Bachelor
School of Arts & Sciences
Do you aspire to be a professional counsellor? The University of Notre Dame Australia's Bachelor of Counselling is the degree for you. You will be able to communicate effectively and deal with a wide range of issues, from trauma and addiction counselling to counselling couples and families and addressing grief and loss issues. The Bachelor of Counselling is a three-year program that equips you with both the theoretical background and the hands-on skills needed to work effectively in a challenging and often demanding environment. Contact us to find out more.
Academic requirements for this program are outlined below. In addition, to be eligible for admission, all applicants need to satisfy the Minimum University Admission Requirements outlined. These include those relating to minimum age and English Language Proficiency. We also consider your application more broadly - your non-academic achievements (such as any previous leadership roles, volunteering, work, church and/or community involvement) as well as personal qualities - your aspirations and interests and your capacity to complete your chosen program. See Individual Factors for further details regarding this.
Applicants with recent Secondary Education
OR
*Selection Ranks include ATAR plus Adjustment Factors.
Applicants with Higher Education Study
OR
*Applicants who have successfully completed subjects at another University, which are relevant to the selected program of study, may be eligible for credit (Advanced Standing).
Applicants with Vocational Education and Training (VET) study
Applicants with Work and Life Experience
Applicants who left secondary education more than two years previously and who have not undertaken VET or higher education study since may be considered for direct entry. This includes applicants who have completed Steiner, Montessori or home school curriculums. To qualify, applicants must be 20 years of age as at 1 March in the year of intake and meet one or more of the following:
OR
OR
*STAT results must have been obtained within the last three calendar years in order to be considered (e.g. for 2024 admission, STAT results obtained in 2023, 2022 or 2021 can be considered).
Discipline Specific Requirements
Please note: all applicants must be of school leaving age or older to apply.
Academic requirements for this program are outlined below. In addition, to be eligible for admission, all applicants need to satisfy the Minimum University Admission Requirements outlined. These include those relating to minimum age and English Language Proficiency. We also consider your application more broadly - your non-academic achievements (such as any previous leadership roles, volunteering, work, church and/or community involvement) as well as personal qualities - your aspirations and interests and your capacity to complete your chosen program. See Individual Factors for further details regarding this.
Applicants with recent Secondary Education
OR
*Selection Ranks include ATAR plus Adjustment Factors.
Applicants with Higher Education Study
OR
*Applicants who have successfully completed subjects at another University, which are relevant to the selected program of study, may be eligible for credit (Advanced Standing).
Applicants with Vocational Education and Training (VET) study
Applicants with Work and Life Experience
Applicants who left secondary education more than two years previously and who have not undertaken VET or higher education study since may be considered for direct entry. This includes applicants who have completed Steiner, Montessori or home school curriculums. To qualify, applicants must be 20 years of age as at 1 March in the year of intake and meet one or more of the following:
OR
OR
*STAT results must have been obtained within the last three calendar years in order to be considered (e.g. for 2024 admission, STAT results obtained in 2023, 2022 or 2021 can be considered).
Discipline Specific Requirements
Please note: all applicants must be of school leaving age or older to apply.
Our unique Bachelor of Counselling degree offers you a fully-integrated program of instruction that focuses on the individual's psychosocial, personal and spiritual development throughout their lifespan.
In Year One, you will study a range of theories and approaches to counselling, explore personal values, belief systems and experiences from culture and family, identify effective self-care strategies and develop attributes essential to professional practice. You will also begin to develop practical counselling skills before moving on to specific areas of counselling children, adolescents, couples and families and older people in Years Two and Three.
Blending theoretical understanding and hands-on experience, the program covers just about every type of scenario within the human experience. You will learn the interpersonal skills needed to build a positive client alliance which promotes the use of the therapeutic relationship as an organising focus for treatment.
The program includes a placement in a counselling agency which will provide supervised practice, including a minimum of 40 hours of face-to-face client contact. Your placement allows you to gain practical experience and establish a professional network which may help you secure employment. Upon graduation, you will be entitled to register as a professional counsellor with Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation Australia (PACFA) and the Australian Counselling Association (ACA).
Graduates of this program can follow diverse career paths in the private and public sectors; Careers available to graduates include Youth workers, trauma counsellors, drug and alcohol counsellors, and family counsellors.
More information about the courses can be found at the course descriptions page.
Year One
Year Two
Year Three
Core Curriculum
Full details of the program requirements are contained in the Program Requirements.
More information regarding courses can be found at the course descriptions page.
Please note: The availability of these courses is indicative only and may be subject to change.