Counselling and Mental Health BSc (Hons)
Course code: C844
Study mode: You study most days of the week and complete all course units /modules in the standard time., You take fewer course units/modules per week compared to full time.
Course type: BSc (Hons)
International: Not eligible for international students
Study at: Moray
Start in: September
Learning mode: You attend classes in person at the local campus or learning centre., You access classes and/or materials digitally.
Duration: Full time: 4 years; Part time: 8 years
How: You attend classes at scheduled times, shown on your timetable., You complete course tasks independently. These may be set by your lecturer or chosen by you.
What is special about this course?
Do you want to make a meaningful difference to people’s mental health and wellbeing? Could you build the skills to support others through complex life experiences with confidence and compassion?
Learn to understand human behaviour, emotion, and relationships at a deeper level on our BSc (Hons) Counselling and Mental Health course, while developing the practical skills needed for real-world counselling. Engage with advanced theory, current research, and ethical practice, and apply them in ways that centre the needs, experiences, and identities of the people you support.
Develop an integrative, trauma-informed approach that helps you respond effectively to diverse clients and settings. Explore embodied and relational ways of working, and experiment with emerging approaches such as online and creative therapies. Strengthen your voice through applied research as you design and complete your own dissertation project.
Build the confidence, awareness, and professional competence to move into roles across counselling, wellbeing, and mental health services, or continue your journey through professional accreditation or postgraduate study.
Study in a flexible, blended format that fits around your life. Learn from wherever you are, reduce financial pressure, and balance your studies with your existing commitments.
Special features
- You will study online and face to face, alternating between 2 weeks online and 1 week (two days) face to face throughout all semesters
- Extensively experienced tutors who are all practising therapists
- Cost effective study
- Career focused curriculum/professional pathway opportunities
- Supportive learning environment
- Inclusive and diverse
Accommodation
We offer modern student accommodation at a number of our locations.
- Year 1 of this course is HNC Counselling
- This is a Category 1 PVG course: PVG Scheme membership is required to successfully achieve target qualification, where there is guaranteed contact with vulnerable groups in key elements of the course. For further information visit our PVG scheme webpage
- Prospective students without the standard entry requirements are encouraged to apply and will be considered on an individual basis
Advanced entry
- Advanced entry into year 2 may be possible with an HNC Counselling
- For advanced entry into year 3, you must hold, or be working towards, a professional counselling qualification at SCQF level 8 or above, such as an HND Counselling or a Counselling Diploma
- Equivalent qualifications at this level will be assessed on an individual basis
- You should be in practice, whether on placement or having already qualified, and be able to show evidence of being registered with a professional body such as BACP, COSCA etc. You may still be completing the 100-hour placement requirement for your HND/Diploma, however you must have completed at least 50 hours and this must be formally signed off by your clinical supervisor before starting the BSc level. If completion of the BACP Certificate of Proficiency is a requirement of your qualification, this must be booked by the end of Semester 1 of the BSc year and all HND/Diploma assessments must also be completed by this deadline
The first year of this course is our HNC Counselling
The first year of this course is our HND Counselling
You will study the following core modules:
- Counselling across the lifespan
- Counselling and mental health in workplace and professional contexts
- Facilitating groups: models and application
- Research skills
- Therapy beyond the room
- Trauma informed approaches in counselling
You will study the following core modules:
- Counselling within diversity and difference
- Dissertation
- Integrating somatic approaches in counselling
- Legal and ethical practice
- Relational perspectives in counselling
How will I study my course?
- Full-time
- Part-time
- This course is mainly delivered online with scheduled sessions and tutorials
- You will also study in-person, on campus
- Your sessions will follow the below 3-week pattern throughout each 12-week semester:
- Weeks 1 and 2: 1 day delivered online each week
- Week 3: 2 consecutive days delivered in person each week
- Online study will be done via the university's virtual learning environment (VLE), with support from your tutors
- You will take part in a mandatory in-person induction in the August before your course starts at UHI Moray
- You will undertake a mandatory 6 hour work placement within the BSc Facilitating Groups module. Placement locations will vary depending on your situation and where you live, you can discuss your options with the counselling team during the process
How long will my course last?
- Full-time: 4 years @ 40 hours per week
- Part-time: 8 years @ 20 hours per week
The number of hours per week indicates the total number of hours you should dedicate to the course, which includes time spent on online material as well as individual study and research.
