BSc (Hons) Mental Health, Wellbeing and Counselling with foundation year

• 48 UCAS points. We accept a full range of qualifications that carry UCAS points, including A-levels, BTECs and T levels. Please see our guide to the UCAS Tariff for examples of how to achieve these points. For most courses, we are also able to consider non-tariffable qualifications.
• Any subjects are acceptable at Level 3.
• You should also have five GCSEs at grade C or above or grade 4 to 9 (or equivalent), including English and Mathematics.
• You may be required to attend an interview and/or provide a portfolio of work.
• If English isn’t your first language, you’ll also need IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details.
• Applied learning in a professional setting is an essential part of this course. We work with many organisations to offer you this applied experience, and they may have additional requirements that you'll need to meet before you can undertake work-based learning with them. For example, settings that work with children, young people or vulnerable adults (also known as regulated activity) will require you to gain an Enhanced Disclosure certificate from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Each organisation has its own requirements, and if you're unable to meet the requirements of your preferred organisation, you'll need to choose another work-based experience setting. You'll also be responsible for meeting any additional costs relating to your applied learning.

Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.

Our BSc (Hons) Mental Health, Wellbeing and Counselling with foundation year qualification offers an ideal combination of subjects if you're looking for a career focused on mental health and psychological wellbeing in individuals, families or communities. On graduation, you'll be well-prepared to enter a variety of roles working directly or indirectly to improve mental health and wellbeing.

As a graduate, you'll be able to demonstrate skills such as problem-solving, critical evaluation and independence of thought, deductive reasoning, interpersonal awareness and excellent teamwork, and communication skills.

What can I do with this qualification?

Mental health is recognised as a driver of individual and societal wellbeing, and there are many varied career opportunities for graduates with expertise in this important area. Healthcare organisations, education providers and charities all need counsellors and mental health support workers. Local and national governments need professionals to develop and implement mental health and wellbeing programmes. Employers need mental health champions to advise on staff wellbeing.

As a graduate of this course, you'll be well placed to apply immediately for roles with employers such as the NHS, police service, prison service, secondary schools, further and higher education or the civil service. You might work directly with adults, children, and young people dealing with issues such as relationship difficulties, anxiety or grief. Local councils or charities may advertise family services and community-based roles to prevent mental health issues from arising or undertake early interventions. Alternatively, you might work on projects that indirectly improve mental health and wellbeing through social initiatives.

Additionally, you'll be able to apply for professional postgraduate study to become a teacher or social worker. If you wish to pursue a career in counselling, this course is an excellent forerunner to Bolton University's MSc Counselling and Positive Psychology degree. You could also apply to train as a psychological wellbeing practitioner.

As a graduate, you'll possess the scientific knowledge and understanding embedded in the psychological elements of this degree. Skills such as problem-solving and data analysis will be helpful for careers in administration, law, finance, IT, and research.

Alternative career options

Graduates can use the qualification as a stepping-stone into a range of careers. Some of these roles may require relevant experience and/or postgraduate study. Possibilities include:

• Coaching and guidance services
• Mentoring
• Family mediation
• Teaching and education
• Nursing
• Retail management
• Human resources
• Market research
• Social work

Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2023-2024 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.

The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.

For 2023-2024 entry, the maximum government approved undergraduate tuition fee for UK students is £9,250 per year. The University is able to charge this fee subject to an approved Access and Participation Plan for 2023-2024 and its current rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework.

Bursaries

Click here for more information about the scholarships and bursaries available to University of Bolton students.

Our teaching and learning strategy is student-centred. We use a blended approach, meaning you'll have face-to-face sessions, sometimes one-to-one, and take part in online learning. You can expect a mix of seminars, lectures and tutorials, practical classes, videos, self-directed study, IT and library sessions, and guided study. Bolton University's e-learning portal Moodle supports your online learning and provides a convenient way for you to communicate with fellow students who are studying the same modules.

Self-directed and independent study is essential if you want to reach your potential in this hugely rewarding and constantly evolving subject. We expect you to devote significant time to activities such as background reading, preparing for seminars and assignments, writing essays and revising for exams. We'll also encourage you to use the internet for research.

Guest lectures and presentations by various visiting speakers from relevant employment areas will allow you to further develop your knowledge and understanding.

Assessments help to organise and develop your learning and evaluate your achievements. Summative assessments contribute to your final module marks and include time-constrained exams and coursework, such as essays, practical reports, seminar and poster presentations, and portfolios. These assessments are your chance to confirm your knowledge and understanding and demonstrate your critical and evaluation skills.

Meanwhile, you'll benefit from ongoing formative assessments throughout your degree. These don't contribute to module marks or final grades but focus on supporting your progress, helping you build on your strengths and overcome challenges. They're also an excellent way to help you identify and pursue the independent learning strategies that best suit your needs and preferences.

Your assessed work is submitted online via Moodle, with feedback also given through this portal.

Modules

The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.

• Self-reflection and Self-presentation
• Research Methods in Social Science
• Key Studies in Psychology
• Perspectives in Psychology
• Professional Reflective Practice
• Mental Health, Law, Ethics and Policy
• An Introduction to Mental Health and Wellbeing
• An Introduction to Action Research
• Introduction to Counselling Concepts
• Application of Psychology
• Mental Health in Practice
• Psychological Models and Processes of Anxiety and Depression
• Practice Based Multidisciplinary Team Working
• Safeguarding
• Counselling Skills
• Personality and Developmental Psychology
• Facilitating Wellbeing
• Applied Honours Project
• Introduction to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Psychology of Loss and Trauma
• The Therapeutic Process
• Applied Experience
• Psychology of Sport and Exercise
• Young Life and the Mind

Assessment methods

Learning activities

Disclaimer

The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.