University of Southern Queensland
Graduate Certificate of Counselling (Child, Youth and Family Therapy)
- Delivery: Online
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 12 months
Equips students with specialised, developmentally attuned skills to support young people and families, combining flexibility with a strong foundation in relational and systemic approaches.
Course overview
UniSQ’s Graduate Certificate of Counselling (Child, Youth and Family Therapy) will equip you with skills in child abuse prevention, intervention, relationship and family, child and youth counselling.
This online counselling degree is designed to enhance your health, psychology or human services career.
Offered part-time, this degree can be a professional development opportunity for psychologists and social workers.
Further study
After completing the Graduate Certificate of Counselling, you can take the credit from your studies and complete UniSQ’s Graduate Diploma of Counselling or the Master of Counselling.
Key facts
What you will study
To complete this degree, students must take four units. Each course is worth one unit.
Core courses
- Working with Addiction
- Couple and Family Counselling
- Counselling and Diversity Across the Lifespan
- Child and Youth Counselling
Entry requirements
A bachelor's degree or equivalent in any area from a recognised university.
English language requirements
You must meet the applicable English language requirements. This degree requires a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each subscore. UniSQ also accepts other English language proficiency tests.
Recognition of Prior Learning
If you have previously studied or have relevant work experience, you may be eligible for recognition of prior learning. This will help reduce the number of courses you need to take to finish your program. Contact the university for more information.
Outcomes
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of this program, graduates will be able to:
- Demonstrate understanding of specialised theories and models fundamental to fields associated with counselling.
- Demonstrate advanced interpersonal, written and oral communication skills appropriate from a decolonising perspective when communicating with culturally diverse audiences, including clients and professionals, utilising person-first language.
- Demonstrate critical reasoning, judgment and problem-solving to explore professional, legal and ethical practice issues.
- Foundations of Practice: Consolidate theory and practice within an integrative framework to effectively provide client-centred, trauma-informed counselling within diverse contexts and client groups, including Indigenous Australians.
- Trauma-Focused Practice: Integrate theory and practice to develop client-centred, trauma-informed counselling interventions for individuals who have been exposed to a range of traumatic experiences.
- Addiction: Integrate theory and practice to develop client-centred, trauma-informed counselling interventions for clients impacted by a variety of addictions.
- Child, Youth and Family Therapy: Integrate theory and practice to develop client-centred, trauma-informed counselling interventions for working with children, youth, couples and families within diverse contexts and groups.
- Mental Health Practice: Consolidate theory and practice within an integrated framework to effectively provide client-centred, trauma-informed counselling to individuals with mental health difficulties, utilising person-first language.
Career outcomes
- As a graduate, you will be equipped to specialise in counselling, case management, well-being and youth work skills within a child, youth and family therapy career.
- You could find work opportunities in professional nursing, psychology, teaching, welfare, human services or allied health practices.
- If you're already a health professional, a counselling specialisation can enhance your skills and assist you in advancing in your current position.
Fees and FEE-HELP
Indicative annual fee in 2025: $14,160 (domestic full-fee paying place)
The indicative annual fee is based on a study load of four units.
A student’s annual fee may vary per:
- The number of courses studied.
- Choice of courses.
- 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.