Ichas Building Front
The Irish College of Humanities and Applied Sciences (ICHAS) is an independent education provider, specialising in the delivery of third level programmes. The College was founded in 1999 and it currently offers a range of Higher education programmes as well as a range of continuing professional development opportunities. The core focus within the College is the education of professional practitioners in Caring Disciplines. All programmes at ICHAS are designed to be relevant and contemporary, ensuring both academic and occupational value – both nationally and internationally.

The College offers a range of QQI awarded Counselling Courses and Psychotherapy Courses, as well as Masters level programmes (Level 9 on the National Framework of Qualifications) in Leadership & Management Courses, and Childhood and Adolescent Studies as well as Clinical Supervision in Professional Practice at our campus in Limerick. We also offer many of these programmes at our campus in Griffith College Dublin, and Wharton House Waterford.

Programmes On Offer

NFQ level Level 7
BA in Counselling Skills and Psychotherapy Studies
BA in Counselling Skills and Youth Studies
BA in Counselling Skills and Addiction Studies
NFQ level Level 8
BA Hons in Counselling and Psychotherapy
BA Hons in Counselling and Youth Studies
BA Hons in Counselling and Addiction Studies
NFQ level Level 9
MA in Counselling and Psychotherapy
MA in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
MA in Childhood and Adolescent Studies
MA in Clinical Supervision in Professional Practice
MA in Leadership and Management
MA in Addiction Counselling
We also work with a range of Service Providers Aiseiri Addiction Treatment Services to provide tailored Professional Development programmes and bespoke training. See www.ichas.ie for further information on these Short Courses.

Our People

The academic staff of ICHAS have a wide and varied level of national and international expertise and the College prides itself on the fact that many academics maintain an active practice base while engaged in teaching, adding to their credibility and enhancing the overall value of the learner experience.

Our Commitment to Students

At the Irish College of Humanities and Applied Sciences, we believe that all students can achieve their full potential and we are fully committed to supporting learners on this journey.

The College provides an academic environment that fosters personalised learning, enabling participants to develop their potential for life and for exciting careers in their chosen field of study. Programmes are designed to meet the needs of modern student life, accommodating learners who wish to study either on a part time or full time basis, combining traditional face-to-face lecturing with online learning.
The ICHAS College motto reflects this ethos as we are a college that is focused on

‘Realising Potential’

Flexible & Affordable Education

Our core values are driven by principles of inclusivity and flexibility. Within that context, we offer many programmes or modules within programmes through full time or part time study routes and rely significantly on the use of a Synchronous Blended Learning Environment for theoretic modules. This technology enabled learning approaches are designed to facilitate a better work- study- life balance. The college is committed to ensuring affordable access to higher education and to ensure the costs associated with its programmes are as affordable as possible. These initiatives are designed to maximise accessibility to education.

Blended Learning

ICHAS has embraced innovative educational technologies in a number of ways with the aim of delivering flexible education options for students using blended learning. We broadcast most theory-based modules online, giving the student the choice between attending classes face-to-face or joining in online. In addition, the learning management system enables us to use a number of innovative approaches to support learning beyond the classroom for students, including access to lecture recordings, mobile learning, video assessments, easy login to online libraries, and more.
At ICHAS, all part-time courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels are offered through a blended learning approach. This means these programmes combine the best of traditional face-to-face teaching with online/remote learning. The online learning platform isn’t a passive experience – students can see the lecturer and the students in the class via webcam; ask and answer questions and view presentation slides as the lecturer explains them.
Ichas Graduation 2016 Pic 1456 3

Professional Accreditation and Regulation of Counselling & Psychotherapy

Potential students or current students undertaking a course in Counselling or Psychotherapy normally wish to become a professional practitioner in Ireland. In that regard, there are impending changes in these fields which are likely to significantly impact on future practice. Until recently, neither Counselling or Psychotherapy were regulated under statute, which effectively meant that anyone could use the title counsellor or psychotherapist, regardless of their qualifications or experience and not be subject to legal penalties for doing so. This is about to change in that Counselling and Psychotherapy is being regulated under CORU (the Health and Social Care Professionals Council). This will be a significant development in terms of the protection of the public. The Department of Health have consistently and clearly stated that the minimum educational qualifications that will be necessary for future registration will be QQI qualifications (or equivalent). It will be a matter for Coru to set Professional Standards for registration as either a Counsellor or Psychotherapist and CORU has now commenced that work and the College wishes them well in that regard.

In addition to meeting the QQI award standards, counselling programmes at ICHAS are designed to facilitate those who wish to pursue professional accreditation also under current professional accreditation arrangements. Students should be aware that they need to meet the requirements of whichever professional accreditation body with whom they wish to be accredited. Programmes at ICHAS are structured with sufficient flexibility to allow for the varying requirements for pre-accreditation membership with a range of professional accreditation bodies in Ireland.

At the moment, students are free to apply to any of the relevant professional Associations for student membership while undertaking their programme and students who wish to be professionally accredited need to apply for pre-accredited membership following completion of their programme and in advance of full accredited membership. In such cases, students should direct their efforts within their programme to meeting the specific conditions of the relevant Associations with whom they wish to be accredited, which are set out below. In particular. The College works with Addiction Counsellors Ireland (ACI), the Association of Professional Counsellors and Psychotherapists (APCP) and the National Association for Pastoral Counselling & Psychotherapy (NAPCP) to support students wishing for Professional Accreditation.

Our College by Our Students

Check out this short video, produced and directed by our students, and designed to give you a flavour of student life and the student experience at ICHAS.
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ICHAS Sponsorships

ICHAS acknowledges and appreciates the value and contribution that various organisations are making to the community and we try as much  as possible to sponsor events of Community based organisations. . Some examples include the following organisations. 

Community Crisis Response Team - A team of volunteers who travel out to people in suicidal distress. https://ichas.ie/spring-talk-at-ichas-featuring-ccrt-limerick/

 

Limerick Mental Health Association (LMHA)  - A Team who promotes positive mental health across Limerick City and County. https://ichas.ie/spring-talk-with-limerick-mental-health-assocation/

 

Saoirse Addiction Treatment Centre - A team who offers addiction counselling and structured programmes to individuals and families. There is no fee for Saoirse services https://ichas.ie/ichas-saoirse-great-limerick-run-2019/

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