Counselling Skills

Overview

This course is being offered to students who have successfully completed the One Year Certificate in Counselling Skills. It aims to consolidate and expand upon the One Year Certificate foundational training, thus providing students with an introduction to counselling for use in their existing work or voluntary settings. The course also aims to facilitate interested students to reach the level of training and development required to work with clients during the professional practitioner training programme in the BA in Counselling and Psychotherapy BA 1 and BA 2.

Dual Relationships

Due to the personal and experiential nature of the course, it is generally not possible to have staff or students with significant existing personal or professional relationships in the same course group. Where possible, every effort is made to overcome this difficulty by placing them in separate groups. Oftentimes this solution is not possible and, in these instances, a dual relationship may prevent the applicant from being offered a place on the course at that time.

Personal Therapy

Students are required to undertake 30 personal therapy weekly sessions during the Higher Certificate course. The cost of this is separate to the course and is arranged directly between the student and the therapist.

Course Delivery

• Full-time (delivered evenings and weekends/career-friendly hours).

The course is offered on a full-time basis over two semesters from September to May. Each semester has 5 modules.

Attendance at all sessions is a requirement. The regular sessions will be held on week evenings – 6.30pm to 9.30pm.

Alternatively some of the sessions may be held on Saturday 10.00am to 5.00pm. When a Saturday is involved, it will replace two evening sessions. During Year 2, there will be two weekend workshops in addition to the regular weekly sessions. There will also be eight evening counselling skills workshops.

Award

The Higher Certificate in Counselling Skills is awarded on the  basis of satisfactory attendance as well as the submission of written work and the satisfactory completion of practical and experiential assignments. The Higher Certificate recognises that the student has undertaken a comprehensive training in  Counselling Skills which should enable him/her to practice a full range of counselling skills within a pre-existing role. It is not a professional qualification in Counselling and does not qualify the holder to practice as a Professional Counsellor.

NB: To achieve a professional qualification, it is necessary to complete Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Counselling and Psychotherapy, BA 1 and BA 2.

Entry Requirements

Applicants must:

• Applicants must be 26 years of age or older on January 1st of year of application.
• Must have successfully completed the One Year Certificate in Counselling Skills in MTU.
• Be assessed through interview or progression assessment for internal applicants.

National Vetting Bureau: MTU uses the National Vetting Bureau (NVB) to help assess the suitability of all applicants on this programme.

If you previously completed the One Year Certificate in Counselling Skills please download and complete the Supplementary Information Form – Higher Certificate in Arts in Counselling Skills below.

Supplementary Information Form

When completed, upload this form to the section titled “Supporting Documentation” in your online application

No further documents are required at this time

Your application will not be processed unless this form – Supplementary Information Form – Higher Certificate in Arts in Counselling Skills – is completed and uploaded to your online application.

• If you are currently a student of the One Year Certificate in Counselling Skills you do not need to complete the Supplementary Information Form – Higher Certificate in Arts in Counselling Skills
• An assessment panel will review all applications. 
• An assessment panel composed of the current tutors of the One Year Certificate in Counselling Skills will be involved in the assessment decisions regarding readiness to progress for current students. These applicants are not required to attend for interview.
• Applicants who have previously completed the One Year Certificate in Counselling Skills at MTU (formerly CIT) will be invited for interview. 

What is RPL?

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is when formal recognition is given for what you already know prior to starting on a programme or module. With recognition of prior learning the focus is on learning and not on experience as such. You can apply for RPL in any MTU accredited programme or module. Programmes which are accredited by professional bodies or any external awarding bodies may have their own procedures for RPL which you should refer to.

Fees

€2,300

Students should note that Fees quoted relate to the academic year 2024 and are subject to change on an annual basis.

• Applicants will be required to pay an acceptance fee of €500 online if a place on a course is offered. This fee is deductible from the overall course fee.
  
  Note: You will not be charged for applying for the programme by clicking the 'apply online' button, you are only asked to pay an acceptance fee if a place is offered to you and you wish to accept it.