From trauma and addiction counselling to counselling couples and families and addressing issues of grief and loss, today’s counsellors must deal with a very wide range of issues and be able to communicate effectively in a range of contexts. The Bachelor of Counselling is a three-year program that equips you with both the theoretical background and the hands-on skills needed to work effectively in a challenging and often demanding environment.

Why study this degree?

Our unique Bachelor of Counselling degree offers you a fully-integrated program of instruction that focuses on the psychosocial, personal and spiritual development of the individual throughout their lifespan. In Year One, you will study a range of theories and approaches to counselling, explore personal values, belief systems and experiences from culture and family, identity effective self-care strategies and develop attributes essential to professional practice. You will also begin to develop effective counselling skills before moving onto specific areas of counselling children, adolescents, couples and families and older people in Years Two and Three.

Blending theoretical understanding and hands-on experience, the program covers just about every type of scenario within the human experience. You will learn the interpersonal skills needed to build a positive client alliance which promotes the use of the therapeutic relationship as an organising focus for treatment. The program includes 120 hours of supervised practice which allows you to gain practical experience and a professional network of contacts which may help you secure employment. Upon graduation, you will be entitled to register as a professional counsellor with Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation Australia and/or the Australian Counselling Association (ACA).

More information about the courses can be found at the course descriptions page.

Year One

• COUN1001 Formation of the Professional Counsellor 1
• COUN1002 Formation of the Professional Counsellor 2
• COUN1003 Theories & Approaches to Counselling
• COUN1004 Counselling Skills Training 1
• ARTS1000 Academic Writing, Communication & Research
• BESC1000 Developmental Psychology
• CORE1010 Introduction to Philosophy
• ABOR1000 Aboriginal People

Year Two

• COUN2000 Formation of the Professional Counsellor 3
• COUN2001 Formation of the Professional Counsellor 4
• COUN2002 Counselling Skills Training 2
• COUN2003 Counselling Skills Training 3
• COUN2004 Counselling and Children
• COUN2006 Counselling Adolescents
• COUN2005 Grief and Loss Counselling
• COUN2007 Trauma and Addiction Counselling

Year Three

• COUN3000 Formation of the Professional Counsellor 5
• COUN3001 Formation of the Professional Counsellor 6
• COUN3002 Placement and Supervision A
• COUN3003 Placement and Supervision B
• COUN3004 Counselling Couples and Families
• COUN3005 Counselling Older People
• CORE1020 Ethics
• CORE1030 Introduction to Theology

Core Curriculum

• CORE I: Foundations of Wisdom
• CORE II: Elective
  • Electives in philosophy and\or theology
  • Professional embedded electives that integrate studies in a profession with philosophy and\or theology
  • An option to undertake a pilgrimage embedded in the study of the philosophy and theology of pilgrimage, e.g., World Youth Day
  • An option to undertake a course that integrates philosophy & theology with community service and charity work
  • An option to undertake an elective in philosophy, theology, and the liberal arts contained within an international experience

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

Here you can find full details of the courses on offer.

More information regarding courses can be found at the course descriptions page.

The following careers are open to graduates of this program:

• Youth worker
• Trauma counsellor
• Drug and alcohol counsellor
• Family counsellor.

Applicants must meet High school qualifications (or equivalent) to apply for undergraduate program. Academic minimum entry requirements for international applicants vary from country to count

IELTS (Academic) - 6.5 overall, with no individual band score lower than 6.0

CAE/CPE - 176 overall, with no individual band score lower than 169

PTE Academic - 58 overall, with no individual band score lower than 50

TOEFL (iBT) - 84 overall, with no score lower than 21 in writing and no other band score lower than 17.