Psychology and Counselling (Full-time) (BSc Hons)
Our Psychology and Counselling degree is for those who are fascinated by how the mind works and are passionate about helping others. This course will teach you all about the brain, behaviour, and mental health. You’ll learn essential counselling skills and study various theories and evidence that explain human behaviour.
This programme is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), ensuring you get a top-quality education. You’ll explore integrative approaches and person-centred therapy, learning about different psychological therapies that help people improve their lives. You’ll also tackle practical issues and gain valuable research skills.
Our course covers everything from neuro-scientific processes to understanding forensic psychology and health-related behaviour. You’ll develop critical analysis skills to evaluate research and understand complex concepts.
The programme aims to produce a scientific understanding of the mind, brain, behaviour, and experience, and how they interact with the complex environments in which they exist. It also aims to develop knowledge of counselling as a social function mediated by individual, societal, and global contexts.
Alongside opportunities for counselling skills development and workplace experience, the dedicated Psychology and Counselling facilities and positive atmosphere will offer students an exciting learning experience. This experience is further enhanced by having a team of research-active and practitioner-based lecturers working closely together, as well as with students themselves.
The programme aims to help you to produce a scientific understanding of the mind, brain, behaviour and experience, and how they interact with the complex environments in which they exist. It also aims to develop knowledge of counselling as a social function mediated by individual, societal and global contexts.
Course details
- On-campus
- Full-time
- English
Undergraduate Fees
Home (Full-time): £9,535 per year
Overseas (Full-time): £15,525 per year

Why choose this course?
What you will learn
In this Psychology and Counselling programme, you will gain a solid foundation in psychological theories, counselling skills, and research methods. Each year builds on the previous one, preparing you for a professional career in psychology or counselling.
You will be introduced to the basics of psychology, including counselling theories and psychology study skills. You’ll develop fundamental research skills and begin learning about mental health and personality. This year lays the groundwork for understanding human behaviour and how to help others.
Compulsory
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
In the second year, you’ll dive deeper into counselling skills and integrative approaches. You’ll study more advanced psychological theories and tackle real-world practical issues through case studies. This year focuses on applying theories and evidence to improve your critical thinking and research skills.
Compulsory
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
The final year emphasises professional practice and prepares you for a career in psychology or counselling. You’ll conduct independent research, focusing on your chosen area of interest. This year enhances your critical analysis skills and provides in-depth knowledge of person-centred therapy and other therapeutic approaches.
Compulsory
(40 credits)
(20 credits)
Optional
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
Each student chooses three of the twelve optional modules in Year Three (Level 6).
Course Disclaimer
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The modules outlined above provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this course based on recent academic teaching. We continuously review our courses to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Where your course includes optional modules, these are to provide an element of choice within the course. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed.
You’ll typically complete 120 credits per year of study on a full-time course. For more information visit our Student Agreement.
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Staff
Our People
You will be taught and supported by a wide range of professional staff and teams here to help you get the university experience you are looking for. Our teaching staff were ranked 2nd in Wales for Teaching, Assessment and Feedback and Academic Support (NSS 2024) meaning that the support and feedback you get will help you learn and develop strong academic skills. Our students have placed us 1st in Wales for Learning Opportunities and Student Voice (NSS 2024) meaning that there are a wide range of opportunities available to enhance your studies and that students play an active role in shaping their learning experiences. Our commitment to your learning has seen our students place us as 1st in Wales and joint 3rd in the UK for student satisfaction (Times Higher Education, 2024, ‘Overall Positivity’ measure). Find out more about our academic staff who teach across our courses.
