Psychotherapy and Counselling

Entry requirements

• A Bachelor's degree with a 2:2 in any subject or other proof of your ability to study at Masters level.
• Level 3 Counselling Skills course or equivalent. This should include 20-50 hours of practice with other students and tutor feedback.
• Two satisfactory references, one of which must normally be an academic reference.
• A level of maturity associated with personal reflection on a variety of adult and childhood experiences and developed interpersonal skills, to be assessed at interview.
• English language skills to be demonstrated by GCSE qualification at Grade 4/C or completion of undergraduate degree within a UK institution

Months of entry

September

Course content

Train as a reflective, relational therapist with real clinical experience and a clear pathway to professional accreditation.

This programme offers a flexible, professionally accredited pathway into counselling and psychotherapy, supporting progression toward BACP or UKCP registration depending on your background and career goals.

Taught within a small, supportive cohort by experienced clinicians and researchers, the course combines advanced relational and intersubjective theory with extensive supervised practice.

Students’ complete placements within approved mental health, community, and therapeutics settings, gaining hands-on experience of working with adults experiencing complex and enduring mental health difficulties.

With pathways for Leeds MA graduates and external practitioners alike, the programme provides a structured, research led route to developing as an ethical, reflective, and relational psychotherapist able to work across diverse therapeutic and organisational contexts.

Course highlights

• Professionally accredited training that meets the requirements for BACP membership, with options to progress toward UKCP registration via UPCA or UKAHPP depending on your pathway.
• Clear professional pathways - Leeds is one of a the few in the UK that offers three professionally aligned pathways. Whether you aim for BACP accreditation through the MA, UPCA alignment through the completion of the Advanced Practice Portfolio Part 1 module and PGCert or UKCP progression via UKAHPP with the PGCert (for external equivalent MA graduates).
• Wide range of placement opportunities across approved mental health, community, and therapeutic services, coordinated through the University’s Practice Placement Unit.
• Relational, intersubjective teaching approach that centres the therapeutic relationship and reflects the evidence base on common factors in psychotherapy.
• Small, supportive learning community (up to 24 students), designed for deep experiential learning, reflective development, and strong tutor support.
• Advanced clinical and research training, enabling you to work with complex presentations, make independent clinical decisions, and conduct in-depth specialist research.
• Training alongside experienced clinicians, with teaching delivered by actively practising counsellors, psychotherapists, psychologists and clinical researchers.
• Safeguarding ready training, including learning in adult safeguarding procedures as part of the programme, preparing you to work safely and ethically across clinical settings.

Training Pathways at Leeds: Three Routes to Professional Recognition

The University of Leeds is one of a the few in the UK that offers flexible, tiered pathway to professional accreditation. These options give students the flexibility to choose the route that matches their prior training and long-term professional goals.

Pathway 1: Exit with MA Qualification

Students who complete the three-year MA in Psychotherapy & Counselling at Leeds are eligible for BACP registration meeting the full professional training requirements for practice as a counsellor or psychotherapist across a wide range of health, community, and therapeutic settings. This pathway is ideal for students seeking a recognised counselling and psychotherapy qualification without progressing further toward UKCP registration.

Pathway 2: Progression to PGCert in Psychotherapy

Students who wish to progressbeyond BACP toward UKCP registration via the UPCA route may choose to continue onto the PGCert in Psychotherapy where you will also complete the Advanced Practice Portfolio Part 1 (HECS5338) module.

This combination provides the full portfolio of evidence required for UPCA registration, aligning with SCoPEd Column C requirements and supporting registration as a UKCP Psychotherapist once all clinical, supervision, and personal therapy requirements are met.

Pathway 3: Entry Route for External Applicants with an Equivalent MA/MSc

Practitioners who hold an MA/MSc in Counselling & Psychotherapy (or equivalent) from another institution, with an equivalent core therapeutic modality (humanistic, relational common factors), may choose to complete the PGCert in Psychotherapy to support progression toward UKCP accreditation via UKAHPP.

This route is suited to experienced practitioners who already hold a Level 7 professional training but need:

• A recognised pathway to UKCP
• Advanced relational/intersubjective training
• Structured evidence of practice, supervision, and personal therapy
• A clinical portfolio aligned with SCoPEd Column C requirements
• External applicants may need to complete additional portfolio elements depending on prior training structure and professional gaps.

Accreditation

The MA Psychotherapy and Counselling has received British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) accredited course status which, on successful completion, will allow you to be added to their voluntary assured register of practitioners.

The MA Psychotherapy and Counselling combined with the Advanced Practice Portfolio Part 1 and the Post Graduate Certificate in Psychotherapy will enable students to be eligible for the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) register for Psychotherapists. Upon completion of these combined courses, you will be able to register as a UKCP Psychotherapist via the UPCA.