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Career Coaching and Coaching Psychology

MSc, PG Cert

Application options include:

Part-time
On campus

Course Overview

This postgraduate course offers you a unique combination of in-depth study of coaching psychology and career coaching with practical training in coaching skills.

It aims to equip coaches, consultants, career and HR professionals and psychologists to work with individuals and groups at relational depth in organisations in the role of career coach, coach or consultant. It will provide you with knowledge on the most salient topics in coaching in today’s changing world of work. You will learn about evidence-based psychological theories and the context in which coaching takes place.

This is one of the few courses in London to focus on adult career management and coaching with practical coaching skills development. It attracts individuals working in a wide range of settings and organisational contexts, and provides you with excellent opportunities for peer learning and networking.

MSc Career Coaching and Coaching Psychology: our MSc will develop your research skills enabling you to critically evaluate theory, research and practice in these fields and to undertake applied career or coaching research. It offers you the opportunity to undertake a deep exploration of this helping relationship. The course combines evidence-based, theoretical and practical study to not only develop your professional expertise, but also develop greater self-awareness and understanding.

You will investigate pragmatically and critically how coaching works in organisations. You will also have the opportunity to apply for one of a limited number of placements with the Birkbeck Careers Service in your second year.

Postgraduate Certificate in Career Coaching and Coaching Psychology: our Postgraduate Certificate is the starting place if you are an experienced manager or professional looking to explore a transition into coaching or career coaching. You will be keen to understand the role of professional helping relationships at work from an academic perspective and wish to gain valuable, evidence-based coaching practice. Experienced coaches also have the option of developing their coaching portfolio in lieu of the core skills module.

The Certificate is ideal if you are looking to support your existing skills or career coaching specialism, or as a progression route onto our MSc Career Coaching and Coaching Psychology.

Discover the career opportunities available by taking Career Coaching and Coaching Psychology (MSc, PG Cert).

Key information and modules

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Highlights

  • After gaining either the MSc or Postgraduate Certificate in Career Coaching and Coaching Psychology you will meet the qualification requirements for entry to the UK Register of Career Development Professionals. The Register is the sector equivalent of Chartered Status. Being on the Register proves to employers and clients that you hold a qualification in career development at QCF Level 6/SCQF level 11 or above, abide by the CDI Code of Ethics, and undertake and record a minimum of 25 hours' CPD per year. Increasingly employers are asking that employees are on the Register.
  • The MSc provides a unique opportunity to undertake a career coaching placement in Birkbeck's Careers Service. If you are successful in securing a placement, you will have the chance to apply your learning in a real-life context and receive regular group support in developing your practice.
  • We are renowned for the quality of our teaching in organisational psychology and for our expertise in the delivery of part-time courses. Our flexible teaching model gives you the freedom to take some modules online and fit your studies around your other commitments.
  • This course has a strong focus on skills building and features bespoke skills training days to help you refine your practice.
  • You will have access to an extensive range of electronic resources, including specially prepared texts for each module, and use of the online learning environment with a high level of staff support.

Birkbeck makes all reasonable efforts to deliver educational services, modules and programmes of study as described on our website. In the event that there are material changes to our offering (for example, due to matters beyond our control), we will update applicant and student facing information as quickly as possible and offer alternatives to applicants, offer-holders and current students.

  • Entry Requirements Entry Requirements

    Entry Requirements

    Our standard postgraduate entry requirement is a second-class honours degree (2:2 or above) from a UK university, or an equivalent international qualification.

    Management development professionals, coaches, psychologists, career professionals and consultants without a second-class honours degree (2:2 or above) but with suitable professional qualifications and at least five years' significant management experience in a range of organisations may be considered.

    Applications are reviewed on their individual merits and your professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience will be taken into consideration positively. We actively support and encourage applications from mature learners.

    On your application form, please list all your relevant qualifications and experience, including those you expect to achieve.

    Apply now to secure your place. The earlier you apply, the sooner your application can be considered and you can enrol. You do not need to have completed your current qualification to start your application.

    English language requirements

    If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, the requirement for this course is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests.

    If you don't meet the minimum IELTS requirement, we offer pre-sessional English courses and foundation programmes to help you improve your English language skills and get your place at Birkbeck.

    Visit the International section of our website to find out more about our English language entry requirements and relevant requirements by country.

