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.
Qualifications
Degree
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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How and why do different societies define specific acts as 'crimes' and certain people as 'criminals'? Why do some people develop addictions, not others? Why do less equal societies have more crime? What is happening when a person tells a lie? Is crime best understood as the product of individual choices or social conditions? This qualification explores questions like these about how people behave and examines how governments determine what they will and won't tolerate, and why.
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What is the self? What makes us happy? How do we know what other people are thinking and feeling? Do humans display irrational biases? How does the environment affect people’s physical and mental health? What is justice and why does it matter? How does science make progress and can we trust it? Is there a God? This fascinating course explores how we seek the answers to profound questions about ourselves, our minds, our behaviour, and our place in the social and physical universe.
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This is one of several specialist routes available in our BA (Honours) Social Sciences (R23) degree. Half of your studies will be in interdisciplinary social science and sociology giving you a firm grounding in knowledge and ideas central to the social sciences. For the other half, you’ll first explore psychology through a range of real-world issues including love, sexuality and artificial intelligence before opting to study either social psychology or counselling and forensic psychology. On completion of this degree, you’ll be able to apply psychological and social theories to a broad range of practical and real world issues, using data analysis and analytical techniques to understand a variety of topics that affect individuals and society. You’ll also have gained a wide range of transferable skills – opening up employment opportunities in private, public and voluntary sector organisations.
Foundation Degree
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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, counsellors and psychotherapists are helping us cope. This foundation degree, developed in partnership with the Counselling and Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body (CPCAB), will prepare you to become a professional counsellor – equipping you with the theoretical understanding and practical skills required to work in this field.
Diploma
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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, counsellors and psychotherapists are helping us cope. This diploma, developed in partnership with the Counselling and Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body (CPCAB), will prepare you to become a professional counsellor – equipping you with the theoretical understanding and practical skills required to work in this field.
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How and why do different societies define specific acts as ‘crimes’ and certain people as ‘criminals’? Why do less equal societies have more crime? What is happening when a person tells a lie? This qualification explores questions like these about how people behave and examines how governments determine what they will and won’t tolerate.
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What is the self? What makes us happy? How do we know what other people are thinking and feeling? Do humans display irrational biases? How does the environment affect people’s physical and mental health? What is justice and why does it matter? What is science? Is there a God? This fascinating course explores how we seek the answers to such profound questions about ourselves, our minds, our behaviour, and our place in the social and physical universe.
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If you’re interested in psychology and would like to develop skills and knowledge relevant to a wide range of careers, this diploma is for you. You’ll explore how psychologists use evidence to contribute to debates on ageing, crime, education, employment, forensic science, mental health and relationships; and choose options to suit your particular interests.
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In this diploma you'll discover how social scientists answer some of today’s most pressing questions and how they find evidence to test their ideas and theories. Through investigating topics such as consumption, parenting, and globalisation, you'll explore the way our lives are shaped by individuals, groups and institutions By the end of your studies, you’ll have changed the way you look at the world forever and gained a range of valuable analytical and evaluative skills, opening up employment opportunities in private, public and voluntary sector organisations.
Certificate
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If you’re interested in psychology and would like to learn more, or find out if it’s the right subject for you, this certificate could be the ideal starting point. You’ll learn about the different ways in which psychologists investigate the human mind and behaviour, and how psychological research addresses real-life issues – including ageing, crime, education, employment, forensic science, mental health, relationships and much more.
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This certificate provides a compelling introduction to the social sciences. You’ll gain fascinating insights into the everyday lives of people in communities, workplaces and many other social sites as you explore ideas from criminology, economics, geography, politics, psychology and sociology. You’ll also discover the ways in which social scientists understand and explain the world and how people, groups and institutions respond to change, exercise power and make decisions.
Postgraduate Certificate
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If you're working in a context which makes considerable use of social or psychological research or are fascinated by social research, this certificate will equip you with the knowledge, skills and confidence to appraise research and communicate your assessment to academic and non-academic audiences. Drawing together topics from criminology and psychology, it supports future study and adds value to your career by providing professional development in research literacy, managing research and conceiving of new studies.
Masters
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This masters degree enables you to gain an advanced understanding of the fascinating area of forensic psychology, while enhancing your analytical and communication skills, as well as your research literacy. You will learn about a broad range of topics relevant to forensic psychology and develop an understanding of the reciprocal relationship this field of research has with UK law, legal practice, policy, public opinion and the media. The qualification also considers international differences in forensic theory, research and practice.
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This masters degree provides a valuable opportunity to gain an advanced understanding of a range of fields in psychology, including cognitive, social, forensic and counselling psychology. It aims to develop critical appraisal skills in psychology research and practice. You also gain an understanding of the reciprocal relationship psychological research has with medicine, public policy, public opinion and the media.
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This masters programme offers you the opportunity to gain your first qualification accredited by the British Psychological Society. You’ll develop a comprehensive and critical understanding of the key concepts, theories, methods and debates in psychology. This will include critically examining how psychological theories and research methodologies are applied in real world settings and assessing different kinds of evidence from quantitative and qualitative data. You’ll also gain an awareness of the importance of ethical issues in the practice of psychology. By completing this rigorous masters degree, you’ll build your numeracy, literacy, communication, team working, presentation, observational, cognitive and organisational skills as appropriate to the discipline.
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