Graduate Certificate of Counselling

What you'll learn

Expertise in human behaviour forms the foundation of all our courses including our Graduate Certificate of Counselling.

EXPLORE WITH AN APPLIED FOCUS:

• Counselling Practice
• Counselling Theories
• Cross-cultural Counselling
• Ethical Practice

Once you graduate from the Graduate Certificate of Counselling, you will open doors to a range of possible career opportunities. Listed below are a few typical roles you could consider.

• Community Worker
• Family Support Worker
• Disability Support Worker

The Graduate Certificate of Counselling course is comprised of 4 units, which are level 500 units. To find out unit delivery information view the relevant Yearly Planner.

The course duration is 26 weeks full time or part time equivalent. For more information on the recommended course sequence click here.

Credit points: 8

Prerequisites: None

This unit explores the role of a counsellor in contemporary society. Students learn and apply foundational counselling knowledge and skills, with an emphasis on the development of an evolving self-awareness. Emphasis is placed on developing understanding and demonstrating the structure of a counselling session, including case conceptualisation, assessment and closure.

• Review, interpret, integrate, synthesise and apply foundational counselling knowledge and skills.
• Critically analyse, evaluate and apply information to complete a range of activities in counselling, with an emphasis on the development of an evolving self-awareness.
• Competently apply and transmit advanced knowledge to effectively demonstrate sophisticated levels of self-reflexivity, autonomy and adaptability, with multicultural populations.
• Demonstrate an advanced capacity to critically analyse, synthesise and communicate ideas at an advanced academic level, using contemporary communication approaches.

Learning and Teaching Process: The workload for this unit is 12 hours per week.

Credit points: 8

Prerequisites: None

This unit provides students with an understanding of the background and applications of key counselling modalities. Students learn to apply different theoretical models to practice, including case conceptualisation, trauma informed practice, alternative modes of working with clients (such as video conferencing and telephone), and multicultural counselling.

• Review, interpret, integrate, synthesise and apply an advanced range of theoretical models to counselling practice.
• Critically analyse, evaluate and ethically apply information to complete a range of activities related to different theoretical models.
• Competently apply and transmit advanced knowledge to effectively demonstrate sophisticated levels of self-reflexivity, autonomy and adaptability, with multicultural populations.
• Demonstrate an advanced capacity to critically analyse, synthesise and communicate ideas at an advanced academic level, using contemporary communication approaches.

Learning and Teaching Process: The workload for this unit is 12 hours per week.

Credit points: 8

Prerequisites: COUN5131 and COUN5141

This unit provides students with an evolving self-awareness of personal biases and stereotypes. Students develop and demonstrate the ability to recognise and respond sensitively to diversity in clients, irrespective of personal biases. They develop and demonstrate understanding, skills and models to work sensitively and ethically with diverse population groups in Australia, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Cultural conceptions of mental health are examined, including the implications for a person's mental health when they are part of a minority, or stigmatised group in a society.

• Review, interpret, integrate, synthesise and apply an advanced understanding, skills and models to work sensitively and ethically with multicultural population groups in Australia.
• Competently examine cultural conceptions of mental health are examined, including the implications for a person's mental health when they are part of a minority, or stigmatised group in a society.
• Professionally apply and transmit advanced knowledge to effectively demonstrate sophisticated levels of self-reflexivity, with an evolving self-awareness of personal biases and stereotypes.
• Demonstrate an advanced capacity to critically analyse, synthesise and communicate ideas at an advanced academic level, using contemporary communication approaches.

Learning and Teaching Process: The workload for this unit is 12 hours per week.

Credit points: 8

Prerequisites: COUN5131 and COUN5141

This unit develops students' awareness and understanding of ethical dilemmas and ethical violations. Students are introduced to the importance of self-reflexivity when working with the ethical principles of practice and research. The ethical and legal obligations in ethical decision making and social justice practices are addressed for all stakeholders in a situation. Students learn to work within Codes of Ethics, Codes of Conduct and relevant professional and legal requirements and apply ethical sensitivity when working with individuals, couples, families, groups and members of minority population groups. There is a focus on understanding the ethical implications and requirements when working with family violence, self-harm and harm to others, and the need to conduct timely and sensitive risk assessments.

• Review, interpret, integrate, synthesise and apply an advanced theoretical knowledge of a range of ethical principles of practice and research.
• Critically analyse, evaluate and apply information to ethical decision making and social justice practices.
• Competently apply and transmit advanced knowledge to effectively demonstrate sophisticated levels of self-reflexivity foundational to the development of ethical sensitivity.
• Demonstrate an advanced capacity to critically analyse, synthesise and communicate ideas at an advanced academic level, using contemporary communication approaches.

Learning and Teaching Process: The workload for this unit is 12 hours per week.