Counselling & Psychotherapy - Cork
This course aims to develop reflective and skilled practitioners who will have attained the requisite knowledge, personal development and competence to provide Counselling and Psychotherapy in a professional manner.
| Award Name | Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | Major |
| Awarding Body | Munster Technological University |
| NFQ Level | Level 8 NFQ |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) | Major | Munster Technological University | Level 8 NFQ |
Duration
4 years part-time.
Course Delivery
Part-time (delivered evenings and weekends/career-friendly hours). The course is offered over two semesters from September to May each year. Each semester has 5 modules. Classes are held on two evenings per week 6.30pm to 9.30pm in addition to some Saturdays.
Entry Requirements
Applicants must:
• Be 23 years of age or older on January 1st of the year of application.
• Have availed of a minimum of ten one-to-one, consecutive counselling sessions in the last four years (weekly or fortnightly) with an accredited/pre-accredited counsellor affiliated to IACP, IAHIP, BACP or other professional counselling body.
• Submit two references. (The referees should be people who have known you for some substantial time, who are not related to you, and who are in a position to comment objectively on your readiness for the course.)
• Shortlisted applicants will be required to attend for interview.
Applications with outstanding elements (i.e. references not returned by the referees) by the 16th March 2026 at 6 pm will not be further processed, and the application will be rejected.
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. Go to https://www.mtu.ie/admissions/undergraduate/recognition-of-prior-learning/
Further information
Start Date: September 2027.
MTU Bishopstown Campus, Cork.
As this is a highly competitive training program, places are limited. The first year of the training accommodates 60 participants.
€3,400 per annum.
Please note:
• 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.
• You will not be charged for applying for the programme by clicking the 'apply now' button, you are only asked to pay an acceptance fee if a place is offered to you, and you wish to accept it.
• Course fees may be subject to an annual increase.
Application Deadline:
We are not accepting applications for an intake to year 1 of this course in September 2026. Applications will open in March 2027 for the September 2027 intake.
Overview
This course is a professional practitioner training in Counselling and Psychotherapy.
It aims to develop reflective and skilled practitioners who will have attained the requisite knowledge, personal development and competence to provide Counselling and Psychotherapy in a professional manner.
This is an integrative training and is grounded in a diverse range of psychological theories and therapeutic modalities. The core humanistic elements include Person-Centred Therapy, Gestalt Therapy and Transactional Analysis, each focusing on the importance of the therapeutic relationship and individual autonomy.
The course also draws substantially from the relational aspect of Psychoanalysis in addition to trauma-informed therapy, developmental and attachment theories. Some elements of Cognitive Behavioural therapy is also included.
Work with Clients
Students will be required to carry out 120 hours of Counselling work with clients in years 3 and 4 of this training. They will be required to obtain supervision for this work from a supervisor nominated by MTU. Payment for supervision will be made directly by students and is not included in the course fee.
Personal Therapy
Students will be required to have undertaken at least 100 sessions of personal therapy before the completion of their training. The cost of this is separate to the course and is arranged directly between the student and the therapist.
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 groups. 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.
Award
Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Counselling and Psychotherapy.
On successful completion of the full programme (4 years), students will be awarded a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Counselling and Psychotherapy. On achieving the honours degree, graduates will be equipped to carry out Counselling and Psychotherapy in a structured setting with the support of supervision. The BA honours degree is a fully validated professional Counselling and Psychotherapy training programme which satisfies the accreditation requirements of the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.
Please note: This is a highly competitive training program, and places are limited. The first year of the training accommodates 60 participants. A Certificate in Counselling Skills is awarded to students who exit after year 1 of the training.
One Year Certificate in Counselling Skills
This certificate is awarded by Munster Technological University to students who exit after year 1 of the training. The Certificate recognises that the student has successfully completed an introductory training in Counselling Skills which should enable him/her to practice basic counselling skills within his/her existing role.
NB: It is not a professional qualification in Counselling and does not qualify the holder to practice as a professional counsellor.
The course has five key elements which are integrated in the training, using a strong experiential and practical focus. These are:
• Counselling and Psychotherapy Theory and Application
• Counselling and Psychotherapy Skills Practice
• Experiential Group Process/Personal Process Integration
• Supervised Counselling and Psychotherapy Practice (Year 3 & Year 4)
• Counselling and Psychotherapy integration (Year 3 & Year 4)
Department Applied Social Studies
Tel: (021) 433 5310
Email: emma.denieffe@mtu.ie