Master of Counselling
2027 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2027 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Master of Counselling |
| Deakin course code | H758 |
| Course credit points | 16 |
| Course version | 1 |
| Faculty | Faculty of Health |
| Course information | For students who commenced from 2023 onwards |
| Campus | Offered at Burwood (Melbourne) |
| Online | No |
| Duration | 2 years full-time or part-time equivalent |
| Course map - enrolment planning tool | These course maps are for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2027: Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central. |
| CRICOS code | 112781A Burwood (Melbourne) |
| 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
- Indicative student workload
- Professional recognition
- Career opportunities
- Participation requirements
- Mandatory student checks
- Alternative exits
- Course learning outcomes
- Course rules
- Course structure
- Fees and charges
Course overview
Counsellors are in demand, with job growth projected at 29.1% over the next decade. Deakin’s Master of Counselling helps you build the advanced communication and analytical skills needed to support individuals, couples and groups. You will graduate prepared to work with clients experiencing mild to moderate mental health and developmental challenges.
Build specialist capability in areas of growing demand, including trauma, relationships, family violence, sexuality and grief. Develop a strong professional identity through a program led by practising counsellors and experienced clinicians, with learning grounded in contemporary counselling practice.
From your second year, you will complete 200 hours of placement, working with clients from diverse backgrounds and applying your skills in professional settings. The course is accredited by the Australian Counselling Association and the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia, supporting your pathway into the profession.
Indicative student workload
As a student in the Faculty of Health you can expect to participate in a range of teaching activities each week. This could include lectures, seminars, practicals, placements and online interaction. You can refer to the individual unit details in the course structure for more information. You will also need to study and complete assessment tasks in your own time. Teaching, placements and assessment tasks may take place outside of Deakin University teaching periods.
On-campus attendance requirements
To meet industry accreditation requirements, all students must participate in a compulsory on-campus intensive (of either two- or three-days duration) for certain units. Please note that some units are entirely online, some are offer a choice of on-campus or online, whilst others have a blended delivery of online and one face-to-face on-campus intensive. Please refer to the individual unit details in the online handbook for more information about how each unit is delivered.
Professional recognition
The Master of Counselling is accredited by the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) and the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA).
This qualification has been assessed as being an equivalent qualification for the purposes of the Mandatory Minimum Qualifications policy for employment in specialist family violence practitioner roles in Victoria.
Career opportunities
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
Participation requirements
Students will be required to complete 200 hours of placement, composed of client contact, supervision and non-contact counselling related activities. All placement hours must be completed with the placement host and students physically located in Australia.
Placement is an essential component of the course, required by both accrediting associations, the Australian Counselling Association and the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia. When students complete the course, they may be asked to submit evidence of their placement with a detailed log book of hours attained.
At Deakin, we’re committed to creating an inclusive learning environment that supports all students to succeed. We work closely with students to identify and reduce barriers, and where possible, provide tailored support to help students engage with learning and assessment activities, ensuring every student has the opportunity to belong and thrive.
If you are disabled, neurodivergent, Deaf, and/or you live with the effects of a mental health condition, chronic health condition, or other condition that impacts your studies or participation in university life, we encourage you to reach out to our Disability Resource Centre for a collaborative and confidential discussion.
Mandatory student checks
In order to undertake placement, students will be required to attain a police check and a Working with Children Check, or equivalent based on their State of residence.
Students undertaking placement in any environment may be required to work with children, or incidentally exposed to children due to the nature of the counselling profession. Hence, the University has an obligation to ensure that students are suitable for placement and the children they work with are safe.
If a student has a disclosable outcome/s on their national police check, agencies have the right to refuse to provide a placement. If an alternative placement cannot be obtained, the student will be unable to meet the requirements of the placement units and completion of the course will therefore not be possible.
To gain professional accreditation with the Australian Counselling Association and the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia, students are required to disclose and explain any professional misconduct, formal complaints made against them as a counsellor, serious criminal offences, current investigations, or refusal of application to work with children.
