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Course Overview
More than 43% of Australians aged 16 to 85 have experienced a mental health challenge throughout their life
. With growing demand for counselling services, our Master of Counselling will help you build the advanced analytical and communication skills needed to support individuals, couples, and groups through mild to moderate mental health and developmental challenges. Want to take the next step in your career and help people improve their mental wellbeing? Whether you are from a counselling background or a related field like teaching, healthcare, or social work, the Master of Counselling will equip you with the skills to connect with and compassionately support your clients. You will graduate with 200 hours of practical experience, preparing you to provide personalised support to clients tailored to their unique circumstances. Through practical learning opportunities, you will learn how to apply complex counselling theories to identify and address emotional issues, using cognitive behaviour therapy, emotion-focused therapy, and other talking therapies. Your learning will be shaped by our School of Psychology's cutting-edge research, rated as well-above world standard ^ . You will critically explore contemporary research in the field, as well as a diverse range of specialist counselling topics including trauma, grief, sex and sexuality, relationship counselling, and group counselling. In addition to working with clients face-to-face, you will learn how to provide support via video call, telephone, and through other digital communication tools, which are each becoming increasingly important in modern counselling practice. As a Master of Counselling graduate, you will demonstrate specialist knowledge of counselling roles, as well a practical understanding of skills, theory, interventions, and ethics across the lifespan to a variety of audiences. This includes: counselling micro-skills mental health issues professional practice issues human development counselling diverse populations counselling therapies ethics. Starting in your second year, you will complement your theoretical learning and foundational skills with 200 hours of valuable placement experience # , where you will engage with clients of diverse backgrounds and age groups. Enabling you to further enhance your skills in building rapport with clients and providing personalised support through assessment and intervention strategies. Your placement hours will include autonomous direct client contact, non-contact activities, supervised training, as well as collaboration with other mental health professionals, preparing you to work in supervisory, leadership, and managerial roles.
Australian Bureau of Statistics National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, 2020-21 ^ Excellence in Research Australia, 2015-2018 # All placement hours must be completed with the placement host and students physically located in Australia.
Where You Can Study
Melbourne
1 Gheringhap St, GEELONG, VIC 3220
Eligibility
Career & Study Pathways
There is strong demand for counsellors in Australia, with 23.4% projected employment growth by November 2035**. Counsellors work across a broad range of roles related to mental health, disability, allied health, and social support services. Some roles may include: youth work and school counselling mental health support career and professional guidance telephone/online counselling services trauma counselling drug and alcohol counselling grief support relationship and family counselling sex and sexuality support services specialist family violence practitioner. Our Master of Counselling is accredited with both of Australia's accrediting associations: the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) and the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA). You may choose to become a student member of ACA and/or PACFA whilst you study whilst you study. Upon graduation you will be eligible to apply as a Registered Counsellor level 2 member with ACA or a provisional counsellor with PACFA, boosting your employment opportunities, establishing valuable networks and expanding your professional development opportunities. Upon graduation, you may be eligible for accreditation with ACA and PACFA, boosting your employment opportunities. **2025 Employment projections - for the ten years to 2035, Jobs and Skills Australia
Quality & Recognition
Academic Regulator
TEQSA
Professional Body
Australian Counselling Association (ACA) / PACFA
Accreditation Status
AccreditedSkills Assessor
ACA / PACFA
Common Questions
The Master of Counselling at Deakin is designed to build the skills to effectively and compassionately support individuals facing mental health and everyday life challenges.
Yes, based on the search results the Master of Counselling at Deakin University is listed as available to domestic students.
The Master of Counselling is a postgraduate qualification offered by Deakin University.
Application
Three simple steps to get enrolled
Step 01
Enquire
Click "Enquire Now" and tell us a little about yourself. It's free and takes 2 minutes.
Step 02
Submit Documents
Our team will guide you on exactly which documents to prepare and submit.
Step 03
Get Enrolled
Receive your offer letter and confirm your enrolment. Welcome to the course!
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Priya Sharma
India
Master of Nursing · Griffith University