You are an overseas student if you are:
- a temporary resident (visa status) of Australia,
- a permanent resident (visa status) of New Zealand, or
- a resident or citizen of any other country.
Conditions of study for this course
This course is only available to overseas students not residing in Australia.
- You will not require a visa to study this course.
Overview
The Master of Counselling provides students with advanced professional skills for counselling ministry and for pastoral and spiritual formation. It nurtures the formation of a 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.
Committed engagement in supervision for personal and professional integration is essential to successful completion of the course.
Course outcomes
Graduates of the Master of Counselling:
- have expert counselling skills
- have knowledge and experience of supervisory leadership and management structures
- apply skills to initiate and plan counselling interventions
- apply critical self-evaluation and theological reflection to their practice of counselling
- apply professional practice in counselling with diverse people in a wide range of contexts including multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural environments.
Course structure
The Master of Counselling consists of 144 points comprised of:
- 72 points of Postgraduate units in the discipline of Professional Counselling, or relevant units in the discipline of Pastoral Theology and Ministry Studies approved by the Head of Counselling at Stirling College; and
- 24 points of Postgraduate Elective units in the discipline of Professional Counselling or the discipline of Pastoral Theology and Ministry Studies, or a Postgraduate research methodology unit; and
- either the Capstone units XZ9076S Supervised Counselling Practice Integration (Practicum) and XZ9078S Advanced Counselling Theories, Processes and Strategies, to be taken concurrently, or RQ9748M Minor Thesis.
Locations and modes
Accreditation partner
Students seeking professional accreditation may choose combinations of units that on successful completion of the award allow them to apply for advanced accreditation with professional industry bodies.
The Master of Counselling is accredited by the following partner:
Duration
The standard full-time duration of the Master of Counselling is one year. The Master of Counselling must be completed in not less one year and not more than three years from the date on which the course is commenced.
| Standard full-time | 1 year |
| Maximum part-time | 3 years |
Pathways to future study
Graduates who have completed the Research Formation Program may be eligible for admission to higher degrees by research.
Admission criteria
A person may apply to the Academic Board to enrol as a candidate for the Master of Counselling if the person has:
- satisfactorily completed either a Graduate Diploma in Counselling, or a Graduate Diploma (or higher qualification) in a field closely related to Counselling such as nursing or social work, from the University of Divinity or from a tertiary education provider that is recognised by the Academic Board and by a relevant professional body, and
- is a self-insured, non-student member of a relevant professional counselling body, and
- satisfactorily completes an interview with a Course Advisor.
Fee summary
The Master of Counselling requires the completion of 6 standard postgraduate units. Fees for 2023 are $2,882 per standard unit or $17,292 for a full-time year (6 units).
Fees are subject to change from year to year. For more information about fees, please visit the Fees page.
