Psychology and Counselling

Psychology and counselling is a combination for students who want to understand human behaviour and mental processes scientifically while also developing the relational and therapeutic skills that working with people in distress requires. Psychology provides the theoretical and empirical framework: how the mind works, how behaviour is shaped, how psychological problems develop and how they can be measured and addressed. Counselling develops the applied skills: listening, empathy, therapeutic boundaries, and the ability to hold a supportive and professionally boundaried relationship with someone seeking help.

At Birmingham City University, this degree is an excellent starting point if you are interested in understanding people, supporting mental health and building a career in psychology or counselling professions. The programme is weighted as 60 per cent psychology and 40 per cent counselling, giving you a strong scientific foundation alongside meaningful therapeutic skills training. It runs for three years full time, with a sandwich year and integrated work placement opportunities.

The placement elements are particularly important in a discipline where practical experience in therapeutic and caring contexts is directly valued by employers and professional training programmes. The typical entry tariff is 120 points.

You will study cognitive, social, developmental, biological and clinical psychology alongside counselling theory, ethics, and supervised practice in listening and supportive skills. The combination develops both the analytical rigour that psychology demands and the personal qualities that counselling requires, making you a more rounded graduate than someone who has studied either alone.

Graduates from psychology and counselling programmes move into roles in mental health support, counselling services, youth work, social care, education, and human resources. Many use the degree as a foundation for further professional training in counselling, clinical psychology, or related therapeutic fields. Others pursue postgraduate study in psychology, social work, or healthcare, and some move into research or policy roles concerned with mental health and wellbeing.