Further information
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96-112 UCAS Tariff Points
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e.g. A-levels: CCC-BBC, BTEC: MMM-DMM, IB: 30-32
The UCAS tariff score is applicable to you if you have recently studied a qualification that has a UCAS tariff equivalence. UCAS provides a  for you to work out what your qualification is worth within the UCAS tariff. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
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GCSE grade A*-C (grade 9-4 in England) in English and Mathematics is also required. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Alternative entry routes 
If this course interests you, but you don’t have the entry requirements to join our bachelor’s degree you could consider: 
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‘with Foundation Year’. This route is designed to give you extra support as it provides you with an additional year (full-time) of supported study. â¶Ä¯&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Once you successfully complete your Foundation Year studies, you will automatically advance onto the main degree. â¶Ä¯&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
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Certificate in Higher Education (CertHE). This is a one-year course and is equivalent to the first year of the three year, full-time bachelor’s degree. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
 Once you have successfully completed your CertHE studies, you will be eligible to progress for the remaining two years of the bachelor’s degree. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
These are ideal routes if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied this subject, or if you did not achieve the grades you need for a place on this degree. â¶Ä¯&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Admissions Advice and Support 
We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, such as your background, experiences and individual circumstances. This is known as ‘Contextual Admissions’. For specific advice and support you can contact our enquiries team for more information about entry requirements. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
English language requirements 
If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.0, with not less than 5.5 in each of the sub-tests. We also accept other English language tests. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Visit the International Applications section of our website to find out more about our English Language Requirements and pre-sessional English Language Courses.
Visa and funding requirements 
If you are not from the UK and you do not already have residency here, you may need to apply for a visa. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
For courses of more than six months’ duration you will require a Student visa. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
International students who require a Student visa should apply for our full-time courses as these qualify for Student visa sponsorship. â¶Ä¯&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
For full information read our visa application and guides. â¶Ä¯â¶Ä¯&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Please note students receiving US Federal Aid are only able to apply for in-person, on-campus programmes which will have no elements of online study. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
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This programme will offer a range of traditional and innovative assessment methods to give you the opportunity to extend your practical and academic skills and encourage your independent learning. These will include practical skills assessments, academic essays and exams, individual and group presentations, research reports and case studies.
Your overall degree classification marks will be calculated from Years Two and Three of your studies. This classification will be calculated as 33% at Level 5 and 67% at Level 6.
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Students may be required to apply for and obtain a UWTSD Enhanced Disclosure Barring Check (DBS). The fee for this is dependent on the DBS; it is currently approximately £44.
Students are required to gain practical placement experience throughout the second year, for which a DBS may be required (see above). This placement will also incur travel and refreshments costs that will be payable by the student.
The department also offers students optional opportunities to partake in visits beyond the campus, for example, Cardiff or London. The students incur the costs of these optional visits and activities.
BPS Student Conference Attendance (Optional) £100.
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Some modules in this course are available to study through the medium of Welsh either fully or partially. In all cases students will be able to submit written assessments through the medium of Welsh.
If you choose to study your course either fully or partially through the medium of Welsh, you may be eligible to apply for scholarships and bursaries to support you with your studies.
We are continuously reviewing our Welsh medium provision, the precise availability of modules will vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Where your course offers modules available through the medium of Welsh this may vary from year to year, and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means the availability of specific Welsh medium modules cannot be guaranteed.
Extracurricular Welsh Opportunities
There are many ways to engage with Welsh culture and life at UWTSD, including joining clubs and societies for Welsh speakers and becoming a member of our vibrant Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol branch. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Opportunities to Learn Welsh
We also provide a variety of opportunities to learn and develop your Welsh language skills. â¶Ä¯&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
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You may be eligible for funding to help support your study. To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available, please visit our Bursaries and Scholarships section.
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The postgraduate route is multifaceted, and not all graduates will choose to pursue postgraduate qualifications in Psychology or Counselling. The structure, nature and content of this unique programme allows students to develop strong analytical and transferable skills welcomed by many sectors including Education, Social Care, Nursing and allied professions, Business and HR. Many of our non-standard entry students already have a professional career (recent examples include nursing, physiotherapy, and careers in mental health) and use their degree to further their career.
Students who graduate with a minimum lower second-class honours classification (2:2) are eligible for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society. This indicates that students have met the curriculum requirements derived from the Quality Assurance Agency’s (2019) subject benchmark statement for Psychology and is often an important prerequisite for students wishing to go on to further postgraduate study or training in psychology.
Over the years, the programme has seen a large proportion of students graduating with 2:1 honours and above, and progressing on to further postgraduate training on BPS-accredited postgraduate courses (popular routes being Clinical Psychology, Occupational Psychology and Health Psychology), as well as pursuing a Masters qualification on the MSc in Applied Psychology or the MA in Advanced Counselling Theory and Research offered at UWTSD.
An increasing number of students are also choosing to pursue practice-based postgraduate counselling training at postgraduate, or master’s level through the postgraduate portfolio offered at UWTSD, and several students stay with us to train for qualification on the MA Psychotherapeutic Practice: Humanistic programme.