MA/PGDiploma in Psychotherapy & Counselling
Frequently Asked Questions
The FAQs below cover our MA/PGDiploma programme in
Psychotherapy & Counselling only. For general Admissions
queries or further information about SPCP, please visit our main FAQs
page.
Admissions Queries
Background Experience Queries
Course Queries
Progression Queries
International Students
Funding
Admissions Queries
When is the application deadline?
We do not have application deadlines for any of our courses at
SPCP. However, as places on each programme are limited and are
offered on a first-come-first served basis, early application is
advisable to avoid disappointment. It is not uncommon for places on
our programmes to fill up 2-3 months before their official start
date, so if you want to check that places are still available
before applying, please email us at spc@regents.ac.uk.
Who should I ask to be my referee? Is there a form they need to
complete?
We accept references from previous/current employers,
previous/current tutors, and professionals of your long-standing
acquaintance (e.g. doctors, lawyers, social workers, nurses,
teachers). Please note that references from personal
therapists are NOT accepted for the MA/PGDiploma
programme.
For internal applicants to our MA/PGDiploma programme (i.e.,
those who have completed a Foundation course at SPCP), you will
need to organise having an external reference sent in from the pool
listed above. Your internal reference is requested from your
Foundation lead tutor on your behalf by our Admissions Officer.
Please note that there is an official MA/PGDiploma reference form that all external
referees must complete. As we need a signed copy of this, you will
need to request that your referee either sends their reference to
us in the post, or sends a scanned copy via email.
For external applicants to our MA/PGDiploma programme (i.e.,
those who have not completed a Foundation course at SPCP), you will
need to organise having two references sent in. One of these must
be from your Foundation course leader or equivalent, and the other
can come from the pool listed above. Please note that there is an
official MA/PGDiploma reference form that
all external referees must complete. As we need a signed copy of
this, you will need to request that your referee either sends their
reference to us in the post, or sends a scanned copy via email.
Can my reference for my Foundation application “carry over” to
my application for the MA/PGDiploma?
No. You are welcome to approach the same referee you used for
your Foundation application to provide your reference, but as the
MA/PGDiploma is a separate programme with a separate admission
process, your references must reflect the programme to which you
are currently applying.
How many students do you accept for each class?
We accept a maximum of 18 students onto each MA/PGDiploma
intake.
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What does the MA/PGDiploma interview involve? Do I need to
prepare anything or bring anything to the interview?
The MA/PGDiploma interview lasts for about an hour. Candidates
are usually interviewed by the Programme Director and the Course
Leader. Applicants are asked to demonstrate a consideration of
theory, ethics and personal philosophy, and to reflect on their own
life experiences.
You will need to bring original copies of your degree certificates
(i.e., not photocopies, electronic copies or certified copies) and
a valid passport.
I am currently based outside the UK. Can my interview be
conducted over the phone?
Yes. If you live abroad or too far out of London to travel in,
just let us know and we will try to set up a telephone interview
for you with the Programme Director. This can sometimes take some
time to set up, so if you know that you may require a telephone
interview, it is best to apply as early as possible.
I
work full-time. Do you hold any interviews on weekends/after
hours?
No. Interviews are scheduled according to the interviewers’
availabilities, which are almost always going to be during office
hours on a weekday. Although it can be problematic trying to
arrange time off work, we will endeavour in all cases to give you
as much notice as possible of your interview date so that you can
organise yourself.
You are able to reschedule if the time put to you will
absolutely not work, but interview deferrals are always going to be
at your own risk. There is no guarantee that places will be
available the longer you put off your interview, so if it is at all
possible for you to rearrange your plans, then you should do so. We
will always try to ensure that those who applied first are offered
the earliest interview timeslots, but sometimes deferrals mean that
you can be “pipped to the post” by those who applied later than
you.
If I am made an offer of a place on the course, how long is
this offer valid for?
One year. For example, if you are made an offer of a place on a
course beginning in January, you can take this up on any available
intake between that point and January of the following year.
After one year has passed, your offer will expire and you will need
to reapply.
Do you have open evenings for your postgraduate
programmes?
No. Due to the varying academic, professional and personal
backgrounds of applicants to our postgraduate programmes, we have
found that ‘open evenings’ are not a particularly effective format
to answer everyone’s queries. If you would like to discuss the
MA/PGDiploma in more depth, you are welcome to contact the SPCP
Admissions Office or begin an email dialogue with the Programme
Director.
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Background Experience Queries
I already have an undergraduate degree in Psychology, Social
Work, Nursing or a ‘related’ field. Do I still need to take a
Foundation course before I can begin on the MA/PGDiploma in
Psychotherapy & Counselling?
Yes. The Foundation course is a pre-requisite for entry to the
MA programme. It will not be waived if you have a background in a
‘related’ area. This is because Psychotherapy and Counselling is a
very specific discipline, with theoretical, practical and
experiential elements not usually covered in other programmes.
Although the ‘psy’ disciplines frequently overlap, it is absolutely
essential for you to have a thorough grounding in
Psychotherapy/Counselling ‘proper’ before you could proceed to a
Masters in the subject.
You should not view the Foundation course as a “step backwards”
or take it as a sign that your degree “does not count”. Your degree
will hold you in good stead for your Masters application, but it is
nonetheless the case that you need a formal academic background in
Psychotherapy and Counselling before you could be considered for
the MA.
I
am a mature-age student and have not been in an academic
environment for a long time. Will I be offered learning support if
I need it?
