We believe that open minds open doors. That’s why our innovative BPS-accredited BSc Psychology with Counselling degree combines hands-on learning with a rich variety of placement opportunities and real-life projects to give our Psychology graduates the experience they need to kickstart their careers.

This is not a professional integrative counselling course but is instead a course designed for individuals seeking a psychology degree from an integrative counselling perspective.

### Accreditations

Image: The British Psychological Society

Accredited by The British Psychological Society.

## Why study this course?

### External Partnerships

Our Psychology programme powers up your prospects through partnership. You will be challenged to apply your learning to real life practical issues and provide reviews and reports to update partners on your findings.

### Accreditation

Our BSc Psychology with Counselling degree is accredited by the British Psychological Society for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC).

### Psychology Plus

Our Psychology Plus scheme offers free opportunities to enhance your skills and knowledge base with specialist short courses, professional certificates, and work placements.

### Facilities

Facilities include, but are not limited to, a purpose-built Psychology laboratory, behaviour analysis clinic, bookable study rooms and a social learning space.

## What you'll study

[Button: Year One][Button: Year Two][Button: Year Three]

You will complete all key areas in psychology necessary to gain British Psychological Society accreditation, including research methods, cognitive, social, biological, developmental and individual psychology.

We combine this understanding of the areas of psychology with an integrative approach to counselling, including person-centred and compassion-focused approaches. You will start to look at the core areas of Psychology required for BPS accreditation, and you will have the opportunity to experience psychological research first hand. We will also start to introduce you to a range of therapeutic principles and approaches such as cognitive, behavioural, and person-centred approaches.

## Critical Perspectives in Psychology

Introducing the core BPS perspectives of psychology (Biological, Cognitive, Social and Developmental) and the effect of individual differences on behaviour with emphasis on the key theoretical approaches and how these shape understanding.

## Investigating Methods and Evidence in Psychology

How is psychological research conducted? We’ll look at the methods of quantitative and qualitative research and analysis and explore research ethics and their effect on psychology.

This module can be studied 100% through the medium of Welsh.

## Introduction to Therapeutic Principles

We will start to look at the therapeutic perspectives and principles that underpin traditional and contemporary counselling therapies, models and strategies.

In your second year, we will continue to expand your knowledge of the psychology and counselling fields and you will start to specialise in integrative approaches.

Application of knowledge will be a theme in your second year as you start to look at the application of therapeutic principles and applying your skills in the Professional Practice and Employability module where you will be supported in applying for work experience.

## Understanding the Application of Therapeutic Principles

You will develop a detailed understanding of the humanistic tradition of therapeutic principles, and we will help you facilitate the application of this knowledge to the wider context of counselling and psychotherapy.

## Professional Practice and Employability

You will have the opportunity for work experience, as well as gain transferable skills and explore how to gain employment.

## Advanced Methods and Evidence in Psychology

We will explore more advanced statistical and qualitative analysis, building on the methods you covered in the first year of your degree.

## From Cells to Consciousness

We will build on the critical perspectives of psychology covered in your first year, exploring how biology and the brain influence behaviour (e.g., attention, memory, decision making) with consideration of individual differences.

## Lifespan Development in the Social Context

We will build on your critical perspectives in psychology, exploring the social and developmental factors that influence our behaviour (e.g., attitudes and attribution) with consideration of individual factors.

Your final year introduces optional modules that allow you to further align your studies to your career aspirations.

We will also cover a more advanced exploration of therapeutic principles in a social context and advance your critical reflective practice skills within the counselling field. You will also undertake an independent dissertation research project, exploring a topic of your choosing.

## Psychology Dissertation

You will complete an independent research project, building on the skills developed throughout your degree. You will explore a subject of interest of your choosing with support from supervisors with a range of expertise.

## Health Psychology across the Lifespan Optional

We will explore the effect of biology, psychology and social factors on physical health (ill health, preventative healthcare and wellbeing) and consider how this varies across the lifespan and levels of individual responsibility.

