Master of Counselling
Specialising in Forensic Counselling
Choose your specialisation
Couple Counselling
Gain an advanced understanding of the theory and practice necessary to work as a couple counsellor in this specialisation.
Forensic Counselling
The Forensic Counselling Specialisation gives you a deep understanding of the legal and ethical systems in forensic psychology.
Human Services Counselling
The Human Services Counselling Specialisation focuses on the skills necessary to work with people and groups facing various social, emotional, behavioural, or mental health challenges.
Overview
Want to refine your pre-existing counselling skills for further career success? The Master of Counselling is designed for people currently employed in the human services sector who have an interest in the specialist fields of couple or forensic counselling. Get ready to advance your counselling and research skills, particularly if you’re interested or currently employed in education, mental health, justice and welfare sectors.
You're invited to our 2025 Study Expo
Join us this January to meet academics, browse courses, get application help, explore our Hawthorn campus and find out all you need to know about starting in Semester 1.
Your specialisation
Forensic Counselling
The Forensic Counselling Specialisation gives you a deep understanding of the legal and ethical systems in forensic psychology. Gain an understanding about risks of violence and other forms of offending and gain practical skills in an agency setting. You’ll develop the knowledge and skills to understand clients’ actions more effectively and be conscious of your role and power as a practitioner in a forensic setting.
Upgrade your skills
- Plan and implement counselling interventions
- Competence in assessment
- Written or oral communication skills
- Critically apply research principles
- Advanced skills to work therapeutically with a range of clients
Stretch your career further
- Private practice counsellor
- Mental health counsellor
- Social worker
- Pastoral care
- Grief counsellor
Strong industry connections and co-creation
The forensic stream is delivered in collaboration with the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science, Swinburne University of Technology, which is the current preferred provider of evidence-based specialist forensic training to a wide variety of professionals working with forensic clients both in Victoria and across Australia. Partnerships with forensic organisations are in place to support forensic placements.
Key codes
International student visa
International students in Australia who hold student visas are required to study full-time and on campus. Courses that are taught entirely online are only available to international students studying outside Australia or those in Australia who are not on a student visa. Online courses are not available to international students in Australia who hold a student visa.
Professional accreditation
Why Swinburne?
Ranked top 250 in the world for the subject of psychology
Times Higher Education World University Ranking by Subject 202383.5% of students found employment within 4 months of graduating
Ranked top 20% in Australia for 5-star PG Overall experience
Qualifications
- A minimum three-year Bachelor degree from an Australian university or approved equivalent or
- Graduate Certificate of Counselling or equivalent
- Graduate Diploma of Counselling or equivalent
While no specific area of study in the Bachelor degree is required as a prerequisite, it would be advantageous for students to have experience in human services, couple counselling or a forensic settings.
Selection is based on an individual and group interview and the applicant’s suitability for the program as determined by academic and work experience*, referee reports, and the stated reasons for wishing to undertake the program. Preference may be given to applicants with an equivalent of a credit average or above.
The university may determine selection criteria and restrictions in respect of courses to apply in addition to these entry requirements.
All students will be required to submit a current Working with Children Check and Police Check.
* Work experience
Documents substantiating work experience need to be provided on company letterhead and clearly detail roles as well as duties and duration of posts held.
Other requirements
NDIS Worker Screening Check
Students enrolled in this course may be required to apply for and receive an acceptable NDIS Worker Screening Check prior to commencing placement with an NDIS provider. The relevant fee is the responsibility of the student.
Admission requirements
Meeting the minimum entry requirements for the course does not guarantee an offer of a place. See admission requirements for general information about the admission process.
Credit transfer
Credit is granted in recognition of previous study and/or experience and allows students to gain advanced standing towards their course. Applicants are assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Recognition of prior learning
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) allows students to gain credit (advanced standing) towards their course in recognition of skills and knowledge gained through work experience, life experience and/or formal training. Applicants are assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Finding your fit
At Swinburne, we recognise that not one size fits all. If this course doesn’t meet all your study criteria, check out these alternatives.
-
Master of Occupational Therapy
-
Master of Physiotherapy
How credit points work
To qualify for the Master of Counselling, students must complete 150 credit points comprising:
- 8 core units (100 credit points)
- 4 units from one of the counselling specialisations (50 credit points).
