We would like you to keep up to date with societal issues in current affairs by reading high-quality e-newspapers such as The Guardian or The Independent, and formulating your views on news stories about counselling, mental health, education, society, or cultural matters (topics such as: poverty, discrimination, housing and education etc.).

Think about (and keep a journal if you want to) your reactions to such stories; how did the stories make you feel and why? And try to consider why you might have had the reaction you did. What has influenced your view of those topics in the media?

• Thursday 17 September 2026
• 13:30 – 17:00
• Room: HI104

IMPORTANT: Please bring your photo ID with you on this date to complete enrolment.

We will give you an overview of the programme, complete some getting to know our peers excercises, allow time for questions and generally help you to feel at home here at Birmingham Newman University.

Semester 1 – Week beginning 21/09/2026

• Monday 13:00 – 15:00
• Thursday 15:00 – 18:00
• Friday 09:00 – 12:00

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 the pre-arrival task online and set up your student login.

The modules for the first semester of your course are:

Human Development and Relationships – This module divides your attention between developing an understanding of self (referred to as ‘self-awareness’) and developing greater understanding of and appreciation for others.

Humanistic Counselling and Academic Practice – This module introduces you to counselling and counselling related professions in the UK with a particular focus on Humanistic Counselling. The module considers the range of settings in which helping takes place professionally and different remit and skills of different helping professions.

Members of our Team include:

Dr Faisal Mahmood – Head of Subject

Dr Steve Roberts – Senior Lecturer

Linda Luckhurst – Senior Lecturer

Emily Evans – Senior Lecturer

Dr James Sedgewick – Senior Lecturer

Rebekah Woodhouse – Senior Lecturer

Cassie Rowland – Senior Lecturer

Karen Lee – Senior Lecturer

Not only do the team teach counselling and psychotherapy at both Undergraduate level and Postgraduate level they also work with clients in Practice and this informs our teaching, ensuring that we are very much up to date and current with our case studies and practice.