Yes. If you are having trouble adjusting to the academic
environment, you are welcome to contact Student
Services for advice and information. Student Services can
provide tips on academic essay writing, for example.
Do
I need to have had experience of personal therapy before I can join
the course?
No. This is, however, a desirable feature in an applicant. Once
you have begun on the MA, however, in order to meet UKCP registration
requirements you will need to be in once-weekly personal therapy
with a suitably registered therapist for the duration of the
programme (2 years).
Course Queries
What is the general age/gender demographic of students on the
MA course? Do younger applicants have trouble securing a
place?
Psychotherapy and Counselling seems to be a career that people
turn to most successfully as “second career” or “later life”
options. The average age range for SPCP applicants is between 30
and 50, with a few aged under 30 and over 60. An entry requirement
for the MA/PGDiploma is a significant amount of “life experience”
gained after the end of full-time education, along with a mature
attitude and capacity for introspection. Training in psychotherapy
and counselling can be quite emotionally challenging, as you are
encouraged to share aspects of your own life, to hear the
experiences of others, and to assist others with personal dilemmas.
Finding work as a psychotherapist is quite difficult for younger
graduates.
What is the difference between an MA in Psychotherapy and
Counselling, and a PGDiploma in Psychotherapy and Counselling?
The MA/PGDiploma is classified differently depending on whether
you already have an undergraduate degree or not. If you already
have a degree, you will enter the programme at MA level. If you do
not have a degree, you will enter the programme at PGDiploma
level.
Training as an MA or PGDiploma student is exactly the same. The
only real difference is that MA students complete a research
dissertation in years 3 – 4, and PGDiploma students do not.
The PGDiploma option also exists for any student who decides not to
proceed with their training. At the end of the two taught years of
training, provided they have met all course requirements, students
may leave with a PGDiploma qualification.
What does ‘Integrative Psychotherapy’ mean?
You can find information about the ‘Integrative’ approach to
Psychotherapy here.
Is the MA/PGDiploma recognised and/or validated by the relevant
bodies?
Yes. The MA/PGDiploma is validated by the University of Wales,
and recognised by both the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy
(UKCP) and the British Association for Counselling and
Psychotherapy (BACP). Until full regulation by the Health
Professions Council, SPCP will remain an accrediting organisation
within both the Humanistic/Integrative and Existential section of
UKCP, registering graduates from the Advanced Diplomas for the
appropriate section.
Registration with the BACP can be undertaken independently after
the end of the first year of Advanced Diploma study if 450 hours of
appropriately supervised clinical practice hours have been achieved
by then. In practice, this is rare and BACP registration can take
as long as fulfilling the higher-level UKCP standard.
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Progression Queries
If I successfully complete the MA/PGDiploma, am I guaranteed a
place on one of your Advanced Diploma programmes afterwards?
No. Admission to the Advanced Diplomas is also partly based on
an interview you attend here at the college with the relevant
Programme Director.
Will I be able to practice as a Psychotherapist/Counsellor
after completing the MA/PGDiploma?
No. If you wish to become a professional Psychotherapist and
register with the UKCP, this will involve at least 2 more years of
postgraduate-level training after the MA/PGDiploma. The final stage
of your training will be to undertake one of our two-year Advanced
Diploma programmes, in Integrative or Existential
Psychotherapy.
I am hoping to become professionally registered with the UKCP
and start practicing as soon as possible. How can I speed up this
process?
You can’t. Training as a Psychotherapist/Counsellor is a lengthy
process, and necessarily so. Due to the sensitive and involved
nature of the profession, ‘fast-tracking’ your way to professional
registration is not possible. The minimum requirement for UKCP
registration is 4 years of postgraduate-level study.
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International Students
I am an international student. Can I apply for the MA/PGDiploma
course? If so, can you sponsor me for a student visa?
Yes. SPCP can currently sponsor international students to
undertake the MA/PGDiploma programme. Please be aware that you need
to be made an unconditional offer of a place on the programme
before sponsorship is possible. As applying for a student visa can
be a lengthy process, we strongly recommend that you apply with us
well in advance of your intended start date to allow for any issues
or delays.
You should also be made aware that our programmes gear graduates
up for professional registration with the UKCP. As Psychotherapy and
Counselling is regulated differently throughout the world, we
cannot guarantee that your UK qualification will be recognised
elsewhere. If you want the option of working as a therapist in your
home country, we therefore advise that you research regulating
bodies and their registration requirements before embarking on your
studies in the UK.
Does Regent’s College have on-campus accommodation for
international students?
Yes, however on-campus accommodation is limited. Please visit
our Accommodation
section for further information.
English is my second language. Is there a particular
IELTS/TOEFL score I need to begin on the MA/PGDiploma course?
You will need an IELTS score of at least 6.5 or a TOEFL score of
90 (internet-based test), 575 (paper-based test) or 233
(computer-based test).
If the last three years of your education have been taught solely
in English, we do not ask you for an IELTS/TOEFL.
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Funding
Can I pay my tuition fees in instalments?
Yes. However, you will need to request this from our Finance
Department upon receipt of your tuition fee invoice(s).
What funding options exist for the MA/PGDiploma?
Please visit
Student Finance England for information about funding options
for postgraduate level training.
Do you have any scholarships or bursaries?
We do not have any scholarships or bursaries at this stage.
However, SPCP may develop scholarship opportunities in the
future.
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Page last updated 4/25/2012