Last modified: 06 Aug 2025 15:16
This course is designed for experienced counsellors (trained to diploma level or equivalent) who want to develop their supervision skills and their theoretical understanding of supervision. Providing effective, insightful and consistent supervision requires development of a skill set that is additional to counselling/psychotherapy expertise. Enhancing the potential to form strong supervisory relationships by learning about relevant counselling supervision models, developing strategies for providing constructive feedback, paying attention to working with difference and considering tools for ethical decision making. The course builds on counselling/psychotherapy experience to help participants grow their competence and confidence as ethically grounded supervisors. Pluralistic and person-centred lenses are at the core of the course. However, the course is appropriate for all counselling/psychotherapy modalities as translation between approaches enriches and consolidates learning. The course is currently going through COSCA validation and provides participants who successfully complete the course a qualification that enables them to supervise counselling/psychotherapy practitioners.
| Study Type | Postgraduate | Level | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | Full Year | Credit Points | 60 credits (30 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
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This is a 600-hour course, including non-residential one-day meetings, online study group meetings, a supervision placement and directed and independent study. The methods of learning and activities include workshops, experiential learning, group work, skills practice, role play, presentations, additional study groups, supervised practice, and assignments.
Course Aims
The overall aim of this course is that on completion, participants will have sufficient competence as counselling supervisors to enter with confidence into supervision contracts with both experienced counsellors and counsellors-in-training.
Students will gain theoretical understanding of the processes involved in pluralistic practice supervision and its application, along with a knowledge of differing models of supervision and practical and ethical issues related to supervision. Students will develop competence in practice with awareness of the role and context of supervision, assessment and evaluation, ethical decision-making and the importance of the working alliance.
Assessment
The course assessment process will be both formative and summative, including written assignments and continuous assessment of practice along with a supervision report and log of hours (30).
Entry Requirements
Applicants need to have completed a recognised diploma in counselling, psychotherapy and are expected to have sufficient post-qualifying supervised counselling practice to be experienced enough to supervise other counsellors. All applications for this course require two references: one from the applicant’s existing counselling supervisor and one from a line manager or professional peer.
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 25 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Word Count: 3,000 The course member, in consultation with other participants and the tutor, will be involved in the decision as to her or his theoretical and practical competence and future areas of development. If the level of participation or competence is not deemed to be acceptable, the course tutor and course co-ordinator reserve the right to make the final decision on the suitability of a course member to practise as a supervisor, subject to ratification by the exam board. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Apply | The ability to form, sustain and end a supervisory relationship with practising therapists |
| Conceptual | Understand | A theoretical and practice-based understanding of the processes implicit in the pluralistic approach to supervision |
| Procedural | Apply | Ability to respond to cross-cultural and inclusivity issues occurring in their supervisory relationships and in the relationships that their supervisees have with the clients with whom they work |
| Procedural | Evaluate | Capacity to respond to ethical, theoretical and practical issues related to supervision |
| Reflection | Evaluate | Ability to assess their own work in critical and non-defensive ways and identify areas for further professional development. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 25 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Duration:1 hour Self-appraisal dialogue including reflection on learning, personal and professional development, drawing on feedback from peers, tutors and external supervisor. The course member will consider their theoretical and practical competence, identifying future areas for development. Written feedback will be provided |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Apply | The ability to form, sustain and end a supervisory relationship with practising therapists |
| Conceptual | Understand | A theoretical and practice-based understanding of the processes implicit in the pluralistic approach to supervision |
| Procedural | Apply | Ability to respond to cross-cultural and inclusivity issues occurring in their supervisory relationships and in the relationships that their supervisees have with the clients with whom they work |
| Procedural | Evaluate | Capacity to respond to ethical, theoretical and practical issues related to supervision |
| Reflection | Evaluate | Ability to assess their own work in critical and non-defensive ways and identify areas for further professional development. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 25 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Case Study of work with supervisee Written feedback will be provided |
Word Count | 3000 | |
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Apply | The ability to form, sustain and end a supervisory relationship with practising therapists |
| Conceptual | Understand | A theoretical and practice-based understanding of the processes implicit in the pluralistic approach to supervision |
| Procedural | Apply | Ability to respond to cross-cultural and inclusivity issues occurring in their supervisory relationships and in the relationships that their supervisees have with the clients with whom they work |
| Procedural | Evaluate | Capacity to respond to ethical, theoretical and practical issues related to supervision |
| Reflection | Evaluate | Ability to assess their own work in critical and non-defensive ways and identify areas for further professional development. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 25 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Transcript analysis of recorded supervisory practice Written feedback will be provided |
Word Count | 2500 | |
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Apply | The ability to form, sustain and end a supervisory relationship with practising therapists |
| Conceptual | Understand | A theoretical and practice-based understanding of the processes implicit in the pluralistic approach to supervision |
| Procedural | Apply | Ability to respond to cross-cultural and inclusivity issues occurring in their supervisory relationships and in the relationships that their supervisees have with the clients with whom they work |
| Procedural | Evaluate | Capacity to respond to ethical, theoretical and practical issues related to supervision |
| Reflection | Evaluate | Ability to assess their own work in critical and non-defensive ways and identify areas for further professional development. |
There are no assessments for this course.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 25 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Duration: 1 hour Viva reflecting on understanding of supervisory theory and application of practice May cover similar questions as first sit, however the expectation is that the student will have undertaken further experience and development and this will be reflected in their performance |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
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| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 25 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Case-study of supervisee work Different supervisee from first submission |
Word Count | 2500 | |
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
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| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 25 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Essay – transcript of supervisory practice This is an analysis of a transcript of supervisory practice |
Word Count | 2500 | |
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
|
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| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 25 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Word Count: 3,000 Resubmission of original portfolio following feedback and further development action plan |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
|
|
||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Understand | A theoretical and practice-based understanding of the processes implicit in the pluralistic approach to supervision |
| Conceptual | Apply | The ability to form, sustain and end a supervisory relationship with practising therapists |
| Procedural | Evaluate | Capacity to respond to ethical, theoretical and practical issues related to supervision |
| Reflection | Evaluate | Ability to assess their own work in critical and non-defensive ways and identify areas for further professional development. |
| Procedural | Apply | Ability to respond to cross-cultural and inclusivity issues occurring in their supervisory relationships and in the relationships that their supervisees have with the clients with whom they work |
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