Counselling

Counselling - Graduate Certificate

No prior qualifications needed - just a passion for helping others. Are you considering a career in counselling or psychotherapy? Our part-time Graduate Certificate in Counselling offers a unique opportunity to begin your training - even if you’ve never studied counselling or attended university before. This programme is ideal for anyone with lived experience and a desire to support others and to decide if counselling might be a career for you or enhance a job that you already do. This course blends counselling theory, practical skills, personal development, and a strong emphasis on difference and diversity — helping you understand and work effectively with people from all walks of life.

Month of entry

September

Mode of study

Part time

Location

Keele University campus

Subject area

Counselling

Fees for 2026/27 academic year

UK - £3,300 per year

Duration of study

1 year

This course is no longer accepting applications from international students for the 2025/26 academic year.

Apply now

Why study Counselling at Keele University?

No previous qualifications required, just a genuine interest in helping others

Progression to professional training. Successful completion meets the academic criteria for our BACP-accredited MSc in Counselling and Psychotherapy

Keele alumni discount. Students progressing to the MSc may be eligible for a tuition fee reduction

Supportive learning environment with small cohorts, experienced tutors, and a reflective, inclusive approach to training

Course summary

The Graduate Certificate in Counselling at Keele is grounded in humanistic philosophy, with person-centred practice at the heart of the programme. Inspired by Carl Rogers’ belief in the self-therapeutic capacity and wisdom of clients, the course encourages a deep respect for everyone’s potential for growth and healing.

You’ll be supported to examine and question your own beliefs and assumptions and develop a personal, integrated theory of human development rooted in humanistic and phenomenological principles. To help you build strong therapeutic relationships, you’ll develop core counselling relational skills - not only to foster connection, but also to understand and navigate the barriers that can impact these relationships.

The course includes intensive skills training and personal development work, creating a reflective and supportive environment where you can grow both professionally and personally.

Progression to the MSc Counselling and Psychotherapy

Upon successfully completing the course, you may progress directly to the MSc Counselling and Psychotherapy programme without needing to apply or attend an interview. You may also be eligible for a tuition fee discount such as the Keele alumni discount. To qualify for progression, you must:

Achieve at least 60% in one written assessment, and
Receive a recommendation from your tutor.

Knowledge and skills

We place a strong emphasis on the acquisition of counselling specific skills and academic learning. You will engage in a range of experiential learning activities including;

Active, reflective listening, working in the ‘here and now’ and following the client’s agenda
Development of key professional and personal qualities and attributes in line with the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions
Analysing and discussing person-centred counselling theory and applying this theory to counselling practice
Self-knowledge and self-awareness
Evaluating counselling skills practice
Devising, developing and sustaining arguments, and/or solving problems, using ideas at the forefront of the counselling discipline
Making informed decisions in complex situations, and sometimes with incomplete information
Effective use of scholarly reviews and primary sources (for example, research articles and/or original materials appropriate to the counselling discipline)
Development of person-centred therapeutic attitudes
Identifying and evaluating person-centred counselling practice

insert-a start

"The experiential learning techniques really get you thinking outside of the box and you subconsciously transfer this thinking to your everyday life."

Sarah, Graduate Certificate in Counselling

insert-a end

Course structure

The Graduate Certificate in Counselling comprises of two compulsory modules that blend theory with practice, and take part in our Annual Counselling Conference, a non-residential event that brings together practitioners, researchers and students for a day of connection, exploration, and professional growth.

Modules

The module details given below are indicative, they are intended to provide you with an idea of the range of subjects that are taught to our current students. The modules that will be available for you to study in future years are prone to change as we regularly review our teaching to ensure that it is up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods, as well as student voice. The information presented is therefore not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules available in any given year.

Compulsory modules

PSY-30079 Core Counselling Competencies (30 credits)
This module introduces you to the theory and practice of person-centred counselling, with a focus on Carl Rogers’ belief in the client’s natural capacity for growth and healing. You’ll explore how person-centred principles can be applied in practice and begin to develop your own integrated approach to humanistic counselling.
Through experiential learning and reflective exercises, you will:

Build the core skills needed to form and maintain effective therapeutic relationships
Develop greater personal and professional self-awareness
Understand the challenges and barriers that can affect the counselling process

This module lays the foundation for your future development as a reflective, relational practitioner.

PSY-30080 Personal Development and Professional Issues (30 credits)
This module supports your personal and professional development as a future counsellor, with a strong emphasis on identity, inclusion, and ethical practice.
You’ll explore how your own values, beliefs, and lived experiences shape your approach to helping others. Through reflective exercises and group work, you’ll consider how aspects of identity influence therapeutic relationships and professional boundaries.

Key areas of focus include:

Developing core counselling skills such as active listening, empathy, and emotional literacy
Building self-awareness and understanding how personal identity impacts practice
Working inclusively and ethically, guided by the BACP Ethical Framework (can this link?)
Engaging in group learning to foster collaboration, peer support, and shared reflection
Supporting people in distress with sensitivity and respect

This module creates a safe and reflective space for you to grow, both as a practitioner and as a person, while preparing you to work ethically and inclusively in diverse settings.

insert-b start

counselling session at Keele university

insert-b end

Entry requirements

The following section details our typical entry requirements for this course for a range of UK and international qualifications. If you don't see your qualifications listed, please contact us to find out if we can accept your qualifications.

Typical offer

Please ensure that you read the full entry requirements by selecting your qualifications from the dropdown menu below. This will include any subject specific, GCSE/Level 2 Maths, and English language requirements you may need.

Typical offer: This course requires no formal qualifications or professional experience except for an English language qualification (see below) Additional criteria apply

Please select your country from the drop-down list below for the full entry requirement information

UK

This course requires no formal qualifications or professional experience except for an English language qualification (see below)