Program Overview

Master of Counselling

The Master of Counselling is globally recognised for its focus on narrative therapy. Cultivate professional skills rooted in constructionist theories, setting you apart in the field.

Points and Duration

• The total number of points to gain this qualification: 240 points
• The expected duration to complete this qualification full-time: 2 years

Locations

• The study location where the qualification is offered: Hamilton

Area of Study

• The Faculty or School under which this qualification can be studied: School of Education

Start Dates

• The trimester in which this qualification can be started: Trimester A (March)

Why Study the Master of Counselling?

The Master of Counselling (MCouns) is established as a flagship degree that has seen 92% of graduates over the past six years gain successful employment. The degree has specifically been designed for professional counsellors or supervisors interested in leadership roles within the New Zealand counselling profession.

Career Opportunities

• NGO Social Service practices
  • Hospice
  • Private Practitioner
  • Family and relationship counselling
  • Corrections and Probation
  • Youth services
  • Career support
  • Pastoral care
  • School counselling

Degree Information

Plan Your Study

The Master of Counselling offers two options:

• Master of Counselling - Option 1 - Professional emphasis
• Master of Counselling - Option 2 - Research emphasis

Master of Counselling - Option 1 - Professional Emphasis

Including 8 taught papers:

1. COUNS549 Counselling and Contexts: Provides an overview of counselling practice and its contexts, including optional modules on school counselling or addictions. It teaches the skills and ethical perspectives of collaborative approaches to counselling, offering a particular introduction to narrative therapy.
2. COUNS544 Discourse and Counselling Psychologies: Offers a social constructionist and poststructuralist perspective on counselling and includes consideration of cultural approaches and psychological theories which have influenced counselling practice.
3. COUNS540 Working with Groups: Explores dialogic group processes with selected kinds of groups. Students will be given the opportunity to develop group membership and leadership roles through observation, participation, and evaluation during an experiential workshop format and through online discussion and assignments.
4. COUNS546 Conflict Resolution: Restorative Approaches: Develops the skills of facilitating conflict resolution using mediation, conferencing, and other types of restorative and generative conversations in families, schools, and other contexts.
5. COUNS541 Counselling Skills: Provides the opportunity for students to develop competence in basic relational and conversational skills of counselling within a narrative perspective.
6. COUNS543 Counselling Young People and Families: Extends the narrative counselling skills taught in COUNS541, with a particular focus on counselling children, young people, families, and couples.
7. COUNS542 Counselling Practicum: Requires 400 counselling hours in an agency, organisation, or school. This paper is taught partially online and is a compulsory paper for the MCouns.
8. COUNS545 Professional Practice of Counselling: Designed to bring together the narrative theory and practice issues arising in COUNS542. Students will meet on campus at regular intervals throughout the year to present examples of their work with clients, to participate in peer consultation, and to address common problems related concerns that are present in their counselling work.

Entry Requirements

• Admission normally requires a bachelor's degree with at least a B average in the third year.
• There is a selection process for the MCouns.

Fees and Scholarships

• Estimated fees for domestic students: $8,569 - $10,266 per year
• Scholarships are available; visit the Scholarship finder for more information.

Research

For those wishing to undertake a research component within the qualification, guidelines and application forms are available for:

• EDUCA590 Directed Study
• EDUCA592 Dissertation
• EDUCA593/594 Masters Thesis

Research is governed by the Ethical Conduct in Research Regulations.

Practical Experience

Professional papers offer students the opportunity to have supported professional experience in community and/or education settings. Efforts are made to cater for and respond to the individual student’s particular background and professional education goals.

Practicum Placements

• Students must arrange their own practicum placement in order to meet course requirements.
• The arrangements must be approved by the Professional Leader Counsellor Education.

Practical Counselling Skills

As a graduate of the Master of Counselling (MCouns) programme, you will have developed competence in the practices of counselling and established a firm understanding in philosophical and ethical issues relating to professional counselling practice.

Cultural Experience

The programme incorporates cultural knowledge and practice, including interchanges, connections, noho marae, and visits to marae, to weave cultural understanding into the shaping of the counsellor education programme.

What Our Students Are Saying About Us

Students have praised the programme for its care, expertise, and passion for effective counselling practice and academic rigour, stating that it adds weight to their personal and professional voice.