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Course type: Degree

Degree

Also known as an undergraduate or bachelors degree.

Internationally respected, universally understood.

An essential requirement for many high-level jobs.

Gain a thorough understanding of your subject – and the tools to investigate, think critically, form reasoned arguments, solve problems and communicate effectively in new contexts.

Progress to higher level study, such as a postgraduate diploma or masters degree.
Credits: 360

Credits

Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.

One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.

You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.

For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
How long it takes
Study method: External training and
OU distance learning
Entry requirements: Find out more about; Entry requirements

BSc (Honours) Counselling

: Course code: R86

This counselling degree offers training to meet SCoPEd framework Therapist A- and B-level competences. If you’re new to counselling, you’ll start with a counselling course delivered by an external provider. You’ll then complete SCoPEd 'Therapist B' level training by studying OU modules and incorporating client hours and practice-based learning. For practitioners who already have SCoPEd ‘Therapist A’ level competences, the qualification allows you to top up and advance directly to SCoPEd ‘Therapist B’ level. No matter your starting point, by the end of the course, which includes the completion of 450 supervised client hours, you’ll have significantly advanced your practice competencies, ready to work with clients with more complex mental health needs.

Key features

Course details

Entry requirements

Fees and funding

Careers

Developed in consultation with counselling awarding bodies
Designed to meet 'Therapist B' competences of the SCoPEd framework
Allows you to use previous counselling training and continuous professional development experience
Choose specialisms that suit your interests or professional needs
Equips you to work with clients needing counselling support and mental health counselling

Course type

Degree

Credits

360

How long it takes

Part-time study – 6 years*

Time limit – 16 years

*See How much time do I need?

Study method

External training and
OU distance learning

Entry requirements

Find out more about Entry requirements

Ask a question

This degree has three stages, each comprising 120 credits.

At Stage 1, you’ll complete 120 credits of counselling study with an external provider.
At Stage 2, you’ll complete a 60-credit OU level 2 module and a 60-credit practice module that allows you to bring in externally completed client and supervision hours.
Finally, at Stage 3, you’ll take a 60-credit OU level 3 module and a further 60-credit practice module.

You’ll complete 120 credits of certified counselling study at FHEQ level 4 through a registered external provider covering SCoPEd framework ‘Therapist A’ competences.

Stage 1 modules
Modules	Credits
You'll start your degree with:
Level 4 external counselling courses	120

You’ll study counselling and mental health in various contexts, plus include client and supervision hours from placements, agencies, and private practice to meet SCoPEd B competences related to Assessment, Self-Awareness and Reflection, and Knowledge and Skills.

Stage 2 modules
Modules	Credits
You'll study the following:
Exploring mental health and counselling (D241)	60
Advancing your counselling practice (D230) – planned for October 2025	60

You’ll begin Stage 3 with a counselling and forensic psychology module and complete your degree with a practice module that covers SCoPEd B competences related to Professional Frameworks, Therapeutic Relationship, and Knowledge and Skills.

Stage 3 modules
Modules	Credits
You'll study the following:
Counselling and forensic psychology: investigating crime and therapy (DD310)	60
Level 3 counselling open box module (D330) – planned for October 2027	60

We regularly review our curriculum; therefore, the qualification described on this page – including its availability, its structure, and available modules – may change over time. If we make changes to this qualification, we’ll update this page as soon as possible. Once you’ve registered or are studying this qualification, where practicable, we’ll inform you in good time of any upcoming changes. If you’d like to know more about the circumstances in which the University might make changes to the curriculum, see our Academic Regulations or contact us. This description was last updated on 5 June 2024.

Accessibility

Our qualifications are as accessible as possible, and we have a comprehensive range of support services. Our BSc (Honours) Counselling uses a variety of study materials includes the following elements:

Online study – some modules are online; some have a mix of printed and online material. Online learning resources could include websites, audio/video, and interactive activities
Pre-determined schedules – we’ll help you to develop your time-management skills
Assessment in the form of case studies, process reports, presentations and essays
Feedback – continuous assessment includes feedback from your tutor and using this to improve your performance
Using and producing diagrams and screenshots
Finding external/third party material online
Group-work
Practical work

Every module has its own Accessibility Statement with more detailed accessibility information – you’ll find these on individual module descriptions. Visit our Disability support page to learn about our services.

