Therapeutic Counselling - Level 4 Diploma CPCAB (BACP APQ)
Course Type
Higher Education
Study Mode
Part-time
Duration
2 Years
Start & End Date
18 September 2026
4 June 2028
Days
Fri
Time
08:30-16:00
Location
Ballymena
Interview Required
Yes
The Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling – BACP Approved Practitioner Qualification maps the current CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling (TC-L4) to the requirements for BACP Qualification Approval and fully incorporates BACP’s Online and Phone Therapy Competence Framework.
Candidates undertaking a BACP Approved Practitioner Qualification will have the BACP Certificate of Proficiency facilitated directly for them by their training provider and will be able to apply directly for Individual Registration with BACP. Candidates can also be reassured that their qualification has already been approved by BACP.
There are 7 mandatory units:
Unit 1 - Working ethically, safely and professionally as a counsellor
Unit 2 - Working within a counselling relationship
Unit 3 - Working with client diversity in counselling work
Unit 4 - Working within a user-centred approach to counselling
Unit 5 - Working with self-awareness in the counselling process
Unit 6 - Working within a coherent framework of counselling theory and skills
Unit 7 - Working self-reflectively as a counsellor
Students must also complete the following, and are responsible for the associated costs:
BACP Student Membership - all students on this programme must obtain BACP Student Membership for the duration of the programme. The current cost of this (23/24) is £86 per year.
For further information on course content, delivery, and assessment, please see the candidate guide on the CPCAB website
The course is assessed both internally with a portfolio of evidence, and externally with a CPCAB set and marked exam, which takes place in year 2.
Full details on the course, including candidate guide and specification, may be found at http://www.cpcab.co.uk/qualifications/tc-l4#documents
Successful candidates may progress to a counselling role within an agency, or to the following courses where available:
Applicants must be 19 years of age or older at course commencement and must hold CPCAB Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills (CSK-L2) and CPCAB Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies (CST-L3), or their RPL (recognised prior learning) equivalent.
Students will be required to provide references and to complete an interview process successfully, in order to be offered a place on the course.
Where students wish to have prior education and/or experience taken into account, in lieu of meeting the full course entry requirements, they should contact the relevant Course Director or Admissions. APEL applications must be submitted at least 2 weeks before the start date of the programme. More details can be found in the APEL Policy.
| Year | Fee | Reduced Fee* |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | £1065 | £796 |
| Year 2 | £1065 | £796 |
| Total |
*For eligibility criteria, visit our fees and funding page.
Payment of fees must be arranged prior to course commencement and at the beginning of each academic year, regardless of whether your programme of study is one, two, or three years in duration. Fees for subsequent years (Year 2 and/or Year 3) may be subject to change due to annual increases in awarding body charges, such as registration or examination fees.
Please contact any Campus Reception to arrange payment of your course fees or to confirm you have uploaded evidence of your funding application or entitlement to the online admissions portal. Confirmation of your funding entitlement should also be forwarded to studentfinance@nrc.ac.uk.
If your fees are being paid by a sponsor/employer, you must upload an approved Employer Consent Form to the online admissions portal.
Payment Options
You can pay your fees in full by cash, cheque, credit/debit card, direct debit payment or via a Student Loan. For further details visit our fees and funding page.
Contact Details
Student Loan Queries
T: 028 9085 5048
E: studentfinance@nrc.ac.uk
Direct Debit or Payment Queries
E: finance@nrc.ac.uk
Funding Options including Scholarships
There are several funds available to help with costs related to your course such as grants and scholarships. For further details visit our student finance page.
Additional Mandatory Costs
Additional mandatory costs are essential expenses which are required in order to complete your course. These costs are separate from, and in addition to, any course tuition fees. Most courses do not have any additional mandatory costs. Examples of additional mandatory costs includes trips which are included as a component of your course, essential textbooks which are not available from our learning resource centres, essential equipment which is not provided by the College, professional memberships which are linked directly to the course.
These costs do not include stationery materials or items which a student may choose to purchase, personal computer equipment or software or additional textbooks or journals, memberships of professional bodies not essential for your course. Many students will choose to purchase their own equipment and materials during their course, these are not mandatory costs. For most courses, equipment and materials will be provided by the College.
