SHORT COURSE

Sydney

ONLINEDomestic Students Only

School of Counselling

Graduate Certificate in Counselling

COURSE INFORMATIONThis course is supported by the Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP) program.

Limited places available.

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AboutEXCELSIA COLLEGE

OVERALL QUALITY OF EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE

NATIONAL AVERAGE 78.9%

84.5%EXCELSIA

UNDER-GRADUATE

283,000 UNDERGRADUATE & POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS42 AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITIES

58 NON-UNIVERSITY HIGHER EDUCATION PROVIDERS (NUHEPs)

80.6%EXCELSIA

POST-GRADUATE

NATIONAL AVERAGE 76.3%

41 OF THE 42 UNIVERSITIES IN LEARNER ENGAGEMENT (UNDERGRADUATE) 41 OF THE 42 UNIVERSITIES IN TEACHING QUALITY (UNDERGRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE)

IN THE 2019 QILT SURVEY

EXCELSIA OUTPERFORMED 2019

Excelsia College, Australia’s leading Christian Higher Education provider, has an innovative and creative community of people, who are passionate about excelling and growing academically, professionally, personally and spiritually. Established in 1983, our students and alumni embark on a journey of lifelong learning and leadership.

WORLD CLASS MENTORSHIP

Be mentored by and learn from engaged and committed staff who are approachable and passionate about counselling.

PASTORAL CARE

Excelsia College prioritises pastoral care and this is fully integrated throughout the program. It is important to the College that we meet the personal, social, wellbeing and academic needs of students.

COUNSELLING WITH A DIFFERENCE

With a strong emphasis placed on student growth and experiential learning, a postgraduate degree from Excelsia will impress employers and make students’ resumes pop.

ACCREDITATION

With PACFA and ACA accreditation, students study at the peak level of academic quality and cutting-edge practice, all in a uniquely supportive environment.

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CAMPUS FEATURES

P

Tennis Table Pool Table Air Hockey Table Outdoor BalconyBasketball Ring

Macquarie CentreMacquarie Centre

TRANSPORT

Metro StationMetro StationMacquarie UniversityMacquarie University

Metro StationMetro StationMacquarie ParkMacquarie Park

Excelsia CollegeExcelsia College

5 min walk from Macquarie Park Metro Station

1 min walk to bus stop

Free Parking

Library

Auditorium/Theatre

Recording Studio

Mac Lab

Drama & Music Specialist Rooms

Counselling Centre

Student FacilitiesFree WiFiStudy DesksSnacks BarFree Coffee Microwaves Frank Green Smart Cups

CAMPUS FEATURES

CONVENIENT LOCATION

Waterloo Road

Waterloo Road

Waterloo Road

Waterloo Road

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Length: 6 months

Credit Points: 24 credit points

Delivery: Online

IELTS: 6.5 with no band less than 6.0

AQF: Level 8

Financial Information:

COURSE OVERVIEWThe Graduate Certificate of Counselling is ideal for those wanting to explore counselling as a new career or vocation direction, with completion of the course providing time to determine if their interest in counselling merits further study.

Students will develop a clear appreciation of the rewards and challenges associated with a career as a professional counsellor, acquiring core counselling skills, an understanding of counselling ethics and an appreciation for how relational dynamics function in personal and professional settings.

The course may also be of interest to those in related professions whose occupations include an incidental counselling component (e.g. education, ministry, nursing, occupational therapy, pastoral work, policing, paramedics etc), providing an opportunity for them to improve or extend their current relational skill set by learning how to counsel and support others more effectively.

The course is also helpful for those without prior undergraduate studies who are interested in counselling and would like to determine if they can manage post-graduate level studies.

Students may also use the Graduate Certificate to proceed into the Graduate Diploma of Counselling and/or the Master of Counselling. Units completed in the Graduate Certificate in Counselling comprise 50% of the Graduate Diploma of Counselling and 25% of the Master of Counselling.

Graduate Certificate in

COUNSELLING

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

Applicants for whom English is not their first language must provide certified documentary evidence that their secondary schooling, or tertiary studies of at least one year, were conducted in the English language; or evidence of satisfactory results in an accepted English Language Proficiency examination.

