Bachelor of Counselling

Become a change agent for your clients and your community.

If you are an overseas student you can fill out an expression of interest here→

Endorsed by CCAA

Proud Partners of Tov Academy
(formerly AIFC)

Course Code: CRS1401898
Bachelor of Counselling
Duration - 3 years full-time (or part-time equivalent)
Location - Wantirna, or online with regional seminar days
Delivery Mode - Live, on campus or online
Availability: Domestic students only initially. (Overseas students please complete an expression of interest here)

Course Overview

The Bachelor of Counselling trains compassionate, skilled, and reflective Christian counsellors that can fill ever-widening gaps in Australia’s community-based mental health services. Nearly half of Australians will experience a “mental disorder” at some time in their life and a fifth will experience this over twelve months or more – almost double that among young people (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2023). When you add in the millions experiencing relationship problems, family violence, trauma, spiritual despair and other personal struggles the demand for well-trained professional counsellors is obvious.

Our course offers a generalist pathway into professional counselling, suitable for students from a wide range of academic backgrounds who have yet to complete an undergraduate degree. It also provides recognition of prior learning for those with previous counselling qualifications (e.g. Diploma of Counselling).

Grounded in the new National Standards for Counsellors, the program includes a suite of core counselling units, sociology and psychology units, professional placement, and three Christian Foundation units focused on Biblical literacy and Christian integration. The course equips graduates for professional practice across five core domains of learning:

Counsellor Formation – Developing self-awareness, Christian character, and reflective practice as the foundation of effective counselling.
Counselling Theory – Engaging deeply with key counselling approaches, particularly person-centred and trauma-informed therapies in conversation with Biblical theology and ethics.
Counselling Skills – Building practical skills through observation, practice, feedback, and reflection.
Counselling Practice Frameworks – Learning ethical, professional, and evidence-based approaches to working safely and responsibly.
Work Integrated Learning – Applying learning in real-world settings through supervised placements and a community-focused capstone project.

Graduates of the Bachelor of Counselling can enter the counselling profession with confidence, integrity, and a strong sense of vocation—ready to serve individuals and communities with wisdom, skill, and compassion.

Where will this lead me?

Graduates of the Bachelor of Counselling will be able to immediately begin working as professional counsellors through membership with the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA – accreditation pending), the Christian Counsellors Association of Australia (CCAA) or the Australian Counselling Association (ACA – accreditation pending). After completing 750 hours of supervised professional practice post-graduation, graduates will be eligible for clinical registration with the CCAA and PACFA or level 3 membership with the ACA.

Course Structure

The course trains prospective counsellors across 24 counselling, psychology and Christian Foundation units, including two professional placement units that together provide 80 hours of counselling experience and 200 hours total of on-the-job learning. The three Christian Foundation units focus on Christian living, Biblical literacy and integration of faith with practice and support the course’s strong emphasis on Christian integration. Students can also select two counselling electives.

All students undertake:

13 Core counselling units covering counselling skills, theory, and personal and theological integration.
2 Counselling electives providing greater depth on chosen topics than is available in the core units.
2 Counselling electives providing further exploration of counselling topics of particular interest.
3 Psychology units that provide an introduction to psychology in a counselling context, human development and mental health.
1 Sociology and indigenous studies unit.
3 Christian Foundation units exploring Biblical studies, spiritual development, Christianity and culture, and professional integration.
These requirements total 144 credit-points of study.

Units are delivered either live online or in hybrid mode with in-person classes that can be optionally joined online. For students attending classes online only, attendance at occasional in-person seminars held at a range of regional centres throughout Australian cities are required.

Course Outcomes

Communicate in a professional manner with clients and colleagues in light of current knowledge in psychology, sociology and counselling.
Demonstrate broad knowledge of major counselling and psychological theories and select approaches appropriate to their practice.
Develop an individual counselling approach informed by evidence and a deeply Christ-centric worldview.
Evaluate cultural, theoretical and theological understandings of client problems and change from a Christian perspective.
Initiate compassionate therapeutic relationships with diverse clients living with varied issues including complex issues.
Negotiate the whole process of counselling in an ethical way that enhances outcomes.
Reflexively appraise themselves as counsellors in light of the cultural, theological and professional contexts that shape them.

