Diploma Entry Requirements
Entry Requirements For BCPC's Professional Training
Entry is at undergraduate level of academic competence for the Advanced Counselling Diploma and postgraduate level for the MA/Diploma in Psychotherapy.
Applicants need to have completed/ be in the process of completing our BCPC Foundation Certificate or an equivalent foundation level course at the point of application. Applicants with little or no prior training should apply directly to our Foundation Certificate.
External applicants who already have a Counselling Diploma, either from BCPC or another training organisation, and are wanting to apply for our Psychotherapy MA/Diploma, are eligible to apply for Module 1 of the training. Please note this is dependent on whether there is available space in the academic year to which the candidate is applying.
The BCPC Advanced Counselling Diploma and MA/Diploma in Psychotherapy are in-person trainings so applicants need to commit to full attendance at our training centre in Bath.
Equivalence to BCPC Foundation
In order to assess equivalence to our BCPC Foundation certificate, please note that the following information needs to be clearly indicated on your application form:
- Completion of an in-person introductory counselling/psychotherapy course of at least 120 hours, involving an in-depth exploration of the work of Carl Rogers and in particular his 'core conditions' for therapeutic growth
- Experience of regular skills practice in triads
- Participation in process group work
- Engagement in personal counselling or psychotherapy during the previous course (minimum 35 sessions)
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Procedure (for External applicants)
In addition to matching the above requirements, external applicants to either Diploma are also required to write an essay - see below. Please submit one copy with your application (hard copy or electronic, to officemanager@bcpc.org.uk).
Essay topic
Discuss Carl Rogers’ qualities of empathy, unconditional positive regard and congruence, showing your understanding of them and exploring the ease and/or difficulty you have in adopting each of them.
You will need to make reference to Rogers (1961), ‘On Becoming a Person’ and Mearns and Thorne (2007), ‘Person Centred Counselling in Action’. Word Count 2,000 – 2,500 (please indicate this at the end of your work).
The purpose of the essay is to show a personal engagement and clear understanding of Rogers’ core conditions and an ability to relate theory to practice and personal experience. Please aim for a good standard of presentation with all quotations appropriately referenced.
Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL) Procedure
RPEL procedures may be used in order to acknowledge your relevant prior professional and life experience. A portfolio could include relevant Certificates or Diplomas from related Counselling or Psychotherapy courses, as well as evidence of work in caring professions, volunteer work and work which has required managing relationships with others.
For applicants where English is not your first language
If English is not your first language you will need to provide evidence of having attained English language proficiency to level 6.5 or 7 to ensure that you will be able to meet the course requirements. This can be achieved by a First degree written in English, but if you have not been educated in English you may need to take a test through The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) https://www.ielts.org/
Guidelines to Training Applications
For guidelines on applications and interviews please see: Guidelines for applicants to BCPC's Professional Training