Master of Counselling

School of Arts & Sciences

Are you an experienced professional wanting to make inroads into the challenging but rewarding area of counselling? The University of Notre Dame Australia's Master of Counselling is accredited by the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia and the Australian Counselling Association. It provides professional training that combines classroom-based study with practical counselling experience. If you already have a Bachelor of Counselling degree or equivalent, the duration of this course may be less. Get in touch to find out more.

Our Master of Counselling is designed to suit the needs of people from various professional backgrounds, including social work, human resources, social welfare, nursing, psychology, and education. At the end of this postgraduate program, you will have the theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed to work in the counselling field.

The degree takes an integrative approach to counselling practice, focusing on contemporary and evidence-based approaches, group work, mental health, research skills and counselling across the lifespan. You will also be encouraged to develop self-awareness, identify, and discuss links between theory and practice, and showcase your ability to assess and intervene in response to various presenting issues.

You will also develop research skills relevant to the field of counselling. In the second year, you will undertake an industry placement. The length of the placement usually is 200 hours, which includes at least 40 hours of client contact and 10 hours of individual clinical supervision.

By the end of the Master's degree, you will be able to register as a counsellor and work with clients in various settings.

With a Master of Counselling, you can register as a counsellor and work with clients in various settings. Careers include relationship counsellors, financial counsellors, rehabilitation counsellors, school counsellors, youth workers, family support workers, private practitioners, and psychotherapists.

Year One

• COUN6000 Interpersonal Group Practice
• COUN6001 Counselling Skills
• COUN6002 Theoretical Approaches to Counselling
• COUN6003 Approaches to Mental Health
• COUN6004 Theory and Process of Group Facilitation
• COUN6005 Family Systems and Couples
• ARTS5010 Research Methods
• PHIL6020 Ethical Issues in Professional Life

Year Two

• COUN6006 Placement, Supervision and Case Studies A
• COUN6007 Placement, Supervision and Case Studies B
• COUN6008 Professional Practice
• COUN6009 Trauma, Loss and Grief Counselling
• COUN6010 Specialised Counselling Approaches
• THREE (3) Electives, TWO (2) of which must be Research Electives

Master of Counselling Research electives

• ARTS6000 Literature Review
• ARTS6001 Professional Project
• ARTS6002 Experience the World
• ART6030 Professional Group Project
• ART3031 Research Project
• ARTS6033 Writing for Research
• RSCH7000 Quantitative Research Methods
• RSCH7001 Qualitative Research Methods
• RSCH7002 Scholarly Writing and Publication
• RSCH7003 Developing a Research Proposal

Full details of the program requirements are contained in the Program Requirements.

Please note: The availability of these courses is indicative only and may be subject to change.