MA in Counselling and Psychotherapy (Integrative Modalities)
Course Overview
Looking to develop your career in Counselling and Psychotherapy with a particular emphasis on Integrative modalities?
This is an ICHAS course delivered at Griffith College by ICHAS.
This programme is for people who desire to be leaders and agents for change and recognise the unique contribution of professional counsellors and psychotherapists. Using a range of scientifically established paradigms and approaches can help individuals, their families, and communities support individual recovery and well-being, at policy and preventative levels in terms of public health models.
This programme enables learners to critically evaluate institutionalised practices and values and act as agents for challenge and change in their professional contexts. It addresses the needs of practitioners and graduates who wish to develop their professional competence in the areas of Counselling & Psychotherapy.
This course's curricular structure provides a modularised and scaffolded developmental structure across the study duration. It is designed to contribute to the requirements of relevant Professional Associations for professional Accreditation in Counselling and/or Psychotherapy.
During the development of this programme, the College were cognisant of the Accreditation requirements of the Association of Professional Counsellors and Psychotherapists, the National Association for Professional Counselling & Psychotherapy, as well as the guidance on training standards for Psychotherapy issued by the European Association of Psychotherapy (EAP).
- Congruent with providing accessible and flexible programmes to adult learners, this course is designed with particular emphasis on using blended learning technologies to support traditional classroom learning.
- This programme supports learners' personal and professional development, enabling them to achieve a Master's Degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy focusing on Integrative Modalities.
- Modules within the programme are designed to build personal capacity, collaborative problem-solving skills and an understanding of the systems and context within which individuals may be best supported.
- Provides a progression opportunity to complete various Programmes at Level 10 nationally and internationally.
Intake Dates
- Dublin - Part-Time - September 2025
- Limerick - Part-Time - September 2025
- Dublin - Part-Time - September 2026
- Limerick - Part-Time - September 2026
Course Details
Placement
Learners must undertake work-based learning requiring 200 hours of Client Work in a counselling or psychotherapy setting. This allows learners to apply the theoretical and practical aspects of the programme, working therapeutically with clients in a clinical setting and develop transferable, adaptable, therapeutic and active listening skills under appropriate clinical supervisory arrangement.
The placement will also enhance the development of your professional disposition to work confidently and independently in various settings. Some of the placement providers that we work closely with are Aiseiri Treatment Centres (Nationwide), MyMind (Nationwide), Let’s get talking (Galway, Shannon, Dublin, Wexford), Cuan Mhuire, Jigsaw, SOSAD, Haven Hub (Limerick, Clare) and various youth focused and childhood based settings.
Knowing Self Module
Learners will undertake 50 hours of Personal Psychotherapeutic experience as part of the Knowing Self module.
Module Outline
The aim of the module is to facilitate students to critically evaluate the conceptual basis of Integrative Psychotherapy within the range of modalities of psychotherapeutic practice appropriate to a range of manifestations of wellness and dysfunction. Learners will focus on theoretical basis for Integrative psychotherapeutic approaches over the period of the module and will be required to appraise the evidence base for a range of explanatory theories and practices in the field as well as compare Integrative approaches with other evidence based psychosocial interventions.
The aim of the module is to facilitate students to critically evaluate the differing approaches and methods used for the generation of evidence.
The aim of the module is to facilitate students to explore and critically evaluate skills and competencies used in Individual integrative Counselling & Psychotherapy. Learners will focus on the central place of the Therapeutic Relationship and the role of the practitioner in supporting and facilitating change over the period of the Module and will be required to appraise the evidence base for Integrative approaches.
This module aims to support learners in developing an integrative understanding of the complexity and impact of interpersonal relational processes in various therapeutic settings. It will introduce students to the key psychological theories from the fields of social psychology, personality, and individual differences to deepen their existing knowledge of the relationship between the individual and their social surroundings. It will focus on particular stages of change within a therapeutic relationship and similarities between interpersonal relational processes outside therapy.
Particular emphasis will remain on the transtheoretical model of change and unconscious relational processes such as transference and countertransference. Emphasis will be placed on group therapy, process, and dynamics. This is because interpersonal relational processes and the change associated with such processes are best understood in group settings, especially within the context of therapeutic work.
The aim of this module is to help the learner achieve a higher order understanding of the importance of mental illness and disorder in the context of psychotherapeutic activities.
