Master of Child Play Therapy

2019 Deakin University Handbook

Note: You are seeing the 2019 view of this course information. These details may no longer be current. [Go to the current version]

Year	2019 course information
Award granted	Master of Child Play Therapy
Course Map	This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2019: Full time Part time This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 2 2019: Part time Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser.
Campus	Cloud (online) mode, however there are significant placement and campus requirements
Cloud Campus	Yes
Duration	2 years full-time or part-time equivalent.
Deakin course code	H706
Approval status	This course is approved by the University under the Higher Education Standards Framework.
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition	The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 9.

Course sub-headings

Course overview

Develop your interpersonal, creative and expressive skills to work effectively with children and their families as a child play therapist.

Child play therapy is a growing specialist area within the mental health and early childhood sectors. It is an evidence-based profession in which play is used to transform children’s lives when they have experienced abuse or trauma, have a developmental disorder, or are experiencing a mental health issue.

This two year Master degree provides specialist training for students with relevant prior experience and qualifications. The orientation of the course is primarily Humanistic but other approaches will be presented in the course materials. Placement units are an important component of the program.

You will be eligible to apply to become a registered play therapist with the Australasia Pacific Play Therapy Association (APPTA). This course is primarily delivered online with occasional intensive study sessions.

Study the first play therapy course offered by an Australian university and make a significant difference in the lives of children, young people and their families.

Indicative student workload

As a student in a Cloud (online) course in the Faculty of Health you will be expected to spend 11-13 hours every week studying, interacting via CloudDeakin and completing assessment tasks for each credit point in your course. There are also significant placement and campus requirements.

Students are required to attend intensive workshops at the Geelong Waterfront Campus for several units in the Master of Child Play Therapy and Graduate Diploma of Therapeutic Child Play. Dates for 2019 are listed here

Professional recognition

Graduates will be eligible to apply to become a Registered Play Therapist with the Australasia Pacific Play Therapy Association (APPTA).

Note: All information regarding professional recognition is accurate at the date of publication. Enquiries regarding accreditation and professional membership should be directed to the School of Health and Social Development in order to ascertain the current status of accreditation at any future point in time beyond publication. Representations about accreditation apply only to the course, and the relevant professional body retains discretion as to who they admit as members of their association. Deakin University cannot exercise any control over membership of an external body.

Career opportunities

Graduates will be eligible to work in professional healthcare teams, in individual private practice, and in a range of health, education and community contexts.

Participation requirements

The course involves a compulsory clinical placement of 250 hours in a professional placement there are 70 hours of online clinical supervision. The placements may be undertaken in your local area.

Compulsory attendance of 12 days is required over the course which is broken into three on campus intensive placement workshops. 1 x 4 days in year 1 Trimester 2, 1 x 5 days in year 2 trimester 1 and 1 x 3 days in year 2 Trimester 2.

Placement can occur at any time, including during standard holiday breaks listed here.

Mandatory student checks

Department of Human Services policy - Police Record Check and Working With Children Check

In accordance with Department of Human Services policy, all students are required to undertake a National Police Record Check prior to clinical placements in each calendar year of their course.

In accordance with the Department of Justice 2007, Working with Children Act 2005, amended 2017, all students are required to undertake a Working with Children Check at the commencement of their course. Students who fail to obtain a Police Record Check and a Working with Children Check prior to the commencement of clinical placement will not be able to undertake clinical placement and this will impede progress in the course.

Students may also be required to declare their immunisation status to satisfy the requirements of health organisations where they will be undertaking their clinical learning experience. A health organisation may refuse to accept a student for placement if the student’s immunisation status is not satisfactory to the health organisation.

Pathways

This course provides a pathway to higher degree by research courses and other postgraduate coursework programs.

Students who complete H605 Graduate Diploma of Therapeutic Child Play will be guaranteed a place in the course and receive 8 credit points of credit.

Alternative exits

Graduate Certificate of Therapeutic Child Play (H505)
Graduate Diploma of Therapeutic Child Play (H605)

Fees and charges

Fees and charges vary depending on your course, your fee category and the year you started. To find out about the fees and charges that apply to you, visit the Current students fees website.

Course Learning Outcomes

Graduate Learning Outcomes	Course Learning Outcomes
Discipline Specific knowledge and capabilities	Apply an advanced and integrated theoretical and practical knowledge of the principles underlying Child Play Therapy and the processes involved in therapeutic practice.
Communication	Demonstrate verbal, written and interpersonal communication necessary to interpret theoretical positions, convey ideas, proposals and findings, pertaining to Child Play Therapy, to a specialist and non-specialists audiences.
Digital Literacy	Use appropriate technologies to locate credible discipline-specific information and disseminate this information to specialist and other professional groups in an ethical and professional manner.
Critical thinking	Analyse, critically evaluate and synthesize complex cases, problems, concepts and theories in the field of Child Play Therapy.
Problem Solving	Apply advanced knowledge and skills to and select appropriate therapeutic approach(s) and modify treatment plans as required to solve a range of problems within the field of Child Play Therapy.
Self-management	Demonstrate personal autonomy and expert professional judgement in the field of Child Play Therapy showing responsibility and accountability, in conjunction with reflective practice.
Teamwork	Establish and maintain collaborative professional relationships demonstrating responsibility and accountability to the child, family, carers, multidisciplinary professionals and other relevant stakeholders.
Global Citizenship	Demonstrate professional and ethical practice and respect for diverse social, cultural and environmental contexts, and an awareness of international developments in Child Play Therapy

Course rules

To complete the Master of Child Play Therapy students must attain 12 credit points. Units may be worth 1 or 2 credit points - check each unit for its credit point value in the course structure below. 10 credit points are core (these are compulsory) plus 2 elective credit point (you can choose which one to study from the list provided) in Year 1 Trimester 2.

All commencing Faculty of Health Undergraduate and Postgraduate course work students are required to complete HAI010 Academic Integrity in their first trimester of study (0 credit point compulsory unit).

Students may exit the course after completing a specified sequence of 4 units for the award H505 Graduate Certificate of Therapeutic Child Play, or after completing the specified sequence of 8 units for the award H605 Graduate Diploma of Therapeutic Child Play.