fair to students, and allow gradual development of practice competency. This constitutes a tripartite contract that is within the Supervised Practice Handbook. • Students are encouraged to take out individual professional insurance. • Students must complete 100 hours of adequately supervised practice with individual clients on a one to one basis (either in the room or remotely via video conferencing or phone) to meet the course requirements and evidence this as stated in the Supervised Practice Handbook. • The case study is practice-based research and as such, constitutes worked-based learning for candidates as practitioner-researchers throughout the full period of study.

Programme Structure

Programme Structure Description

7024COCPSY, 7025COCPSY, 7026COCPSY, 7027COCPSY Students must pass both assignments to pass 7025COCPSY 60 credits = Postgraduate Certificate Counselling Studies Students cannot progress to Year 2 of the programme unless they have passed all Year 1 modules. Students can be considered for FMA's at the end of Year 1. 7028COCPSY, 7029COCPSY, … For more content click the Read More button below.

Approved variance from Academic Framework Regulations

The following variances to the Academic Framework apply: The following modules have an approved variance for year-long delivery 7024COCPSY; 7025COCPSY; 7026COCPSY; 7027COCPSY; 7028COCPSY; 7029COCPSY; 7030COCPSY; 7031COCPSY; 7032COCPSY (reapproved 15/2/21) Students need to pass all 60 credits in year one to progress to year two (approved 16/6/21) Students must pass both … For more content click the Read More button below.

HECoS Code(s)

(CAH02-06) allied health