All tutors are qualified and experienced counsellors. This underpins the authenticity of teaching and learning activities as students engage with practitioners who understand the challenges and opportunities of the counselling role. The following teaching team deliver this course at Northern Regional College:
Staff Team
The course is assessed both internally with a portfolio of evidence, and externally with a CPCAB set and marked exam, which takes place in year 2.
Full details on the course, including candidate guide and specification, may be found at http://www.cpcab.co.uk/qualifications/tc-l4#documents
The Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling – BACP Approved Practitioner Qualification maps the current CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling (TC-L4) to the requirements for BACP Qualification Approval and fully incorporates BACP’s Online and Phone Therapy Competence Framework.
Candidates undertaking a BACP Approved Practitioner Qualification will have the BACP Certificate of Proficiency facilitated directly for them by their training provider and will be able to apply directly for Individual Registration with BACP. Candidates can also be reassured that their qualification has already been approved by BACP.
There are 7 mandatory units:
Unit 1 - Working ethically, safely and professionally as a counsellor
Unit 2 - Working within a counselling relationship
Unit 3 - Working with client diversity in counselling work
Unit 4 - Working within a user-centred approach to counselling
Unit 5 - Working with self-awareness in the counselling process
Unit 6 - Working within a coherent framework of counselling theory and skills
Unit 7 - Working self-reflectively as a counsellor
Students must also complete the following, and are responsible for the associated costs:
BACP Student Membership - all students on this programme must obtain BACP Student Membership for the duration of the programme. The current cost of this (23/24) is £86 per year.
For further information on course content, delivery, and assessment, please see the candidate guide on the CPCAB website
Successful candidates may progress to a counselling role within an agency, or to the following courses where available:
Applicants must be 19 years of age or older at course commencement and must hold CPCAB Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills (CSK-L2) and CPCAB Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies (CST-L3), or their RPL (recognised prior learning) equivalent.
Students will be required to provide references and to complete an interview process successfully, in order to be offered a place on the course.
Where students wish to have prior education and/or experience taken into account, in lieu of meeting the full course entry requirements, they should contact the relevant Course Director or Admissions. APEL applications must be submitted at least 2 weeks before the start date of the programme. More details can be found in the APEL Policy.
Course Fees
| Year | Fee | Reduced Fee* |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | £1065 | £796 |
| Year 2 | £1065 | £796 |
| Total |
*For eligibility criteria, visit our fees and funding page.
Payment of fees must be arranged prior to course commencement and at the beginning of each academic year, regardless of whether your programme of study is one, two, or three years in duration. Fees for subsequent years (Year 2 and/or Year 3) may be subject to change due to annual increases in awarding body charges, such as registration or examination fees.
Please contact any Campus Reception to arrange payment of your course fees or to confirm you have uploaded evidence of your funding application or entitlement to the online admissions portal. Confirmation of your funding entitlement should also be forwarded to studentfinance@nrc.ac.uk.
If your fees are being paid by a sponsor/employer, you must upload an approved Employer Consent Form to the online admissions portal.
Payment Options
You can pay your fees in full by cash, cheque, credit/debit card, direct debit payment or via a Student Loan. For further details visit our fees and funding page.
Contact Details
Student Loan Queries
T: 028 9085 5048
E: studentfinance@nrc.ac.uk
Direct Debit or Payment Queries
E: finance@nrc.ac.uk
Funding Options including Scholarships
There are several funds available to help with costs related to your course such as grants and scholarships. For further details visit our student finance page.
Additional Mandatory Costs
Additional mandatory costs are essential expenses which are required in order to complete your course. These costs are separate from, and in addition to, any course tuition fees. Most courses do not have any additional mandatory costs. Examples of additional mandatory costs includes trips which are included as a component of your course, essential textbooks which are not available from our learning resource centres, essential equipment which is not provided by the College, professional memberships which are linked directly to the course.
These costs do not include stationery materials or items which a student may choose to purchase, personal computer equipment or software or additional textbooks or journals, memberships of professional bodies not essential for your course. Many students will choose to purchase their own equipment and materials during their course, these are not mandatory costs. For most courses, equipment and materials will be provided by the College.