Master of Child Play Therapy

The Master of Child Play Therapy trains you to support children's psychosocial, emotional and mental health and wellbeing through the therapeutic powers of play. Graduate from this internationally recognised course ready to apply for registration as a play therapist and join a rewarding profession that is growing in demand.

Want the skills to make a profound impact on the long-term health, wellbeing and happiness of children?

Even adults with years of life experience can find it hard to work through difficult feelings and experiences. It can be more difficult for children. Play therapy is increasingly being used as a way of helping children overcome challenges in their life and make sense of their experiences. The beauty of play therapy is its developmental sensitivity. It allows children to express themselves through a comforting and familiar medium - play!

Just as adults may need to talk about difficulties with a counsellor or psychologist, children can benefit greatly from playing about their experiences. Through play, and within the safety of a therapeutic relationship, children can process difficult life experiences including trauma, abuse, neglect, illness, grief and loss, and a range of social, emotional, behavioural and mental health difficulties. Play therapy is an evidenced-based approach for working with children based on the premise that play is a child's first language, and that play is therapeutic.

If you already love working with children and want to play a pivotal role in their psychosocial and emotional development, a career in play therapy will be incredibly rewarding. The Master of Child Play Therapy will give you everything you need to get there. It is an internationally recognised degree, accredited by the Australasia Pacific Play Therapy Association (APPTA), and the only course of its kind offered by an Australian university. It is also a recognised pathway to becoming a Registered Play Therapist. Upon graduation, you will have the practical experience and professional recognition needed to apply for registration.

The course explores evidence-based principles in play therapy, and the study areas you will cover reflect the needs of the industry today and into the future. Some of the key areas include:

• History and foundations of play therapy
• Childhood development
• Neuroscience and psychopathology in children
• Attachment and trauma
• Therapeutic assessment
• Therapeutic medical play
• Therapeutic use of self
• Engaging children in therapeutic play
• Humanistic Play Therapy
• Filial Play Therapy

A strong focus of the curriculum is developing your reflective, interpersonal, creative and expressive skills. These are crucial skills that allow you to work effectively with both children and their families.

While the course is conveniently delivered on our premium online learning platform, allowing you to study at your own pace, there are many opportunities to apply your skills through practical learning in your own community. For example, you will get to experience what it's really like to work as a play therapist through 250 hours of clinical placement. You can secure placements in a variety of settings such as preschools, childcare centres, primary schools, allied health services, disability services and private practice. For students interested in continuing their studies at a research level, the course offers elective research units that develop your practical research skills and hone your critical analysis.

A highlight of the course is being able to learn from academic staff who are not just involved in the field but leading the way through the work and research they contribute. We have staff involved with key Australian and International Play Therapy organisations such as the International Play Therapy Study Group (IPTSG) and the International Consortium of Play Therapy Associations and their insights, case studies and experiences are filtered into the course.

Play therapy is an emerging profession in Australia. Parents and healthcare providers are becoming increasingly aware of the value of play therapy, especially as mental health issues in children continue to rise. As a result, the demand for qualified therapists has increased. The Master of Child Play Therapy puts you in a strong position to take advantage of this growing demand.

When you graduate from the course, you will be eligible to apply for registration as a play therapist with the Australasia Pacific Play Therapy Association (APPTA). Once you are registered, you can start working independently as a play therapist in:

• private practice
• schools
• hospitals
• charitable organisations
• government departments.

Your unique skill set will also open up employment opportunities in other areas that intersect with children's health such as:

• child protection and children's services
• domestic violence support
• family support services
• the legal system (particularly in court evaluations of children's needs)

To complete the Master of Child Play Therapy students must attain 12 credit points. Units may be worth 1 or 2 credit points - check each unit for its credit point value in the course structure below. 10 credit points are core (these are compulsory) plus 2 elective credit point (you can choose which one to study from the list provided) in Year 1 Trimester 2.

All commencing Faculty of Health Undergraduate and Postgraduate course work students are required to complete DAI001 Academic Integrity Module (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in their first trimester of study.

Students may exit the course after completing a specified sequence of 4 units for the award H505 Graduate Certificate of Therapeutic Child Play, or after completing the specified sequence of 8 units for the award H605 Graduate Diploma of Therapeutic Child Play.