## The Psychology of Education and Work Optional

We will focus on the practical application of psychology to contemporary education, exploring techniques to promote academic achievement and considering the health and well-being of educators.

## Psychological Disorders and Therapeutic Interventions Optional

We will explore clinical disorders, such as eating disorders, anxiety, developmental disorders, and schizophrenia, evaluating the diagnostic and treatment practices of these.

## Applications of Social Psychology Optional

We will look at social identity and how it can be used to improve negative circumstances, exploring the impact of the environment on social identity and using this to promote responsible behaviour, as well as social relationships online.

## Cognitive Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Optional

We will explore the impact of brain damage on cognitive processes, exploring the ways we investigate neuroanatomical regions whilst considering environmental factors.

## Forensic Psychology Optional

We will critically appraise the role that Psychology plays in all aspects of the criminal and civil justice systems, including police and security investigation and offender management.

## Critical Reflective Practice in Counselling

Building on existing knowledge, you will develop a detailed understanding and reflective practice of counselling that is highly relevant across a broad range of practitioner roles.

## Therapeutic Principles, Psychopathology and Mental Health in Social Context

We will look at the range of mental health and psychopathological problems that are prevalent in our society today, using our existing understanding to evaluate these from therapeutic perspectives.

We regularly review our courses to keep pace with changing skills and employer needs. If a review leads to significant changes, we’ll contact you to explain what’s changing for the coming year.

## Teaching and Assessment

We want you to have the opportunity to learn about psychology in new ways with no two modules being delivered or assessed in the same way: one of our most exciting features is how varied the learning is on our course.

## [Button: How you’ll learn ]

Our BSc Psychology with Counselling course provides you with an engaging and immersive learning environment through workshops, projects, group activities, placements, and simulation learning in the Hydra Simulation Suite. We also arrange guest lectures throughout the year delivered by academics from other institutions and practising psychologists from various fields.

## [Button: How you'll be assessed ]

Assessments are designed to build your knowledge and skills step by step using a variety of assessment types.

You’ll move from essays to group dissertation projects, with the opportunity to work with our established industry partners.

As a BPS accredited degree, your assessments will include research reports alongside applied real-world challenges, with the opportunity to use our psychology laboratory facilities.

## [Button: Placements ]

All students are guaranteed a 6-week placement in our on-campus Early Intervention Service , with opportunities to progress to Level 2 and 3 placements.

This provides you with practical experience and to be able to apply your psychological knowledge in practice.

As part of your degree, you will complete the Professional Practice and Employability module, where you understand and apply psychological theory to the workplace and are supported to complete a placement of your choice

We want to help you enhance your skillset to open as may doors as possible for your future career, and you can also find a range of options for this through our Psychology Plus scheme, including volunteering, internships and short courses.

## [Button: Facilities ]

Our purpose-built psychology lab is filled with industry standard equipment that you will use throughout your studies, as well as interview and observation rooms that allow you, as a researcher, to observe human behaviour in a natural manner through a one-way screen. Some of the equipment that you will use includes eye-tracking equipment, Electroencephalography (EEG) machines, and BIOPAC systems.

As part of our dedicated Psychology space, you will also be able to book a space for quiet study and access the dedicated social learning space with computers and psychology textbooks.

### Course Leader

### James Greville

Dr James Greville is a lecturer in psychology and course lead for BSc Psychology with Counselling, a BPS-accredited course blending academic and experiential learning. James conducts research in causal, relational and associative learning, and how these processes are implicated in clinical psychology and mental health, for instance in disorders of fear and anxiety.

James also spent several years volunteering as an assistant psychologist in the NHS, and currently collaborates with external partners in industry such as the charity "Plattform". Please feel free to contact James for any further details about the course or his research interests.

