Master of Counselling (Alcohol & Drug Studies)

Study the Master of Counselling (Alcohol and Drug Studies) and gain the practical skills to support people struggling with substance misuse and gain an insight into psychoactive drugs. Learn a range of treatment approaches including motivational interviewing and relapse prevention. 

1. Apply a core body of knowledge, including contemporary theories and models central to counselling assessment, treatment, and clinical supervision.
2. Effectively utilise a range of advanced interpersonal, written, oral and digital literacy skills appropriate for communicating with diverse audiences including clients and professionals.
3. Apply critical reasoning, problem solving, and professional and ethical judgement with initiative to identify and resolve a range of therapeutic, professional, legal and ethical practice issues.
4. Consolidate theory and practice within an integrative framework to effectively provide counselling within diverse cultural and practice contexts and client groups.
5. Critically evaluate relevant research literature, methodologies and findings to inform practice development and conduct research.

Study the Master of Counselling (Alcohol and Drug Studies) and gain the practical skills to support people struggling with substance misuse and gain an insight into psychoactive drugs. Learn a range of treatment approaches including motivational interviewing and relapse prevention. This is a qualifying degree into the counselling profession and entry into this specialisation requires partial completion of the Graduate Diploma of Counselling at UniSQ, or equivalent. This specialisation is professionally accredited by the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) and the Australian Counselling Association (ACA).

Recommended study pattern

Year 1 - Semester 1

COU8101 Counselling Skills and Applications

COU8102 Professional Counselling Practice, Identity and Ethics

COU8011 Assessment for Substance Misuse

COU8012 Motivational Interviewing

Year 1 - Semester 2

COU8104 Counselling Frameworks

COU8103 Counselling Issues and Contexts

COU8014 Relapse Prevention

COU8013 Introduction to Psychoactive Drugs

Research Project Stream

Year 2 - Semester 1

HSC8050 Research Methodology for the Human Sciences

COU8006 Group Counselling Process and Practice

MSC8001 Research Project I

Year 2 - Semester 2

COU8050 Masters Counselling Practicum

MSC8002 Research Project II

Capstone Project Stream

Year 2 - Semester 1

HSC8050 Research Methodology for the Human Sciences

COU8040 Counselling Capstone Project

COU8006 Group Counselling Process and Practice

Year 2 - Semester 2

COU8050 Masters Counselling Practicum

Approved course

Approved course

Award requirements

Completion of 16 units as outlined in the Recommended Study Pattern section.

Choose your subjects

Majors

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

Electives

Approved Courses List

COU8021 Couple and Family Counselling

COU8022 Child and Youth Counselling

COU8031 Contexts of Mental Health Counselling

COU8032 Mental Health Practice 1

COU8033 Mental Health Practice 2

EDU5325 Child Abuse and Neglect: Intervention, Protection and Prevention

Exit points

• Upon completion of the appropriate 4 units, a student may apply to exit with the Graduate Certificate of Counselling.
• Upon completion of the appropriate 8 units, a student may apply to exit with the Graduate Diploma of Counselling.

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

Indicative total fee $49,120

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:

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25

Completion of an Australian university three-year bachelor degree in any area (or equivalent).

Completion of at least 50% of the GDCN Graduate Diploma of Counselling at UniSQ with a GPA of 5, or above, or completion of an equivalent qualification at another institution.

Provide two satisfactory Referee Reports and a report to address the Selection Criteria indicating the applicant's abilities to successfully undertake the professional and research components of the program; and

Participate in an interview with a panel of School staff.

All students are required to satisfy the applicable English language requirements. For entry to the Master of Counselling (Alcohol and Drug Studies) program, applicants are required to meet the Category 3 English Language Proficiency requirements.

Exemptions/credit will be assessed based on the USQ Credit and Exemption Procedure.

Practical and/or clinical experience will be undertaken as part of the program (with the exception of the Advanced Practice stream). Students will negotiate supervised industry placement where they will have to demonstrate competency in those components of the course(s) that require application in a counselling situation.

Students undertaking practical and/or clinical experience are responsible for their own transport to and from their clinical placements and are also responsible for their own safety in organising that transport, whether public or private.

Students must have a Blue Card issued by the Commission of Children and Young People and Child Guardian in Queensland or its respective interstate equivalent, or be a registered health professional who qualifies for a professional exemption, to enrol in COU8050 Masters Counselling Practicum. These courses must be satisfactorily completed in order to graduate from the Master of Counselling.

Information about application requirements for each state can be found below:

• National
• Australian Capital Territory
• Queensland
• New South Wales
• Victoria
• Northern Territory
• Western Australia
• South Australia (see National requirements) - Organisation’s responsibility to conduct criminal check only if regular contact with children)
• Tasmania - none required

Mandatory Documents required prior to commencing ANY clinical placements in the program:

• Blue Card or Working with Children Check
• Australian Police Certificate
• Resume
• USQ Student Declaration
• USQ Placement Request Form

There are mandatory residential schools held at Ipswich, Springfield or Toowoomba campus, and synchronous mandatory online tutorials for:

• COU8102 Professional Counselling Practice, Identity and Ethics
• COU8103 Counselling Issues and Contexts
• COU8101 Counselling Skills and Applications
• COU8104 Counselling Frameworks
• COU8006 Group Counselling Process and Practice