Entry Requirements

Apart from academic criteria (see below), applicants’ suitability for the Bachelor of Counselling will be evaluated based on an interview process. Applicants should demonstrate a desire to integrate professional counselling theory and practice with a Christian worldview and broadly align with the College’s statement of faith. A realistic understanding of the career opportunities available to students upon graduation should be demonstrated.

Ideally, applicants will have some prior experience with people-helping in a professional or lay context through Christian ministry (e.g. pastoring, youth work, church volunteer ministry, etc.) or other work experience (e.g. medical, social work, human resources, etc.) and have a sense of personal aptness for and/or keen interest in the field. Applicants should demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills, along with resilience and sufficient personal efficacy and organisation skills, to be able to complete a course of graduate study.

English language proficiency: IELTS 6.5 overall (with minimum of: speaking 7.0, listening 7.0, reading 6.0, writing 6.0).

Academic Requirements

(A) Applicants with higher education study, completed bridging or enabling course

Applicants who have completed year 12 or equivalent will be eligible for a consideration for admission into the course.

(B) Applicants with vocational education and training (VET) study

Students with a Diploma or Advanced Diploma of Counselling (or very similar discipline) from a VET institution are eligible for recognition of prior learning up to 50% of the course. VET graduates must complete a short, ungraded bridging unit at their commencement of the course to ensure preparedness for higher education study.

Students with a Diploma of Counselling or Advanced diploma of Counselling from Tov Academy (formerly AIFC) are eligible for RPL for 8 units or 12 units of the Bachelors respectively.

English Language Requirement

If not born in a designated English-speaking country or studied at least one year tertiary education in English must have IELTS 6.5 overall (with minimum of: speaking 7.0, listening 7.0, reading 6.0, writing 6.0). More information is available on our website.

Other Requirements

Applicants must demonstrate in the New Student Interview: self-awareness; relational capacity; a capacity to understand and practice ethical behaviour and be prepared to follow a code of ethics; and a certain level of mature life experience (including openness to feedback).
To undertake a professional placement, the placement organisation may require a satisfactory police check and/or a working with children check.

Advanced Standing / Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Eastern College is proud to partner with Tov Academy (formerly AIFC). Students with a Diploma of Counselling or Advanced Diploma of Counselling from Tov are eligible for RPL for 8 or 12 units, respectively.

Students with other prior studies in Counselling should contact us about RPL.

Pathways

Depending on the units chosen students may choose to exit with a Diploma in Arts. Students who choose not to complete, or are unable to complete, the professional placement units of their course may receive substantial credit toward Eastern’s Bachelor of Arts.

Fees

For a breakdown on the fees for this course please visit Eastern’s fees page.

Units Attached to this Course (UNIT List)

Semester 1

CN5100 Essential Counselling Skills
CN5200 Counselling for Common Issues
PS5100 Introduction to Psychology
SS5100 Introduction to Sociology and Indigenous Australia

Semester 2

CF501 Living in Christ OR CF504 Biblical Literacy
CN5300 The Process of Counselling
CN5400 Research and Evidence in Counselling
CN5500 Counselling Across Culture and Difference

Semester 3

CN6100 Directive Therapies: Theory and Practice AND
CN6200 Directive Counselling Skills
CN6300 Ethical and Professional Practice
CF604 Faith, Reason and Justice

Semester 4

CN6500 Person-Centred Therapies: Theory and Practice AND
CN6600 Person-centred Counselling Skills
PS6200 Human Development: Implications for Counselling
CN6700 Counselling for Crisis, Trauma and Loss

Semester 5

CN7100 Professional Placement 1
CN7200 Group and Relationship Counselling
PS7300 Mental Health for Counselling
1 Counselling Elective:
- CN7310 Counselling for Addiction
- CN7330 Beyond Talk Therapy

Semester 6

CN7400 Professional Placement 2
CN7700 Personal Philosophy of Counselling Practice
CF701 Integration of Vocation and Faith
1 Counselling Elective:
- - CN7510 Family and Couples Counselling
  - CN7520 Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in a Christian Context
  - CN7530 Practices in Narrative Therapy

Eastern College Australia values the history, culture and languages of First Nations people and we welcome their participation in all of our courses.