Email James

## Career Prospects

Your future career could take you into psychology, mental health or social care. Alongside an accredited psychology degree, you’ll develop valuable counselling and therapeutic skills that employers are looking for — giving you a strong advantage for careers including Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner roles within NHS mental health services.

### Your future career

Having knowledge of different therapeutic approaches in addition to an accredited psychology degree will be a significant advantage for those considering careers as Psychology Well-Being Practitioners (PWPs) under the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies framework. Potential career paths include:

Clinical Psychologist

Counselling Psychologist

Educational Psychologist

Psychology Well-Being Practitioner

Health Psychologist

Image: A female psychology students stands confidently in front of the camera whilst smiling

> "During my time here, I’ve had amazing opportunities, including a placement in the Early Intervention Service at Glyntaff. There, I gained practical experience in behaviour analysis and met industry experts working on groundbreaking research."

Emily Campbell, Psychology student

Learn more

### Salary Expectations

A Psychology with Counselling degree can open opportunities across Psychology and the wider sector. Psychology careers offer strong earning potential:

Median wage

UK: £30.2k per annum

Wales: £29.8k per annum

Total jobs in 2025

UK: 273,583

Wales: 12,937

A key element of our psychology degrees is the hands-on experience you will gain throughout your studies.

Psychology Plus provides you with free opportunities to enhance your skills and knowledge base, giving you a competitive advantage in the graduate jobs market or when applying for further study. You’ll have access to:

Free short courses

Work experience placements

External, industry-recognised qualifications or certificates

### Industry partners

You will be taught by academics who engage with external partners through research and partnership work. As well as delivering the core BPS curriculum, your degree is informed by real world problems faced by our partners. If you choose to complete a group-based dissertation with an industry partner you will conduct a piece of research that will inform practice in the real world making a difference to your community.

It will also give you the opportunity to work with an industry partner giving you valuable experience.

## Entry Requirements

### Contextual offers

We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (where you live and the school or college that you attended, for example), your experiences and individual circumstances (as a care leaver, for example). This is referred to as a contextual offer, and we receive data from UCAS to support us in making these decisions.

USW prides itself on its student experience and we support our students to achieve their goals and become a successful graduate. This approach helps us to support students who have the potential to succeed and who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university.

How to apply Contextual admissions policy Ask us a question

96 UCAS points or above

#### Typical qualification requirements

A Level:

CCC to exclude General Studies

Welsh BACC:

Pass the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Diploma with Grade C in the Skills Challenge Certificate and CC at A Level to exclude General Studies

BTEC Extended Diploma Merit Merit Merit

Access to HE:

Pass the Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 96 UCAS tariff points.

T Level:

Pass (C and above)

Additional requirements include:

The University normally requires a minimum 5 GCSEs including Mathematics/Numeracy and English at Grade C or Grade 4 or above, or their equivalent, but consideration is given to individual circumstances.

### International applications welcomed:

We welcome international applications with equivalent qualifications of our entry requirements. For more details related to your country of residence, please view our dedicated country pages .

International students Pre-Sessional English

### English language requirements

International applicants will need to have achieved an overall of IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component/TOEFL 4 overall and a minimum of 4 in each component or equivalent.

Equivalents can be located on our English Language pages .

If you have previously studied through the medium of English, IELTS might not be required, please visit our country specific page for further details. If your country is not featured, please contact us.

If you do not meet the English entry criteria, please visit our Pre-Sessional course pages .

## Fees and Funding

UK Full-Time Fee £ 9,790

per year

UK Part-Time Fee £ 804

per 20 credits

Fees and funding Scholarships and bursaries Cost of living support

## [Button: Further information ]

Studying at university is one of the most significant investments you'll ever make. Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).

*Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee is anticipated to remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course except as described below.

Please be aware that we may increase the maximum fee for home students on full-time undergraduate courses only where the Welsh Government increases the permitted level of inflation of fees. Fees for all students (including part-time, postgraduate and international students) may be amended in accordance with our applicable Fees and Debt Management Policy.

