Cognitive Behavioural Therapy PGDip
- Typical entry requirements
- View full entry requirements
- Course delivery
- On Campus
Course information for entry year:
Overview
A clinically focused, practice-based CBT diploma that trains existing healthcare professionals to reach BABCP accreditation standards.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a psychological or 'talking' therapy which has proven effective for helping people with a range of mental and physical health problems.
This is a level 2 BABCP (British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy) accredited professional qualification in CBT.
We focus on developing the knowledge and skills required to treat common mental health problems (anxiety & depression) as recommended in NICE guidance.
We pride ourselves in giving our trainees the best possible start to a fulfilling career as a CBT therapist. After completing the programme you will be eligible to apply for BABCP accreditation which will enable you to work as a fully qualified CBT therapist within the NHS or private sector.
We aim to recruit trainees who are:
- committed to placing client care at the heart of everything they learn and do
- committed to personal and professional development and lifelong learning
- committed to adapting therapy to individuals from a range of diverse backgrounds enabling people to reach their full potential
This course is open to:
- Self-funding / employer sponsored applicants
- NHS funded applicants – through NHS Talking Therapies High Intensity Training
Please note: This course is for those with foundational professional knowledge of mental health. For more information, see the Entry Requirements section.
Important information
We've highlighted important information about your course. Please take note of any deadlines.
Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.
View our Academic experience page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2025-26.
See our terms and conditions and student complaints information, which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.
Quality and ranking
Professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by professional bodies to ensure they meet the latest industry practices and regulatory standards. This keeps your degree rigorous, relevant, and highly valued by employers, providing a clear pathway into your chosen career.
If you are studying an accredited degree and considering a career in Europe after graduation, it is important to stay informed about international standards. The best resource for current information is the UK Government's guidance on recognition of UK professional qualifications in EU member states.
This official resource provides essential details on:
- whether your profession is regulated in another country.
- the specific steps you need to take to practice abroad.
- which organisations you should contact to begin the process.
Our students
What you'll learn
We provide practical, intensive and detailed training to facilitate the development of competent CBT skills, to NHS and BABCP defined standards.
We aim to integrate CBT skill development with the necessary knowledge and attitudes to be open-minded, informed and reflective CBT practitioners.
We promote a critical approach through engagement with relevant theory, models and evidence.
Our training equips trainees to become competent in the psychological assessment & treatment of anxiety disorders, major depression and a range of other mental health conditions in full accordance with BABCP guidance for good practice.
Modules
The module information on our course pages is intended to provide an example of what you will study.
Our teaching is informed by research. Course content changes periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.
Full details of the modules on offer will be published through the Programme Regulations and Specifications ahead of each academic year. This usually happens in May.
Some courses have optional modules. Student demand for optional modules may affect availability.
| Compulsory Modules | Credits |
|---|---|
| Fundamentals of CBT | 20 |
| CBT for Anxiety Disorders | 40 |
| CBT for Depression | 40 |
| CBT Practice | 20 |
How you'll learn
Our programme is delivered by highly committed and experienced CBT therapists, trainers, and supervisors, and is designed to train you in evidence based, innovative CBT approaches.
Two models of skill acquisition inform the teaching methods for this course. Individual workshops will follow the training model developed by Barton (2018). This outlines the main components of a successful training process, and the interactions between them, which are:
- guidance
- demonstration
- reflection
- practice
- feedback
The second model is the Declarative Procedural Reflective (DPR) model (Bennett-Levy, 2006). This emphasises experiential learning and transforming factual knowledge into practical knowledge or skills. This is done through the process of reflection. You will learn to decide which skill to apply to which client, under a set of circumstances, at a point in therapy. The didactic element of our workshops means you'll develop the knowledge required for the topic. Workshop leaders offer a range of experiential learning opportunities. These include demonstrations of specific clinical skills and skills practices. These enable formative feedback and give you the chance to reflect on your learning.
Individual tutorials will help you reflect on your learning and progression. They'll also allow you to develop effective learning strategies. You'll have specialist group CBT supervision from a BABCP accredited practitioner. This will help you embed theory into your clinical practice. You'll receive formative feedback on the quality of your clinical work. You'll reflect on the personal impact of your work and develop effective self-care strategies. You'll also receive clinical supervision in your host service. This will provide further feedback on your skills and the opportunity for formative practice through role play.
You'll be encouraged to develop reflective practice and to record your reflections using a reflective log. CBT therapists regard reflection as the “engine” of lifelong learning (Bennett-Levy et al., 2007). Driving personal and professional development is an essential learning activity for this programme.
Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:
- Case study
- Oral presentation
- Portfolio
- Report
Our programme values guide our approach to education:
Compassion - we recognise CBT training is personally and professionally challenging. We empathise with our trainees and respond by providing appropriate support. Where there are trainees experiencing difficulty, we will respond with compassion and understanding.
