Fast Facts
Location
Available to off-shore students with some on-campus attendance required
Commencing
- Online: February, July
Fees
$30,960.00+
+estimated annual tuition fee for a full-time study load
Plus Student Services and Amenities fee
Scholarships and financial aid available if eligible
Duration
1.5 years full-time
or part-time equivalent
Entry Requirements
AQF level 7 bachelor in cognate discipline
English language requirements
Band 2
If your native language is not English, you must meet the minimum English language requirements for this course.
Course Code
34704
Course detail
Ready to take on a career that supports others to live confidently and healthily as they find the path that’s best for them? Studying JCU’s Master of Guidance and Counselling will equip you to provide information and support to future clients in the ways they need most. Whether you go on to work as a school guidance officer or professional counsellor, you’ll have an array of guidance and counselling techniques and skills, allowing you to compassionately and sensitively educate and empower your future clients.
Over the course of this 1.5-year degree, you will gain a deep and critical understanding of the theoretical origins and concepts underpinning current approaches to counselling and their application to the field, including career development. You will explore the intercultural applications of guidance and counselling to the tropical context, including Indigenous, rural and regional wellbeing. You will develop strong micro and macro skills in counselling and have opportunities for intentional practice of micro skills in simulated counselling sessions.
This Master of Guidance and Counselling degree has eight core subjects that cover topics such as the foundations of counselling theory and practice, advanced counselling techniques, reflective practice, career and leisure guidance, and atypical development. You can tailor the degree to suit your interests and career goals by choosing four elective subjects, with options including educational research, behaviour management, social learning perspectives, conflict analysis and resolution, plus many others.
In this degree, you will undertake an individual, small-scale research project that encourages informed, action-oriented leadership approaches to building social and/or ecological capacity in the guidance and counselling field. You will be supported in your research by expert academics who will give you advice and guidance relevant to your chosen topic and your future goals. The research knowledge and skills you gain in this project will prepare you for pursuing a Higher Degree by Research.
Upon completion of JCU’s Master of Guidance and Counselling, you will be ready to be a guidance officer, counsellor, or career development advisor with the ability to identify complex issues, develop creative solutions, give informed guidance and provide compassionate counselling in a range of professional guidance and counselling practice contexts.
View the handbook for a detailed overview of subjects.
Inherent requirements
Inherent requirements are the identified abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours that must be demonstrated, during the learning experience, to successfully complete a course. These abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours preserve the academic integrity of the University’s learning, assessment, and accreditation processes, and where applicable, meet the standards of a profession. For more information please review the inherent requirements for the Master of Guidance and Counselling .
Diversify your teaching and human resource management skills with a JCU Master of Guidance and Counselling.
You could provide specialist human resource management skills across the public or private sector for business or government, as well working in schools as a guidance counsellor.
This course is accredited by the Australian Counselling Association and the Singapore Association for Counselling, giving you the ability to pursue a career internationally.
Master of Guidance and Counselling
Handbook year | 2022 |
Course code | 34704 |
Course type | Masters Degree (Coursework) (AQF Level 9) |
Professional accreditation status | This course is accredited by the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) and by the Singapore Association of Counselling (SAC). Graduates are eligible for professional membership of the ACA or the SAC. |
Owner | Division of Tropical Environments and Societies |
College | Arts, Society and Education |
Award Requirements
Admission Requirements
Course pre-requisites | Completion of an AQF level 7 bachelor degree in a cognate discipline. Cognate disciplines include education, psychology, social work, law, health or career development. |
Minimum English language proficiency requirements | Applicants of non-English speaking backgrounds must meet the English language proficiency requirements of Band 2 – Schedule II of the JCU Admissions Policy. |
Special admission requirements | In exceptional cases applicants may be admitted to the course if they submit other evidence of academic and professional attainments and their candidature is approved by the Division. |
Academic Requirements for Course Completion
Credit points | 36 credit points as per course structure |
Course learning outcomes | On successful completion of the Master of Guidance and Counselling, graduates will be able to:
|
Inherent Requirements
Inherent Requirements | Inherent requirements are the identified abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours that must be demonstrated, during the learning experience, to successfully complete a course. These abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours preserve the academic integrity of the University's learning, assessment, and accreditation processes, and where applicable, meet the standards of a profession. For more information please visit: Master of Guidance and Counselling. |
Reasonable adjustments | All JCU students have the opportunity to demonstrate, with reasonable adjustments where applicable, the inherent requirements for their course. For more information please visit: Student Disability Policy and Procedure. |
