BSc (Hons) in Reflective Therapeutic Practice (One Year Top Up)

Head of Programme: Denton French

Academic Coordinator: Sadia Miah

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This programme has been designed as a one-year top-up programme of both taught and individual study for counsellors, coaches and allied health practitioners to provide a way of supporting clinicians to enhance and deepen their clinical practice through placing reflective practice at the very heart of what they do and have this development recognised at a higher level by achieving an undergraduate honours degree to further their professional career prospects. For example, by focusing on equality, diversity and inclusion as a theme embedded and integrated into the therapeutic relationship.

The programme has been designed to be as accessible to busy counselling and coaching professionals as possible. It is offered as a blended learning format with each of the three modules beginning with in room in person training days followed by online live half day training dates running on a Saturday so as not to take a day out of the working week for most participants.

This programme also aligns with the development of the SCoPEd Framework ( Scope of Practice and Education) a collaboration by the six largest PSA accredited register bodies across counselling and psychotherapy designed as an enabling framework mapping core competences and practice standards for counsellors and psychotherapists working with adults with the intention of supporting clear career development pathways within these professions.

The long-term processes and requirements for moving between PSRB membership categories (and therefore SCoPEd columns) are in development and consultation. The BSc in Reflective Therapeutic Practice is well positioned to support the career progression of participants from Column A to Column B of the SCoPEd Framework.

Prospective students will already be qualified, experienced and practicing counsellors, psychotherapists, coaches or allied health and social care professionals who wish to enhance their qualification and clinical practice by undertaking a one-year top up BSc (Hons) degree. The course is non-modality specific and is therefore open to practitioners of all orientations.

Applicants may bring Diploma Level 4 and 5 Credits as a certificated route onto the programme. It will also be possible to enter the programme via an assessed APL/APEL process, which consists of an initial interview, followed by the compilation and satisfactory passing of a portfolio, in which candidates reflect on their previous experience. The interview is designed to assess the potential candidate’s suitability to undertake the particular form of reflective study that typifies the course, and to ensure that they meet the entry requirements –namely that they have already qualified from a recognised professional training of at least two years duration, that they have at least 100 hours of clinical practice and that they are registered with the appropriate professional accrediting body.

Student feedback has consistently been that this is a valuable and developmental programme that supports the professional competence and reflexivity of participants. This can be evidenced for example, by the most recent External Examiner Feedback for 2022 (below) which highlights:

‘There is exceptional student work here. There is originality of thought across the board, regardless of the final mark awarded. It was a pleasure to read work so beautiful and courageous. I spent time admiring and reflecting upon what had been shared, how it had been explored, and how marker and moderator had engaged with it. It was breath-taking at times.

Metanoia should be very proud to have a programme as rich and beautiful as this. I feel very strongly indeed that this course makes a significant contribution to the field of counselling and psychotherapy.

The course not just allows but encourages and supports personal reflection on lived experience. It is just what counselling and psychotherapy needs to create a shift from the ‘us’ and ‘them’ discourses that are still often prevalent in the field.’