Course details

Summary

The Master of Counselling is the only postgraduate counselling degree in Te Waipounamu, the South Island. This master's is designed to give students the opportunity to extend their theoretical grounding and professional skills to work as counsellors in a variety of settings. Students are trained to identify systematic, effective ways to help clients find simple, acceptable solutions to their current concerns and problems.

The MCouns consists of 240 points of study, taken as a combination of practical and theory courses.

Qualification structure and duration

The MCouns consists of two parts: Part I includes five compulsory courses, one optional course and one research course and Part II a practical course and a research course.

The minimum period of enrolment for a full-time candidate is two consecutive years; the maximum period is four years. The minimum period of enrolment for a part-time candidate is four consecutive years; the maximum period is six years.

Career opportunities

Postgraduate study can bring many career benefits eg, specialist skills and enhanced knowledge, entry into specific occupations, higher starting salary/progression rates, research capability/achievement and evidence of high academic attainment/self-discipline.

Entry criteria

Candidates wishing to enrol in the MCouns must have qualified for one of the following:

• a degree in New Zealand with either acquired experience in counselling, teaching, nursing, social work or an equivalent profession, or been deemed suitable for training as a counsellor, or
• been admitted ad eundem statum to enrol for the Master of Counselling, or
• been approved as a candidate by the Dean of Education.

Selection will be based on academic attainment and other criteria, which will include an interview for admission to the professional counselling practice course (COUN675 Professional Counselling Practice I). The relevance and standard of previous studies and any subsequent professional work experience are the main criteria of approval. Students will normally be expected to have at least a B average in their 300-level courses. Students must also be vetted by police.

Other English language requirements: TOEFL PBT with a minimum score of 575 and TWE with a minimum score of 4.5; CCEL EAP Level 2 with a minimum B+ grade; CAE or CPE score of 176 with a minimum of 169 in reading, writing, listening and speaking; Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PTE with an overall score of 64 and no PTE communicative skills score below 58.