Registered counsellor

What does a registered counsellor do?

The registered counsellor category is a category created by the Professional Board for Psychology of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) to meet the needs of the South African population at primary intervention level. The registered counsellor will be able to provide basic, short-term, supportive counselling, basic psycho-education and training and promotion of primary psychosocial well-being. The Board for Psychology has approved ten practice fields: career counselling; trauma counselling; school counselling; HIV/AIDS counselling; community mental health; sport counselling; employee well-being; family counselling; pastoral counselling and human resources. Please note that each university will select the practice fields that they will offer practicums for.

Employment options

The registered counsellor may be part of a psychological practice or employed by corporations or institutions such as in private practice, business, government departments or non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Registered counsellors are allowed to practise independently, but must adhere to their scope of prescribed practice specifications by the Board, and not execute psychological acts reserved for other categories of counsellors, pscyhometrists and registered psychologists.

How do I become a registered counsellor?

• Complete a Bachelor's degree, an Honours degree in Psychology, an internship of 6 months full-time or 12 months part-time at a recognised training institution and write the Board examination for the Professional Board of Psychology
  OR
• Complete the BPsych degree and write the Board examination for the Professional Board of Psychology. The BPsych has been phased out at Unisa and some other universities

Unisa's BPsych equivalence accreditation: registration as a psychological counsellor

The Unisa BPsych Equivalence Program (UBEP) is designed to enable a student to become a Registered Counsellor in any one of the following three fields: Trauma Counselling, Career Counselling and Pastoral Counselling.

You qualify for the UBEP if you have completed an honours degree in psychology that includes certain specified areas which varies for the different fields. Our program is accredited with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). After completing the program and passing your Board examination, you register with the HPCSA.

The program consists of the following steps:

1. Apply to us for admission to the field of your choice by completing an application form for your field of choice.
2. Obtain permission from us to do a six month full time, or a twelve month part-time internship. The institution where a student does his or her internship must be approved by us and must be situated in the Republic of South Africa.
3. You are required to do supervision on a regular basis with a senior, registered psychologist (someone who has been in practice and registered with the HPCSA for at least 3 years). We have to approve your supervising psychologist.
4. Pay the required Unisa fee of R1500 for Trauma Counselling. This fee is required as we incur costs for the administration of the program and for visiting the internship organisations.Please do not pay before your internship has been approved. If payment is made before approval, you may lose all or part of the money.
5. Apply for the National Board of Psychology’s Examination for Registered Counsellors or Psychometrists after completing the internship and all academic requirements.
6. After passing the examinations, apply for registration to practise as a psychological counsellor within the provisions determined by the HPCSA after passing the examination.

Intern counsellors, like registered counsellors and psychologists are expected to adhere to the code of conduct for practitioners in the field of psychology. The “Rules of conduct pertaining specifically to Psychology” (Form 223) can be requested from Ms Chuma Legae of the HPCSA (at chumal@hpcsa.co.za, tel 012 338 9474/9404 or fax 012 326 6794 or by post at PO Box 205, Pretoria, 0001). Intern counsellors are expected to study this code of conduct, not only for the Board of Psychology’s examination, but also as a guideline for the conduct as counsellors.

More information about the internships

Are you interested in:

• trauma counselling (for Psychology students)
• pastoral counselling (for Psychology students)
• career counselling (for Psychology or Industrial psychology students)
• employee wellness or human resources (for Industrial psychology students)

Registered counsellor training route

OPTION 1 (Department of Psychology, Directorate for Counselling, Career & Academic Development, and Department of Practical Theology)	OPTION 2 (Department of Industrial and Organisational Psychology)
Bachelor's degree with Psychology as major (for example: BA General; BSc General; BBA; BA(SW); BA Health Sciences and Social Services; BInf; BA Pol) Minimum duration: 3 years Average part-time duration: 5-6 years Students who have completed a degree without Psychology as major, need to complete the relevant undergraduate modules for Psychology as a major subject for non-degree purposes before registering for the Honours degree	BCom degree with specialisation in Industrial and Organisational (I & O) Psychology Minimum duration: 3 years Average part-time duration: 5-6 years Students who have completed any other degree with I & O Psychology as major, may be required to complete additional second- and/ or third-level I & O Psychology modules in order to be considered for professional practical training. Students who have completed a degree without Industrial Psychology as major, need to complete the relevant undergraduate modules for Industrial Psychology as a major and may be required to complete additional second and/ or third level I & O Psychology modules
BA, BA(SW) or BSc Honours in Psychology with relevant papers as prescribed for your practice field Minimum duration: 1 year Average part-time duration: 2-3 years Admission requirements: an average of 60% for Psychology III (or Psychology level 3 modules) AND these marks must have been obtained less than 6 years ago Students who do not meet these requirements, may be admitted if they have completed a further degree, or completed a four-year degree, or completed a postgraduate diploma or certificate. On completion of the Honours degree, apply to the Department of Psychology or Directorate for Counselling, Career & Academic Development or the Department of Practical Theology to complete a practicum related to your practice field On completion of the Honours and the practical work certified by the University and the supervisor, you write the Professional Board for Psychology qualifying exam Apply for registration as a registered counsellor with the Professional Board for Psychology.	Honours BCom, BA or BAdmin degree in I & O Psychology Minimum duration: 1 year Average part-time duration: 2-3 years Admission requirements: a completed degree with Industrial Psychology as a major subject Apply during the last year of your Honours degree, but preferably after completion of the Honours degree, to be selected to complete a 720 hours practicum in one of the designated practice fields for counsellor (career counselling or human resources or employee well-being) The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the above-mentioned qualifications and requirements, an in-depth interview with invited applicants and possible other measures (for example, psychological assessment instruments) Selected applicants must submit a practical programme for internship and be supervised by a registered Industrial Psychologist and the Department of Industrial and Organisational Psychology Applications can be made any time during the year  On completion of the Honours and the practical work certified by the University and the supervisor, students write the Professional Board for Psychology qualifying exam Apply for registration as a registered counsellor with the Professional Board for Psychology.

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