Counselling

Prepare for a career in a multi-disciplinary environment while significantly enhancing your counselling, professional and spiritual foundations. Form a vision of a counsellor that reflects both individual and relational work, supportive and intensive therapies, and psychological competence and theological congruence.

What you will learn

• Well-developed counselling skills to work with clients of low to moderate needs.

• A deep understanding of themselves as counsellors.

• How to apply client spirituality into the counselling experience from an ethical perspective with a critical understanding of Christian worldviews.

• How to apply theological and professional reflection to their practice.

• How to apply professional practice in counselling with diverse people in a range of contexts.

Course Structure

All units are offered online with four (4) face-to-face seminars per year delivered in Perth, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.

This course requires completion of 144 points of study. We recommend the following units for a full-time student:

Download the Advance Diploma in Counselling Course Planner to map out your studies.

Entry Requirements and Admission

Prerequisites:

• Satisfactorily completed an eligible Diploma of Counselling. Eligible Advanced Diplomas in Counselling:
  CHC51015 Diploma of Counselling
  CHC51712 Diploma of Counselling
  10486NAT Diploma of Counselling (Christian)
  80883ACT Diploma of Counselling and Family Therapy (Christian)
  80665ACT Diploma of Counselling and Family Therapy (Christian)
  11397ACT Diploma of Christian Counselling and Family Therapy
• Satisfactorily completes an interview with a designated Course Advisor.
• Has the capacity to become an ensured member of a relevant professional body.

Have questions about the course or application process?
Call us on (03) 9790 1000
Enquire online here
Apply for admission here

Course Cost

Fees for 2020 are $1,704* per standard unit or $16,056 for a year of full-time study (8 units).

FEE-HELP covers all the units in the Advanced Diploma of Counselling with no gaps.  

Australian citizens and holders of a permanent humanitarian visa are eligible for FEE-HELP. Applying for FEE-HELP is very simple and is done as part of your application for admission through Stirling and only a tax file number (TFN) is needed.  Visit www.studyassist.gov.au for more information.

*Advanced Diploma in Counselling includes the following two units associated with a non-standard fee of $2,916 per unit:

• DZ2860S Theories of Ethical Counselling Integration

• DZ2075S Counselling Integration Practicum

Fees are subject to change from year to year. For more information about fees, please visit the Fees page.

Further Opportunities

Upon successful completion, graduates may proceed to:

•  the Bachelor of Counselling

Accreditation

This course is accredited by the University of Divinity, which is constituted by the University of Divinity Act 1910 of the Parliament of Victoria. View the regulations here.

The Master of Counselling provides students with advanced professional skills for counselling ministry and for pastoral and spiritual formation. It nurtures the formation of professional identity and vision suitable for individual and relational counselling. The course equips graduates to engage in supportive and intensive therapies with psychological competence and theological congruence.

Students are exposed to traditional knowledge and contemporary developments in the theory and skills of counselling and psychotherapy. The Master of Counselling will provide opportunities for critical study and integration from personal, social and cultural perspectives and from the perspectives of pastoral theology, ministry, mission and service.

What you will learn

1. Expert counselling skills
2. Knowledge and experience of supervisory leadership and management structures
3. How to apply skills to initiate and plan counselling interventions
4. How to apply critical self-evaluation and theological reflection to their practice of counselling
5. How to apply professional practice in counselling with diverse people in a wide range of contexts including multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural environments.

Streams

Unit choices and study outcomes are guided by the Master of Counselling streams

Stream 1: Counselling Accreditation
The Counselling accreditation stream is for students who enter Phase 1 of the Master of Counselling without a counselling qualification but with a relevant undergraduate degree in a field such as psychology or theology. The purpose of Phase 2 for these students is to build up your hours in supervised counselling, thereby enabling you to gain accreditation with one of the two peak counsellor accreditation bodies. View Stream 1 units here.

Stream 2: Professional Development
The Professional Development stream is for students who enter Phase 1 with enough study and hours of supervised counselling to gain accreditation as a counsellor from a professional industry body. These students have typically completed aifc’s Diploma of Counselling (Christian) and Advanced Diploma of Counselling and Family Therapy (Christian) before entering Phase 1 or the Master of Counselling. The purpose of Phase 2 enrolment is therefore to advance your level of professional accreditation as well as your knowledge and skills. View Stream 2 units here.

Stream 3: Research Formation
The Research stream is for students who have a sufficient number of accredited and supervised counselling hours to already have gained higher levels of accreditation with ACA or PACFA. The purpose of Phase 2 for these students is to test your capacities and be formed for research. View Stream 3 units here.

Course structure

All units are offered online with face-to-face seminars (delivered in Perth, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne), readings, assessments and client practice hours. This is a full-time (one year) or part-time course consisting of 6 units at AQF level 9 (144 points):

• 2 units in Supervised Counselling Practicum (24 points each)
• 4 elective units (including theology/biblical studies, pastoral care, counselling, clinical pastoral education and supervision (24 points each)

Entry Requirements and Admission

Successful completion of either 10134NAT Graduate Diploma of Counselling & Integrated Psychotherapy (Spiritual) or 10900NAT Graduate Diploma of Counselling (Christian) from the Australian Institute of Family Counselling (AIFC), OR an equivalent degree, and satisfactory completion of an interview with a designated Coursework Coordinator.

Have questions about the course or application process?
Call us on (03) 9790 1000
Enquire online here
Apply for admission here

Course Cost

View unit fees and payment options here.
Students who are Australian citizens or holders of a permanent humanitarian visa are eligible for FEE-HELP.

Further Opportunities

Graduates who have completed the Research Formation Program may be eligible for admission to higher degrees by research.

Accreditation

This course is accredited by the University of Divinity. View the regulations here.

Professional accreditation:
the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA)
the Australian Counselling Association (ACA)