Alternative exits
| Graduate Certificate of Counselling (H558) | |
| Graduate Diploma of Counselling (H658) |
Course learning outcomes
| Course Learning Outcomes |
|---|
| Demonstrate specialist knowledge of counselling roles, and knowledge and application of skills, theory, interventions, and ethics across the lifespan to a variety of audiences relevant to professional counselling. |
| Employ clear written and oral communication skills to effect therapeutic change among diverse client groups. Convey complex counselling theories and ideas to a variety of audiences, including clients, colleagues, and other professionals. |
| Use a range of digital tools to locate and disseminate counselling information and client resources. Awareness and use of digital tools to provide counselling. |
| Identify, synthesize, integrate, and critically reflect on research to inform counselling practice. |
| Appraise, select, and apply specialised counselling skills and knowledge to understand and work with. Initiate, plan, and implement tailored counselling interventions that address client issues. |
| Demonstrate high-level self-management and awareness in learning and practice that reinforces the importance of responsibility, accountability, and ethics in professional counselling. |
| Work effectively in supervisory, leadership, and managerial capacities with diverse ethnic and cultural partners and teams to promote professional competence and growth. Communicate and collaborate with other mental health professionals to support clients. |
| Evaluate and apply ethical principles to work productively in the field of counselling within diverse social, cultural and environmental contexts. Collaborate and communicate in a self-reflective and culturally sensitive manner. |
Note – From 2026, Deakin commenced introducing Graduate Attributes (GAs), which define the distinctive characteristics of a Deakin graduate. You may notice some courses still refer to Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) during this transition period.
Course rules
To complete the Master of Counselling you must pass 16 credit points. The number of credit points required may vary, depending on your entry point or how much credit you receive as recognition of prior learning (RPL) based on your professional experience and previous qualifications.
A 16-credit point Master of Counselling includes:
- DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in your first study period
- 16 credit points of core units.
Most units are equal to one credit point. As a full-time student you will study four credit points per trimester and usually undertake two trimesters per year.
Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements.
Course structure
Core units
Year 1 - Trimester 1
| DAI001 | Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0 credit points) |
| HPY730 | Principles of Counselling and Telehealth |
| HPY732 | Professional Counselling Roles |
| HPY734 | Ethical and Legal Issues in Counselling |
| HPY735 | Counselling Diverse Populations |
Year 1 - Trimester 2
| HPY731 | Mental Health Counselling |
| HPY733 | Lifespan and Developmental Counselling |
| HPY736 | Contemporary Counselling Therapies |
| HPY744 | Research in Counselling |
Year 2 - Trimester 1
| HPY737 | Counselling Placement 1 * |
| HPY738 | Trauma Informed Counselling |
| HPY739 | Sex and Sexuality |
| HPY745 | Counselling and Family Violence |
Year 2 - Trimester 2
| HPY741 | Group Counselling |
| HPY743 | Grief and Bereavement Counselling |
| HPY742 | Counselling Placement 2 * |
| HPY746 | Relationship Counselling |
* All placement hours must be completed with the placement host and students physically located in Australia.
Information for applicants and students
The Master of Counselling course contains topics that could be triggering or distressing for some individuals. If you have unresolved trauma or grief, we strongly recommend that you carefully consider whether you are ready to engage with this course at this time. It is important to prioritise your mental health and wellbeing, and seeking support from a mental health professional may be a helpful option. Please be aware that support is available to you throughout your studies, and we encourage you to reach out to the services provided by Wellbeing at Deakin if you need to do so.
Fees and charges
Tuition fees will vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, your study load and/or unit discipline.
Your tuition fees will increase annually at the start of each calendar year. All fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD) and do not include additional costs such as textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment, mandatory checks, travel, consumables and other costs.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.
Further information
Contact Student Central for assistance in course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements. Student Central can also provide information for a wide range of services at Deakin. To help you understand the University vocabulary, please refer to our Enrolment codes and terminology page.