Graduate Diploma of Counselling

What you will study

You must pass eight credit points to complete the Graduate Diploma of Counselling. The number of credit points required may vary, depending on your entry point or how much credit you receive as recognition of prior learning (RPL) based on your professional experience and previous qualifications.

An 8-credit-point Graduate Diploma of Counselling includes:

• DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in their first study period

Eight credit points of core units consisting of:

• Four credit points of Foundations of Counselling units.
• Four credit points of Fundamentals of Counselling units.

Entry requirements

Selection is based on a holistic consideration of your academic merit, work experience, likelihood of success, availability of places, participation requirements, regulatory requirements and individual circumstances. You must meet the minimum academic and English language proficiency requirements to be considered for selection, but this does not guarantee admission.

Please note that this course has limited places and entry is competitive. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit an application as soon as possible. If all spots are filled, applications for this course may close before the published closing date.

Academic requirements

To be considered for admission to this degree, you will need to meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Completion of a bachelor's degree or higher.
• At least two years of relevant work experience (or part-time equivalent).

English language proficiency requirements

To meet the English language proficiency requirements of this course, you will need to demonstrate at least one of the following:

• Bachelor's degree from a recognised English-speaking country.
• IELTS overall score of 7.0 (with no band score less than 6.5) or in each test component.
• Other evidence of English language proficiency (learn more about other ways to satisfy the requirements).

Outcomes

Career outcomes

The course has been designed to foster practical counselling skills that can be applied in person, over the phone or online via videoconference. There is a growing demand for these skills across a range of occupations related to mental health, disability, allied health and social support services, with an expected very strong increase in demand over the next five years.

As a counsellor, you will provide advice and information on relationships, social, educational, occupational and a range of other everyday life difficulties. You will develop rapport and a healthy therapeutic relationship with people to help them identify and define their emotional issues through a range of therapies, including cognitive behaviour therapy, interpersonal therapy and other talking therapies.

The course has been designed to meet the requirements of the Australian Counselling Association, so upon graduation, you will be eligible for membership, which will increase your opportunities for employment.

Learning outcomes

• Demonstrate specialist knowledge of counselling roles, skills, theory, interventions, ethics and legal issues across the lifespan to various audiences relevant to professional counselling.
• Employ clear written and oral communication skills to effect therapeutic change in counselling. Convey complex counselling theories and ideas to a variety of audiences.
• Select appropriate digital tools to find, use and disseminate information in counselling practice.
• Identify, synthesise, integrate and critically reflect on research to inform counselling practice.
• Appraise, select and apply specialised counselling skills and knowledge to solve complex problems in the field of counselling. Initiate, plan and implement counselling interventions that creatively solve problems.
• Demonstrate high-level self-management and awareness in learning and practice that reinforce the importance of responsibility, accountability and ethics in professional counselling.
• Work effectively in supervisory, leadership and managerial capacities with diverse ethnic and cultural partners and teams. Communicate and collaborate with other mental health professionals to support clients.
• Evaluate and apply ethical principles to work productively in counselling within diverse social, cultural and environmental contexts. Collaborate and communicate in a self-reflective and culturally sensitive manner.

Fees and FEE-HELP

Estimated first-year tuition fee in 2025: $29,000 (domestic full-fee paying place).

All costs are calculated using current rates and are based on a full-time study load of four credit points (normally eight units) per year.

A student’s annual fee may vary in accordance with:

• The number of units studied per term.
• The choice of major or specialisation.
• Choice of units.
• Credit from previous study or work experience.
• Eligibility for government-funded loans. 

Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.

FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee paying domestic students with the cost of a university course.