MSc Addiction Psychology and Counselling
Overview
The MSc is a well-established route to a professional career in counselling in the addictions field. Accredited by the Federation of Drug and Alcohol Professionals (FDAP) it meets the training needs for you to become accredited as an addiction counsellor.*
You’ll normally have a professional, employment or voluntary work interest in addiction but will not necessarily be a graduate. However, if you have an interest in the psychology of addiction and are seeking a career in counselling, you’ll have particular interest in this programme. Some work experience in health, community and social service settings, and/or some background in counselling/psychological helper skills is normally required to join the course. It is also expected that in the first year you’ll seek experience in appropriate work settings related to addiction. In the second year, students must have a counselling placement sufficient to provide 100 hours of supervised practice before entering the final year.
*Completion of year 2 of the course results in eligibility for the FDAP ‘Drug and Alcohol Professional Certificate’. Additional practice hours are required to be eligible for the FDAP National Counsellor Accreditation Certificate.
Modules
All modules are assessed by coursework including essays, observational assessments and reports, professional logs, a case study and project proposals.
Year 1
- Theoretical foundations of addiction and counselling psychology
- Therapeutic counselling theory and practice
- Professional practice in addiction counselling
Year 2
- Advanced addiction psychology
- Advanced theory and practice in therapeutic counselling
- Research methods in professional practice
Year 3
- Research project in addiction psychology/therapy
Entry requirements
Typical applicants are working within drug/alcohol or related fields, with the intellectual competence to work at postgraduate level, and demonstrable character strengths for counselling. Desirably, you would have previous training in psychology/counselling and an inclination towards research.
Prospective students will need demonstrable ability to undertake work at a Masters level. For example Honours degree or professional qualifications at 2:2 level/Bachelor degree equivalent to UK Second Class Honours Lower Division/ Plus relevant experience indicative of a motivation to specialise in the addictions area.