Hi there 😊
It can be really confusing to navigate so totally understand - there's lots of variations of jobs out there in these areas with lots of combinations of routes.
Generally, you need a psychology undergraduate degree (BPS accredited) to pursue a psychology-focused career. That is if you wanted to be an assistant psychologist, and carry on further towards a doctorate and become a certified psychologist such as a clinical psychologist, counselling psychologist, educational psychologist, etc. A psychology degree alone doesn't qualify you to become a practicing counsellor/psychotherapist as you need certified training and supervision to get develop the skills needed for this area. You could however study a psychology degree and then undertake further study after this to become a qualified counselling/psychotherapy practitioner, although be aware entry requirements for this usually need work experience in a related area and a Level 3 in Counselling Skills (or equivalent) alongside your undergraduate degree.
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You could also do something like a combined BSc Psychology and Counselling degree, I've linked the one we have at the University of Salford. This would be a psychology degree where you also study counselling and psychotherapeutic approaches, plus counselling skills.
I find the websites really helpful to get my head round different routes and options as it can be so confusing!
You could also look at roles such as an Education Mental Health Practitioner or Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner which are similar areas and may suit your interests. A psychology degree, further study at masters level or a specific training course, and work experience in clinical areas would leave you in a good position for these career options. I really like
Prospects as a website to help me explore these areas when it's getting a bit confusing.
If you just wanted to be a qualified counsellor and/or psychotherapist then you could study this as a degree and receive the training and supervision required to become qualified and able to practice. This would not be a psychology degree but instead focused on counselling and psychotherapy and becoming a practitioner in this area.
It really depends on what you'd like to do. If you are interested in psychology and want to pursue this career area more closely in future then studying this is a necessary step to reach assistant psychologist roles or similar. I really recommend checking out the British Psychological Society website as it maps out different career routes and options in psychology really well (
linked here). If you just want to practice as a counsellor/psychotherapist and focus on this area then maybe consider solely studying this and focusing on the practical side of things.
Hope that helps! I'm in my third year of my psychology degree and still find it confusing to navigate at times, but that is because there is so much variation and options out there. There isn't always a set route for different jobs and lots of people's journeys look different. Focusing on what you enjoy most is always a good way to approach it at the very least 😊 if you have a career's department at your current education provider then they can be really handy to help map it all out with you too!
All the best 🧠
Becky
University of Salford Student Rep