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Anybody know of Degree/MA in counselling/psychotherapy

  • 02-11-2009 4:37pm
    #1
    micko35
    Closed Accounts Posts: 31 ✭


    Hi everyone,

    I am new here so I'll just jump right in.

    I am an accredited counsellor with the IACP (I have a diploma in counselling) and work in the area of mental health generally. I am looking to return to education in Sept 2010/2011 and looking to do either a Hons degree in counselling/psychotherapy, or indeed, if possible, a MA in counselling.

    I'm unclear at this point what options I have

    I'd appreciate any guidance - thanks


Comments

  • #2
    hotspur
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,328 ✭✭✭hotspur


    Hi Micko, welcome to the forum. Where did you do your diploma? I'm assuming it wasn't with an institution with a university affiliation or you would know about further options through them, but just on the off chance.

    I presume you already have a primary degree in some area if you are considering an MA. Doing a BA wouldn't really add much to your skill set if you already have an IACP accredited diploma.

    There are numerous university postgraduate courses such as TCD's doctorate in counselling psychology which requires a psychology degree as does UCC's masters in the same. DCU are offering a masters and a doctorate in psychotherapy. If you are interested in doing a psychoanalytic masters then TCD and UCD do one and then there's DBS and Independent Colleges who also do one in that.

    I know that the Tivoli institute have some arrangement for their graduates to do a MSc with Sheffield University, and Turning Point allows their graduate diploma graduates to do a 4th year MSc validated by DCU. NCII also do an MA for existing counsellors.

    DBS do a BA in counselling, and PCI do too validated by Middlesex University. For a BA PCI may be your quickest route as you already have an IACP diploma, might be 2 years for you. Addiction Training Institute run BA's in Athlone and DCU which can be done in maybe 1 year if you already have a diploma.

    I doubt that's exhaustive but off the top of my head those are the most salient options. I would be less familiar with outside of Dublin, NUI Galway and UL probably have relevant courses.

    So as you can see what qualifications you already have, where you got them, and what modality you're interested in are all factors to take into account.


  • #3
    micko35
    Closed Accounts Posts: 31 ✭micko35


    hotspur wrote: »
    Hi Micko, welcome to the forum. Where did you do your diploma? I'm assuming it wasn't with an institution with a university affiliation or you would know about further options through them, but just on the off chance.

    I presume you already have a primary degree in some area if you are considering an MA. Doing a BA wouldn't really add much to your skill set if you already have an IACP accredited diploma.

    There are numerous university postgraduate courses such as TCD's doctorate in counselling psychology which requires a psychology degree as does UCC's masters in the same. DCU are offering a masters and a doctorate in psychotherapy. If you are interested in doing a psychoanalytic masters then TCD and UCD do one and then there's DBS and Independent Colleges who also do one in that.

    I know that the Tivoli institute have some arrangement for their graduates to do a MSc with Sheffield University, and Turning Point allows their graduate diploma graduates to do a 4th year MSc validated by DCU. NCII also do an MA for existing counsellors.

    DBS do a BA in counselling, and PCI do too validated by Middlesex University. For a BA PCI may be your quickest route as you already have an IACP diploma, might be 2 years for you. Addiction Training Institute run BA's in Athlone and DCU which can be done in maybe 1 year if you already have a diploma.

    I doubt that's exhaustive but off the top of my head those are the most salient options. I would be less familiar with outside of Dublin, NUI Galway and UL probably have relevant courses.

    So as you can see what qualifications you already have, where you got them, and what modality you're interested in are all factors to take into account.

    Hi Hotspur. That's very informative - thanks.

    Basically, I qualified in 2003 with a Dip in Counselling (person-centred modality + Reality therapy modality) from a place called Elah, which was based in the South Inner City of Dublin. The course met all IACP accreditation criteria, and as result I received my IACP accreditation in 2007. I have also completed a Cert in Reality Theory/Choice Theory, and a Cert in Adlerian Psychology.

    I have heard of the PCI 2 year add-on, but I have heard it is no longer highly regarded. I have just recently heard of the Addiction Training Institute's 1 year BA, but wonder about the fact it is a pass degree. Is there much merit in completing the BA? I'm not sure.

    There is also a place in Tallaght called IICP, and they expect to have a top-up hons degree ready to start in the next 12-24 months. I'm not sure who it is affiliated with yet though.

    I have done a little facilitation and would really like to explore this further also so this is also colouring my decision making.

    I am really drawn to the work of Yalom, and am currently enjoying what I am discovering in the work of Rank.

    I guess it seems the best course of action might be to attain the BA and take it from there...


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