    Visa and funding requirements

    If you are not from the UK and you do not already have residency here, you may need to apply for a visa.

    The visa you apply for varies according to the length of your course:

    • Courses of more than six months' duration: Student visa
    • Courses of less than six months' duration: Standard Visitor visa

    International students who require a Student visa should apply for our full-time courses as these qualify for Student visa sponsorship. If you are living in the UK on a Student visa, you will not be eligible to enrol as a student on Birkbeck's part-time courses (with the exception of some modules).

    For full information, read our visa information for international students page.

    Please also visit the international section of our website to find out more about relevant visa and funding requirements by country.

    Please note students receiving US Federal Aid are only able to apply for in-person, on-campus programmes which will have no elements of online study.

    Credits and accredited prior learning (APL)

    If you have studied at university, you may have accumulated credits through the modules you studied. It may be possible to transfer these credits from your previous study to Birkbeck or another institution.

  • Fees Fees

    Fees

    Career Coaching and Coaching Psychology MSc: 2 years part-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2024-25

    Academic year 2024–25, starting October 2024

    To be confirmed

    Career Coaching and Coaching Psychology PG Cert: 1 year part-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2024-25

    Academic year 2024–25, starting October 2024

    Part-time home students: £4,720 per year
    Part-time international students: £7,290 per year

    Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing on their course in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases. For more information, please see the College Fees Policy.

    If you’ve studied at Birkbeck before and successfully completed an award with us, take advantage of our Lifelong Learning Guarantee to gain a discount on the tuition fee of this course.

    Additional costs

    As well as fees, you should expect to pay other study-related expenses, for travel to and from College, books, stationery, etc. Birkbeck provides advice and financial support for students who experience hardship in meeting the travel costs of essential fieldwork or study visits.

    On this course, you will also have to pay for the following additional costs:

    You may also have to pay registration costs to join the professional bodies that have accredited this course. The costs will vary according to the professional bodies.

    Discover the financial support available to you to help with your studies at Birkbeck.

    International scholarships

    We provide a range of scholarships for eligible international students, including our Global Future Scholarship. Discover if you are eligible for a scholarship.

  • Teaching and Assessment Teaching and Assessment

    Teaching

    At Birkbeck, most of our courses are taught in the evening and all of our teaching is designed to support students who are juggling evening study with work and other commitments. We actively encourage innovative and engaging ways of teaching, to ensure our students have the best learning experience.

    Teaching may include formal lectures, seminars, and practical classes and tutorials. Formal lectures are used in most degree programmes to give an overview of a particular field of study. They aim to provide the stimulus and the starting point for deeper exploration of the subject during your own personal reading. Seminars give you the chance to explore a specific aspect of your subject in depth and to discuss and exchange ideas with fellow students. They typically require preparatory study.

    In addition, you will have access to pastoral support via a named Personal Tutor.

    Methods of teaching on this course

    Theoretical components are taught mainly via evening sessions supported through online materials and by attendance at evening classes some of which are online and some in person. Coaching skills are taught mainly through on-campus Saturday workshops supported by teaching and feedback on skills development from experienced tutors.

    Access to suitable clients is required for this work, as is external independent supervision to support professional practice.

    Teaching hours

    Our evening hours are normally between 6pm and 9pm (6-7.30pm and 7.30-9pm). Some programmes also offer teaching during the day and this will be clearly signposted to you where it is available.

    On our taught courses, you will have scheduled teaching and study sessions each year. Scheduled teaching sessions may include lectures, seminars, workshops or laboratory work. Depending on the modules you take, you may also have additional scheduled academic activities, such as tutorials, dissertation supervision, practical classes, visits and field trips. On our taught courses, the actual amount of time you spend in the classroom and in contact with your lecturers will depend on your course, the option modules you select and when you undertake your final-year project (if applicable).

    Alongside your contact hours, you will also undertake assessment activities and independent learning outside of class. The amount of time you need to allocate to study both for taught sessions (this might include online sessions and/or in-person sessions) and personal study will depend on how much you are studying during the year and whether you are studying full time or part time.

    Birkbeck’s courses are made up of modules and allocated ‘credit’. One credit is equivalent to ten hours of learning time. Modules are usually in 15, 30 or 60 credit units. A 15-credit module will mean around 150 hours of learning, including taught sessions and independent study or group work. This is spread out over the whole period of that module and includes the time you spend on any assessments, including in examinations, preparing and writing assessments or engaged in practical work as well as any study support sessions to help you in your learning.

