Degree

This qualification offers a full counselling training pathway as well as the opportunity for current practitioners (SCoPEd framework ‘Therapist A’ level) to acquire new advanced counsellor competencies as part of an undergraduate degree. You can study flexibly, choose practice competencies that suit you, bring in study and continuing professional development conducted in other settings, and qualify as an advanced practitioner. Developed in partnership with accredited awarding bodies, this qualification has been designed to allow you to claim ‘Therapist B’ competencies according to the SCoPEd framework. You'll engage in a unique mix of learning experiences. You will study knowledge-based modules within the OU and also utilise practice-based courses, including practical, work-based learning, which you will have taken outside of the OU delivered in conjunction with Further Education colleges and other registered training providers.

In a fast-changing world, this degree offers you the chance to explore some of the major forces reshaping social life. You’ll be introduced to distinctively sociological ways of understanding the world and, in the process, will be challenged to think more deeply about contemporary social problems. You'll gain practical skills in social research and the ability to plan and conduct an independent sociological project. On graduation, you’ll not only have a well-developed understanding of the nature of society but will be in a position to make a positive difference to it.

In this qualification you’ll explore human systems of thought and practice, both ‘secular’ and ‘religious’, in ways which allow you to engage with wide-ranging and often controversial issues affecting different cultures and societies. You’ll investigate a wide range of current questions and themes in these disciplines from both historical and contemporary perspectives. This includes the ethics of war, political justice, multiculturalism, religious nationalisms, the ‘sanctity of life’ and pilgrimage. In engaging with the core disciplines of religious studies and philosophy, you’ll develop critical skills and expertise in a range of key approaches and methodologies.

Economic considerations play an important role in our personal lives and influence key social and political issues such as government policy, international trade, business decisions, work and climate change. Studying this degree, you'll learn economic concepts, theories and techniques that will enable you to understand real world problems and help you make more informed decisions in your own life. You'll be able to specialise in an area of economics and carry out a project on a topic of your choice. The analytical skills and statistical techniques that this degree develops are highly valued by employers.

In this qualification you will consider how social psychology can be applied to contemporary life. You’ll also explore psychology more broadly, gaining insights into people's behaviour. Why do people go to war against their neighbours, or take part in protests? Has globalisation made people across the world more similar, or do old differences persist? How have gender identities changed? What does it mean to be a good citizen?

The value of counselling to improve wellbeing and quality of life is increasingly recognised. From everyday worries to serious mental health issues like chronic anxiety and depression, counselling and psychological therapy can help us cope. Psychological therapies are rooted in psychological understanding, so this degree provides a strong foundation in psychology with a specific focus on how counselling works and how it can help people change.

Psychology is all around us and touches upon every aspect of our lives. This fascinating degree investigates why we do the things we do; how we interact with others; how psychologists use research evidence to explore and debate issues such as ageing, crime, education, employment, forensic science, mental health, and relationships; and much more. 

What makes people do harm to others? What is a psychopath? How do you conduct an intervention with someone convicted of a violent crime, or help someone who has been the victim of crime? This degree explores these and many other important questions to do with psychology, crime and justice. You’ll also cover the field of psychology more broadly, gaining a window into the workings of the mind and insights into why people behave the way they do.