MA in Pluralistic Counselling and Psychotherapy

Course details

A pluralistic perspective is an integrative approach to Counselling and Psychotherapy that embraces and considers multiple causes and responses to psychological distress. The aim of the programme is to equip practitioners with an up-to-date, cutting edge training to meet the needs of the contemporary society. It also aims to identify and develop leadership and collaborative qualities in those involved in therapeutic practice. With a strong research focus, graduates from this programme will have the necessary knowledge, skills and competence to act as research-practitioners. The programme aims to enable graduates to analyse their own practice and the profession as a whole. We aim to facilitate learners in the creation of evidence-based solutions to the current problems they face as individual practitioners and dilemmas that exist within the profession. As pluralism is the unifying theme in the programme, the programme will foster a spirit of enquiry where learners will engage in the pursuit of multiple truths, drawing from diverse disciples, approaches and orientations.

• To offer learners the opportunity to gain a breadth and depth of knowledge and skills in the pluralistic integrative approach to counselling and psychotherapy;
• To equip learners with the necessary knowledge, competencies and skills to engage in debate and discussion with a multitude of relevant stakeholders;
• To foster a spirit of enquiry in professional clinical practice and with regard to the profession as a whole;
• To equip learners with the necessary knowledge, skills and competencies to respond to clients using a pluralistic collaborative approach;
• To prepare learners to contribute to the advancement of the profession through research and publication; and
• To hone the ability logical, critical, analytical and reflective thinking skills that will be applied to both practice and research.

WHO SHOULD APPLY?

This programme is for qualified counsellors and psychotherapists. Candidates are required to have a minimum of a 2.2 in a Level 8 BA/BSc (Hons) in Counselling and Psychotherapy or a minimum of a 2.2 BA/BSc (Hons) Degree plus a professionally recognised Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy. Candidates will have completed at least 100 supervised client hours as part of their core counselling and psychotherapy training and will have undergone a minimum of 50 hours of personal therapy while training as a therapist. Evidence of same must be submitted with the application form.

COURSE CONTENT:

The programme is a combination of taught and research based modules.

Year One:

• Advanced Research Methods 1
• Philosophical Underpinnings of Counselling and Psychotherapy
• A Pluralistic Framework for Counselling and Psychotherapy
• Professional Knowledge Development
• Contemporary Perspectives in Counselling and Psychotherapy
• Practice Based Issues in Counselling and Psychotherapy
• The Sociological Context of Mental Health
• Advanced Research Methods 2

Year Two:

• Clinical Practice & Development
• Research Portfolio Preparation

COURSE STRUCTURE:

The programme will be delivered in block format, with learners attending Friday-Sunday once a month. There will also be an additional tutorial day per month. To complete the P.G. Diploma in Pluralistic Counselling and Psychotherapy, learners will complete eight modules in Year One. Two additional modules, along with the research portfolio are completed in Year Two to obtain the M.A. in Pluralistic Counselling and Psychotherapy.