Masters DCU

dar100

Hi,

Seeking some information regarding progression from a BA Level 7 Counselling and Psychotherapy to a Masters in same. I have done a fair bit of research on education/training courses that are been offered in Universities and other institutions, so I am somewhat aware of my options to choose from. I don't really want to go the psychoanalytical psychotherapy or systemic route and cant afford the masters CBT in Trinity. As far as I am aware that leaves me with a choice of three MA's, Turning Point and the other MA been offered by DCU and the MA which DBS provides. Although the DBS one is two nights a week and two weekends a month, which I may not be able to commit to.

This really only leaves me with both the DCU courses to choose from and both are of four years in duration, with an option of leaving with a graduate diploma after 2 and three years respectively. I don't really want to have to cover the same syllabus again, and the thoughts of entering into another four years of study with cost etc seems disheartening. Is anyone on here aware if I may qualify for an exemption into an advanced year in any of the above degrees? or any advice would be very welcomed.

Thanks in advance for your replies

P.S PCI are also due to run a masters this year, they are waiting on final accreditation from a Welch university, has anyone any info regarding this course?

hotspur

As you know Turning Point and the current DCU MA are for people training from scratch in psychotherapy. If you wish to enter either programme with your existing qualification then you should indeed be able to enter to a later year. A difficulty with doing that in Turning Point can be unfamiliarity with psychosynthesis as a modality as was communicated to a friend of mine who enquired about entering in a later year with a 3 year diploma.

The new PCI Masters doesn't look attractive to me at all for someone who already has a degree in therapy.

There are distance learning options too such as http://www.nspc.org.uk/courses/msc-in-psychotherapy-studies/

I am unconvinced that any of these options has much genuine additionality to the skills you will already have acquired. It's a strange area. The Masters and undergraduate courses in counselling which train people from scratch seem to be extremely similar, with the exception being merely that the Masters courses only take those with a broadly defined cognate undergraduate degree. Their curricula are the same.

dar100

Thanks hotspur,

Yes it all seems a bit strange alright, in relation to Statutory Regulation, if I was to undertake an additional two year MA, where would that leave me as the guidelines from the Psychological Therapy Forum is a four years MA? taking into account that I have an ordinary BA as it stands.

hotspur

dar100 wrote: »

Thanks hotspur,

Yes it all seems a bit strange alright, in relation to Statutory Regulation, if I was to undertake an additional two year MA, where would that leave me as the guidelines from the Psychological Therapy Forum is a four years MA? taking into account that I have an ordinary BA as it stands.

I don't know. I'm not sure if anyone can answer that at this stage given that the industry proposed regulations from a few years ago did not speak to this issue. In any case such regulation appears, as far as I can tell, to be so far off that grandfathering is seems like a good possibility.

Even if counselling and psychotherapy did get added to the list of regulated health professions just look at how glacially the already legislated ones are moving.

wolfy83

Hi guys,

Not sure if any of you can help and I am really really sorry if I am repeating questions already asked, forgive me I am new to this forum. I am so confused as to what route to go down in order to secure a future in counselling. I am not sure whether I should take the psychology route or a straight counselling route! I have a primary degree in social care and currently work as a social care worker with under 18's in state care. Psychology looks like a long route I have been offered a cert in psychology with Derby uni online and after this I have been offered a conditional place to undertake the Msc in psychology with Derby uni online (that is BPS creds). After this, there really would only be Trinity counselling psychology and the chances of me getting in there is really really slim. (like impossible!)so....i was thinking of doing the Ma in DCU. Oh my head is wrecked from it all, I need a good counsellor! Again I am sorry if this is a repeat and if I have ranted but I need to make my mind up asap as courses are starting!!! any help or advice would be most welcome,

Thanks a mill

JuliusCaesar

hotspur wrote: »

In any case such regulation appears, as far as I can tell, to be so far off that grandfathering is seems like a good possibility.

Statutory regulation /registration in the fields of psychotherapy/counselling will not happen in my lifetime. The EU won't touch it with a bargepole.

Hotspur and others will be actual grandparents before any regulations are brought in.