Your pathway to becoming a registered counsellor.
Do you like to listen? Do you enjoy being with people? Do you want a meaningful and fulfilling career? Learn to provide professional counselling support through the Master of Counselling Program.
- 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.
Do you like to listen? Do you enjoy being with people? Do you want a meaningful and fulfilling career? Learn to provide professional counselling support through the Master of Counselling Program.
Our fully accredited Master of Counselling Program provides a holistic integrated and evidence-based pathway to becoming a "registered counsellor". This Program will lead you to the acquisition of advanced skills, theoretical knowledge and clinical experience through classroom activities, blended learning and internship placements.
The program specialises in advanced counselling skills and theories, counselling and mental health, counselling and addictions, counselling children and young people, mindfulness based interventions, expressive therapies and solution focussed brief therapy. You will learn the art of assessment and case conceptualization and build a strong ethical framework for practice.
Students have the opportunity to experience a fully supervised internship at the USC Counselling Clinic, within the Sunshine Coast Mind and Neuroscience - Thompson Institute at Birtinya, as well as learn to conduct research in collaboration with the Institute and several local community agencies.
Supervised internships of 200 hours each semester of your final year, take place in a variety of counselling settings. This practical training prepares you for a rewarding professional career as a counsellor and eligibility to join the Australian Counselling Association (ACA), Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA), and listing as a "Registered counsellor" on the Australian Register of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (ARCAP).
Career opportunities
The Master of Counselling opens new possibilities for you to work as a counsellor, including private practice, health and human service settings. It will interest you if you want a career change or to fine-tune your existing qualifications by adding a vocational emphasis. If you are already an experienced counsellor, this gives you an academic qualification to formalise years of work and opens pathways to further research, such as through undertaking PhD research.
Admission requirements
A student entering the Master of Counselling will normally be required to hold an approved 3-year degree in Counselling (AQF Level 7) or a Bachelor Degree (AQF Level 7) in other cognate areas as approved by the University.
Entry by non-graduates who have extensive relevant industry experience may be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Head of School, Social Sciences.
Applicants are required to complete an additional personal statement and attend an interview (refer to application form). Interviews for International students on a Student visa will be conducted by Skype.
Applicants must hold a valid Suitability Card (Blue Card), which is issued by the Public Safety Business Agency, prior to commencement. Please see the Blue Card link for further details.
The Master of Counselling offers a limited number of Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP) as well as domestic fee paying places. Offers for both CSP and fee paying places will be made after the application due date for the program.
CSP will be allocated on the basis of your Grade Point Average in the degree used to meet admission requirements. Applicants falling below the demand-driven cut-off for a CSP may be offered a domestic fee paying place (with the option to access FEE-HELP) subject to capacity limitations. USC reserves the right to offer a small number of CSP to students from ATSIC or disadvantaged backgrounds.
Australian citizens, New Zealand citizens and permanent visa holders enrolled in a fee paying place will have the option of applying for a CSP in subsequent semesters if one becomes available. In these cases, the student’s current GPA in the Master of Counselling will be used to assess eligibility for a CSP place using the same entry cut-off applied for new CPS entrants during that admission period.
Requirements for placements
You must hold a current Blue Card before starting your first supervised counselling experience. Many agencies also require a Police check in addition to the Blue Card.
Professional recognition
Graduates will be eligible to apply for membership with the Australian Counselling Association (ACA), Associations accredited by the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) and the Queensland Counsellors Association.
Accreditation
This program is fully accredited with the Australian Counselling Association and the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia.
Program structure
Required courses (16)
CMN574 Abnormal Psychology
COU700 Cell Biology
COU701 Human Physiology
COU702 Human Anatomy
COU703 Chemistry
COU704 Physics
COU705 Science Research Methods
COU706 Biochemistry
COU707 Functional Anatomy
COU708 Biomechanics I
COU709 Exercise Physiology I
COU750 Exercise Prescription and Programming
COU751 Introduction to Sports Medicine
COU754 Communication and Thought
COU755 Introduction to Coaching Science
COU781 Anatomy and Physiology for Exercise
Note: Program structures are subject to change. Not all USC courses are available on every USC campus.
Total units: 192
Recommended study sequences
Program requirements and notes
Program requirements
- Successfully complete 192 units as outlined in the Program Structure
Requirements for field education
To complete this program you must complete 50 hours of supervision relating to a minimum of 200 hours of client contact for which you are required to obtain a Blue Card (issued by the Public Safety Business Agency).
In the event that you become ineligible for a Blue Card, at any time between the date of first enrolment and the date of completion of the program, you will not be able to complete the program.
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.
Field education includes professional or clinical placements. Students may be required to undertake these placements away from the campus at their own expense.
Program notes
- Prior to entry into the program applicants will be required to submit their current Suitability Card (Blue Card)
- 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
- 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