Psychology with Counselling and Psychotherapy

Psychology with Counselling and Psychotherapy brings together the scientific study of the mind and human behaviour with the relational, skills-based practice of therapeutic work. Psychology as a discipline seeks to understand why people think, feel, and act the way they do, drawing on research in neuroscience, developmental science, social psychology, and cognitive theory. Counselling and psychotherapy add a practical dimension, focusing on how that understanding can be used to support people in distress and help them make sense of their experiences.

At the University of Cumbria this three-year, full-time degree is one of very few undergraduate programmes in the UK that offers the opportunity to qualify as a professional counsellor alongside an accredited psychology degree. It is accredited by the British Psychological Society, meaning you gain graduate basis for chartered membership of the BPS. You will explore human experience across a range of contexts and lifespans, from the biological basis of behaviour to the impact of social and cultural factors on mental health.

Counselling skills are developed progressively throughout the programme, giving you supervised practice in therapeutic listening, empathic responding, and supporting clients to develop greater self-awareness. Expert lecturers who are active in both research and professional practice ensure that your academic and clinical development go hand in hand.

Graduates from this programme are well placed for careers in counselling, psychotherapy, psychology, mental health services, social care, education, and the voluntary sector. Many go on to complete further professional training to register as a counsellor or psychologist, while others pursue postgraduate study in clinical, counselling, or educational psychology. The combination of psychological knowledge and therapeutic skills you develop also opens routes into human resources, community support, youth work, and health promotion.

The programme prepares you for a field where both rigorous thinking and genuine care for others are essential.