Reasonableness - whilst working within the parameters set by the University and our regulating bodies, we approach all aspects of training with the spirit of reasonableness. We expect trainees to reciprocate and behave in a reasonable way when working with us.
Collaboration - CBT training depends on strong working relationships between the trainee, their service and the programme team. Where there is a difficulty, we will work together towards a resolution. We will collaborate on progress decisions and in the design and delivery of the programme.
Quality - CBT training at Newcastle has a long standing reputation for quality. We aim to deliver the highest quality teaching, training, supervision and assessment. We aim to train generations of therapists to provide the highest quality CBT for the benefit of patients.
Entry requirements
The entrance requirements below apply to 2027 entry.
Our entry requirements and other information will be finalised in September 2026.
Qualifications from outside the UK
English Language requirements
Admissions policy
This policy applies to all undergraduate and postgraduate admissions at Newcastle University. It is intended to provide information about our admissions policies and procedures to applicants and potential applicants, to their advisors and family members, and to staff of the University.
University Admissions Policy and related policies and procedures
Credit transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) can allow you to convert existing relevant university-level knowledge, skills and experience into credits towards a qualification. Find out more about the RPL policy which may apply to this course
Additional Entry Requirements
This course is for experienced mental health professionals. In order to accepted, you must meet one of two criteria.
Core Professions
Applications for this course are open to those with a core profession and two years post-qualifying experience.
A full list of core professions can be found on the BABCP website.
Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes (KSA) Portfolio
Those without a core profession may still be eligible to apply, but must demonstrate that they have gained knowledge, skills and attitudes that are equivalent to a core profession. The BABCP allows candidates to evidence this through the KSA portfolio.
More information about the KSA portfolio can be found on the BABCP website.
Those applying with a KSA portfolio will be asked to submit a full draft at interview. If you are successful at interview, your place will be conditional until you have completed, submitted and had your KSA signed off by the programme team.
We will also be offering an introduction to KSA webinar which is open to all prospective applicants. To find out more, please email cbt-dip.director@ncl.ac.uk.
Your future
You will be eligible to apply for practitioner accreditation with BABCP and to seek work as an independent CBT practitioner in both the private and public sectors. Your development will be measured against the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) guidelines for good practice, and you will have the opportunity to contribute to the further development of CBT.
Our Careers Service
Our expert Careers Service is here to help you take the next steps in your professional life. We will support you while you’re studying with us and for up to three years after you graduate.
You will have access to expert one-to-one advice and guidance through our campus careers centre and online, along with digital resources, workshops, networking opportunities, and careers and recruitment events.
We’ve been awarded 5 QS Stars for Student Employability (2025). Many of our degrees are shaped by strong links with national and international businesses. We are committed to helping you access real-world experience opportunities and develop key skills through paid work placements and internships.
I am indebted to Newcastle University for providing me with the high standard of training needed to make this leap in my clinical work. The level of support through training has been incredible.
Facilities
The School of Psychology is based on the University campus in the Dame Margaret Barbour Building. This is a state-of-the-art purpose built facility for the School of Psychology, Sport and Exercise Science and Human Nutrition and Dietetics. There are designated post-graduate study spaces, social learning spaces, seminar rooms, comfortable teaching rooms, “brew stations” social spaces.
Fees, Funding and Scholarships
Tuition fees for 2027 entry (per year)
As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.
Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.
EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support. You may be eligible for a scholarship worth 25% off the international fee. Search our funding database.
If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance.
Scholarships
We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our searchable postgraduate funding page for more information.
Search for funding and scholarships
Find funding available for your course
What you're paying for
Tuition fees include the costs of:
- matriculation
- registration
- tuition (or supervision)
- library access
- examination
- re-examination
- graduation
Find out more about:
If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.
You can check this in the How to apply section.
If you're applying for funding, always check the funding application deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline for your course.
For some funding schemes, you need to have received an offer of a place on a course before you can apply for the funding.
How to apply
Using the application portal
The application portal has instructions to guide you through your application. It will tell you what documents you need and how to upload them.
You can choose to start your application, save your details and come back to complete it later.
If you’re ready, you can select Apply Online and you’ll be taken directly to the application portal.
Alternatively you can find out more about applying on our applications and offers pages.
Apply Online
Open days and events
Find out about how you can visit Newcastle in person and virtually
Overseas events
We regularly travel overseas to meet with students interested in studying at Newcastle University.
Visit our events calendar for the latest events
Open Day
Thursday, 11th March, 2027, 3pm-4.30pm
To book a place please email cbt-dip.director@ncl.ac.uk.
Get in touch
Questions about this course?
If you have specific questions about this course you can contact:
Dr Anna Chaddock
Programme Director
School of Psychology
Email: anna.chaddock1@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 8371
Enquiries
If you've got a question about your application, send us an enquiry via the application portal you applied through.
If you haven't applied yet, or have a general enquiry, you can send your questions via our enquiry form.
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