- Moray
Start date
- September
Fees
For students normally domiciled in Scotland, with a term-time address in Scotland, the following fees apply:
This includes
- EU nationals with settled or pre-settled status in the UK,
- EEA/Swiss nationals with settled status in the UK
- EEA/Swiss nationals with pre-settled status who are self-employed or migrant workers in the UK.
| Study Mode | 2025-26 | 2026-27 |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time (120 credit modules) per year | £1,820 | £1,820 |
| Part-time (structured) (3 x 20 credit modules) per year | £915 | £915 |
| Part-time (unstructured per module) (per 20 credit module) | £305 | £305 |
For students normally domiciled in the rest of the UK (England, Wales and N. Ireland, including Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) and with a term-time address in Scotland, studying full time, the following fees apply:
| Year | Level | 2025-26 Full-time | 2026-27 Full-time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | CertHE | £9,250 | £9,790 |
| Year 2 | DipHE | £9,250 | £9,790 |
| Year 3 | Degree | £9,250 | £9,790 |
| Year 4 | Honours | free | free |
4th year free only for students studying full-time, on continuous study, who have paid for the previous three years at the University of the Highlands and Islands.
Part-time (per 20 credit module) - £1,632.
Fees are payable in advance each academic year unless otherwise agreed.
There are a number of funding options available to UK and EU students to help you pay for your studies and your cost of living while studying (see the Funding section opposite).
Following the UK’s departure from the European Union, the Scottish Government confirmed that EU/EEA and Swiss nationals, who do not have settled or pre-settled status, will be considered as international for fee purposes. Students will get an automatic scholarship of £4,000 per annum and the 4th year of study will be free for those studying full-time, on continuous study, who have paid for the previous three years at the University of the Highlands and Islands.
This includes EEA/Swiss nationals with pre-settled status who are not self-employed or migrant workers in the UK.
| Year | Level | 2025-26 Full-time | With scholarship | 2026-27 Full-time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | CertHE | £16,950 | £12,950 | £17,970 |
| Year 2 | DipHE | £16,950 | £12,950 | £17,970 |
| Year 3 | Degree | £16,950 | £12,950 | £17,970 |
| Year 4 | Honours | £16,950 | Free | £17,970 |
For students who do not normally reside in the UK or European Union and with a term-time address in Scotland, the following fees apply:
| Study Mode | 2025-26 | 2026-27 |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time per year (120 credit modules) per year | £16,950 | £17,970 |
| Part-time (structured) (3 x 20 credit modules) per year | £8,475 | £8,985 |
| Part-time (unstructured per module) (per 20 credit module) | £2,825 | £2,995 |
Part-time study is not open to international student requiring Student Route visa sponsorship to study in the UK.
Further information on international course fees.
Funding
UHI has a number of scholarships, bursaries, awards, and discretionary fund opportunities available to new and current students. Please use the A-Z of funds or use the filter to see which ones may be relevant to you. All students are welcome to apply.
Further information on funding your studies is also available, please see the attached link or contact the relevant UHI partner.
Additional costs
You will be responsible for the following costs:
- Supervision: you should expect these to cost approximately £65 per 1.5hr session, this can be more or less depending on the supervisor
- Placement: travel costs will vary depending on location of placement, it will be your responsibility to fund this
- Accommodation on face to face days: if accommodation is required, this can be found locally with hotels or airbnb's and we have several we can recommend. Costs are from approximately £50 per person per night
What can I do on completion of my course?
Once you have successfully completed this course, you might like to consider careers in:
- Professional counselling
- Healthcare and mental health services
- Education and youth services
- Social services and charity sector
Can I progress into further study?
You may wish to progress from this BSc (Hons) Counselling and Mental Health to one of the following courses:
- MSc Counselling
- MSc Mental Health
- MSc Psychological Therapies
- PhD Counselling and Psychotherapy
Apply for Counselling and Mental Health BSc (Hons)
We are delighted that you are thinking about studying at the University of the Highlands and Islands. We operate a fair and open admissions system committed to equality of opportunity and non-discrimination. We consider all applications on merit and on the basis of ability to achieve, without discrimination on grounds of gender, age, disability, ethnicity and socio-economic background. We welcome applications from all prospective students and aim to provide appropriate and efficient services to students with disabilities.