Learning outcomes, teaching and assessment

This qualification develops your learning in four main areas:

Knowledge and understanding.
Cognitive skills.
Practical and professional skills.
Key skills.

The level and depth of your learning gradually increases as you work through the qualification. You’ll be supported throughout by the OU’s unique style of teaching and assessment – which includes a personal tutor to guide and comment on your work; top quality course texts; elearning resources like podcasts, interactive media and online materials; tutorial groups and community forums.

Read the detailed learning outcomes here

Credit transfer

This degree requires you to complete core counselling training externally that is equivalent to 120-credits and which confers eligibility to practice as a counsellor (covering SCoPEd framework ‘Therapist A’ competences/requirements). You can count your study (and potentially other study) towards this OU qualification – saving you time and money by reducing the number of modules you need to study.

It’s not just university study that can be considered, you can also transfer study from a wide range of professional or vocational qualifications such as HNDs and accredited counselling courses (covering SCoPEd framework ‘Therapist A’ competences/requirements).

If you have been awarded credit transfer for your current degree, you will need to reapply as this is a new qualification.

Classification of your degree

On successfully completing this course, we’ll award you our BSc (Honours) Counselling.

The class of honours (first, upper-second, lower-second or third) will depend on your grades at Stages 2 and 3.

You’ll have the opportunity to attend a degree ceremony.

International recognition

If you intend to use your Open University qualifications to seek work or undertake further study outside the UK, we recommend checking whether your intended qualification will meet local requirements for your chosen career. Find out more about international recognition of Open University qualifications.

Regulations

As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the qualification-specific regulations below and the academic regulations that are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.

BSc (Honours) in Counselling

Stage 1 entry requirements

You’ll need to provide evidence that you:

have successfully completed an approved external level 4 counselling qualification as a minimum, covering the SCoPEd framework ‘Therapist A’ competences/requirements
are qualified to practice at ‘Level A’
have a professional body membership/registration
have cleared a criminal background check.

If you’re new to counselling, you must complete an approved level 4 counselling course covering SCoPEd framework ‘Therapist A’ competences/requirements. These external courses will have their own entry requirements.

More information about external courses is available on the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences website.

Stage 2 entry requirements

Before you can register for the first practice module in Stage 2 – Advancing your counselling practice (D230) – which will start for the first time in October 2025, you will need to provide evidence that you:

are in a counselling practice/seeing clients (completing a minimum of 50 client hours per year of study)
have relevant practice insurance
will have a supervisor who can provide the required supervision and authorise your counselling work logs.

How to apply

Applications are now closed for the October 2024 start. They will reopen in March if you wish to start in October 2025.

How much time do I need?

Depending on prior study, this course will take up to six years to complete.
You may only study Stages 2–3 part-time, so they will take up to four years to complete. This means studying for typically 16–18 hours a week.

2025/26 fees and funding information will be available in March 2025, when this qualification opens for registration.

How will I study this course?

With our unique approach to distance learning, you can study from home, work or on the move.

You’ll have some assessment deadlines to meet, but otherwise, you’ll be free to study at the times that suit you, fitting your learning around work, family, and social life.

For each of your modules, you’ll use either just online resources or a mix of online and printed materials.

Each module you study will have a module website with

a week-by-week study planner, giving you a step-by-step guide through your studies
course materials such as reading, videos, recordings, and self-assessed activities
module forums for discussions and collaborative activities with other students
details of each assignment and their due dates
a tutorial booking system, online tutorial rooms, and your tutor’s contact details
online versions of some printed module materials and resources.

If you have additional needs, we can also provide most module materials in alternative formats. Find out more about materials on our accessibility webpage.

Tutor support

You’ll have a tutor for each module, who will introduce themselves before the module begins.

