Counselling - CPCAB Level 3 Certificate in Applied Counselling Studies

This course requires you to follow an application process.
Course code: AF1206J
An advanced course for those with a Level 2 Counselling Skills qualification who want to take the next step in training to become a counsellor.

When & Where

Skills & Learning Adult Community Education

Online learning

From 14 September 2026 to 28 June 2027

Monday 17:30-20:30

34 weeks

Fees

Full fee: £1032

Concession fee: £1032

Date

14 September 2026

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

21 September 2026

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

28 September 2026

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

05 October 2026

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

12 October 2026

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

19 October 2026

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

02 November 2026

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

09 November 2026

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

16 November 2026

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

23 November 2026

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

30 November 2026

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

07 December 2026

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

14 December 2026

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

04 January 2027

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

11 January 2027

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

18 January 2027

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

25 January 2027

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

01 February 2027

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

08 February 2027

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

22 February 2027

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

01 March 2027

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

08 March 2027

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

15 March 2027

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

22 March 2027

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

12 April 2027

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

19 April 2027

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

26 April 2027

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

10 May 2027

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

17 May 2027

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

24 May 2027

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

07 June 2027

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

14 June 2027

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

21 June 2027

Time

17:30-20:30

Date

28 June 2027

Time

17:30-20:30

What the course is about

The new Level 3 Certificate in in Applied Counselling Studies introduces you to the three main theoretical approaches to counselling and shows you what you can expect from working with counselling agencies.  You will also learn about the application of counselling skills in a range of occupational settings.  

It will not teach you to be a counsellor, but it will prepare you to undertake workplace experience as a trainee counsellor. 

The qualification is made up of two mandatory units:  

  • Unit 1 Counselling Studies  
  • Unit 2 Application of Counselling Skills in a Range of Occupational Settings 

With the other learners in your class you will learn more about counselling theory and agency work through the following learning outcomes: 

  • Prepare to work within an ethical framework for counselling
  • Understand the counselling relationship
  • Understand difference and diversity issues to develop empathetic understanding
  • Work within a user centred approach to counselling
  • Use counselling to develop self-awareness in counselling practice
  • Understand theories of counselling
  • Use feedback, reflection and supervision to support counselling studies
  • Understand how counselling skills can be use in a range of occupational settings

Please be aware that in addition to your timetable classes there will also be 6 supervised study sessions. These will be remote sessions so you will not need to attend a centre. The dates and times will be discussed at the start of your course.   

You can volunteer to work for an agency in a non-counselling capacity alongside this course. Working on an agency-based project is also an effective way of securing a work placement for further counselling experience. 

A variety of learning activities will be used on this course, including tutor presentation and demonstration, practical application of skills, individual and group work, discussions, Q&A, internet research, individual research and project work. Where relevant, your learning will enable you to develop skills and knowledge required for work. There may be vocational specialist guest speakers, or employers, invited to share their skills and experience. 

Regular home study will be necessary to successfully complete this course. You will be supported to develop good study skills. 

Your tutor will also support you to improve your English and maths skills alongside your learning of your vocational subject. This will include assessing your current skills and planning learning activities related to your subject that are designed to develop your skills in these areas. To support this, you will undertake some e-learning modules, where appropriate, as homework. 

If you have declared at enrolment that you are unemployed, you may be invited to meet with an Information, Advice and Guidance Officer or employability member of staff, to identify other learning opportunities that will support you to secure employment or improve your employment prospects. We highly recommend that you engage fully in any other learning opportunities that we help you identify.   

This is a vocational course leading to a qualification, and the cost of it is subsidised by public funding. You will be required to complete all of the necessary coursework/assignments or exams by the given deadlines. 

Please note: if you do not successfully complete the course within this academic year, you will not be able to repeat it at the subsidised fee.  

For further information on the syllabus for this course please go to https://www.cpcab.co.uk/qualifications/cast-l3