According to a 2024 situational analysis prepared for the National Planning Commission, only around one in four South Africans who need mental healthcare, receive it. In July 2025, Deputy Health Minister, Dr Joe Phaahla also highlighted the limited resources allocated to mental healthcare, reporting that it receives just 5% of the national healthcare budget. In his speech, the minister specifically linked this budget insufficiency to infrastructure inadequacies and staff shortages.
Against this backdrop, Sacap (the South African College of Applied Psychology) has announced that its new master of psychology in counselling psychology MPsych (Counselling Psychology) has received accreditation from both the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). Sacap is currently the only private higher education institution in South Africa accredited to offer this professional training programme.
Dr Jaclyn Lotter, executive dean at Sacap, says, “South Africa urgently needs greater capacity to train professional psychologists. At the same time, demand for professional psychology training continues to exceed the number of places available at public universities. After almost three decades of commitment to applied psychology and the delivery of quality higher education, this accreditation represents a significant milestone for Sacap. We regard the opportunity to contribute to the training of South Africa’s future counselling psychologists as both a great privilege and an important responsibility”.
Building on a longstanding commitment to applied psychology
Psychology has been central to Sacap’s educational identity since its inception. Its approach has consistently emphasised the integration of academic knowledge with applied learning, meaningful work-integrated learning opportunities and a deep understanding of the diverse social and cultural contexts in which South Africans live and work.
The new master's programme builds on this foundation, preparing practitioners who can integrate psychological theory, research and therapeutic practice, while responding thoughtfully to the needs of individuals, families, groups and communities. A particular emphasis is placed on understanding psychological wellbeing within the broader circumstances that shape people’s lives, from family and relationships to culture, work, inequality and community life.
“We see our new MPsych (counselling psychology) programme as an opportunity to join the established community of South African universities and academics who have trained generations of psychologists,” says Dr Lotter. “We recognise the important contribution these institutions have made to the profession and look forward to playing our part in strengthening South African’s professional psychology training capacity”.
Combining academic rigour with supervised practice
Sacap’s two-year MPsych (counselling psychology) programme is a full-time, NQF Level 9 professional qualification. The first year integrates advanced academic learning, research and supervised practicum experience. Students will develop competencies in psychological assessment, evidence-based therapeutic interventions, psychopathology, ethics, community psychology and research. Supervised work-integrated learning (WIL) is embedded throughout the year, supported by weekly clinical supervision. In the second year, students undertake a full-time, 12-month supervised internship at an HPCSA-approved training site.
Successful completion of the programme and internship, followed by passing the HPCSA Board Examination, provides the pathway to professional registration as a counselling psychologist with the HPCSA.
Dr Vikki Botes, Sacap’s head of faculty: applied psychology explains, “The programme places particular emphasis on ethical and professionally accountable practice, cultural responsiveness, critical thinking and reflective professional development. Our intention is to develop Counselling Psychologists who are not only academically and professionally competent, but who can also engage thoughtfully and responsibly with the complex realities of South African society.”
An important next chapter for Sacap
The initial cohort will include 10 students, reflecting the intensive nature of professional psychology training and the importance of close academic engagement, individual professional development and rigorous clinical supervision. For prospective students, the programme offers a new opportunity to pursue professional training in counselling psychology through a well-established private higher education institution with a long-standing focus on applied psychology.
Sacap will welcome its first cohort of MPsych (counselling psychology) students at its Johannesburg campus in 2028, with applications opening in 2027.
For Sacap, however the significance extends beyond the introduction of a new qualification.
Dr Lotter concludes, “This accreditation represents the culmination of an enduring institutional ambition, but more importantly, the beginning of a new chapter of responsibility. We recognise the trust placed in institutions that prepare the next generation of professional psychologists, and we are committed to honouring that responsibility through the quality of our training, the calibre of our graduates and the contribution they go on to make to South African society.”
Find out more about Sacap’s MPsych (counselling psychology) here.
