Graduate Diploma in Counselling

This course is a professional qualification in counselling, offering a flexible pathway for entry-level 'helping professionals'. Studying in a supportive learning environment with a focus on skills development, students will:

• Learn the skills to identify challenges in the counselling field and implement ethical and realistic solutions
• Communicate knowledge, ideas, and opinions effectively within a range of cultural and interdisciplinary contexts
• Gain an understanding of the principles of ethical and professional practice and respect all aspects of diversity
• Demonstrate a critical understanding of major theories, models and techniques specific to counselling
• Display a high level of understanding of major evidence-based research theory and current practices in the field of counselling and psychotherapy. With a focus on experiential learning, the student will be offered a counselling placement, participate in small group supervision and a five day face-to-face residential.

This course includes a compulsory placement of 105 hours. Students will be expected to travel up to 1.5 hours to attend a placement, or in the case of regional and remote students, may need to travel further or potentially relocate for the duration of the placement if one cannot be secured in their area. In addition to the placement requirements, students will be required to attend a 5-day intensive workshop in person. The location of this is to be determined, with an on-campus site being certain.

Admission to this course is competitive. Applications will be assessed on the basis of academic merit, work experience and the number of available places.

Applicants must:
1. have an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in any discipline.

No Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) will be offered for any units included in this course.

We recommend that students progressing to this course from the Graduate Certificate in Counselling (SCC401) complete the four Graduate Certificate units before progressing to the Graduate Diploma or Master to ensure a smooth enrolment transition.

Additional admission requirements

Students are required to undergo a National Police check and relevant state-based checks (i.e. Working with Vulnerable People Check, Working With Children Check) as required by each placement agency in order to be accepted for each unit that includes a placement.

There are non-standard English language requirements for this course. To be eligible you must have an overall IELTS Academic score (or equivalent) of 7.0, with no band score below 7.0. For alternate/equivalent ways of meeting the English requirements for this course please view the English Proficiency Requirements document on the university website.