Subang Jaya, Malaysia
DURATION
4 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Jul 2025
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Key Summary
Scholarships
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Introduction
Why study a Master of Professional Counselling?
The Master of Professional Counselling in Monash University Malaysia is a skills-based course suited to those with an interest in counselling. It is taught by academics with extensive experience of working as professional counsellors/psychologists.
This course is designed to prepare students to become registered counsellors in settings such as community mental health, schools, health centers, workplaces, and in private practice. The course is also suitable for people already working in various professions who may wish to utilise counselling skills in roles such as teaching, social work and human resources. A distinctive feature of the course is its focus on preparing students to be culturally competent counsellors in Malaysia and the region.
This course requires students to undertake 504 hours of clinical placements, including a minimum of 192 hours of client contact. Through these mandatory placements, students have an opportunity to apply theory to practice under supervision in clinical settings.
Professional recognition
This course is fully accredited by
- Malaysian Board of Counsellors (Lembaga Kaunselor Malaysia). Graduated students are eligible to apply for registration with the Board.
- Australian Counselling Association (ACA)
- Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA)
Admissions
Curriculum
Areas of study
- Counselling practice and theory
- Human growth and lifespan development
- Mental health issues assessment: grief, trauma and substance abuse
- Counselling in a multicultural context
- Children and adolescents counselling
- Personnel and career development counselling
- Counselling skills: individuals and couples
- Ethics and professional issues in counselling and psychology
- Group counselling skills and psychotherapy
- Cognitive behaviour therapy
- Advanced Personnel and career development counselling
- Counselling research design, statistics and program evaluation
- Psychological assessment and measurement
- Counselling practicum
- Counselling Internship
Course structure
This course consists of advance preparatory units, core units and application units.
Students must complete:
1. Four advanced preparatory units (24 points)
- Counselling practice and theory
- Human growth and lifespan development
- Mental health issues assessment: grief, trauma and substance abuse
- Counselling in a multicultural context
2. Eight core units (48 points)
- Children and adolescents counselling
- Personnel and career development counselling
- Counselling skills: individuals and couples
- Ethics and professional issues in counselling and psychology
- Group counselling skills and psychotherapy
- Cognitive behaviour therapy
- Advanced personnel and career development counselling
- Counselling research design, statistics and program evaluation
3. Three application units (24 points)
- Psychological assessment and measurement
- Counselling practicum
- Counselling Internship
The Monash University Handbook has detailed information about the structure and requirements for the Master of Professional Counselling.
Mode of study
- Full-time
- Part-time (Classes are held on weekdays during the day, no weekend classes. All students are expected to be available during scheduled class times).
Duration
The Master of Professional Counselling degree can be undertaken over two years of full-time or four years of part-time study.
Rankings
Program Outcome
Upon successful completion of this course it is expected that graduates will be able to:
- demonstrate an advanced level of knowledge of evidence-based theories and frameworks related to the major schools of counselling and psychotherapy
- relate appropriate therapeutic approaches and strategies to clients from different age groups and developmental stages
- demonstrate capacity in synthesising and communicating ideas at an advanced academic level
- demonstrate cultural awareness and sensitivity in all aspects of professional counselling
- develop a deeper understanding of self, personal values and preferred styles of counselling
- assess client needs through psychological method and scientific measurement
- apply the knowledge and skills developed in the individual, family, group and career counselling setting
- recognise and reflect on the ethical and professional issues in counselling and psychology
- demonstrate knowledge of appropriate research approaches and apply critical analysis in the contexts of research and counselling practices.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
On completion of the course, graduates should be able to work as counsellors with an advanced level of knowledge, and be cognisant of the professional issues involved in undertaking counselling as a profession in Malaysia and the region. Graduates would be able to work in settings such as community mental health clinics, schools, health centers, workplaces, and in private practice.