Counselling Skills and Sociology BA (Hons)

The Counselling Skills course will prepare you to enter into the real world of counselling skills, by developing your knowledge, understanding and practical skills. Staff work to promote your strengths and best interests by promoting inclusive learning and authentic assessment. The course is dynamic and interdisciplinary and is led by research active staff who are qualified counsellors, able to share their real-world experience.

Teaching is designed to encourage curiosity, debate and problem-solving, with a focus on building relationships and self-awareness. You will learn about a range of counselling theories and concepts, ethical issues within the helping relationship and different presenting issues. You will explore the differences in therapy depending on where and how it is delivered, and how counselling fits within a social justice frame. Alongside this, you will practice and develop your counselling skills and consider how these are applied in relationships.

You will study in academic interdisciplinary team, learning to develop your project management skills and research integrity, which are key to a highly adaptive work ethic valued by stakeholders and employers. By the end of your course, you will be able to articulate your varying attributes relevant to a range of employment roles, and opportunities.

Through studying Sociology, you will be given the skills and support you need in order to develop a ‘sociological imagination’ of your own. You will be introduced to cutting-edge research and theoretical perspectives that will help you to challenge dominant understandings of social problems, issues and debates. 

How is ‘globalisation’ reshaping the world we live in? What are the major social divisions and conflicts affecting society today? How does the mass media influence our perception of these conflicts and divisions? These are just some of the questions that you will be asked to think about while studying Sociology at Chester. 

Our teaching team has a wide range of backgrounds and experience. Modules are written by staff in line with their research interests and include areas such as inequality and the welfare state, race and racism, gender identity and the body, globalisation, sustainability, protest and social change.

This course is delivered in three terms of ten weeks each. In each term you will study 40 credits comprised of either one or two modules. Scheduled contact hours range between approximately six and ten hours per week depending upon level of study and the complexity of the material being taught. This course is delivered through a mix of in person and online learning. You can expect to take part in lectures, workshops and peer-led seminars. 

You should expect to spend an average of 30 – 34 hours per week on independent study which might include following asynchronous learning material, tutorial time with staff, using the University’s library, working with peers and preparing work for assessment. Teaching will be delivered by experience academics and practitioners in the subject. This will be supplemented by occasional guest lecturers and speakers.

There will be a broad range of assessment methods so you are exposed to the different types of tasks you might encounter in the workplace. These will include coursework in the form of essays (long and short form), reports, presentations, and recordings of counselling skills practice. Assessment support is provided throughout the modules. We continuously review the assessment methods used in order that they adequately prepare you for graduate level employment. 

All teaching is delivered by experienced academics and practitioners, with the fundamental principles of the Chester Future Skills Curriculum at its core - building your subject competence, confidence, and key transferable skills to shape you into a world-ready Chester graduate.

Job prospects

Studying Counselling Skills develops strong skills and knowledge which are transferable to a wide range of occupations. Graduates may pursue careers and training in a range of areas such as education, the police force, prison work, social work, law and retail management. Graduates may also pursue further therapeutic training or academic research. 

Below are some potential career paths and roles for Counselling Skills and Sociology graduates:  

• Life Coach: Help people make decisions and changes to reach their potential.
• Play Therapist: Help children and young adolescents to work through difficult life experiences.
• Social Worker: Promote people’s voices and seek to have a positive impact on an individual and their family's wellbeing.
• Charity worker: Help individuals and their communities to thrive.
• Youth worker: Guide and support young people in their personal, social and educational development.

Further certifications, experience, or advanced degrees may be required for the above roles.

Sociology graduates pursue diverse career paths including in the public sector and civil service, politics and government, social work, charity and advocacy work, public relations, advertising, market research, journalism, academia and teaching. The critical and analytical skills developed through studying Sociology are highly transferable and extremely sought after by employers. 

Progression options

MA Social Work

Careers service

The University has an award-winning Careers and Employability service which provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences; through the curriculum, through employer contact, tailored group sessions, individual information, advice and guidance.

Careers and Employability aims to deliver a service which is inclusive, impartial, welcoming, informed and tailored to your personal goals and aspirations, to enable you to develop as an individual and contribute to the business and community in which you will live and work.

We are here to help you plan your future, make the most of your time at University and to enhance your employability. We provide access to part-time jobs, extra-curricular employability-enhancing workshops and offer practical one-to-one help with career planning, including help with CVs, applications and mock interviews. We also deliver group sessions on career planning within each course and we have a wide range of extensive information covering graduate jobs and postgraduate study.