The Module will focus on the development of in-depth ‘personal’ knowledge through structured forms of psychotherapeutic engagement. This module will offer an experiential orientation introduction to personal psychotherapeutic experience.
The aim of the module is to facilitate students to critically evaluate the use of Integrative Counselling & Psychotherapy in differing contexts and with differing populations.
This module aims to support learners to acquire the skills, knowledge and attitude to work within applied settings at a higher-order level using a defined structure to enhance ongoing performance. The fields of Counselling & Psychotherapy have dimensions that extend beyond the acquisition of theoretic knowledge alone, and the professional Practicum placement affords the opportunity for learning to take place in appropriate professional contexts.
Timetables
Timetable
This course is delivered over Two Years Part-Time. Lectures are delivered one evening per week from 6 pm-9 pm and on approximately eight Saturdays from 9:30 am-4:30 pm in the academic year (Sept-Dec and Jan-May).
The programme utilises Blended learning for theoretic elements of engagement.
In-person attendance is required for skills-based modules. This allows the learner to access classes in person or online to allow flexibility in achieving a work/life/study balance.
How to Apply
Entry Requirements
To join the MA in Counselling and Psychotherapy (Integrative Modalities), applicants must meet the following requirements:
- This programme is designed for graduates in health and human sciences and in particular graduates of Counselling related programmes as well as, nursing, social care, social work, psychology and programmes in cognate areas who wish to expand their knowledge and understanding of the human condition.
- The knowledge, skills and competence required to participate in and complete this Level 9 Programme successfully.
- Applicants will normally have successfully achieved a Level 2:2 award in a relevant Human Science Level 8 degree.
- Those who have completed other relevant education programmes or have relevant professional experience, etc., where Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) and Acquired Prior Learning (APL) can be applied to the programme by submission of programme content, qualification, and assignments equivalent to an appropriate Level 8 award at an Honours 2:2 standard can also be considered.
- All applicants undertake a selection interview to support applicants to make an informed decision regarding their choice of programme and to ensure suitability.
- Successful applicants would be required to complete Garda Vetting at the College.
English Language
The minimum English language proficiency requirement for this programme is B2+ in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, which is equivalent to an IELTS score of 6.5.
How to Apply
Applicants will normally have successfully achieved a Level 2:2 award in a relevant Human Science Level 8 degree.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
The College is committed to the recognition of prior learning attained both formally and informally. It may be recognised either to facilitate access to a higher education programme or to allow an award of credit as in the case of allowing exemption from a module.
It is the responsibility of the learner to make a formal written application to the College requesting an exemption and supplying all appropriate supporting evidence, i.e. transcript of results and module descriptor/syllabus including intended learning outcomes. Recognised prior learning is assessed on a case-by-case basis with an emphasis on academic and clinical experience.
Fees
This programme is offered on a part-time basis only and there are options around the payment of tuition fees with payment plans available to learners.
A central component of the ICHAS vision is the provision of flexible and affordable education for all.
Please note that not all study modes may be offered at all times; for confirmation, refer to the Intake dates on the Overview tab.
Tuition Fees
Study Mode: Part-Time
Dublin Main Campus
€7,800.00
Limerick Campus
€7,800.00
Additional Requirements and Costs
Please be aware that Personal Therapy and Clinical Supervision have to be completed as part of the programme and the costs associated with these are extra and are not included in tuition fees.
Flexible Payment Options
Students wishing to avail of an instalment plan should contact professionalacademy@griffith.ie
Students who opt for an instalment plan will incur an extra annual fee of €150 to avail of this facility.
All fees are fully protected under our Protection of Enrolled Learners’ Policy:
All QQI accredited programmes of education and training of 3 months or longer duration are covered by arrangements under section 65 (4) of the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012 whereby, in the event of the provider ceasing to provide the programme for any reason, enrolled learners may transfer to a similar programme at another provider, or, in the event that this is not practicable, the fees most recently paid will be refunded.
Progression
Progression:
Upon successfully completing the MA in Counselling & Psychotherapy, learners will be qualified to access Level 10 Programmes on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ).
Career Options:
This programme is designed to meet the requirement of professional accreditation with the Association of Professional Counsellors and Psychotherapists (APCP) and the National Association for Professional Counselling & Psychotherapy. Graduates from this programme can be found working in various settings across the caring profession and can be found working in such as:
- Private Practice
- HSE
- Addiction Treatment Centres
- Pieta House
- Tusla
- Social Care
- Mental Health Nursing