Your units
Graduate Certificate
Completing 4 core units entitles you to the graduate certificate.
| Units of study | Unit code |
|---|---|
| Core units | |
|
Foundations of Counselling
Core unit, 12.5 credit points |
PSC60001 |
|
Ethics and Cultural Diversity for Counsellors
Core unit, 12.5 credit points |
PSC60004 |
|
Lifespan Development and Systemic Thinking
Core unit, 12.5 credit points |
PSC60009 |
|
Advanced Counselling
Core unit, 12.5 credit points |
PSC70008 |
Graduate Diploma
Completing an additional specialisation (4 units) entitles you to the graduate diploma.
| Units of study | Unit code |
|---|---|
Masters degree
Completing an additional 4 core units entitles you to the masters.
| Units of study | Unit code |
|---|---|
| Core units | |
|
Trauma Loss and Grief Counselling
Core unit, 12.5 credit points |
PSC70018 |
|
Advanced Counselling Placement 1
Core unit, 12.5 credit points |
PSC80001 |
|
Systemic Approaches to Attachment and Development
Core unit, 12.5 credit points |
PSC80015 |
|
Advanced Research Based Practice
Core unit, 12.5 credit points |
PSC80016 |
Your specialisation
| Units of study | Unit code |
|---|---|
|
Core Skills in Forensic Practice
Specialisation unit, 12.5 credit points |
FBS80001 |
|
Fundamentals of Criminal Law Process
Specialisation unit, 12.5 credit points |
FBS80002 |
|
Principles of Violence Risk Assessment and Management
Specialisation unit, 12.5 credit points |
FBS80003 |
|
Clinical Supervision and Work Place Experience
Specialisation unit, 12.5 credit points |
PSC70024 |
2025 fees
Yearly fee* ($AUD)
$34,880
Total fee* ($AUD)
$52,320
2025 fees
Yearly fee* ($AUD)
$0.00
Fees are estimates only
The student tuition fees as published are subject to change given individual circumstances at enrolment. These fees apply for units studied in 2025 only and may change for units studied in future years. If part-time study is permitted, annual fees will be proportionally lower based on the number of units taken per semester.
Fees are estimates only
The indicative course fees shown apply to international students for the relevant year, based on a standard study load per year. Fees are assessed according to actual study load each semester, with variations to study load resulting in tuition fee adjustments. These fees generally include the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) and are subject to annual review. Enrolled students will receive reasonable notice of any fee changes before payment is due.
How do I pay my fees?
FEE-HELP is a loan given to eligible full-fee paying higher education students to help pay part or all of their tuition fees. The Commonwealth Government pays the amount of the loan directly to Swinburne.
International students need to pay tuition fees up-front by the relevant due date. You can find the due dates on your Statement of Account.
To pay your fees:
- log in to My Finances
- check your Australian bank account details are correct
- check your Statement of Account to see how much you owe
- pay using your preferred payment method.
Eligibility for FEE-HELP
You’re eligible for a FEE-HELP loan if you are studying an undergraduate or postgraduate degree, or UniLink or OUA course at Swinburne, and you:
- are an Australian citizen doing at least one unit of your course in Australia; or
- hold a permanent humanitarian visa and will be living in Australia for the duration of your course; or
- hold a New Zealand Special Category visa and meet the special eligibility requirements for New Zealand citizens
- are undertaking bridging study for overseas trained professionals and will be living in Australia for the duration of this study
- have not exceeded the new combined Help Loan limit.
The HELP limit is the maximum amount you can borrow from the government in your lifetime towards your education costs. It is fixed and cannot be topped up.
Student services and amenities fee
This funding serves to improve the student experience at Swinburne. You may use many or just some of the services and amenities that the fee provides.
The fee shown in the capped amount for 2025.
This funding serves to improve the student experience at Swinburne. You may use many or just some of the services and amenities that the fee provides.
This amenities fee is included within your annual tuition fee listed above. The fee shown is the capped amount for 2025.
Please refer to the Student Services Amenities Fee page for more information.
SSAF fee* ($AUD)
$365
SSAF fee* ($AUD)
$365
Accreditation placement fees
Placement opportunities at Swinburne are designed to provide valuable experience, promote career readiness, and recognise the importance of practical skills in achieving your goals. Students attending placements will be required to cover fees with costs ranging from approximately $350 to $600, depending on the specific course.
Scholarships
Scholarship applications for 2025 are open. Scholarships at Swinburne are about providing opportunity, promoting equity and recognising excellence and achievement. We want you to reach your potential and achieve your life and career goals.
Our handy guide will assist you to gather documents for your application.
When you apply for a Swinburne course, we automatically consider you for an international scholarship of up to 20 per cent off your course fees – no separate application required! Just apply for your Swinburne course of choice and when we review your course application, we will also assess you for an international scholarship.
Apply through an agent
Most international students use an education agent to help them through the application process. Swinburne has agents all over the world that can help you with your application to study. Search for a Swinburne representative in your country. If your country is not listed, please contact us.
Apply directly
Ready to take on a new challenge and reach your academic goals? If you already know which course you want to study and understand the entry requirements, what are you waiting for? Apply online!
Last date to apply
- Semester 1, 2025 – Round 1: 5pm, Thursday 24 October 2024 (timely applications)
- Semester 1, 2025 – Round 2: 5pm, Thursday 16 January 2025 (late applications)