Course Overview

Do you like to listen? Do you enjoy being with people? Do you want a meaningful and fulfilling career? Learn to provide professional counselling support through the Master of Counselling Program.

In this program you will:

• Immerse yourself in a holistic integrated and evidence-based pathway to becoming a registered counsellor

• Acquire advanced skills, theoretical knowledge and clinical experience through classroom activities, blended learning and internship placements

• Be exposed to advanced counselling skills and theories, counselling and mental health, counselling and addictions, counselling children and young people, mindfulness-based interventions, expressive therapies and solution focused brief therapy.

• Learn the art of assessment and case conceptualisation

• Build a strong ethical framework for practice

General Eligibility

A student entering the Master of Counselling will normally be required to hold an approved 3-year degree in Counselling (AQF Level 7) or a Bachelor Degree (AQF Level 7) in other cognate areas as approved by the University.

Entry by non-graduates who have extensive relevant industry experience may be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Head of School, Social Sciences.

Applicants are required to complete an additional personal statement and attend an interview (refer to application form). Interviews for International students on a Student visa will be conducted by Skype.

Applicants must hold a valid Suitability Card (Blue Card), which is issued by the Public Safety Business Agency, prior to commencement. Please see the Blue Card link for further details.

The Master of Counselling offers a limited number of Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP) as well as domestic fee paying places. Offers for both CSP and fee paying places will be made after the application due date for the program.

CSP will be allocated on the basis of your Grade Point Average in the degree used to meet admission requirements. Applicants falling below the demand-driven cut-off for a CSP may be offered a domestic fee paying place (with the option to access FEE-HELP) subject to capacity limitations. USC reserves the right to offer a small number of CSP to students from ATSIC or disadvantaged backgrounds.

Australian citizens, New Zealand citizens and permanent visa holders enrolled in a fee paying place will have the option of applying for a CSP in subsequent semesters if one becomes available. In these cases, the student’s current GPA in the Master of Counselling will be used to assess eligibility for a CSP place using the same entry cut-off applied for new CPS entrants during that admission period.

Part Time Work Details

20 Hours of Work permit weekly for international students.

Language Requirement

• The IELTS score for international applicants is 6.5 (with no less than 6.0 in each component).