Master of Counselling & Psychotherapy
Fully accredited by both the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) and the Australian Counselling Association (ACA), the Master of Counselling and Psychotherapy is taught by respected therapist academics working in the field.
The course structure integrates the Graduate Certificate and the Graduate Diploma. It is the only course of its kind to organise for all students a comprehensive counselling placement with weekly clinical supervision, under the guidance of placement coordinators. This includes sourcing placement opportunities through established industry partnerships and providing intensive in-house individual and group supervision in order to meet the PACFA and ACA requirements and to fully prepare students for the workplace.
The aim of the Master of Counselling and Psychotherapy is to provide high-level training in the counselling and psychotherapeutic skills required to work effectively with a wide variety of clients. The program provides a deeper immersion into the theory and the techniques of an integrative process-oriented, relational psychotherapy that incorporates concepts from the psychodynamic, cognitive, existential, and humanistic psychotherapies in relevant and practical treatment methods. The course provides a solid grounding in the professional, ethical, and legal issues associated with counselling and psychotherapeutic practice.
The program offers students a strong experiential immersion in the theory and practice of counselling and psychotherapy, in order to provide a hands-on, practice-oriented training and learning experience. Students in the Master program are also trained in research methods and participate in the process-oriented research case study, in order to give them a unique opportunity to contribute to learning in the field.
| Location: Hawthorn East | Intake: Semester 1 each year |
| Delivery: Full Time and Part Time | Fees: Fee information can be found here |
| Duration: 2 Years Full Time or 4 Years Part Time | FEE-HELP: Yes |
| CRICOS Course Code: 092969C |
Course Duration and Structure
This two-year full time, or four-year part-time program, consists of 200 credit points. Students undertake a total of 16 units of study consisting of twelve coursework units (150 credit points or 75%), two placement units (25 credit points or 12.5%) and two research relevant units (25 credit points or 12.5%).
The Master of Counselling and Psychotherapy is an integrated, progressive program of study comprised of the Graduate Certificate of Counselling and Psychotherapy and the Graduate Diploma of Counselling and Psychotherapy.
| Year One | |
| CPc1 | Psychotherapeutic Theories and Models |
| CPc2 | Person-Centred Counselling |
| CPc4 | Facilitating Therapeutic Change |
| CPc5 | Cognitive Behavioural Therapy |
| DPc7 | Assessment Process in Counselling and Psychotherapy |
| DPc2 | Ethics and Professional Development |
| DPc3 | Counselling Placement 1 |
| DPc4 | Treatment Planning |
| Year Two | |
| MPc4 | Counselling Placement 2 |
| MPc5 | Exploring Process-Experiential Emotion-Focused Therapy |
| MPc6 | Existential Psychotherapy and the Group Process |
| MPc7 | Key Competencies in Brief Dynamic Psychotherapy |
| MPc1 | Research Project |
| MPc9 | Relationship and Marital Therapy |
| MPc10 | Trauma Therapy – Loss and Grief |
| MPc11 | Interpersonal Processes in Psychotherapy |
For unit descriptions, please click here.
Admission Criteria
An Australian AQF 7 undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a cognisant discipline (teaching, social work, social sciences, psychology, counselling or similar) with at least a 70% average. Depending on professional experience, prospective students may be required to undertake The Cairnmillar Institute’s Introduction to Counselling Skills and Advanced Counselling Skills short courses prior to commencement. Progression from the Graduate Certificate to the Graduate Diploma to Masters level course requires the maintenance of at least a 70% average.
Prospective students wishing to enrol into the Master course who have an undergraduate degree in a non-cognisant discipline are encouraged to enrol in the Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma level to assess their suitability.
For entry into the course, students are required to submit an application through the Apply Now page, with certified or original scanned copies of the following supporting documentation:
- Most recent academic transcripts
- A current curriculum vitae
- A 500 word personal statement outlining what factors have contributed to the application
- Proof of residency/citizenship (e.g. passport, birth certificate, or citizenship certificate)
- Two references, preferably with at least one academic, using the online HODSPA reference system. A guide on how to use the system is available here.
Successful applications will be invited to attend an interview with members of the School Teaching Faculty, providing students the opportunity to discuss any questions they have about the proposed course of study.
Recognition of Prior Learning
Students may only be given credit for any coursework if it is from a successfully completed approved course at the appropriate Australian AQF postgraduate level.
Graduate Learning Outcomes
Students who satisfactorily complete the course will have achieved advanced knowledge and skills in the following areas of study:
- Acquisition of a high level of verbal and professional communication skills.
- The ability to facilitate the therapeutic process according to established the client’s focused goals.
- The ability to understand and practice within the PACFA Code of Ethics and Professional Guidelines.
- The skills to conduct risks assessment and apply crisis intervention skills and management.
- The ability to establish a treatment focus and develop a treatment plan.
- Understanding of relational dynamics and capacity for effective human relatedness that facilitates change.
- An awareness of the impact of the self on others and the development of relational intelligence, sensitivity, resilience and respect.
- Developed the relevant research and data analysis skills with the ability to critically review research studies.
- Developed capacity to be self-reflective and learn from experience.
- Acquired knowledge of applying alternative modes of working with clients, including the use of real-time internet platforms with awareness of potential security and confidentiality issues.
- Awareness and understanding of the range of human diversity and social, cultural, economic and psychological contextual influences.
- Understanding the impact of gender, sexual identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, class, religion, race and ethnicity on therapy.
Career Opportunities
Graduates may find employment in a variety of settings including community health and community services organisations, the health professions, rehabilitation providers, human resource management, child protection, family support counselling services, allied clinics and services, and private practice.
Professional Recognition
The course is accredited by the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) and by the Australian Counselling Association (ACA).