Course Structure
CORE SUBJECTS
ED5859:03 Atypical Development
ED5862:03 Foundations of Counselling Theory
ED5863:03 Foundations of Counselling Practice
ED5864:03 Advanced Counselling
ED5310:03 Practicum in Guidance and Counselling
ED5311:03 Reflective Practice Research in Guidance and Counselling
ED5853:03 Career and Leisure Guidance and Counselling
ED5857:03 Assessment
OPTIONS
Select 12 credit points of subjects from List 1
List 1
ED5190:03 Introduction to Educational Research
ED5855:03 Behaviour Management
ED5880:03 Educational Leadership
ED5881:03 Leading for Change in Curriculum and Pedagogy
ED5911:03 Education for Sustainability
ED5912:03 Social Learning Perspectives for a Sustainable Future
ED5913:03 Communicating Sustainability and Climate Change
ED5914:03 Individual Researched Action Project
LB5514:03 Cross-Cultural Conflict Resolution
LB5525:03 Conflict Analysis
LB5536:03 Ethical Decision Making and Reflective Practice
WS3027:03 Social Welfare Practice with Children and Families
WS5103:03 Community Development
Location
COURSE AVAILABLE AT | NOTES |
JCU Singapore | |
JCU Townsville | Some subjects are only available via mixed or intensive attendance mode. |
Candidature
Expected time to complete | 1.5 years full-time or equivalent part-time |
Maximum time to complete | 5 years |
Maximum leave of absence | 2 years |
Progression
Course progression requisites | Nil |
Course includes mandatory professional placement(s) | Yes Further information about placements can be found at Coursework Enrolment Procedure. Students may be required to undertake placements away from the campus at which they are enrolled at their own expense. |
Special assessment requirements | Refer to Review of a Student’s Suitability to Continue a Course Involving Placement policy. |
Professional accreditation requirements | Graduates are eligible for professional membership of the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) or the Singapore Association of Counselling (SAC). |
Supplementary exam for final subject | Not applicable |
Credit
Eligibility | Students may apply for a credit transfer for previous tertiary study or informal and non-formal learning in accordance with the Credit Transfer Procedure |
Maximum allowed | 18 credit points |
Currency | Credit will be granted only for studies completed in the 10 years prior to the commencement of this course. |
Expiry | Credit gained for any subject shall be cancelled 15 years after the date of the examination upon which the advanced standing is based if, by then, the student has not completed the course of study prescribed for the degree. |
Other restrictions | Credit will not be granted for ED5311. Students who have accrued two years of full-time (or equivalent) professional experience in a cognate discipline area or have an AQF Level 8 cognate qualification may be granted advanced standing of up to 12 credit points for non-core subjects. Students seeking admission without a cognate degree must first complete the Graduate Certificate of Career Development. Then, within the Master of Guidance and Counselling, they must complete 6 credit points of ED level 5 subjects instead of ED5853 and ED5862. |
Award Details
Award title | MASTER OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING |
Approved abbreviation | MGuidCouns |
Inclusion of majors on testamur | Not applicable - this course does not have majors |
Exit with lesser award | Students who exit the course prior to completion, and have completed 12 credit points of appropriate subjects, may be eligible for the award of Graduate Certificate of Education. |
Course articulation | Not applicable |
Estimated annual tuition fee: $AUD30,960.00
Course fees are charged per year of full-time study. International course fees are reviewed annually and subject to change.
A Student Services and Amenities Fee is payable per subject up to a maximum amount per year.
Student Visa holders must have Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the duration of their Student Visa (except Norwegian, Swedish and Belgian citizens). Costs depend on the length of study and the number of dependents accompanying the student. For more information see Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).
Scholarships and financial aid are also available for international students.
Consult the admission requirements section in the Handbook for prerequisites and pathways into this course.
Gather the documents you need to apply and submit an application via JCU's online application portal.
Real stories
-
Student
Garrett McKenzie
Master of Guidance and Counselling
Working within a wellbeing role already, I am now able to better understand students and their behaviour to support them more effectively in the classroom. Some of the best school leaders I’ve worked with have a Masters of Guidance and Counselling and are some of the greatest and most inspiring leaders in their fields.
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Alumni
Irna Spigariol
Master of Guidance and Counselling
The course prepared me fully for my new career and I have gained my first position as a Guidance Officer in The Torres Strait Islands. As a first generation Australian from a minority background, I hope to assist other students who have had adversity in their lives, to stretch their success and lead fulfilling lives.
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Lecturer
Jon Woodend
Master of Guidance and Counselling
The course prepares students to work with a range of clients, covering foundational up to advanced counselling skills, including ethical and diversity considerations and contemporary approaches. Students can study independently or join in workshops where they receive one-on-one feedback on their counselling skills.
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Employer
Colette Wasson
Director, Human Resources Business Partnering, Education Queensland
The Department of Education finds JCU students to be equipped with the knowledge, skill set and willingness to make a difference in Queensland State Schools. Graduates leave JCU with a well-rounded ability to succeed in the classroom, while also stepping outside their comfort zone to begin their professional careers.