Course overview

Promoting mental well-being, preventing mental disorders and providing high-quality and culturally appropriate services are essential goals for addressing the burden of disease caused by mental illness.

In the Graduate Diploma of Counselling (Mental Health Practice), you’ll explore the significant mental health classification and diagnostic systems, case formulation, collaborative treatment planning, treatment and outcome evaluation and the general principles and practice of case management. While the study is mainly online, you must attend mandatory residential schools at UniSQ Ipswich campus associated with four designated courses to meet the required number of hours of face-to-face instruction and ensure you have the best possible skills preparation.

Further study and Professional accreditation

A UniSQ Graduate Diploma of Counselling enables you to apply for membership with the Australian Counselling Association. However, if you wish to gain professional accreditation and practice as a counsellor, USQ recommends you study for a Master of Counselling. You may be eligible to transfer to the Master of Counselling once you have completed 50 per cent of the Graduate Diploma of Counselling (which must include two Foundation of Practice courses).

Key facts

Delivery

Online

Study level

Postgraduate

Course type

Graduate Diploma

Duration

12 months (Full time)

Units

Fees

FEE-HELP

Price per unit

From $3,720

Intake

1st June, 2026
14th September, 2026

What you will study

To complete this degree, students must take eight units. Each course is worth one unit.

Core courses

Counselling Skills and Applications
Counselling Frameworks
Counselling and Diversity Across the Lifespan
Professional Counselling Practice, Identity and Ethics
Presenting Issues and Mental Health

Specialisation courses

Choose three of the following courses:

Working with Addiction
Trauma Informed Care and Practice
Child and Youth Counselling
Couple and Family Counselling
Trauma Theories and Introduction to Treatment Modalities

Entry requirements

A bachelor's degree 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:

Apply a core body of knowledge, including contemporary theories and models central to counselling assessment and client-centred therapy that is both trauma-informed and culturally sensitive.
Effectively utilise a range of advanced interpersonal, written, oral and digital literacy skills that are appropriate from a decolonising perspective when communicating with culturally diverse audiences, including clients and professionals, utilising person-first language.
Apply critical reasoning, reflective practice and professional and ethical judgement with initiative to identify and resolve a range of therapeutic, professional, legal and ethical practice issues.
Consolidate theory and practice within a trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, integrative framework to effectively provide counselling within diverse cultural and practice contexts and client groups.
Utilise relevant research literature, methodologies and findings to inform practice development and decision-making processes.

Career outcomes

Graduates may find work in healthcare and allied health settings, government and community services, or corporate and educational settings as a: