QCoP, PsyD or masters for counselling?

(Original post by lucadett)
Hello, I'm a final year bachelor psychology student trying to figure out what my next career steps will be. My main area of interest is counselling.

I know that I don't want to do a Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) because this is too heavily focussed on research. I am trying to decide between a doctorate-level qualification (QCoP or PsyD) or masters followed by a EuroPsy certificate which allows you to practice in 37 countries in Europe without licensure. I am assuming that the main difference between these paths is that the doctorate-level one leads to higher pay and greater opportunities to practice internationally due having a doctors title, is this correct?

Also, can someone explain the difference between a QCoP and a PsyD (Doctorate of Psychology), also recognised as DCounsPsych? I know that the QCoP is more independent but is it more practice focused?

Any advice would be appreciated 😊

(Original post by Jennnsonde)
Hi, I dont really have the answer to your questions but I am in the exact same dilemma as a final year psychology bachelor student, so I'm following the topic, psychologist qualifications are extremely complex in UK and I'm feeling super lost about what decision to take and what are going to be the pro and cons. I am personally thinking about pursuing a QCOP, following by a top up doctorate, but once again, still waiting to learn more about different specifications of alllll these different path to become a counseling psychologist

(Original post by Lord Asriel)
First of all you need to be clear about the difference between being a Counsellor and a Counselling Psychologist. They are two very different roles and training paths.

A counsellor doesn't need to have a psychology degree, but has a training path that is built on mainly providing counselling to clients/patients using one type of approach. There is some academic and theoretical learning, but the bulk of the training is gaining supervised hours to provide counselling or therapy to people. The minimum academic qualification is roughly at RQF level 6 so roughly equivalent to undergrad level (even some may be diplomas or masters courses)

A counselling psychologist, like a clinical psychologist, is an applied scientist role that requires a practitioner doctorate (DClinPsy, DCounsPsy etc) and registration with the HCPC. The RQF level is level 8 at doctorate level (the highest possible in the UK) This type of training has a large therapy training component consisting of multiple types of therapy, and various other competencies, but they will also be required to do research methods training and complete one or more larger doctoral level research projects.

The "doctors title" part is irrelevant, the opportunities come from the differences in training. It's also not true that counsellors with a BSc always earn less than a psychologist with a doctorate. Counselling and Psychotherapy (outside the health service) is about as much being able to build and run a business, so a business savvy counsellor who builds a good repuation and has a focussed skillset can easily earn much more than a less savvy Counselling Psychologist. There may be more opportunities for a CounPsy for instance, you wouldn't be able to get a major research grant, be seen as a credible expert witness in court, or become a professor with a basic counsellors training.

However, if you just want to work with patients providing counselling and not worry about being pulled into anything else, train as a counsellor. Its quicker, cheaper and you don't have to worry about research.

(Original post by Interrobang)
A good place to start is the BPS website on these things - it gives you the two training routes to be counselling psychologists (you can be a counsellor without being a psychologist too). This is the main page: https://careers.bps.org.uk/area/counselling

Info on the QCoP: https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologists...ing-psychology