Counselling and Psychotherapy (Humanistic Approaches)

Gain detailed knowledge of all the latest theories and their applications within contemporary counselling and psychotherapy. This course will prepare you for a wide variety of careers in people-focused occupations where you’ll have the opportunity to make a positive difference to people’s lives.

Why choose this course?
You’ll become familiar with a number of different psychological therapies that can be applied in a wide range of contexts and situations. We focus on both interpersonal and intrapersonal development, with an emphasis on nurturing your skills as a reflective practitioner.

Is this course for you?
Students who enrol on this course typically have a desire to help others and to work with people. You’ll open doors to a variety of careers thanks to the range of transferable skills that you’ll develop.

How you will learn
You’ll learn from an outstanding teaching team which includes influential researchers and high-profile practitioners who have active roles on the leading professional bodies. You’ll be motivated, challenged, and supported by your teachers, all of which are specialists within their therapeutic fields, so will keep you up to date with the latest thinking and practice.

Opportunities and experiences
There are lots of opportunities to practise your counselling and psychotherapy skills – on your own, as a group and in real-life contexts. You’ll have the chance to gain essential practical experience whilst on placement too. We expect students to do a minimum of 30 hours placement in their 2nd year but are encouraged to do more. These placements are often in primary or secondary schools.

There are many guest lectures and opportunities to work with students from related disciplines, such as nursing and social work – all great preparation for your career.

Careers and employability
The variety of interpersonal skills developed on this course enables you to succeed in many different careers ranging from health, social care, education and even business. Many of our graduates have gone on to work as mental health mentors and some have even gone on to work in human recourses, where people skills are really valued.
You’ll also gain a solid platform for further postgraduate study, so that you can qualify to practise as a professional counsellor or psychotherapist.

Based solely on more than 24,000 student reviews, we were named Uni Compare's University of the Year 2027, and voted 1st in the UK for employability and 2nd in the UK for course quality. Not only that, but 97% of students would recommend the University of Derby*, which we can offer you industry-relevant teaching, state-of-the-art study spaces, multi-award-winning accommodation, and a welcoming, inclusive community.

*Uni Compare 2027