Master of Counselling
Perth, Australia
Master degree
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Feb 2027
TUITION FEES
AUD 39,000
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Key Summary
About: ECU’s Master of Counselling trains you to work as a counsellor across settings. You’ll learn person-centered, psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral and humanistic approaches and study specialist areas such as counseling children and adolescents, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander practice, digital counseling, mental health and trauma-informed care. Practical learning includes 220 hours of supervised placement to build competence and cultural responsiveness.
Career Outcomes: Graduates work in community, health and education sectors. Career opportunities include school counsellor, mental health counsellor, child and family counsellor, trauma or addiction counsellor, youth, grief support, universities, government and not-for-profit agencies, or private practice offering online specialist services.
Are you passionate about helping people navigate life’s challenges and supporting their well-being?
ECU’s Master of Counselling equips you with the knowledge, skills, and experience to work effectively as a professional counsellor across diverse settings. You’ll learn to engage clients through a person-centred approach, while exploring a range of counselling theories and techniques, including psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioural, and humanistic models.
You’ll also study specialist areas such as counselling children and adolescents, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, counselling in a digital world, mental health, and trauma-informed practice. Along the way, you’ll examine the ethical and professional issues counsellors face, particularly in today’s rapidly changing and increasingly digital environment.
Practical learning is at the heart of this course. You’ll complete 220 hours of professional placement in an agency setting, including supervised practice. Here you’ll plan, implement, and evaluate counselling sessions, collaborate within interprofessional teams, and reflect on your own practice, developing the confidence and competence you’ll need to practice as a counsellor.
By graduation, you’ll be prepared to deliver flexible, ethical, and culturally responsive counselling to individuals, families, and communities.
- Foundations of Counselling Practice
- Theories and Techniques in Counselling
- The Role of the Counsellor
Students can exit with a Graduate Certificate in Counselling following successful completion of the above three units.
- Ethics and Counselling Practice
- Counselling in a Digital World
- Mental Health Counselling
- Trauma-Informed Counselling
- Counselling at the Cultural Interface: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People and Practice
- Child and Adolescent Counselling
- Advanced Theories and Techniques in Counselling
- Professional Field Placement
- Apply high-level interpersonal skills to collaborate in interprofessional practice.
- Apply professional and technical skills to design, implement, and evaluate counselling interventions across a range of different modalities.
- Communicate in an ethical and culturally responsive manner in professional practice.
- Critically analyse and apply a complex body of theoretical knowledge and skills-based practice in the discipline of counselling.
- Engage in high-level self-management and reflective practice to monitor professional functioning and implement strategies for ongoing development as a professional.
- Investigate and employ the ethical and legal frameworks relevant to counselling in a range of professional contexts.
Graduates of the Master of Counselling are prepared for professional roles across a wide range of community, health, and human services. Counsellors support individuals, families, and groups to address issues such as grief and loss, difficulties in relationships, addiction support, trauma recovery, and child & adolescent wellbeing. Employment opportunities exist in areas such as schools, universities, community organisations, health and mental health services, family support services, and government or not-for-profit agencies. Many graduates also choose to establish their own private practice, offering specialist counselling services tailored to the needs of their clients.
Possible future job titles
- Counsellor
- Mental Health Counsellor
- Child and Adolescent Counsellor
- Family and Relationship Counsellor
- School Counsellor
- Trauma Counsellor
- Addiction Counsellor
- Grief and Loss Counsellor
- Youth Counsellor
- Online/Digital Counsellor