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Course Information

Graduate Diploma of Counselling and Psychotherapy

Effective from 01-JAN-2025 : Code J54

The Graduate Diploma of Counselling and Psychotherapy is both an award in its own right and an exit award within the Masters of Counselling and Psychotherapy. The Diploma is designed for professionals who wish to acquire counselling skills for use in their work as health professionals, social workers, personnel officers, pastors, human service workers, psychologists or counsellors. The course provides training in counselling skills and theory and prepares graduates to develop a counselling role in their workplace. Graduates of this course are eligible to apply for the Masters of Counselling and Psychotherapy.

Disclaimer

This course information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester. In particular please check the course requirements and the unit and unit set offerings, as these differ according to course delivery location.

Course Learning Outcomes

  1. Communicate advanced specialised knowledge, concepts and skills to work with individuals, couples and family and contemporary settings by ethically integrating counselling and psychotherapy theoretical frameworks.
  2. Apply high level, independent professional judgement when analysing and evaluating complex counselling/psychotherapy case management problems to generate creative solutions.
  3. Demonstrate self management and reflective practice skills by initiating, planning, evaluating strategies and psychodynamic and systemic theoretical frameworks.

Admission requirements

Admission requirement (Band 6)

  • Bachelor degree; or
  • Equivalent prior learning including at least five years relevant professional experience.

English Language requirement (Band 4)

English competency requirements may be satisfied through completion of one of the following:

  • IELTS Academic Overall band minimum score of 6.5 (no individual band less than 6.0);
  • Bachelor degree from a country specified in the Admissions Policy;
  • Successfully completed 0.375 EFTSL of study at postgraduate level or higher at an Australian higher education provider (or equivalent);
  • Where accepted, equivalent prior learning, including at least five years relevant professional experience; or
  • Other tests, courses or programs as defined in the Admissions Policy.

Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level

This course has been accredited by ECU as an AQF Level 8 Graduate Diploma Award.

Course Duration

  • Full Time: 1 Year
  • Part Time: 2 Years

Course Delivery

  • Joondalup: Full Time, Part Time

Non standard timetable requirements

Students may be required to attend occasional weekend or evening classes.

Course Coordinator

Dr Sonam PELDEN

Course Structure

Year 1 - Semester 1
Unit Code Unit Title Credit Points
COU6113Principles of Psychodynamic Practice15
COU6121Psychodynamic Theories of Counselling15
COU5303Couples and Family Therapy15
COU6305Individual Psychotherapy Practice 115
Year 1 - Semester 2
Unit Code Unit Title Credit Points
COU6324Individual Psychotherapy Practice 215
COU5210Personal Issues in Counselling15
COU6114Object Relations and Attachment Theory15
COU6403Psychodynamic Theories of Couples and Family Therapy15

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

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