Bachelor
School of Arts & Sciences, Fremantle Campus
From trauma and addiction counselling to counselling couples and families and addressing issues of grief and loss, today's counsellors must deal with a very wide range of issues and be able to communicate effectively in a range of contexts. 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.
Academic requirements for this program are outlined below. In addition, to be eligible for admission, all applicants need to satisfy minimum requirements outlined at admission requirements. These include those relating to 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.
Admission into the Bachelor of Counselling requires submission of a personal statement outlining applicant's motivations and demonstrating suitability to study counselling as per accreditation requirements (including self-awareness, capacity to relate to others and an understanding of ethical behavior). Successful applicants will be required to provide a current National Police Clearance at the time of enrolling in placement courses according to the relevant agencies' requirements.
Applicants with recent Secondary Education:
Applicants with Higher Education Study
Applicants who have successfully completed subjects at another University, which are relevant to the selected program of study, may be eligible for 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 then, but with relevant work and life experience. Such experience may include, but is not limited to:
Our unique Bachelor of Counselling degree offers you a fully-integrated program of instruction that focuses on the psychosocial, personal and spiritual development of the individual 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, identity effective self-care strategies and develop attributes essential to professional practice. You will also begin to develop effective counselling skills before moving onto 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/or the Australian Counselling Association (ACA).
The following careers are open to graduates of this program:
More information about the courses can be found at the course descriptions page.
Year OneFull details of the program requirements are contained in the Program Regulations.
Here you can find full details of the courses on offer.
Please note: The availability of these courses is indicative only and may be subject to change.