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This Masters in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) offers training for mental health professionals who wish to use CBT in their practice. You will enrol for the MSc, but have the option to exit with PG Diploma and, subject to meeting the criteria, accreditation with the British Association of Cognitive and Psychotherapies (BABCP).
CBT approaches and interventions are recognised as a major contributor to psychological treatment. Our course is suitable for a wide range of professionals such as:
You will explore good psychotherapeutic practice and focus on specific CBT concepts and skills including learning about the roles of safety and avoidance behaviours. You will also focus on using CBT with anxiety and depression and explore ending therapy and relapse prevention strategies.
You will be introduced to diagnostic specific models for PTSD, social phobia, OCD, eating disorders and health anxiety and develop your skills in order to diagnose and treat these disorders.
You will also look at the difficulties and complexities encountered in working with more severe and complex conditions and develop your confidence as a CBT practitioner. As well as this you’ll develop a firm foundation of the role of scientist-practitioner, instilling principles of healthy and ethical practice.
NB: You are required to secure a placement for the duration of our course and may need to arrange for individual clinical supervision with a BABCP accredited supervisor.
The Postgraduate Diploma is a Level 2 accredited course with the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP). There are two stages of BABCP accreditation - Provisional and Full. This Level 2 course satisfies your application for provisional membership of the BABCP in that it guarantees that you meet the minimum training standards (MTS) required to become a fully accredited CBT therapist or high intensity worker.
However, as a diplomate from this course will also have to meet additional criteria to gain individual practitioner accreditation. For example, you will need to demonstrate that you are continuing to use CBT, have appropriate supervision, engage in appropriate CBT and adhere to BABCP Standards of Conduct Performance and Ethics. Use the button below to find out more about British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) accreditation:
You are required to secure a placement for the duration of our course, and will need to arrange for individual clinical supervision with a BABCP accredited supervisor.
in UK for Teaching Quality in Psychology (The Times / The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2019)
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We welcome Scottish, UK and international students and consider all applicants on an individual basis.
Don’t worry if your qualifications are not listed here, we take a range of factors into account when assessing your application and are happy to consider other alternative combinations of qualifications and experience
If you are applying with an EU or non-EU qualification, please check our Postgraduate & Post-experience Entry Requirements page which gives more information about country-specific entry requirements.
You will require an Ordinary bachelor’s degree from a UK university in a relevant subject (or equivalent overseas degree). If you do not possess a degree, you may still be considered if you possess professional qualification and extensive, relevant experience.
You will also normally be registered with a professional body, and have acquired two years post-qualification experience working with people experiencing mental health issues.
A list of ‘core professions’, as outlined by the BABCP, can be found here. Anyone not having a core profession, must complete a Knowledge Skills and Attitudes (KSA) portfolio prior to attending the programme. UWS have a KSA module to help guide you through this process. Please contact the course lead for more information.
All academic degrees/awards at UWS are taught in English. For applicants whose first language is not English*, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level. All English language qualifications must have been gained within two years of the start of your UWS course.
* applicants who are exempt from english language requirements include:
In general terms, if you are applying to study a course at, or above, Year 1 (SCQF Level 7) bachelor’s degree level, then the UKVI’s minimum level of English proficiency is Common European Framework for References of Languages (CEFR) at B2 (Upper Intermediate).
At UWS, we define our general English language requirements using the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic module (not General Training) as follows:
These are minimum requirements and some courses may require a higher standard for admission†.
† Exceptions to this level of IELTS scoring exist for some accredited or professionally-recognised courses (see IELTS Score Exceptions section below for more information).
For our research degrees (MRes, MPhil, PhD, DBA, DProf) applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:
For Health, Nursing & Midwifery courses that lead to professional registration with the Nursing & Midwifery Council (BSc Adult Nursing, MSc Adult Nursing, BSc Mental Health Nursing, MSc Mental Health Nursing, BSc Midwifery and MSc Midwifery), applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:
Our BSc Paramedic Science degree leads to professional registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC); it has different IELTS requirements than other Health-related courses. Although it is not possible to apply for this degree directly as an international student, for applicants who meet SAAS residency requirements and for whom English is not their first language, then the following IELTS scores are required:
For our BSc (Hons) Applied Biomedical Science, BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science and MSc Advanced Biomedical Science degrees, which may lead to professional registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:
Our BA (Hons) Social Work and MSc Social Work degrees are professionally recognised by the Scottish Social Services Council and applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:
For our Certificate of Higher Education courses, applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:
In additional to IELTS, we also accept a number of alternative English language for application and admission to our courses for both home/EU and international students at bachelor's degree study at Year 3 (SCQF Level 9), and above. From Cambridge to TOFEL iBT qualifications the number of these qualifications is extensive.