Throughout the module, they will:

mark your assignments and give feedback to help you improve
guide you to learning resources
support you, whether with general study skills or help with a specific topic.

Tutorials

Tutorials usually take place online, and they’re always optional.

Online tutorials are live presentations with module tutors in dedicated online tutorial rooms and are sometimes recorded.

Assessment

Our assessments are all designed to reinforce your learning and help you show your understanding of the topics. The mix of assessment methods will vary between modules.

Computer-Marked Assignments

Usually, a series of online, multiple-choice questions.

Tutor-Marked Assignments

You’ll have a number of these throughout each module, each with a submission deadline.
They can be made up of essays, questions, experiments or something else to test your understanding of what you have learned.
Your tutor will mark and return them to you with detailed feedback.

End-of-Module Assessments

The final, marked piece of work on most modules.
Modules with an end-of-module assessment won’t usually have an exam.

Exams

Some modules end with an exam. You’ll be given time to revise and prepare.
You’ll be given your exam date at least 5 months in advance.
Most exams take place remotely, and you will complete them at home or at an alternative location.
If a module has an in-person exam (that you must take at one of our exam centres) or is invigilated online, we’ll make this clear in the module description.

Progressing to a point where I felt more comfortable writing my assignments, and having my scores reflecting that, made me quite happy because it showed the hard work was being rewarded.
Patrick ‘Ricky’ Skene, BSc (Hons) Sport, Fitness and Coaching

Other support and resources

Throughout your studies, you’ll have access to our subject-specific Student Support Teams.

They’ll help you with any general questions about your study and updates to your OU account.

To help with your studies, you’ll also have access to:

our online library, with high-quality online resources to support your study
other university libraries in the UK and Ireland
the online Help Centre, which has general information about OU study and support, along with study skills advice
free Microsoft Office 365 software
IT and computing support from our Computing Helpdesk.

Find out more about student support and being a part of the OU community.

Skills for career development

In addition to developing specific knowledge and skills in counselling, this course will enhance your transferable and work-related skills, which employers highly value. These include skills in:

communication
numeracy
effective team working
independent and critical thinking
analysing and evaluating diverse sources of information, including qualitative and quantitative data/research
problem-solving and reasoning
applying learning to real-world client issues and counselling situations.

Career relevance

This degree supports the professional development of counsellors, building on existing competences and acquiring new skills and practice capacities. As such, the degree will support you to work in the counselling field, in the NHS, in organisational settings (e.g. schools and EAPs), in third-sector organisations, and in private practice. The qualification also focuses on employability, including specific support to develop your own successful private practice.

Outside of counselling, there are many types of career in which the knowledge and skills you'll develop as a counselling graduate may be helpful, such as:

education
the health professions
human resources
management.

Many graduate-level jobs are open to graduates of any discipline, particularly in business, finance, management consultancy and the public sector. Some careers may require further study, training or work experience.

In addition to improving your career prospects, studying with the OU is an enriching experience that broadens your horizons, develops your knowledge, builds your confidence and enhances your life skills.

Exploring your options

Once you register with us (and for up to three years after you finish your studies), you’ll have full access to our careers service for a wide range of information and advice. This includes online forums, website, interview simulation, vacancy service as well as the option to email or speak to a careers adviser. Some areas of the careers service website are available for you to see now, including help with looking for and applying for jobs. You can also read more general information about how OU study enhances your career.

In the meantime, if you want to do some research around this qualification and where it might take you, we’ve put together a list of relevant job titles as a starting point. Some careers may require further study, training or work experience):

professional counsellor (including SCoPEd Level C)
psychotherapist.

For those who complete a British Psychological Society-accredited undergraduate psychology degree as well, our counselling degree would support entry into training as:

a counselling psychologist
a clinical psychologist
an educational psychologist
a health psychologist
an occupational psychologist.

More generally, counselling training supports careers in:

advice work
careers advice
human resources
lecturing
policing
probation work
social work
teaching.

Thinking of studying this course?

This course will next open for registration in March 2025. If you’d like us to keep you updated, register your interest.

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