Graduate Certificate of Counselling (Child, Youth & Family Therapy)

Upon completion of this program, graduates will be able to:

1. Demonstrate understanding of specialized theories and models fundamental to fields associated with counseling.
2. Demonstrate advanced interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills that are appropriate from a decolonizing perspective when communicating with culturally diverse audiences, including clients and professionals, utilizing person-first language.
3. Demonstrate critical reasoning, judgment, and problem-solving in the exploration of a range of professional, legal, and ethical practice issues.
4. Integrate theory and practice to develop client-centered, trauma-informed counseling interventions for working with children, youth, couples, and families, within diverse contexts and groups.

Recommended study pattern

Year 1

COU5041 Trauma Informed Care and Practice

COU6021 Couple and Family Counselling

COU6022 Child and Youth Counselling

COU5105 Counselling and Diversity Across the Lifespan

Award requirements

Choose your subjects

Majors

• Alcohol and Drug Studies
• Child, Youth and Family Therapy
• Foundations of Practice
• Mental Health Counselling

Electives

Approved Course List

COU8006 Group Counselling Process and Practice

EDU5335 Emotional and Behavioural Problems of Children and Adolescents

COU8014 Relapse Prevention

COU8012 Motivational Interviewing

COU8013 Introduction to Psychoactive Drugs

Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation. You will not pay any fees for using our services.

Indicative total fee $13,320

The amount shown here is indicative for an Australian citizen studying full-time, which is typically 8 subjects per year.

Fees may vary depending on:

• the subjects you choose
• credit from previous work experience
• your eligibility for government funding loans or subsidies such as HECS-HELP or a Commonwealth supported place.

To learn more, go to Fees or contact a student advisor.

As Australia’s #1 university for graduate starting salary (Good Universities Guide, 2022), University of Southern Queensland is the right place to make real progress. Regardless of your education history, your age or your aspirations, at UniSQ you’ll be inspired by quality learning experiences matched with top resources and research. Having delivered distance and online learning for over 40+ years, UniSQ supports you to learn at your own pace—exactly how it suits you.

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QS World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:

24

Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:

25

All students are required to satisfy the applicable English language requirements. For entry to the Graduate Certificate of Counselling (Child, Youth and Family Therapy) program, applicants are required to meet the Category 3 English Language Proficiency requirements.