Bachelor of Counselling | UniSC | University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

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Bachelor of Counselling

Learn to help people improve their mental health and emotional wellbeing

The program is designed to give you the skills to become a professionally accredited counsellor. You will be equipped with a range of counselling knowledge and skills to work ethically with clients who seek help.

Study location
  • Sippy Downs
Refer to the program footnotes
CRICOS code
074094K
Commence
Semester 1 or Semester 2
Program length (full-time)
3 years
Semester tuition fee 2017
A$10,600
Estimated total tuition fee *
A$63,600
Footnotes
  • Only a full-time option is available to international students on a Student visa. Online programs are not available to Student visa holders.
  • * Estimated tuition fees are based on 2025 rates. Refer to international fees for more information.
  • Not all majors/minors and elective options are available at every campus. You should refer to the What Can I Study tab, and the proposed study sequence for your chosen campus and intake for further information.
  • * In addition to being able to study all courses at Sippy Downs, students may choose to complete some first-year courses at Gympie. Only first-year courses are offered at Gympie. The remainder of the degree is completed at Sippy Downs.
  • ** Only first-year courses are offered at Fraser Coast in 2017. The remainder of the program must be completed at Sippy Downs campus.
Study locations QTAC code
  • Sunshine Coast 011161
  • Fraser Coast 019171**
  • Gympie * 016161
Refer to the program footnotes
Minimum selection threshold
OP - 18 Rank - 61
UniSC program code
AR375
Commence
Semester 1 or Semester 2
Duration
3 years full time or equivalent part time
Study mode
on campus
Recommended prior study
English
Fee type 2017
  • What will I pay?
Total courses
24
Total units
288
Footnotes
  • * In addition to being able to study all courses at Sippy Downs, students may choose to complete some first-year courses at Gympie. Only first-year courses are offered at Gympie. The remainder of the degree is completed at Sippy Downs.
  • ** Only first-year courses are offered at Fraser Coast in 2017. The remainder of the program must be completed at Sippy Downs campus.

The program is designed to give you the skills to become a professionally accredited counsellor. You will be equipped with a range of counselling knowledge and skills to work ethically with clients who seek help.

Explore counselling theories and skills, positive psychology, communication and relationships, family counselling and crisis intervention, grief and loss and cultural diversity. Choose electives to link with areas that will expand your career options.

Our counselling staff are registered counsellors and qualified clinical supervisors. You will have hands-on experience within the community in two placements approved by the University, working a total of 500 hours. A Blue Card (CCYPCG) is required — refer to Program requirements.

Career opportunities

Counselling individuals, families and groups, mental health, aged services, child protection, disability services and a range of human services.

Accreditation

The Bachelor of Counselling has been accredited by the Australian Counselling Association (ACA), Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) and Australian Community Workers Association. Following successful completion of the degree you can apply for membership to ACA and or PACFA.

Program structure

Introductory courses (6)

COR109 Teaching Mathematics in the Early Years
COU101 Teaching English: Curriculum and Pedagogy
COU180 Teaching Science in the Early Years
PSY100 Teaching Arts in the Early Years
PSY101 Introduction to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education
SCS130 Playing with Words: an Introduction to Creative Writing Craft

Advanced courses (14)

COU200 Earth's Surface Processes
COU261 Learning in Australian Landscapes
COU262 Discovering Science
COU263 Individual Learner Needs
COU264 Teaching Technologies: Curriculum and Pedagogy
COU265 Professional Experience: Facilitating the Learning Environment
COU276 Teaching Reading and Writing
COU281 Teaching HPE in the Early Years
COU300 Assessing Learning
COU301 Teaching HASS in Primary School
PSY203 Teaching Arts in Primary School
SCS225 Professional Experience: Differentiated Practice
SCS278 Teaching Science in Primary Schools
SCS290 Teaching HPE in Primary School

Elective courses (4)

Select 4 elective courses from either faculty (Arts, Business and Law or Science, Health, Education and Engineering).

Note: Program structures are subject to change. Not all USC courses are available on every USC campus.

Total units: 288

Program requirements and notes

Program requirements

In order to graduate you must:

  • Successfully complete 288 units as outlined in the Program Structure

In order to commence field education placement you must:

  • Hold a valid Blue Card, throughout the duration of your program, which is issued by the Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian (CCYPCG). You should allow 12 weeks for CCYPCG to issue the card. Note: students who do not possess a valid Blue Card will be unable to complete the field education component of their program and will be unable to meet graduation requirements
  • Have a National Criminal History check (by Queensland Police Service or other state/territory authority)
  • Travel to attend field education placements
  • Please note, while all endeavours will be made to place students in a given semester, this is not guaranteed and students may need to enrol at a later time should a position in an agency be unavailable in the preferred semester
Program notes
  • Completing this program within the specified (full-time) duration is based on studying 48 unit points per semester (normally 4 courses)
  • Most courses are valued at 12 units unless otherwise specified
  • Courses within this program are assessed using a variety of assessment methods which may include essays, seminar presentations, reports, in-class tests and examinations
  • As part of your USC program, you may apply to Study Overseas to undertake courses with an overseas higher education provider
  • Only a full-time study option is available to international students on a Student Visa
  • Refer to the Planning your study page to manage your progression
  • You may wish to use electives to complete an additional major or minor
  • Register your selected major(s) and/or minor(s)