Course Overview
This course is designed for anyone that would like to develop their use of counselling skills for use in either personal capacity or in various occupations and professions that requires use of interpersonal skills. This may be learners who wish to progress towards further qualifications, or learners who wish to study this programme in order to complement other programmes (e.g. health and social care, children’s care, learning and development, voluntary and community work).
Entry Requirements
Nescot requires all candidate to have completed either the Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills before enrolling onto this Level 3 course. Discretional acceptance could be awarded to candidates that have no prior training but with experience of working in a helping role/profession.
Candidates need to be 18 years and above with satisfactory literacy skills to read and write (Grade 4 or above in GCSE English Language).
What the course covers
This qualification aims to:
- introduce learners to the use of counselling skills in everyday life and work and some of the approaches underpinning the use of these skills.
The objectives of this qualification are to help learners to:
- progress to similar qualifications at a higher level
- progress to a role in which counselling skills are used.
Also, the course is designed to be delivered by experienced counsellor trainers and is wholly intended to comply with current BACP guidelines on moral and ethical practice.
The course is comprised of the following units:
- Developing counselling skills
- Theoretical approaches in the use of counselling skills
- Working ethically with counselling skills
- Counselling skills and diversity
- Counselling skills and personal development.
Assessment method:
Submission of a portfolio of evidence and essays covering every learning outcomes of the qualification.
Portfolios will include:
- A weekly reflective journal of 400 words
- A group project
- Completed worksheets
- Record of feedback from assessed counselling skills role-plays
Fees and funding
Fee for Academic Year 2026/27
£2,225*
*Exam fee included
Please note: Fees are for 2026/27 entry and apply to students eligible for home fee status. The fees quoted are subject to personal circumstances and will be confirmed at the time of your enrolment, depending on eligibility criteria. For more information about financial support for students, please click here or email studentfinance@nescot.ac.uk
Progression
Learners who achieve this qualification could progress to:
- Level 3 qualifications in Workplace Mentoring
- Level 3 and 4 qualifications in Advice and Guidance
- Level 4 qualifications in Counselling
Progression to Higher Level Studies
This qualification aims to provide learners with a number of progression options, including higher level studies at university or FE colleges including courses offered in Nescot. The skills required to progress to higher academic studies are different from those required at Levels 1 and 2. Level 3 qualifications enable the development of these skills. Although there is no single definition of higher-level learning skills, they include:
- checking and testing information
- supporting your points with evidence
- self-directed study
- self-motivation
- thinking for yourself
- analysing and synthesising information/materials
- critical thinking and problem solving
- working collaboratively
- reflecting upon learning and identifying improvements
Duration
34 weeks (3 hours per week)