Welcome to BA (Hons) Counselling Studies Top-Up degree at Birmingham Newman University.
We are very much looking forward to working with you and excited to share with you our experience and knowledge of theory and practice within counselling.
Welcome to the Programme.
Timetable
Semester 1
Week beginning 22 September 2025
Fridays: 12pm to 2pm (mandatory module COU616)
The rest of your timetable will depend on which optional module you select. It will be one of these 3 timeslots per semester:
Modules time slots are:
Monday: 1pm to 4pm (COU622/COU628)
Friday: 9am to 12pm (COU629/COU626)
Friday: 2pm to 5pm (COU624/COU627)
Full details of your individual academic timetable, including Semester 2 timetable which may differ, will be available via your university email calendar after you have completed online enrolment and set up your student login.
Pre-induction activities
Please do continue your process of wider reading around this subject.
We recommend these two textbooks for your Counselling Studies Top-up course.
Reeves, A. (2022) An Introduction to Counselling and Psychotherapy. From Theory to Practice. 3rd edition. London: Sage.
McLeod, J. (2025) An introduction to counselling and psychotherapy : theory, research, practice, and social purpose. Seventh edition. Maidenhead: Open University Press/McGraw-Hill. [eBook available]
The Counselling Studies Top-up programme has a strong emphasis on developing you as a research informed practitioner. Therefore, we’d encourage you to be reading research including summaries of studies in the BACP published Therapy Today.
You may also want to look at and refer to this book to support your development as a practitioner researcher:
McLeod, J. (2022) Doing research in counselling and psychotherapy. Fourth edition. London: SAGE.
Induction day
Your programme leader and teaching staff look forward to meeting with you during welcome week on:
3pm to 4pm: Accessing My Newman, Moodle, Self-Service Portal, Timetable, Moodle Forum Activity, Email set up and sending emails
12:30pm to 1pm: Welcome and icebreakers
1pm to 1:30pm: ID Checks (Julian of Norwich)
1:30pm to -2:30pm: Introduction to your Programme, Getting to know each other
IMPORTANT: Please bring your photo ID with you to complete the ID verification check for Student Finance confirmation.
Your teaching team
You will be taught a range of staff from our counselling and psychotherapy team including:
Rebekah Woodhouse – Senior Lecturer Dr Bill Naylor – Senior Lecturer Dr Steve Roberts – Senior Lecturer Linda Luckhurst – Senior Lecturer Emily Evans – Senior Lecturer Cassie Rowland – Lecturer
Module delivery
Your teaching during Semester 1 will depend on the module options you have chosen for your first year- your optional module may run in semester 2.
COU616 Research in Counselling is a mandatory module which runs in Semester 1 and 2
Friday 12:00-14:00 with Rebekah Woodhouse
Optional semester 1 modules are:
COU622- Therapeutic Approaches to Supporting Children and Families
Monday 13:00-16:00 with Emily Evans
COU629- Mindfulness and CBT
Friday 9:00-12:00 with Linda Luckhurst
COU624 – Bereavement and Loss
Friday 14:00-17:00 with Bill Naylor
You will find that all teaching is a mixture of formal lectures, group discussions and classroom based activities. There is a strong focus on experiential learning (learning by doing and reflecting).
As well the formal academic and practical learning, you will have the opportunity to discover the range of resources and support that Newman offers (including library, IT and Student Support).
In semester 1, you will also meet with your personal tutor. Their role is to ensure that you are supported in dealing with any obstacles or issues that might be preventing you from succeeding fully on this programme.
Full details of your individual academic timetable, including Semester 2, will be available via your university Outlook calendar which is available after you have completed online enrolment and set up your student login.
Welcome Week Services Fair – Your Chance to Meet the Teams
As part of your induction to Birmingham Newman University, our Services Fair is your opportunity to meet the teams who will support you throughout your studies and explore the services available to help you succeed.
You’re welcome to drop in and take part on any of the fair dates — it doesn’t have to be the day of your induction.
Chat with Careers about your future plans, grab some sweets and an employability bag, and register on My Career for a chance to win a £25 Amazon voucher.
Make a badge with our Environmental Officer, download the OurNewman app to spin the wheel and win a prize, and join the Library for Q&A activities and their Prize Every Time Lucky Dip.
Advice & Wellbeing will be offering stress tests, sound therapy, and an Affirmation Station, while E-Learning invites you to take their “Who You Gonna Call?” quiz for a prize draw entry.
Try the Sport team’s exercise bike challenge and visit the Chaplaincy to choose the “word of the day” and share some positivity.
And that’s just the start — there’ll be many more services, activities, and opportunities to explore each day of the fair. Come along, get involved, and make the most of what’s on offer!
The Disability & Inclusion team and the Advice & Wellbeing team will be holding drop-in sessions on campus from 15–19 September.
Drop-in sessions: Dates & Times
15 September – 11am to 2pm: DW102 (Dimple – Disability & Inclusion)
16 September – 11am to 2pm: DW101 (Jas – Advice & Wellbeing)
17 September – 11am to 2pm: DW102 (Jas – Advice & Wellbeing)
18 September – 11am to 2pm: CH116 (Jas – Advice & Wellbeing)
19 September – 11am to 2pm: CH004 (Dimple – Disability & Inclusion)
No appointment needed – just drop in for advice, support, and guidance
Student Services and Support
Key information
Induction
Thursday 18 September 2025
Teaching starts
Week beginning: 22 September 2025
Subject Leader
Dr Faisal Mahmood
f.mahmood@staff.newman.ac.uk
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