Why Study a BA Hons Programme?

So, you made it, you’re qualified with many hundreds of hours of study and practice behind you. Why go back and add a BA (Hons) to your CV? What will the extra year of training and study do for your practice? I’m pleased to be asked this question because it’s a subject close to my heart.

Starting out in practice as a qualified counsellor is an exciting time, taking that step into a new career made even more satisfying by the hard work and challenge that went into getting there. I know that it can also be daunting; no longer a trainee the new graduate can feel out on a limb and very much aware of everything they don’t yet know.

Good supervision, professional CPD and the support of peers are crucial elements in supporting yourself as you grow into your new career. These resources can be accessed in various ways, but it can take some effort to pull together the right mix of support and further learning to help you thrive.

The BA programme at Iron Mill is specifically designed to support qualified counsellors in all those areas. I’m passionate about resourcing counsellors to bring their much-needed skills and capabilities into the wider community. I’m also very much aware of what it takes to build a thriving practice and to sustain yourself as a practitioner.

For those reasons, the BA course is designed, not just as a top-up route to an Honours degree, but also as an in-depth, extended CPD that builds on your prior learning and expands your skill set. The four modules studied through the year each provide a different focus of development for your practice.

Advanced Profession Practice looks at client work and develops the use of supervision through lectures, case study work and peer supervision sessions. Students just setting up in practice right through to those who have been working for several years find significant benefit in the opportunity for in-depth reflection on their client work.

Counselling and psychotherapy are increasingly research-informed professions, Research for Counselling Practitioners centres on developing a research proposal that aligns with each student’s particular areas of interest. Through hands-on learning, this module provides a grounding in research that supports the practitioner to critically evaluate new approaches and practical applications of research to their own practice. It’s also a great springboard for anyone thinking of going on to a master’s degree that will require a research dissertation,

Specialist Work-Based Learning is a project module providing the opportunity to develop additional transferable skills through negotiating a piece of work in conjunction with an organisation of the student’s choice. You’ll be supported to identify a setting that offers opportunities to develop additional skills to benefit your practice. The scope and focus of

each project are designed in negotiation with the host organisation so that both student and setting benefit from the work. The module offers plenty of scope to support the student to develop specialist skills and boost their CV.

Counselling in the 21st Century takes a comprehensive look at the context of counselling, taking in the philosophical roots of the profession, developments in practice and future prospects. You’ll be encouraged to reflect on the development of your own practice and look at what you need to take the next steps in your professional career. The module touches on a wide range of topics including ethical practice, diversity, SCoPEd and approaches such as Ecotherapy, group work and Third Wave therapy.

Finally, aside from the benefits of a rich and progressive curriculum, the BA top-up gives students a unique opportunity to take their place in a community of practice. Each year group brings together a diverse range of qualified counsellors with differing levels of experience, training backgrounds and specialist interests. That creates a very special, supportive and dynamic environment to grow and develop as a professional.

If that sounds like something you’d like for the next stage of your career, see the information on our website, sign up for our next online course presentation and get in touch with any questions you have about eligibility, entry requirements and funding.

Written by Dr Rachel Wood, Academic Director and HE Programme Lead

Written January 2025

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