Counselling with Addiction

Bachelor of Arts (Honours)

Counselling with Addiction session with two people
Counselling with Addiction session with two people
Type of Programme
Full-time
Number of Places
20
Duration
4 Years
Course Code
MT 925
Entry Requirements
Meet minimum entry requirements as listed below.
Application Deadline
See CAO for details
Location(s)
MTU Kerry North Campus, Galilee House of Studies, Athy, Kildare, Kerry
Course NFQ Level
Level 8

Dr Gerardina Harnett

T: +353 (0)66 719 1695

Email: (email)

Overview

This course is delivered at Galilee House of Studies, Athy, Co. Kildare (year 1, 2 and 3)

Counselling involves engaging and listening to clients about their emotions, relationships, thought processes, patterns of behaviour or life events such as bereavement, addiction, divorce, health issues or job concerns. Counsellors help clients to understand themselves better and find their own solutions to resolve or cope with their situation or issues. Counsellors play a crucial role in improving the health and wellbeing of people in society.

This is a collaborative programme between MTU and Cuan Mhuire/Galilee House of Studies. Cuan Mhuire is Ireland’s ‘largest multisite provider of residential detoxification and treatment for those suffering from addiction’ (www.cuanmhuire.ie). Galilee House of Studies is an established provider of a higher education undergraduate diploma programme in counselling located in Athy, Co. Kildare.

The course will be delivered by a team of experienced practising addiction counsellors/ psychotherapists and third level academic staff in Galilee House of Studies, Athy, Co. Kildare (year 1, 2 and 3), with practice placement undertaken in Cuan Mhuire’s residential centres or other relevant clinical sites across Ireland in year 4. Students will have the opportunity to seek their own practice placement sites, however MTU/ Cuan Mhuire/Galillee House of Studies will ultimately be responsible for ensuring that all students secure an appropriate practice placement site residential centres or other relevant clinical sites across Ireland in year 4. Students will have the opportunity to seek their own practice placement sites, however MTU/ Cuan Mhuire/Galillee House of Studies will ultimately be responsible for ensuring that all students secure an appropriate practice placement site.

The purpose of this programme is to provide systematic training in counselling theory and practice at a level that prepares participants to counsel in a variety of settings and to use various counselling approaches. Counselling and psychotherapy are growing and evolving professions in Ireland and internationally.

Also, addiction in recent years is becoming an increasing problem in Ireland, with the Government pledging to increase funding in the area of mental health initiatives as part of the national counselling service.

 

Accreditation

On completion of the programme, graduates can seek accreditation with the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP), Addiction Counsellors of Ireland (ACI) and the National Association of Pastoral Counselling and Psychotherapy (NAPCP).

 

PLEASE NOTE: students will be required to pay for personal supervision and counselling fees over the duration of the programme. Where a student at any stage of the programme demonstrates active substance misuse they will be required to defer their programme for 1 year while working towards regaining sobriety and will require medical confirmation of recovery before registering to re-enter the programme.

What will I study?

First year at a glance

  • Human Development – Content and Theory: personal development of the student in three significant areas of growth for a prospective counsellor
  • Personal Development – Process and Care: to provide a safe context in which students will be encouraged to explore and reflect on the links between personal and professional development
  • Counselling Skills: provides a set of baseline counselling skills, which are fundamental to the therapeutic relationship
  • Theoretical Perspectives in Counselling and Psychotherapy: equips students with a greater knowledge and understanding of historically recognised and contemporary counselling and psychotherapeutic
  • Person Centred Approach to Counselling and Psychotherapy: equips students with an experientially grounded understanding of the person-centred approach to counselling and psychotherapy
  • Bereavement, Loss and Grief: develops knowledge, skills and attitudes on managing loss, bereavement and grief
  • Addiction Studies: provides students with the knowledge-base on which to develop their therapeutic understanding of theoretical and clinical considerations concerning substance use

Modules

What is a Module?

A module is a standalone unit of learning and assessment and is completed within one semester. A full-time student will normally study six modules in each semester; part-time and ACCS (Accumulation of Credits and Certification of Subjects) students will have flexibility as to the number of modules taken.

The button below provides a link to all of the University's approved modules for this programme.

View Modules

Entry Requirements

Entry 2024

For admission to a programme, standard applicants must

  • score the necessary CAO points and
  • meet the minimum entry requirements

Leaving Certificate in six subjects i.e. H5 in two subjects and O6/H7 in four other subjects. The six subjects must include Mathematics and either English or Irish grade O6/H7.

 

Applicants must

Be over 23 years of age on 1st January of the year of admission

AND

* Meet minimum leaving certificate requirements

OR

* Hold a full FET/QQI (level 5) award with a minimum of 3 distinctions

OR

* Have completed a recognition of prior learning (RPL) process with the department

AND

* Have successfully completed the University's mature student assessment

 

Additional Entry Requirements

  • Vetting by an Garda Síochána is a mandatory requirement for this programme.
  • All applicants will be interviewed as part of the application process.
  • All applicants will be required to provide medical certification and references.
  • Applicants who disclose a personal recovery process are required to be two years post-treatment before applying for this programme.

 

For Non-EU International Entry Requirements please visit https://www.mtu.ie/international/non-eu/.

Career options

Employment Opportunities

There are significant employment opportunities in the various specialised areas, such as addiction, victim support, marriage guidance, bereavement, substance abuse, homelessness, youth and community. Many counsellors work in private practice, private or public residential and non- residential youth and adult centres, schools, colleges, hospitals etc.

Progression

Further Studies

Suitably qualified level 8 honours graduates are eligible to progress to taught master programmes or to research at either master or PhD level.

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