Certificate in Counselling Skills

Entry level Counselling Skills courses

We are pleased to offer various alternatives to taking the full Certificate Course. Please follow the link to find out about our entry level courses which we hope will give you a great introduction to developing your own counselling skills. Taster days, summer school and an 8 week course are available. On visiting the brochure please select 'Psychology and Counselling Skills' and then 'Counselling Skills' to view the entry level counselling skills courses on offer. Please click here to visit our current online brochure.

Certificate in Counselling Skills

***Please note that applications for session 2013-14 are now being accepted. For an application form please click here . ***

If you are unable to access this link please email  Laureen Sykes at laureen.sykes@glasgow.ac.uk or telephone 0141 330 1822.

The COSCA validated course aims to provide a general introduction to the skills of counselling. It is useful for anyone who has a personal or professional interest in increasing their knowledge and experience of active listening through self awareness and personal development.

You will be encouraged and supported by our experienced tutors to develop an understanding of counselling skills in areas such as work environment, relationships, loss, and bereavement. You will also examine issues of personal, professional and ethical conduct. As well as developing your academic knowledge of counselling, a large part of the course will be experimental in format e.g. skills practice, observation and feedback. It is hoped that this practical aspect of the course will enhance the key inter-personal skills of counselling, namely listening, responding and self-reflection. The course will attempt to be responsive to the particular interests of the group. See the general information sheet for more information about the content and delivery of the class.

Why study at the University of Glasgow?

We appreciate that you have a choice over where to study for the COSCA counselling skills certificate. Whilst studying at the Centre for Open Studies you will join a long history of students who have successfully completed their certificate and left the course ready to apply their newly honed skills in a wide range of personal and professional encounters. We are confident that you will enjoy the course! Here are a few reasons to join us:

• longest running certificate course in Glasgow (DoB 1992),
• student feedback about this course (drawn from students attending up to 10 years previously) has been recently researched and published (Hamilton and MacKenzie, 2007),
• research has found that students frequently report that they perceive a better understanding of themselves, improved communication skills and increased confidence as a result of completing the course. This year's cohort of students feel the same! Read some of their testimonials,
• these benefits continue for years to come! And extend across both personal and professional lives,
• two-thirds of the past students in this research study have reported feeling encouraged to consider further study in counselling as a result of completing this course,
• the course is team taught by a BACP, COSCA practising counsellor and COSCA accredited trainer with expertise in delivering courses on counselling,
• we enhance the course with the addition of expert guest speakers in areas such as psychodrama.

Duration of the course

The Certificate runs over one academic year (September to June) and consists of 2 options:

• weekly Wednesday evening sessions (6pm-9pm) complemented with seven Saturday meetings (10am-4pm) or,
• weekly Friday sessions (10am until 4pm).

If you wish to apply download the application form from the above link or if this is not suitable, please telephone 0141 330 1822 or email:  Laureen Sykes at laureen.sykes@glasgow.ac.uk.

Fees and applications for session 2012-13

The fee for 2012-13 is £1300. A non refundable registration fee of £350 will secure your place on the course. All course fees required to be paid by the start of the session which is 17th September 2012.

Applicants who qualify for the Part-Time Fee Grant (formerly known as ILA500) are encouraged to use this as a means of payment towards the course fee. The Certificate in Counselling Skills is accredited with 40 SCOTCAT credits and as such is Part-Time Fee Grant eligible. Please set this up in plenty time before the course commences. Visit www.saas.gov.uk to apply or to find out more information about eligibility.

If you are not eligible for a Part-Time Fee Grant and you or your family receive a state benefit (exclusions apply) you may be eligible for a partial waiver of your tuition fees (conditions apply). Please contact the secretary for further details.

To apply for the Certificate in Counselling Skills course you can either download the application form word, complete it and email it as an attachment to: maggie.nicol@glasgow.ac.uk or Laureen Sykes at laureen.sykes@glasgow.ac.uk or print the application form pdf, complete it and return it by post to: The Course Secretary, Counselling Skills Certificate, Centre for Open Studies, University of Glasgow, St. Andrew's Building, 11 Eldon Street, Glasgow, G3 6NH. The course secretary can be contacted on 0141 330 1822 or at: maggie.nicol@gla.ac.uk or laureen.sykes@glasgow.ac.uk for any additional information.

Further reading

Our course in the press! (The Herald, 2006) Click here to view the herald article

Research about student progression on this course - Hamilton, R. and MacKenzie, A. (2008) 'Students' perceptions of first-stage training in counselling: personal, work and study outcomes'. Scottish Educational Review, 40 (1). Click here to view the research study