Choosing the right course
How can I find out more about courses, the college and whether they’re right for me?
Other than the information on our website and in our prospectus, our regular Open Days and Open Evenings are a great way to find out more before enrolling on our programmes. These are an opportunity to come and learn about the training available at Iron Mill College, discuss potential future course progression and career paths and find out more about the counselling professions in general. You can also always get in touch with us at 01392 219200 / enquiries@ironmill.co.uk with questions you may have about our courses.
I am new to counselling and psychotherapy, which course is right for me? How do I find out more?
Iron Mill College offers a number of entry level courses for people who are starting out on their journey in mental health and wellbeing training. We offer a 12 day Certificate in Counselling course which is beneficial for anyone looking for personal development, or preparing for a professional qualification (for example, by going on to study on our Advanced Diploma in Integrative Counselling or our Foundation Degree (FdA) in Integrative Counselling).
We also offer a TA Psychotherapy Foundation Course (Transactional Analysis)course, which provides an in-depth introduction to the key concepts of TA psychotherapy and their application. It can stand alone as a year for personal and professional development, or provide the first of 4 years of our TA Psychotherapy Advanced Course (Transactional Analysis), for those wishing to pursue full training in psychotherapy.
Please see the relevant course pages and FAQs for more information or get in touch with us at 01392 219200 / enquiries@ironmill.co.uk with any queries. Our regular Open Days and Open Evenings are also a great way to find out more before enrolling on our programmes.
I am already working in the field of counselling or psychotherapy, how do I find a suitable course for me?
Iron Mill College provides a number of post qualifying courses and CPD workshops for those currently working in the field of counselling and psychotherapy (or other relevant mental health and wellbeing professions), or simply as personal and professional development.
The post qualifying courses are longer courses, whereas the CPD workshops are shorter courses, usually of up to 6 days at most. Please see relevant course pages on our website for more information or get in touch with us at 01392 219200 / enquiries@ironmill.co.uk.
I haven’t been in academia before, will the courses and college be suitable for me?
The college provides regular Study Skills Sessions for those who are ‘rusty’ or new to academia and want to build their confidence and skills. The sessions are fun, supportive and encouraging.
Tutors will also be able to support you through the advanced courses, with tutorials arranged throughout the year.
I’m interested in a particular course, but you don’t seem to offer it at the moment. What should I do?
If there is a course you are interested in but can’t find on our website, please do let us know at 01392 219200 / enquiries@ironmill.co.uk. It might be that we are planning to run the course (or a similar one) in future, but even if not, we are always keen to get feedback on ways we can expand or improve our course offering.
What levels are the courses? / Who are the courses accredited / validated by?
That depends on the course. Some of our courses do not have a level on the national framework and some do. Some of our courses are run entirely by Iron Mill College and some are accredited or validated by external organisations. Please see table below for further details:
What are the attendance requirements for courses?
It’s preferable that you miss as little of the course as possible, but we realise that sometimes it’s unavoidable to miss a day here and there. Every course has its own minimum attendance requirements - please see the relevant course page and FAQs for information or get in touch with us at 01392 219200 / enquiries@ironmill.co.uk with any specific queries.
What is the difference between the weekend and weekday format on some courses and the different intakes throughout the year?
For any individual course, the course hours and content are exactly the same whichever format and intake you join. We just provide these different options to provide people with more opportunities to attend the course. Some people work full-time and would like the opportunity to attend a course at the weekends, whilst for others it’s not possible to attend at weekends, perhaps because of childcare issues.
What extra study requirements are there beyond attendance at teaching days?
Every course has different extra requirements and these can be found on the relevant course pages and FAQs at the bottom of that page.
The advanced courses generally require attendance at timetabled teaching days, a certain number of hours attending placement, supervision and personal therapy, along with time spent towards guided independent study and assignment activities. Some also require work based learning time. For more specific information, do not hesitate to contact us at 01392 219200 / enquiries@ironmill.co.uk.
What does the teaching, learning and assessment involve for courses?
This varies from course to course. Training may include tutor led sessions, creative group work, research and triad exercises. Students may also be asked to reflect on issues of personal and professional development and also spend time on guided independent study, away from the training room. Advanced courses will also generally include some extra requirements, for example, attending placement, supervision, personal therapy or work based learning. Assessments can also take many forms across courses, including book reviews, journals, essays, presentations, skills assessments, peer assessments, as well as other written assignments and activities.
Please see individual course pages and FAQs for further details or contact us at 01392 219200 / enquiries@ironmill.co.uk if you have specific queries.
What are the class sizes?
We try our best to get the balance right between having a group big enough to allow individuals the chance for vital interactions with a range of different students, which is so important to the way we teach and the nature of our courses, but without having groups so large that students feel overwhelmed or do not get enough one-to-one attention and instruction from tutor(s).
For more information on class numbers for indivual courses or intakes, please see individual course pages and FAQs, or contact us at 01392 219200 / enquiries@ironmill.co.uk.
What is the difference between the Advanced Diploma in Integrative Counselling and the Foundation Degree (FdA) in Integrative Counselling?
Both courses focus on integrative counselling, but there are a few key differences which are shown on the table below:
| Foundation Degree (FdA) in Integrative Counselling | Advanced Diploma in Integrative Counselling | |
| Number of years: | 2 year taught course. In exceptional conditions, students may apply for a 1 year, maximum, extension for placement hours completion only (most students graduate in 2 years) | 2 year taught course, plus up to an additional 2 years for completion of placement hours (most students use the additional period). |
| Level: | 4 & 5 | Does not have a level on the national framework but is level 4 equivalent |
| Accredited by: | British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) |
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) |
| Validated by: | University of Worcester | N/A |
| Full-time or part-time: | Full-time (attended 1 day a week) | Part-time (attended 1 day a week or 1 weekend per month) |
| Start dates: | September | April / September |
| Theory: | Integrative | Integrative |
| No. of placement hours: | 100 | 150 |
| No. of work based learning hours: | Approx 30 - 50 hours per year | None |
| Award: | Foundation Degree (FdA) in Integrative Counselling (levels 4 and 5) | BACP Accredited Advanced Diploma in Integrative Counselling (subject to successful completion of a Viva examination) |
| Fees: | £9,250 per year (for 2024/25) | Up to £3,575 per year |
| Finance: | Eligible for Student Financeapplications to cover tuition fees and living costs. | Not eligible for Student Finance, although there are some bursary and loan options: please see the Funding page on our website for more information. |
