Psychotherapy and Counselling DPsychotherapy

This doctoral degree incorporates professional validation within the field of counselling and psychotherapy. It is offered full time over four years or part time over seven years.

The programme provides academic support and close supervision of practice and research, in line with professional and academic requirements.

The programme also allows for alternative exit awards for students who are unable to complete either the academic or the professional components of the programme.

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Award	Title	Duration	Study mode
DPsychotherapy	Psychotherapy and Counselling	4 Years	Full-time	Programme structure 2024/25
DPsychotherapy	Psychotherapy and Counselling	7 Years	Part-time	Programme structure 2024/25

Students who successfully complete the Doctorate in Psychotherapy and Counselling will:

• be reflective, self-aware, safe, accountable, competent and experienced counsellors and psychotherapists
• have a sound knowledge base of theories and research on the development of the person, group process, therapeutic relationships and processes, and the role of counselling and psychotherapy in society
• possess highly developed and transferable interpersonal, conceptual and analytical skills, including critical thinking, self-evaluation and research skills
• have specialist knowledge and expertise within a selected area of practice-based research and scholarship
• be well-placed to take up positions in the professional practice field and the field of professional education in counselling and psychotherapy

The Professional Doctorate of Psychotherapy and Counselling is the highest level of qualification available in this area.

It enables graduates to practise as counsellors or therapists in the UK, and in other countries with equivalent professional and academic standards.

Graduates will be in a position to gain positions such as:

• practitioners
• counselling educators
• managers
• academics working in a range of settings - including private, statutory and voluntary or non-government sectors

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a subject relevant to counselling and psychotherapy. You should also have substantial relevant experience of working in helping roles in counselling or a cognate area, such as education, social work, nursing, mental health practice, applied psychology or equivalent.

In exceptional circumstances, we will also consider a UK 2:2 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a subject relevant to counselling and psychotherapy with evidence confirming your aptitude for study at doctoral level. Such evidence may include a strong performance in postgraduate education, academic references or research experience.

If your undergraduate degree is not relevant to counselling and psychotherapy, you may be admitted at the discretion of the programme director as long as you meet the personal and professional suitability and relevant experience requirements laid down by the British professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy.

• As this is a professional training programme, students are subject to the University’s Fitness to Practise regulations
• As an accelerated professional training programme, this programme requires entrants to be both personally and professionally suitable for counselling training and ready to begin counselling practice within six months of programme commencement. The entrance requirements therefore combine personal suitability requirements with professional experience and academic requirements.
• For the DPsychotherapy (full-time) programme, entry is subject to passing the professional suitability interview.
• For the DPsychotherapy (part-time) programme, progression from the first to the second year of the programme is subject to passing the professional suitability interview.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

• Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

Protecting Vulnerable Groups

All successful applicants will be required to join Disclosure Scotland's Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme before starting the programme. In addition, all applicants who don't live in the UK, or who have spent more than a year abroad, will need to provide equivalent verification from the relevant national authority.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 65 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 8 overall with at least 7 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

Additional programme costs

Professional supervision

Students on the DPsychotherapy programme are required to undertake a minimum of 40 hours of professional supervision in relation to their placement practice.

You may need to pay for this supervision of your counselling practice.

See the programme website for further information:

• Counselling programmes

Living costs

You will be responsible for covering living costs for the duration of your studies.

Tuition fees

Award	Title	Duration	Study mode
DPsychotherapy	Psychotherapy and Counselling	4 Years	Full-time	Tuition fees
DPsychotherapy	Psychotherapy and Counselling	7 Years	Part-time	Tuition fees

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

• borrowing money
  • taking out a loan
  • family support
• personal savings
• income from work
• employer sponsorship
• scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding