University of Canberra
Graduate Diploma in Counselling
- Delivery: Online
- Commitment: 15 - 20 hours/week
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 16 months
100% online and accredited, this course will expand your counselling skills and deepen your knowledge and theoretical understanding of trauma, loss and grief, and its impact on people's lives.
Course overview
The University of Canberra’s Graduate Diploma in Counselling further develops your counselling skills with practical, in-person experience, support and feedback from academics. The course will extend and expand your counselling skills and deepen your knowledge and theoretical understanding of trauma, loss and grief and its impact on people's lives.
- Opportunity to undertake a placement at an approved counselling agency
- Key focus on human diversity, inclusion and respect
- Be supported by a dedicated Student Success Adviser
- 100% online and accelerated
- Apply knowledge and skills immediately
- Develop industry-relevant skills
- Start anytime – intakes are open every two months
Key facts
March, 2025
May, 2025
July, 2025
September, 2025
October, 2025
What you will study
Build on the foundational units plus undertake one placement unit at an approved counselling agency to complete the Graduate Diploma in Counselling.
The Graduate Diploma in Counselling comprises eight units:
- Counselling Theory and Approaches
- Core Counselling Skills
- Principles of Ethical Conduct in Counselling
- Diversity Inclusion Respect
- Introduction to Placement and Supervision
- Counselling Skills in Practice
- Loss, Grief and Trauma in Counselling
- Placement A - Putting It All into Practice
Upon successful completion, is an excellent pathway to the master’s degree should you choose to undertake an additional four units.
Entry requirements
To be eligible for the Graduate Diploma in Counselling, applicants must:
- have an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in any discipline
- provide a CV that demonstrates helping experience (paid/voluntary)
There are standard English language requirements for this course.
To be eligible you must have an overall IELTS Academic score (or equivalent) of 6.5, with no band score below 6.0.
For alternate/equivalent ways of meeting the English requirements for the course please view the English Proficiency Requirements document on the university website.
Learning outcomes
- Foundations of counselling
Acquire a critical understanding of the skills and major models of counselling that will support you to work in a range of human service roles. - Respectful approach to counselling
Develop the knowledge on how to work with people from diverse cultural backgrounds and identities.
Career outcomes
Build on the foundational counselling skills with experiential practice that are applicable to a wide variety of organisations and teams. This qualification allows you to take the next step in your career as a:
- Private practice counsellor
- Family relationship counsellor
- Support worker
- Case worker
- Youth worker
- Substance abuse counsellor
- Corrections and prison support
- Child and adolescent counsellor
- Mental health worker and many other human service roles.
Fees & FEE-HELP
Fees shown are subject to change. You may also be required to pay student amenities fees. Contact the university directly to confirm.
The fees shown are per unit. The number of units are listed below fees. Together they indicate the total fees for the course.
FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee paying domestic students with the cost of a university course.