The full requirements for the Course comprise the following elements:

1. Theory teaching: see below, under 'Syllabus', for details.

2. Awareness Groups: usually one session will be allocated in every meeting to an Awareness Group. The chief purpose of this will be to provide a safe environment where trainees can explore their response to the course as a whole and the day's work in particular; the effects that the course is having on them and that members are having on one another. This event will be conducted by a member of staff who is professionally trained in working with groups.

3. Advanced practice of counselling and interpersonal skills. This will be incorporated into the regular course meetings at intervals.

4. Learning Journal: each trainee will be required to create a Learning Journal to record their personal learning in the context of the course. While it will be expected that trainees use and refer to this Journal in the course of their tutorials and supervision, and be able to demonstrate that it has been regularly written up, the Journal is not submitted for scrutiny as part of the ongoing or final assessment.

5. Tutorials will be provided, in small groups of not more than four, in order to maximize trainees' understanding of their progress on the course in general, and more particularly of the academic or theoretical elements. It is envisaged that there will be 7 tutorials: one during Part 1 (and referred to as "the summer tutorial"), and one a term during Parts 2 and 3. There will be at least one individual tutorial each year.

6. Counselling practice and individual supervision: in accordance with COSCA's regulations, each trainee will be required to deliver a minimum of 100 hours of counselling practice in an approved setting. The supervision will be in the overall ratio of one hour of supervision for every six hours of client sessions. A total of 20 hours of individual sessions is provided for; these begin when the trainee, with the approval of the course management, starts the 100 hours.

7. Group supervision and 'clinical practice': in addition to the individual supervision referred to in paragraph 6, there are occasional sessions (during the weekly meetings) of supervision in the group context, and sessions where a wide-ranging, more impromptu discussion of issues of clinical practice will take place.

8. Written assignments will be set at regular intervals. Full details available from the Course Director.

9. Personal therapy: while there will be no absolute requirement for trainees to undergo personal therapy while pursuing the course, nevertheless this is recommended, not only as a desirable adjunct to the course work, but also for the following considerations:

(1) It is a requirement for COSCA's Accreditation, and regarded as desirable for trainees to make at least substantial progress towards this requirement while on their Diploma Course. The experience of therapy is likely to be of great relevance and learning potential, and will be drawn on as a resource for trainees in various sectors of the course.

(2) There may be times when a trainee is faced with the indication that being in concurrent therapy is the only realistic way of continuing productively on the course. In all cases it is indicated that therapy should be of individual psychodynamic type. The Course Director may be able to provide names of approved therapists.