EDUCATIONAL PREREQUISITES

Applicants with Higher Education

Applicants may be admitted to the Graduate Certificate in Counselling if they have previously successfully completed a relevant:• Bachelor degree or,• Bachelor Honours degree.

‘Relevant’ means a degree that includes subjects such as psychology, social work and education where you studied human motivation and behaviour. ‘Non-relevant’ means degrees that are science based (not including psychology), where you have not studied human motivation and behaviour.

School of Counselling

For more information, refer to excelsia.edu.au/courses/counselling/graduate-certificate-in-counselling/

Limited places available.

This course is supported by the Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP) program.

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COM561 Counselling Practice IAs the first in a series of four counselling practice units, the aim of Counselling Practice I is to develop foundational levels of counselling competence, supported by key skills required for effective clinical practice. For example, students will be introduced to core counselling concepts such as transference and counter-transference, which while originating in the psychodynamic psychotherapeutic domain, are now part of broader counselling discourse. In addition to acquiring the core counselling skills students will learn how the core skills find expression in Person-centred Counselling. This twin approach of exposure to (i) general core counselling constructs and skills, and (ii) articulation of some of these skills within a specific modality will continue across all four of the Counselling Practice units.

COM589 Counselling Practice II In Counselling Practice II students will be introduced to one of the contemporary cognitive-informed modalities, for example, Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), or Schema Therapy (ST). Students will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of key modality-specific principles and processes and to develop a capacity to apply a range of counselling skills related to the specific modality being taught in a given semester, with knowledge and skills demonstrated within the classroom setting and through a range of assessment tasks.

COM567 Development and DiversityEmploying bio-psychosocial and socio-cultural lenses, students examine how humans grow and change across the lifespan, considering the contribution of developmental and socio-cultural factors to normative outcomes. They examine major theories of human development, including the interface between the individual and his/her broader historical, socio-cultural context. They consider how the spiritual domain affects development for those with a faith worldview, and how different experiences of society and culture including factors such as racism, bias and discrimination, oppression, power and privilege, and prejudice can adversely affect individual development and present as clinical issues. Finally they develop an awareness of the importance of socially and culturally sensitive counselling practice.

COM566 Relational DynamicsRelational dynamics are at the heart of human engagement and communication. Counsellors and clients are influenced and affected by significant relationships in their lives. Students learn about the importance of processing the adverse effects of relational experiences, informed by intrapersonal, interpersonal and relational theory, with an emphasis on interpersonal neurobiology, attachment and systemic theories.

They critically reflect on their personal relationship experiences, become conversant with their own affective regulation, reflective functioning and relational capacity, and develop an understanding of how and when their own, and their clients’ relational histories and current experiences may affect therapeutic outcomes.

UNITS

Applicants with non-relevant degrees will be considered on the basis of their Work and Life Experience

Applicants with Work and Life Experience

Applicants without undergraduate qualifications can apply for admission via the Work and Life Experience pathway which may consider other forms of study completed in the higher education and vocational sectors, volunteer activities, contribution to church life, professional development relevant to counselling. For more information refer to the Student Selection and Admissions Policy and Procedure.

Suitability assessment

All applicants will need to meet the following requirements:

Interview: Successfully complete an admission interview (including a Readiness for Counselling and Psychotherapy Training Questionnaire);

Criminal History Record: Provide a National Criminal History Record check at time of application (obtainable from: nationalcrimecheck.com.au; and

Working with Children Check: Provide a Working with Children authorisation at time of application obtainable from: www.kidsguardian.nsw.gov.au/child-safe-organisations/working-with-children-check

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excelsia.edu.auinfo@excelsia.edu.au+61 2 9819 8888

69 - 71 Waterloo RoadMacquarie Park SydneyABN 50 360 319 774CRICOS CODE 02664K

The information contained in this course guide was accurate at the time of publication. Excelsia reserves the right to amend the material contained in this guide without notice in response to changing circumstances or for any other reason.For most up-to-date course information please visit our website.

Step 5

Complete Application FormStep 4

Step 1 Select the courseat: excelsia.edu.au/courses/online-short-courses

ApplyOnce you submit your application, Excelsia staff will contact you shortly to confirm receipt

and talk through the next steps in the process.

Step 2 Check Entry Requirements

Step 3 Gather the Required Documents

Information about applications is available at: excelsia.edu.au/application-guide