Graduate Certificate of Counselling
PostgraduateTAS-COU-GCE2025
Strengthen your therapy skills to guide clients through hardship
Pursue a rewarding career as a counsellor using a range of therapeutic approaches. Understand the ethics of your profession and how to address trauma with clients. Then put your skills to the test during role-play scenarios.
Enrolments for this course are closed, but you may have other options to start studying now. Book a consultation to learn more.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Credit available
- Yes
- Duration
- 1 year full time or part time equivalent
- Total subjects
- 4
- Available loans
- Australian Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
- CSP available
- Yes
Graduate Certificate of Counselling
About this degree
Upon successful completion of this program, students should be able to:
- Apply counselling specific knowledge and skills to address different client presentations in a variety of individual contexts and settings.
- Apply reflective practice skills to maintain facilitative counselling relationships in a range of professional practice contexts.
- Use theory and evidence to develop individualised counselling treatment approaches.
- Apply knowledge of relevant codes of conduct, self-reflection, critical thinking skills and professional standards of workplace practice in consultation with professional bodies and supervisors to constructively critique one’s own counselling performance.
In this program you will develop foundational knowledge and skills in counselling, together with an understanding of the ethical, legal and professional issues in relation to the practice of counselling required for employment in a range of counselling roles.
You will also develop an understanding of the social, cultural and developmental context in which counselling occurs and a range of therapeutic approaches appropriate to a range of client ages, needs and circumstances. The program also aims to provide professional development opportunities for people working in counselling roles.
Recommended study pattern
For students undertaking part-time study the following study pattern is recommended.
The course is only available for part-time study.
Completion of 4 core subjects from the schedule below:
- TAS-KHA501 Counselling Skills 1
- TAS-KHA502 Counselling Skills 2
- TAS-KHA505 Professional Ethics and Practice
- TAS-KHA507 Adjustment To Change
Award requirements
Satisfactory completion of 4 subjects, as required in the schedule, within 1-3 years from commencement.
Degrees are usually made up of core subjects and electives. Some degrees include a choice of majors, so you can focus your studies on a specialisation.
This list is a general overview. Download the full Degree Guide for more information.
Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation. You will not pay any fees for using our services.
Indicative total fee $4,660
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.
Wherever you are, the University of Tasmania brings its island campus to you through a growing range of online programs across art and design, business, education, health, science, sustainability, technology, and more. It’s never too late to switch things up. Kickstart that career you’ve been dreaming about, or upskill for the one you’re in. You’ll also become a part of the world's leading university on climate action.
Learn more about UTAS.
Explore UTAS courses.
- QS World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:
- 20
- Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:
- 19
Entry requirements
- A degree with a major in psychology, behavioural or psychological science; OR
- A degree in an affiliated area of human services, such as education, social work, law or nursing; OR
- Other equivalent qualifications or combination of qualifications which required at least three years of full-time tertiary study, or is deemed equivalent by the College of Health and Medicine.
The University of Tasmania grants credit and recognition of prior learning that may include formal and/or informal prior learning. More information is available here.
Career opportunities
Counselling graduates work in a wide range of settings including relationship counselling organisations, secondary and post-secondary education, community welfare centres, drug and alcohol agencies, church agencies, and private practice. Other graduates utilise their counselling skills in their existing employment. You might also find employment in Crisis & Trauma counselling, EAP services, Career counselling / Employment Services, Disability, Aged Care, Justice / Community Corrections, Child & Adolescent services.
Australian job snapshots
Data sourced from Australian Jobs 2023.
| Role | Earnings | Employment change |
|---|---|---|
| Careers Counsellors | $75K to $93K | N/A^ |
| Counsellors | $75K to $93K | Up 12.6% |
| Health and Welfare Services Managers | Over $120K | Up 56.6% |
| Social Workers | $75K to $93K | Up 29.8% |
Explore psychology & mental health courses
Discover related degrees to compare your options and find the best fit for your goals.
Graduate Certificate in Case Management and Mental Health
PostgraduateGRF-CMH-GCE
Graduate Diploma in Psychology
PostgraduateUNE-PSY-GDI
Graduate Diploma of Psychology (Advanced)
PostgraduateSWI-PYA-GDI
Graduate Certificate in Mental Health
PostgraduateECU-MNH-GCE
Graduate Certificate in Behavioural Insights
PostgraduateTAS-BHI-GCE
Graduate Diploma in Psychology
PostgraduateRMI-PSY-GDI
Graduate Certificate of Psychology
PostgraduateSWI-PSY-GCE
Master of Forensic Mental Health
PostgraduateGRF-FMH-MAS
Degree FAQs
How long does it take to finish an online degree?