    On our distance-learning and blended-learning courses, discussion, collaboration and interaction with your lecturers and fellow students is encouraged and enabled through various learning technologies.

    Timetables

    Timetables are usually available from September onwards and you can access your personalised timetable via your My Birkbeck Profile online (if you have been invited to enrol).

    Indicative class size

    Class sizes vary, depending on your course, the module you are undertaking, and the method of teaching. For example, lectures are presented to larger groups, whereas seminars usually consist of small, interactive groups led by a tutor.

    Independent learning

    On our taught courses, much of your time outside of class will be spent on self-directed, independent learning, including preparing for classes and following up afterwards. This will usually include, but is not limited to, reading books and journal articles, undertaking research, working on coursework and assignments, and preparing for presentations and assessments.

    Independent learning is absolutely vital to your success as a student. Everyone is different, and the study time required varies topic by topic, but, as a guide, expect to schedule up to five hours of self-study for each hour of teaching.

    Study skills and additional support

    Birkbeck offers study and learning support to undergraduate and postgraduate students to help them succeed. Our Learning Development Service can help you in the following areas:

    • academic skills (including planning your workload, research, writing, exam preparation and writing a dissertation)
    • written English (including structure, punctuation and grammar)
    • numerical skills (basic mathematics and statistics).

    Our Disability and Dyslexia Service can support you if you have additional learning needs resulting from a disability or from dyslexia.

    Our Counselling Service can support you if you are struggling with emotional or psychological difficulties during your studies.

    Our Mental Health Advisory Service can support you if you are experiencing short- or long-term mental health difficulties during your studies.

    Assessment

    Assessment is an integral part of your university studies and usually consists of a combination of coursework and examinations, although this will vary from course to course - on some of our courses, assessment is entirely by coursework. The methods of assessment on this course are specified below under 'Methods of assessment on this course'. You will need to allow time to complete coursework and prepare for exams.

    Where a course has unseen written examinations, these may be held termly, but, on the majority of our courses, exams are usually taken in the Summer term, during May to June. Exams may be held at other times of the year as well. In most cases, exams are held during the day on a weekday - if you have daytime commitments, you will need to make arrangements for daytime attendance - but some exams are held in the evening. Exam timetables are published online.

    Find out more about assessment at Birkbeck, including guidance on assessment, feedback and our assessment offences policy.

    Methods of assessment on this course

    Termly essays, reports, case studies, reflective assignments or proposals and, for the MSc only, an independent, applied research project (8000 words) submitted at the end of the final year.

  • Careers and employability Careers and employability

    Careers and employability

    Career coaching is an expanding profession, given the changing world of work. Graduates can pursue career paths such as:

    • career and coaching psychologists in private practice and coaching organisations
    • higher education career consultants
    • external coaches in private practice
    • executive and leadership coaches
    • internal coaches and career or talent managers in a wide range of commercial organisations
    • mentors in start-ups
    • consultants in change management
    • career specialists in the NHS and social agencies.

    We offer a comprehensive careers service - Careers and Enterprise - your career partner during your time at Birkbeck and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education and future ambitions.

  • How to apply How to apply

    How to apply

    You apply directly to Birkbeck for this course, using the online application link.

    You will need to prove your identity when you apply - read more about suitable forms of identification.

    When to apply

    You are strongly advised to apply now, to ensure there are still places on your chosen course and to give you enough time to complete the admissions process, to arrange funding and to enrol.

    You don't need to complete your current programme of study before you apply - Birkbeck can offer you a place that is conditional on your results.

    You will also receive information about subject-specific induction sessions over the summer.

    Help and advice with your application

    Get all the information you need about the application, admission and enrolment process at Birkbeck.

    Our online personal statement tool will guide you through every step of writing the personal statement part of your application.

    Apply for your course

    Apply for your course using the apply now button in the key information section.

Course structure

Course structure listing

Course structure and modules for Career Coaching and Coaching Psychology MSc: 2 years part-time, on campus, starting October 2024

You must complete modules worth a total of 180 credits, consisting of:

  • six compulsory modules, choosing between Core Coaching Skills and Advanced Coaching Portfolio in Year 1 (120 credits)
  • a supervised independent applied research project of 8000-10,000 words (60 credits).
Year 1 modules
Year 2 modules
Research project