{page 62}


MSc
Addiction Psychology and Counselling


Location
LSBU Southwark and PROMIS Counselling Centre in South Kensington

Duration
3 years (part-time)

Mode of study
Part-time

Start date
September

Number of places
30

Simple timetable info
Part-time afternoon and evenings 1 day per week during semesters in Years 1 and 2

How to apply
Direct to LSBU

LSBU code
APC

Course contact
Professor Ian Albery
alberyip@lsbu.ac.uk – 020 7815 5856

Course units

Years 1 and 2

– Models of Working and their Integration

– Professional Development and Ethics

– Effective Strategies and Techniques in Addiction Counselling

– Treatment Contexts

– Personal Development and Robustness

– The Psychological Concept of Addiction

– Development of Addictive Behaviours

– Theories of Addiction Research Methodology

Year 3
– Dissertation (MSc only)


Course description

This course is a collaboration between LSBU and the PROMIS Organisation, a leading treatment provider in the field of addictive disorders, with a distinguished record of collaborative research and training with the university sector.

Applicants will normally have a professional, work or voluntary interest in addiction but will not necessarily be graduates. However, psychology graduates, especially with work experience in health, community and social services settings, seeking a career in counselling, may be particularly interested in this programme. It is expected that in Year One students will seek experience in appropriate work settings, and that in Year Two they will have a counselling placement sufficient to provide 100–150 hours supervised practice before entering the final year.

Professional and academic orientation

This course will:

– Equip students to assess psychological models of counselling approaches

– Equip students for entry into supervised professional practise as addiction counsellors

– Provide the training component required for counsellor accreditation by relevant professional bodies e.g. Federation of Drug and Alcohol Professionals (FDAP). These professional aims are underpinned by a detailed study of the psychology of addiction. This embraces the main theories of the development of addictive behaviours, the principal approaches to counselling and treatment of addictive disorders, and training in research in the field of addictions.

Career opportunities

There is a rapidly increasing demand for addiction counsellors in health and social services and a variety of community settings. Students may apply to the Alcohol Education Research Council (AERC) for financial support to cover the cost of fees. Employers are also frequently prepared to give financial support to those counsellors, nurses, social and community workers and others whose employment involves counselling for addictive disorders.

Typical background of applicant

Working within drug/alcohol or related addiction fields, with intellectual competence to work at postgraduate level, and demonstrable character strengths for counselling. Desirably, previous training in psychology/counselling, and inclination towards research.

Professional contacts/industry links

The PgDip Addiction Psychology and Counselling meets the required training component for professional accreditation by the FDAP, with consequent entry on the United Kingdom Register of Counsellors (UKRC).

Recent guest lecturers

– Professor Stephen Sutton, University of Cambridge

– Dr Jenny Reeves, University of Leicester

– Dr Robert Lefever, the PROMIS Organisation