We will ensure that students are given clear, intelligible, unambiguous and timely information about our courses and costs in good time, ahead of the next academic year.

## [Button: Additional costs ]

As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.

Enhanced DBS

Students will be expected to pay for a DBS or certificate of good behaviour from their home country. The DBS fee includes £49.50 for the enhanced DBS certificate, the Post Office Administration fee and the online administration fee

Cost: £64.74

DBS Updating service

Subscription required for each year of the course for a yearly fee of £16. Please note the service has to be joined within 30 days of receipt of your enhanced DBS certificate

Cost: £16

Placement

Students undertaking placement as part of professional practice modules may incur costs associated with travel to placement.

Cost: Variable

International Full-Time Fee £ 17,200

## What sets us apart?

Top university in Wales and 24th out of 123 universities in the UK.

Guardian University Guide 2027

Image: Three USW students walking outside of Cardiff Campus - Atrium

10 subjects ranked in the Guardian University Guide 2027 Top 10, including two at #1.

Image: Three students studying in a pod in the library at Cardiff campus

Top in Wales for new business startups and 7th in the UK (HEBCIS).

## Explore our facilities

Image What is a Psychology Lab? Play video

## Psychology Lab

Learn in a specialist psychology lab using industry-standard equipment, including eye tracking, EEG and biometric sensors. You’ll explore how people think, feel and behave through hands-on experiments, gaining practical experience in research methods used in modern psychology.

Learn more about Psychology Plus

## How to apply

All applications for full-time undergraduate courses or foundation degrees should be made via UCAS. Take the next step: Apply through UCAS

You can apply to us directly for all part-time undergraduate courses, if you’re seeking advanced entry or you’re an international student. To apply directly, please choose the application form below for your preferred start date and mode of study (full-time or part-time).

* ### Psychology with Counselling

* Full-time, 3 years

* September

* Pontypridd

Apply direct

* Part-time, 6 years

* Sandwich, 4 years

## Advanced entry

If you already have a relevant qualification or experience related to the course you're applying for, you may be eligible to start at a later stage of the course. For example, students from partner colleges can ‘top up’ their qualifications to a degree by joining us in Year Two or Year Three of a course. This process is known as ‘advanced entry’, you can apply directly to the University for 'advanced entry' using the application forms provided above.

Applicants accepted through advanced entry may study a different combination of modules to those advertised, as they will be joining a course already in progress. You will be contacted and advised about these modules once your application has been processed and an offer made.

## International admissions

International applicants can apply to us directly. If the University has an in-country team in your region, your application will be assigned to them for assistance.

* Learn more

* Application toolkit

## Student Stories

> "I visited multiple universities before choosing USW. Their open day was interactive, and the staff genuinely cared about students. The head of the sports psychology department even remembered my name, which made a huge impression."

Odette Hornby Psychology student

View student profile

> "USW taught me the value of seeking support, which was a major shift for me. I learned to reach out when needed, whether for academic or personal help. My advice to other care leavers considering higher education? Don’t let your background hold you back."

Antigone Cooper Psychology graduate

> "I loved my psychology degree and thought it was really well taught. I realised early on during my psychology course that I wanted to pursue a PhD, so I asked the faculty if they had any research assistant roles."

Robin Psychology student

> "The student support was just amazing. The lecturers really put themselves out and made sure that everyone was doing their utmost best. If you were falling behind somewhere, they helped you pick it up."

Jack Erasmus Psychology graduate

## Related stories and highlights

Image Video

### Why Do Employers Love Hiring USW Psychology Graduates?

### Why Studying Psychology Plus at USW Makes You So Employable

Image News Article

### Psychology students help hoarders

### USW launches topical Psychology Podcast

### Psychology students shine spotlight on overlooked ‘dads' voices’ in research partnership

## Ready to apply?

* Apply via UCAS

* How to apply

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