Postgraduate Taught

The Postgraduate Certificate in Counselling Supervision is a one year part-time course designed to provide training in supervision for people who have substantial counselling or psychotherapy experience and who are either actively working in a supervisory capacity or are about the start practising supervision. The programme familiarises students with the theory and practice of counselling supervision and develops their skills in this area.

On successful completion of the course, students should have gained competencies in a wide range of professional knowledge, skills and self-development relevant to the practice of counselling. These include ability to:

• Sustain a supervision session with a supervisee at a professionally competent level of supervisory effectiveness
• Offer a range of interventions taking into account the stage of the supervisory relationship and the stage of the supervisee’s development
• Demonstrate a clear understanding of the function and aims of supervision
• Know and be able to discuss critically relevant theory
• Demonstrate understanding of different models of supervision
• Understand the significance of the organisational or agency context of supervision
• Be aware of the importance of ongoing support and consultation for the supervisor
• Read and critically assess published research, understanding the need to provide an evidence-base for counselling
• Demonstrate an understanding of ethical, legal and professional issues relevant to supervision.

In addition, students will develop a range of transferable skills relevant to professional employment, for example, written, oral and visual communication skills, numeracy, information technology, team working, problem-solving, information handling, research and learning to learn.

This course is open to applicants who already have a Graduate or Postgraduate Diploma/MSc in Counselling or Counselling Psychology and who are qualified counsellors with a minimum of 3 years of counselling experience. They must be a member of a professional body that has a professional conduct procedure

(e.g. The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)) and have arrangements in place to supervise a minimum of two supervisees for a minimum of 6 sessions each.

Candidates are likely to come from a range of occupational backgrounds in the social, health, educational and related sectors. Applicants must show appropriate motivation and commitment for participation in a course which combines experiential learning and academic study. Applicants must be willing to comply with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy.

The course comprises one 60-credit module at level 4, successful completion of which leads to the award of Postgraduate Certificate. The course lasts for one academic year (two semesters) involving eight, two-day sessions of attendance at Keele University plus private study time. The School of Psychology may be contacted for exact dates. A minimum of 12 hours supervision of two counsellors must be completed, as well as a minimum of eight sessions of supervision of their supervisory work.

The primary objective of the course is to familiarise students with the theory and practice of counselling supervision and to develop their skills in this area. The model of teaching will be a mixture of theoretical input and experiential participation. Indicative topics to be covered include:

• Learning styles in training and supervision
• The supervisee’s perspective
• The supervisory relationship
• Models of supervision
• The concept of counsellor development
• The concept of supervisor development
• Tasks of supervision
• Strategies and interventions
• Organisational and contextual factors
• Transference/countertransference/parallel process
• Values and ethics in relation to supervision
• Issues of difference in supervision
• Group supervision – methods and goals
• The use of audio-visual equipment in supervision
• Problems in supervision
• Endings in supervision
• Evaluations and assessment in supervision

Assessment is through tutor assessment using a variety of formats, including essays and audio-taped/transcribed sessions. There are no examinations.

To achieve the award of Postgraduate Certificate, students must achieve a minimum of 50% in each assessed element of the module, including an audio-taped, transcribed and evaluated session. In addition, 100% attendance is expected, unless students are able to offer evidence of good cause for absence, and at least 80% attendance is required to gain the award

• Home/EU =  £1,750 (part-time).

There are a number of bursaries on offer to both home and overseas postgraduate students. Please see this page for details and eligibility.