Find out about non-IELTS English Language Tests
UWS has also reviewed a range of High / Secondary School qualifications studied by non-EU applicants that can be used as a basis of entry to a UWS. These range from Botswana GCSEs to USA High School Graduation Diplomas, the number of these qualifications is extensive.
Find out more about international English Language high-hchool qualifications
Applicants who do not meet the minimum English language requirements have the option to study one of our preparatory and pre-sessional English courses. The UWS courses available are:
Our Masters in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy has three exit points allowing you to exit with:
The PgCert comprises the following core modules:
As part of these core modules you will explore good psychotherapeutic practice by reviewing the historical development of CBT and critiquing the factors that influence therapy sessions and how to measure effective treatment. As your studies develop you will begin to focus on specific CBT concepts and skills including learning about the roles of safety and avoidance behaviours. You will also focus on using CBT with anxiety and depression by exploring common difficulties and how to overcome these as well explore ending therapy and relapse prevention strategies.
Successful completion of the PgCert allows you to proceed to the PgDip, which consists of the additional following core module:
In this stage of your studies, you will be introduced to diagnostic specific models for PTSD, Social Phobia, OCD, eating disorders and health anxiety and develop your skills in order to diagnose and treat these disorders. You will also look at the difficulties and complexities encountered in working with more severe and complex conditions and develop your confidence as a CBT practitioner. You will also develop a firm foundation or the role of scientist-practitioner, instilling principles of healthy, ethical practice.
Throughout your studies you will attend a number of skills workshops in order to improve on your knowledge, skills, attitudes and clinical competencies to allow you to become a competent and safe practitioner.
Successful completion of the PgDip allows you to proceed to the MSc dissertation module (60 credits).
The final MSc year will build on the role of scientific practitioner, allowing students to develop their research and quality improvement skills, as well becoming advanced CBT practitioners. The student will carry out a substantial dissertation (approx. 15000 words) which has an appropriate conceptual and methodological perspective or professional justification related to CBT practice.
This module is a significant component of the MSc CBT programme and encourages the student to pursue, under supervision, a sustained programme of individual autonomous work. The student will be offered a minimum of eight hours of individual academic supervision for their dissertation. The student has a choice of dissertation topics. These will be linked to CBT theory and/or practice.
Students will attend one day per week, as well as have a required number of clinical hours and self–study each week.
In the final year students will be required to meet their academic supervisor(s) for a minimum of eight hours. Otherwise, study will be self-directed.
Teaching has been specifically designed to provide quality training combining skills training through role play and demonstration with more traditional teaching of the relevant theory.
There is a combination of:
LEARNING & TEACHING
The development of a coherent assessment strategy is central to our course. This recognises the range of learning and communication styles and skills you possess and develop, and provides opportunities for you to engage in a variety of forms of assessment.
ASSESSMENT
Coursework assessments will include essays and case studies. You’ll also undertake a number of practical based assessments which include reflecting on recorded therapy sessions and whilst they do not contribute to your overall mark for your studies they are still essential to pass.
Final MSc year self-directed dissertation under the guidance of an academic supervisor(s).
Programme Specification and Module Descriptors for Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses are available to download (PDFs). These provide you with core information concerning your chosen subject.
Our aim is to provide an enjoyable and intellectually stimulating course of study that will equip you with the capacity and capability to provide high quality CBT either within your existing role or to use these skills to further your career.
£1,360 per module (20 credits)
£1,680 per module (20 credits)
£1,680 per module (20 credits)
£3,035 per module (20 credits)
All students should apply directly to the University through our online application system. Before you apply, you should check that you meet our entry requirements and you should have all your supporting documents ready.
The first stage of the process is to complete the initial application form. You will then receive a follow-up email with further instructions relating to your application including documents that you will need to forward to support your application, e.g. degree transcripts and certificates etc.
Most courses don't have a formal closing date, but they will close when they are full; apply early to avoid disappointment. There may also be funding deadlines that apply to you.
The Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) applies to all international students and researchers (apart from exempt nationalities) who are subject to UK immigration control and are intending to study or research at postgraduate level in certain sensitive subjects.
Students and researchers who are nationals of EU countries, the European Economic Area (EEA), Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland or the United States of America do not need an ATAS certificate.
An ATAS certificate may be required for certain taught postgraduate master's degrees for international students at UWS.
For the latest information on ATAS and details of eligibility and how to apply for a certificate check the UK Government's dedicated ATAS web pages.
Do you have a question about applying for this course? Get in touch. We are here to help!
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