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Master of Social Science (Professional Counselling)

N0914  Offshore



Duration

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Fee*
2 Year/s (2 Years full-time) External Venue (Semester 1, Semester 2) Refer to Executive Counselling & Training Academy 
*The indicative course fees shown in Course Search apply to international students studying on-campus in Australia for the relevant year only. They are based on a standard study load per year. However, please note that fees are assessed according to a student's study load in each semester, and variation to study load will result in an adjustment to tuition fees. All fees are subject to annual review and may be adjusted.

Please note: this program is only available in Singapore.  A comparable program for Australian domestic students residing in Melbourne is the Master of Social Science (Human Services - Counselling) (N0915). 
 
Swinburne University of Technology offers the Graduate Certificate of Social Science (Professional Counselling) (N0714) and the Graduate Diploma of Social Science (Professional Counselling) (N0814) as a pathway to the Master of Social Science (Professional Counselling). The three programs constitute an accredited nested suite of courses with different exit points.
 
The Master of Social Science (Professional Counselling) builds on the knowledge of models of counselling and practical counselling skills developed in the graduate certificate and graduate diploma levels. The master program is designed to meet the needs of the working adult professionals who are seeking professional qualifications in counselling. Graduates of the program would be eligible to register as professional counsellors in Singapore.

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Aims
 
This program is designed to meet the needs of individuals who would like to seek professional counselling qualifications as registered counsellors.
 
The Master level units will provide advanced instruction in counselling theories, and models of development in cognitive, affective and behavioural integration. There will also be pratical applications to different counselling settings and issues (e.g. bereavement, disabilities, physical illnesses, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress and multi-cultural issues).
 
The course will also provide an opportunity for the students to specialise at an advanced level of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or Family Therapy.
 
Learning Objectives
 
By the end of the program, the student should be able to:
  • Apply counselling, psychotherapeutic and psychological theories at an advanced level
  • Implement various counselling approaches especially in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or Family Therapy
  • Act as a professional counsellor in accordance with ethical guidelines and professional boundaries
  • Apply processes of self monitoring, self examination and self awareness in ongoing personal and professional development
  • Utilise a set of advanced interpersonal skills which emphasise processes of facilitation
  • Gain an understanding of the major counselling approaches
  • Use counselling processes and interventions
  • Develop generic helping skills to manage counselling cases
  • Be aware of professional counselling ethics
  • Grow with individual and group supervision
A graduate from the program should have:
  • The ability to demonstrate warmth, respect, congruence and empathy
  • The capacity to develop an effective therapeutic relationship
  • An awareness of personal and ethical values
  • An awareness of theoretical models of counselling
  • The ability to be culturally sensitive
  • Awareness of the impact of the client’s social context
  • The ability to make appropriate referrals
  • The ability to evaluate counselling research
  • The ability to apply counselling, psychotherapeutic and psychological theories at an advanced level
  • The capacity to effectively implement various counselling approaches, especially in cognitive behavioural therapy or family therapy
  • The ability to act as a professional counsellor in accordance with ethical guidelines and professional boundaries
  • The ability to apply processes of self monitoring, self examination and self awareness in ongoing personal and professional development
  • The ability to develop and implement treatment plans to achieve therapeutic goals
  • The ability to utilise a set of advanced interpersonal skills that emphasise processes of facilitation

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This program is only available in Singapore.
 
The program consists of 200 credit points of units. In the first year, which comprises the graduate certificate and graduate diploma, students undertake a total of eight coursework units, each of 12.5 credit points. In the second year, which comprises the master component, students undertake a total of four units, each of 25 credit points. This comprises three coursework units and one placement unit. The placement unit and two of the coursework units are core units and one unit is an elective. In addition to meeting the unit requirements, students are also expected to complete 50 hours of approved professional development workshops.

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Units in Semesters 1 and 2 are valued at 12.5 credit points each.

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Counselling in mental and/or community health, educational counselling and guidance.

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The Singapore Association of Counselling recognises the nested suite of courses as appropriate training in professional counselling. The course has been approved by the Singapore Government Committee for Private Education.
 
An application for recognition by the Australian Counselling Association will be made.

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This program is only available to Singaporean citizens in Singapore. Application forms are available from the Executive Counselling and Training Academy, Singapore.

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Swinburne College English for Academic Purposes Advanced level certificate at the postgraduate level (EAP 5: PG-70%); OR, obtaining a minimum IELTS overall band of 6.5 (Academic Module) with no individual band below 6.0; OR, a TOEFL (Paper-based) minimum score of 575 (with Test of Written English (TWE) score of 5); OR, a TOEFL (Computer-based) minimum score of 232 (with Written Writing score of 5); OR, a TOEFL (Internet-based) minimum score of 90 with no band less than 20.

 

Refer to the English Language Requirements website for further information.

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This program is only available in Singapore.

The program is taught in English. If necessary, applicants will need to provide evidence of advanced proficiency in written and spoken English.

Applicants must also satisfy the following requirements:
* Completion of an approved undergraduate degree from a recognised university or equivalent institution; or
* Completion of professional qualifications in related areas such as psychology, social work, medicine, nursing, human resources, or education; or
* Completion of a government recognised program in counselling training at a satisfactory standard or completion of a program in a related discipline at professional certificate level, which in the opinion of the Selection Committee, is suitable preparation for entry into the program.

Selection is based on an interview and the applicant’s suitability for the course as determined by personal suitability as well as academic and work experience. Each applicant will be expected to provide: evidence of a high standard of performance in previous academic studies, two referee reports, evidence of appropriate supervised counselling experience and a written statement of their reasons for wishing to undertake the program.

Applicants can also be accepted directly into the Masters course with recognition of prior learning if they have completed a Graduate Diploma in Professional Counselling from Swinburne University of Technology; or another recognised university or equivalent institution.

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Prospective applicants residing in Singapore should contact:

Executive Counselling and Training Academy
#02-07/08/09/10/11 Katong Junction
SINGAPORE 427664
Ph: (65) 63466411

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A range of scholarships are available to international students, visit our Scholarship Page for details.

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