Advanced Diploma of Counselling
About the Course
The Advanced Diploma of Counselling course is designed to provide students with the essential foundational knowledge and skills to enable them to work as a counsellor or to enhance their current skills and work practice. The course has a practical evidence based focus and is trauma informed with self-reflection and self-evaluation processes incorporated to foster effective professional development.
This is an entry level course, with an emphasis on practical skill development, which will enable students to:
- Provide face to face and online counselling
- Create a therapeutic environment that facilitates the helping relationship
- Understand the major counselling theories and how to apply person-centred approaches to counselling situations, whether face to face or online
- Work effectively with clients within a culturally responsive and respectful framework
- Apply ethical principles to complex professional contexts
- Apply self-reflection, critical thinking skills and professional standards to own counselling performance
- Apply their learning in a clinical placement, working directly with clients whilst undergoing clinical supervision.
The course structure is designed to develop students’ knowledge, skills and attitudes progressively throughout the course leading to the attainment of a coherent set of relevant and practical counselling skills. This course includes 140 hour counselling practicum in a professional environment, with a minimum of 40 hours of face-to-face client counselling. This will be supported by clinical supervision in small groups.
For detailed information on the practicum, click here to download the Counselling Practicum Guidelines for Students.
Course Outline
| Course Title | Advanced Diploma of Counselling |
|---|---|
| Duration | 2 years full-time |
| Intake | Semester 1, 2026 (March) |
| Delivery Mode | Face-to-face on campus |
| LOTE Course | No |
| Delivery Language | English |
| CRICOS Course Code | 116932C |
| Delivery Locations | Rhodes Campus North Parramatta Campus |
| Practicum Component | This course includes a counselling practicum unit during year 2, semester 2 that is delivered only at the Rhodes campus. |
| Structure | Students must pass 16 core units, each worth 10 credit points, to be awarded the Advanced Diploma of Counselling |
| Cost | Annual tuition fee for 2026 academic year: $18,360 Estimated total tuition cost: $36,720* *subject to annual increases |
Course Sequence
| Year 1 | Credit points | EFTSL value |
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1, 2026 – Core Units CSL101 Theories of Counselling and Psychotherapy I CSL102 Therapeutic Skills CSL103 Introduction to Motivational Interviewing in Counselling CSL104 Ethical Practice | 10 10 10 10 | 0.125 0.125 0.125 0.125 |
| Semester 2, 2026 – Core Units CSL105 Theories of Counselling and Psychotherapy II CSL106 Case Formulation CSL107 Trauma Informed Counselling CSL108 Cross Cultural Counselling | 10 10 10 10 | 0.125 0.125 0.125 0.125 |
An EFTSL value of 1 (one) represents a full-time study load for one academic year.
| Year 2 | Credit points | EFTSL value |
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1, 2027 – Core Units CSL209 An Introduction to Mental Health/Mental Illness CSL210 The Assessment Process in Mental Health CSL211 Introduction to Working with Anxiety and Depression CSL212 Introduction to Substance Abuse Counselling | 10 10 10 10 | 0.125 0.125 0.125 0.125 |
| Semester 2, 2027 – Core Units CSL213 Working with Grief and Loss CSL214 Theory and Practice of Group Counselling CSL215 Introduction to Child and Adolescent Counselling CSL216 Counselling Practicum | 10 10 10 10 | 0.125 0.125 0.125 0.125 |
An EFTSL value of 1 (one) represents a full-time study load for one academic year.
Course Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate a coherent knowledge of the principles, theoretical perspectives and concepts utilised in major approaches to counselling/psychotherapy
- Apply counselling knowledge and skills to address the client’s needs.
- Engage in ethical and culturally sensitive therapeutic practices.
- Use critically reflective practice skills to establish and maintain therapeutic counselling relationships in clinical practice contexts.
- Apply relevant codes of practice and principles of legal and ethical practice when working with clients.
- Care for the vulnerable, disadvantaged and marginalised in the community with compassion, skilful and respectful service.