That's up to you! Because we let you choose when to study online, you can actually pick up and pause study when it suits you. Many universities have a set time you need to complete your degree within. For some this is up to 10 years, and for others there is no limit.
There are some degrees that are stricter about when you can take breaks, and about how many years you can take to complete your degree. Please always check with your uni what the limits are.
As a general guide, Commonwealth supported place students have 10 years to finish their undergraduate degree through OUA, However, if you're studying with Griffith University, there's a limit of 8 years to complete your studies. If you want to take a break that lasts more than two study terms, you'll need to apply for a leave of absence. You can apply for a leave of absence for up to 12 months, as long as you complete your studies within the maximum time allowed for your degree.
If you're studying with Macquarie University, with the exception of certain degrees, there's no limit to how long you can take. But, please check with Macquarie Student Administration to be sure.
If you're studying with the University of Adelaide, you have up to 9 years to complete your undergraduate degree and graduate.
If you're studying with La Trobe University and want to take a break of minimum 1 study term, you must apply for leave of absence to avoid being inadvertently withdrawn from your degree.
Through OUA, you can study all year round, so it's possible to fast-track and finish up sooner than studying at a traditional uni would allow. That said, you need to spend around 12 hours a week on each undergraduate subject you do, so taking on extra work to finish ahead of time can be challenging.
How can I pay for my studies?
You may be eligible for a HELP loan from the Australian government, depending on your citizenship status and where you'll be living during your studies. You can also pay upfront with your credit card.
Payment options are explained in Fees, and you can contact a student advisor for more information.
How does studying through Open Universities Australia work?
You might find learning through OUA a little different to how you've studied in the past. It can take time to develop the skills you need for independent online study.
We connect you with subjects and degrees that are taught by leading Australian universities. You can complete single subjects, or follow a degree structure to work towards a specific qualification. Subjects are offered in several study terms throughout the year, so you can choose to study part-time or full-time, continuously or with breaks.
We help you find the subjects or degree that's right for you, and we handle your enrolment in uni and some administration. Your uni sends you your study materials and deals with all academic matters. They're also in charge of your assessment and graduation. If you go on to complete a degree, you'll graduate from the uni offering your degree, for example, RMIT University or Griffith University.
How do I know if I‘m eligible to apply for a course?
Before starting an enrolment, it's important to read the entry requirements for your chosen course to ensure that you're eligible to apply. If you don't quite meet the requirements, we can help you find a pathway into your course through open-entry subjects, which anyone can study. Contact us to find out more.
When is my cut-off date for enrolment?
Our close of enrolment times vary. You can check the cut-off dates for upcoming study terms by visiting Key dates.
Why should I study online through Open Universities Australia?
There are a lot of reasons to study your course online through us.
You can enrol without entry requirements
We have a unique open-door policy that makes it possible for everyone to enrol in university study, no matter their academic history. If you don't meet the entry requirements for a degree, we'll help you get in through single undergraduate subjects and transition into a qualification from there.
You have total control over how you study
Upskill without committing to a whole degree upfront. Or enrol in a full degree, but take it a subject at a time. We'll introduce you to flexible study options you didn't even know about, so you can fit uni around what matters to you.You'll graduate with the same qualification as an on-campus student
Once you enrol through us, you'll study online with the university that provides your degree. This means that when you complete your qualification, you'll graduate with the same degree as on-campus students.We'll help you navigate the university world
Our friendly student advisors will be your guide every step of the enrolment journey. They'll help you compare universities, choose a course, provide documentation and understand your finance options.
How do I enrol?
Here at Open Universities Australia, we make enrolling online as straightforward as possible. To get started, find the course for you by browsing the options on this page. You can also compare different qualifications using our handy comparison tool, or request help from one of our student advisors.
When you've made your choice, click 'Apply now' on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We'll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.
Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.
If you get stuck at any time, reach out to a student advisor and we'll talk you through it.
You can also take a look at our online self-service enrolling instructions.