Counselling HND

What is special about this course?

This HND Counselling is ideal for those wishing to become professional counsellors. Designed to meet the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) requirements for individual entry to the professional register, the course is taught by experienced, practicing counsellors who hold current BACP membership. 

With a strong emphasis on personal development, the course integrates theory, skills practice, reflection, and self-development. You will strengthen your reflective skills, self-awareness, and assertiveness, and learn the best approaches for dealing with challenges. 

The course will benefit those who wish to progress and qualify as a counsellor, as well as those practicing in a sector that requires the range of skills employed in a helping/supporting relationship, for example: community work; social care; education; criminal justice; health services; and voluntary work.

Special features

• On successful completion of this course, you will graduate with a PDA in Addiction Counselling as well as an HNC and HND in Counselling
• You will undertake 100 hours of placement practice in a counselling setting
• Delivered by experienced, practising counsellors
• Jointly developed by SQA and the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
• Strong emphasis on personal development
• Opportunity to engage with students across the UHI partnership in the online units
• Personal therapy is not a mandatory requirement, but is recommended

Accommodation

We offer modern student accommodation at a number of our locations.

Entry requirements

• Entry to this course is only available via year 1, HNC Counselling
• All applicants are required to undertake an interview in order to assess suitability for progression from HNC level (or equivalent) to HND
• This is a Category 1 PVG course: PVG Scheme membership is required to successfully achieve target qualification, where there is guaranteed contact with vulnerable groups in key elements of the course. For further information visit our PVG scheme webpage

Year 1 - HNC

Year 1 of this course is the HNC Counselling.

Year 2 - HND

Core modules may include:

• Psychopathology for counsellors
• Professional standards
• Research skills
• Working with substance abuse
• Contemporary humanistic counselling theory
• Self-evaluation for counsellors
• Supervised practice (placement practice)

Fees

For students normally domiciled in Scotland, with a term-time address in Scotland, the following fees apply:

This includes

• EU nationals with settled or pre-settled status in the UK,
• EEA/Swiss nationals with settled status in the UK
• EEA/Swiss nationals with pre-settled status who are self-employed or migrant workers in the UK.

Rest of UK students

For students normally domiciled in the rest of the UK (England, Wales and N. Ireland, including Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) and with a term time address in Scotland, the following fees apply:

Fees are payable in advance each academic year unless otherwise agreed.

There are a number of funding options available to UK and EU students to help you pay for your studies and your cost of living while studying (see the Funding section opposite).

International students

For students who do not normally reside in the UK, including EU/EEA and Swiss nationals without settled or pre-settled status in the UK, with a term-time address in Scotland, the following fees apply:

This includes EEA/Swiss nationals with pre-settled status who are not self-employed or migrant workers in the UK.

Funding

UHI has a number of scholarships, bursaries, awards, and discretionary fund opportunities available to new and current students. Please use the A-Z of funds or use the filter to see which ones may be relevant to you. All students are welcome to apply.

Further information on funding your studies is also available, please see the attached link or contact the relevant UHI partner.

Additional costs

• You must be covered by an appropriate Indemnity Insurance Policy and have acquired Student Membership of BACP prior to placement practice
• Personal therapy is recommended, but not a mandatory requirement
• Regular professional, clinical supervision is a professional requirement during your placement practice. You will be responsible for presenting all cases for supervision not less than fortnightly