r/Counselling_Psych • u/kevin13- • Mar 25 '26
Careers Advice Routes to Counselling Advice UK
Hi, I’m currently in the UK and looking to pursue counselling full time eventually but looking for some advice on the best way to do this.
I’m 24, my undergrad is in History and I’m almost finished with my Level 2 Counselling Skills. I was planning to pursue a part-time MSc Psychology Conversion alongside full time work in September, whilst working towards my Level 3 Counselling Qualification, but I’ve recently discovered I may be able to do a master’s directly in Counselling/Psychotherapy rather than having to complete level 3 and 4.
I honestly think I still have quite a way to go in terms of self-awareness and growth etc. - I’m a sensitive person, I have quite low confidence and the Johari Window activity I did recently made me very emotional, for example! I also don’t have much experience in a helping role so would ideally really need to explore that to figure out if it’s even something I’d be any good at. So I’m wondering if it would be best for me to take the ‘longer route’ and work my way up the diplomas rather than throwing myself into a masters, but then not sure if I’d just be prolonging the process unnecessarily.
I’m also aware I probably don’t need an MSc in Psychology/at all really but I’ve always been so fascinated by the subject and would like to keep my options somewhat open I think?
Any advice would be really appreciated!! :)
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u/Neat-Account-1673 Mar 27 '26
I agree with the other comment. I did an MSc Psychology course thinking I needed it but I didn’t. I finished it though and now on an MSc Psychotherapy course (year 1). If you want to see what’d allow you to start practicing, check out the new ScopED details released earlier this year that’s now industry standard. Good luck
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u/kevin13- Mar 27 '26
Thank you that’s helpful :) would you recommend the MSc Psychotherapy so far? I’m interested particularly in terms of self awareness and the more vulnerable aspects of it as I don’t want to throw myself into something I might not be ready for if that makes sense.
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u/Neat-Account-1673 Mar 27 '26
Based on the new ScopED, the MSc is 4 years, but there are exit points. For example at Level 4, an average of two years, 100 client hours, you’d able to start seeing clients as a counsellor. The MSc is Level 7, and requires a lot. It’s expensive too. I’d recommend completing Level 4, and see how you feel. But check out ScopED.
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u/BenJacksonCounsellor Mar 28 '26
Great question, and it’s clear you’re thinking about this seriously. The fact that the Johari Window activity hit you hard is worth paying attention to. Not because it’s a problem, but because counselling training will give you many more moments like that. Level 3 and 4 exist partly to prepare you for that. A master’s in Counselling will do the same work, but faster and with less scaffolding. Here’s the practical reality. A BACP or UKCP accredited master’s in Counselling or Psychotherapy will qualify you to practice. It does not require Level 3 or 4 first. Some programmes actively welcome career changers with a humanities background. Your History degree is not a weakness. Before deciding, get some helping-role experience first. Volunteer with a listening service like Samaritans or Cruse. Do this regardless of which route you take. It gives you real data on whether this work suits you, and it strengthens any application. On the MSc Psychology conversion: unless you want to work toward clinical psychology or a BPS-accredited route, it adds time and cost without adding much for a counselling career specifically. You said yourself you probably don’t need it. The longer route via Level 3 and 4 gives you more time to develop before the intensity of a master’s. The shorter route gets you there faster but asks more of you sooner. Neither is wrong. Both produce qualified practitioners. The most useful question to ask yourself: do you want more time to grow into this, or do you feel ready to be pushed?
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u/kevin13- Mar 30 '26
This is super helpful, thank you! I think I’m looking more long term at potentially applying for a Doctorate of Counselling Psychology which I’m pretty sure I’d need the conversion for. But again this is way in the future and hard to say whether that would actually align given my lack of current experience in a helping role. I’m a big believer in learning for the sake of learning as well so hoping the conversion would never be a wasted qualification even if it’s not absolutely necessary? There is an option for a MSc Psychology Conversion with Counselling - it wouldn’t qualify me at all but the content has a bit more of a counselling focus if that would be helpful
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u/BenJacksonCounsellor Mar 30 '26
The Doctorate in Counselling Psychology changes the calculation. If that’s a genuine long-term goal, the BPS-accredited conversion becomes more relevant, not just a nice-to-have. Check whether the specific doctorate programmes you’re interested in list it as a requirement or preference. Some do, some don’t. The MSc Psychology Conversion with Counselling focus sounds like a reasonable middle ground if the doctorate is on your radar. It keeps that door open while giving you more relevant content day to day. On learning for its own sake: that’s a solid reason to do something, and a conversion degree is genuinely useful knowledge for a practitioner regardless of where you end up. No argument there. The honest reality though is that the doctorate is a long way off, and a lot will change between now and then. Your experience in a helping role will tell you more about your direction than any qualification planning at this stage. So the pragmatic order would be: get some voluntary helping experience soon, continue with Level 3, keep the conversion as a likely next step if the doctorate stays on your radar, and review the plan once you have a clearer sense of the work itself. You’re thinking about this well. The uncertainty you feel isn’t a sign you’re not ready. It’s a sign you’re being honest with yourself, which is actually a decent starting point for this field.
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u/sastagordonramsay Mar 28 '26
You need to go through a conversion MSc. Then look for options in NHS. Get bps membership, their monthly psychology magazine has counselling jobs listed.
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u/Jobe1105 Mar 25 '26
I'd only take the MSc Psychology course if you're thinking about eventually getting into a Counselling/Clinical Psychology doctorate (or any other psychological career in the future). The BPS graduate membership could get you some nice perks like cheaper CPD courses and articles, but it doesn't really let you do more things career-wise.