DC-L4 Diploma in Coaching* | Redlands Counselling and Training

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CPCAB Level 4
DC-L4 Diploma in Coaching*

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Remote DeliveryRemote Delivery
Duration
Day
Times
Course Dates
120 hours run over 30 x 4 hour sessions
Thu
9:15 am - 1:15 pm
Thu 5 Mar 2026 to 17 Dec 2026

New online Course

*subject to prior approval by CPCAB

We have replaced the CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Life Coaching (LC-L4) with this tailor-made course designed by Redlands and to be approved by CPCAB, the 'CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Coaching (DC-L4)'. This new course will be delivered completely online.  

 

Nationally recognised

This is a Level 4 CPCAB Diploma course leading to a nationally recognised coaching qualification. The course is specifically designed for those in helping roles or who aim to be in helping roles working from a humanistic integrative orientation and who wish to become an independent coach, without compromising their underpinning principles of practice. These principles include the importance of Rogers’ core conditions, being authentic in relationship and respecting the client’s own resources and potential for change, without the need for an ‘expert’ or external locus of evaluation.

Who is it aimed at?

This course is aimed at those who have achieved a Level 2 and Level 3 qualification in a helping discipline, or equivalent and who wish to become independent coaches or integrate coaching skills and knowledge into their helping practice.

Successful completion of this course means that candidates will to either work as an independent coach or integrate coaching skills and knowledge into their helping practice.

Course Content

The qualification will enable you to:

- Work within an ethical framework for independent coaching practice

- Apply a relational approach to coaching practice

- Apply understanding of diversity to coaching practice

- Support clients to cope with life’s challenges and to engage with opportunities to flourish

- Apply learning from self-development to enhance coaching practice

- Apply a coherent body of knowledge and skills to enhance coaching practice

- Use reflective practice to develop and inform coaching work

Entry Requirements
Assessments
Fees and Costs
Application Process
Facilitator

Previous training

Students must have already undertaken counselling skills training of 90 hours or more at Level 2, for example, the CPCAB Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills. They also must have completed study training of 90 hours or more in a helping role, at Level 3, for example the CPCAB Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies or its equivalent.

CPCAB Requirements

Students also need to meet the generic CPCAB requirements and be aged 19 years or older. The specific criteria for this course, based on CPCAB guidelines, will also be considered in selecting applicants for the course.

Assessment will be by way of tutor Internal Assessment of your portfolio. The assessment will be internally verified by the Redlands Internal Quality Assurance team and externally verified by CPCAB. There is no external assessment.

Client Work

You will need to complete a minimum of 20 coaching client hours with at least 3 clients outside the course sessions.

Reasonable adjustments are available to students who need them e.g., non-native English speakers or students with learning difficulties.

The tuition fee is £2195 plus CPCAB Registration fee £195. If the tuition fee is paid by 9th January 2026 a discount of £200 will apply reducing the tuition fee to £1995.

Additional Costs

Professional Membership

You will need to join as an Associate member of the Association of Coaching, currently £145.    

Textbooks

Students will need to buy course textbooks which can be ordered from bookstores such as Waterstones, as well as Amazon.co.uk. The total cost of the course textbooks is approximately £140.

Client work

Depending on your readiness to start coaching work you can expect to start client work by the end of the first 6 weeks of the course. Once you start client work you will need to arrange your personal indemnity and public liability insurance. Quotes will vary but you’ll need to budget for up to £100 for this.

Personal Coaching

You are required to receive at least 4 coaching sessions whilst on the course. You should budget for approximately £100-£150 per session.

Supervision

Once you start client work you will be expected to attend at least four supervision sessions lasting at least one hour each during the course. You will need to budget for up to £100 for each of those sessions.

Application Process

  1. Complete the ‘Register Your Interest’ form at the bottom of this page and we’ll send you the application form.
  2. Fill in the online application form with your personal statement and the name & email address of your Level 3 course tutor.
  3. We will then seek a reference from your Level 3 course tutor and arrange an interview with one of our Level 4 tutors.
  4. If your tutor reference is satisfactory and your interview is successful, we will offer you a place by sending a Training Contract.

Maria Scholes is a humanistic integrative counsellor, coach, and supervisor. She has been delivering psychoeducational and personal development training for 15 years and is also experienced in delivering CPCAB Level 2-6 counselling and coaching courses.

She has been working in private practice for 9 years and previously worked as therapist within the NHS, community counselling settings and the charities sector.  Maria’s private practice has grown since qualifying as a coach because increasingly clients seek a dual skill set.

Maria is passionate about coaching which is informed by positive psychology, and she has a special interest in resilience and positive ageing coaching. She is a registered member of the BACP and the Association for Coaching and the Positive Psychology Guild.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do the initials CPCAB stand for?

CPCAB stands for the Counselling & Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body. This is the Body which awards the qualification to students who are assessed as proficient at the end of the course. CPCAB is the only national Awarding Body which specialises in counselling qualifications.

Is there funding for the course, including the Advanced Learner Loan?

As Redlands is an independent training provider, we are not part of the Government-Funded Advanced Learner Loan scheme. For this reason, our learners are self-funded.

We do aim to keep our costs at a level which make all our courses accessible, whilst maintaining excellent quality.  There is an early payment discount for this course, and the details and deadline for this is on the Fees and Costs section of the webpage.

Can I pay the course fees in instalments, or do you offer an early payment plan?

We do not offer a fees instalment plan; however we do have an early payment discount for this course, and the details and deadline for this are on the Fees and Costs section of the webpage.

Does this course carry any credits towards the Open University Bsc Degree in Counsellling?

No, this course does not carry any credits towards the Open University Bsc Degree in Counselling.

The CPCAB courses which do carry credits are the TC-L4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling, the CBT-L5 Diploma in CBT and the PC-L5 Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling.

What is the progression route?

Subject to tutor recommendation and CPCAB Guidelines, progression is to the CPCAB TC-L4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling (BACP approved)

Am I required to be in coaching for this course?

Yes, you are required to have 4 coaching sessions whilst you are on the course.

    Register your Interest

    To register your interest in applying for this course please complete the details below and a member of our team will be in contact to discuss more details.

    I am interested in studying